BLM hosts Quartzsite meeting regarding recommended trail closures Nov. 21 at 3pm.

La Posa Travel Management Plan (TMP)

Preliminary Environmental Assessment Available

Yuma, Ariz. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Yuma Field Office has announced that the La Posa Travel Management Plan preliminary Environmental Assessment (EA) is available for review starting today.  There will be a 45-day public comment period and all comments must be received by close of business on December 21, 2013.  The preliminary EA may be reviewed on the BLM internet website at http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/travel_mgmt/la_posa.html.

To update the public on the preliminary EA, the BLM will hold an open house on 

Thursday, November 21, 2013.  

The open house will be held at the Quartzsite Community Center 

located at 295 Chandler Street; Quartzsite, Arizona; from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.

At the beginning of the meeting, there will be a brief presentation about the preliminary EA and travel management planning.  Following the presentation, residents and interested parties can individually speak with local BLM specialists and managers regarding their questions and concerns.  Maps will be on display for review, as well as general EA and travel management information. 

Written comments about the preliminary EA for the La Posa TMP will be accepted through December 21, 2013.  Comments postmarked by this date will be considered in making the final decision.  The comments should be specific to be most effective.  Comments should be mailed to BLM Yuma Field Office, Attention:  Joe Raffaele; 2555 E. Gila Ridge Road; Yuma, Arizona  85365; or through email to blm_az_ym_trails@blm.gov.

The La Posa Travel Management Area surrounds Quartzsite, Arizona, and encompasses over 380,000 acres of public land in La Paz and Yuma Counties.

For more information about the open house, please contact Joe Raffaele at 928-317-3238.

BLM IS PROPOSING THE FOLLOWING:

"Alternative C (Proposed action): This alternative is intended to balance access and natural resource concerns within the TMA. As shown in Table 3.7.3, 54% of the mileage associated with ATV use and 55% of the mileage associated with 4-wheel drive use would remain open under this alternative. Similarly, 65% of the mileage associated with hunting, 86% of the mileage associated with hiking, and 81% of the mileage associated with camping would remain open. Finally, 66% of the mileage associated with rock hounding and 55% of the mileage associated with vehicle exploring would remain open. 

This alternative also addresses the RMP’s mandate to provide a unique set of recreational experiences and opportunities within each PRS. This alternative most adequately represents the BLM’s efforts to provide the recreational experiences and opportunities outlined in the RMP. As shown in Table 3.7.4, 55% of routes within the Semi-Primitive PRS would be closed, 65% of the routes in the Rural Natural PRS would be closed, 56% of the routes in the Rural Developed PRS would be closed, 11% of the roads in the Suburban PRS would be closed, and 59% of the roads in the Urban PRS would be closed under this alternative."

The full Environmental Assessment report is available online at:  http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/az/pdfs/travel_mgmt/la_posa/prelim.Par.57286.File.dat/LaPosa-prelim-EA.pdf

Quartzsite seniors form new group to keep trails open

NEW GROUP FORMED TO KEEP OHV/ATV TRAILS OPEN

Quartzsite, Arizona - A new grass roots group has been formed to oppose closing of OHV (Off Highway Vehicle - ATV) trails on BLM administered public land in the Quartzsite, Arizona area.

The new group is SENIOR CITIZENS AGAINST QUARTZSITE TRAIL CLOSURES (SCAQTC).  Their webpage address is: http://quartzsitetrails.com

Randie Farish, owner of the Scenic Road RV Park in Quartzsite, is president of the new group.  He encourages everyone with an interest in Quartzsite, the desert and/or OHV’s to go to the SCAQTC webpage as soon as possible to find out what they can do to help.  The BLM comment period is scheduled to expire on April 5, 2012.

“I’m really concerned about this new BLM La Posa Travel Management Plan” states Farish.  “We’ve recently learned that the BLM has already closed a favorite destination in the desert, Dripping Springs.  They have also removed another route over Preacher Pass from their BLM maps.  Alternative D of the BLM La Posa Travel Management Plan would essentially close the desert”  states Farish.

Farish estimates that from one/third to one/half of his guests at Scenic Road RV Park use OHV’s to access the desert for rock hounding, geocaching and gold prospecting, but mainly just to explore the desert and enjoy it’s beauty.  “Almost all of our guests are senior citizens who could never get out into the desert without their OHV’s” states Farish.

“To close the OHV trails is to close the desert to almost all the seniors here for the winter.  Many of them have told me they have no reason to come back to Quartzsite if they can’t use their OHV’s.  That would be devastating for my business” states Farish.

SCAQTC encourages quick action.  The group is requesting that as many interested people as possible to download the BLM comment form and submit it before April 5^th telling the BLM that they want none of the OHV trails in the Quartzsite area closed.  The form can be downloaded from the BLM webpage or from the webpage of the Arizona SunRiders ATV Club.  All this information can be found on the SCAQTC webpage http://quartzsitetrails.com