Federal Land Management Planning in Arizona
How can you influence Federal Land Management?
Ensure that you have a say in decisions being considered for federal lands by asking to be added to the Federal Agency’s ‘interested party’ distribution list, attending public meetings, and providing written comments. The Forest Service and BLM planning processes include a public input component. This webpage is designed as a resource for you to find out information about Forest Service and BLM planning efforts statewide. Contact information and webpage information are provided so that you can be directly engaged with each office and planning effort. Updated information about upcoming public meetings and documents released for public comment will be posted on this page as the information becomes available.
What is Federal Travel Management?
Faced with increasing motor vehicle use and growing numbers of off-road vehicle enthusiasts, the U.S. Forest Service in Washington D.C. issued (in 2005) new federal regulations called the Travel Management Rule to provide for recreational access while protecting forest resources. These new regulations required each national forest to develop a Travel Management Plan to identify and designate those roads, trails, and areas that are open to motor vehicle use. The Bureau of Land Management is also similarly revising Resource Management Plans and Travel Management Plans for lands under its jurisdiction.
Federal Land Management Planning Status – Contact PEP@azgfd.gov for information
Currently Open for Public Comment
- USFS COVID-19 Updates
- BLM Arizona COVID-19 Updates
- Notice of Intent To Prepare a Legislative Environmental Impact Statement on the Proposed Extension of the Military Land Withdrawal at Barry M. Goldwater Range Virtual Public Meetings – Meetings 5/26/20 and 5/28/20
- Sonoran Desert National Monument Resource Management Plan BLM Amendment and Environmental Assessment – Comments due 6/6/20
- 2020-2021 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations – Comments due 6/8/20
- Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge Draft Hunt Plan and Environmental Assessment – Extension Comments due 6/8/20
- Notice of Intent To Prepare a Legislative Environmental Impact Statement on the Proposed Extension of the Military Land Withdrawal at Barry M. Goldwater Range – Comments due 7/20/20
Ongoing Opportunities for Public Participation
- 2020-2021 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations
- ACOE Alamo Dam
- Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest Travel Management Plan
- Black Canyon Corridor Travel Management Plan
- BLM Grazing Regulation Proposed Revisions
- Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest Travel Management Plan
- Black Canyon Corridor Travel Management Plan
- BLM Kingman Field Office Travel Management
- BLM Public Land Access Project
- BLM Sonoran Desert National Monument Resource Management Plan Amendment/Environmental Assessment (Comments due 4/27/20)
- BLM Temporarily Closure of Selected Public Lands in Maricopa and Pinal Counties for the Construction of Four Recreational Shooting Sports Site
- Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge Draft Hunt Plan and Environmental Assessment
- Cibola National Wildlife Refuge Draft Hunt Plan and Environmental Assessment
- Council on Environmental Quality – Update to the Regulations Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act
- Coronado National Forest Projects
- Department of Interior (DOI) Reorganization
- DOI Regulatory Reform
- Forest Service Handbook 1109.12; Directive System Handbook; Providing Notice and Opportunity to Comment on Forest Service Directives
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area- Expanded Non-Native Aquatic Species Management Plan Environmental Assessment
- Grand Canyon NP Initial Bison Herd Reduction EA
- Heber Wild Horse Territory
- Heber Wild Horse Territory Management Plan
- I-11 Wickenburg to Nogales
- Kaibab National Forest North Kaibab Forest Restoration; Kaibab Plateau Ecological Restoration Project
- Notice of Intent To Prepare a Legislative Environmental Impact Statement on the Proposed Extension of the Military Land Withdrawal at Barry M. Goldwater Range
- Pinto Valley Mine EIS
- Prescott National Forest Land and Resource Management Projects
- Resolution Copper Project and Land Exchange EIS
- Sonoran Corridor
- Sonoran Desert National Monument Resource Management Plan BLM Amendment and Environmental Assessment
- San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area RMP
- Ten West Link Transmission Project EIS
- Tonto National Forest Plan Revision
- Tonto National Forest Travel Management Plan
Contact the Project Evaluation Program at PEP@azgfd.gov for recent department letters submitted.
Past Opportunities – Information
How do travel management rules affect outdoor recreationists?
The new Travel Management Plans and accompanying Travel Management Rules in the national forests affect hunters, anglers and other outdoor recreationists, as they establish open and closed roads and can place certain restrictions on public access, dispersed camping, and motorized retrieval of big game.
The restrictions require motor vehicles to stay on designated roads, trails and areas as shown on a Motor Vehicle Map. For forests that have implemented their Travel Management Rules, these free Motor Vehicle Use Maps are available at Forest Service offices or electronically on smartphone and mobile devices. Contact information for the different Forest Service offices is below.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission and Department have expressed concerns including inconsistencies across the different forests that cause confusion among outdoor recreationists, excessive restriction on the public’s ability to have reasonable access for recreation (including motorized retrieval of legally downed big game), and the potential impacts the new rules could have on the Department’s ability to meet wildlife management objectives.
Does the Arizona Game and Fish Commission have a position on Federal Travel Management Rules?
Below is the Arizona Game and Fish Commission’s official position on federal Travel Management Rules:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is responsible for management of all wildlife on public lands. Wildlife is held in trust for the public and access should not be denied or restricted without cause.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission recognizes and promotes multiple use on public lands managed by the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Every citizen should have access to their multiple use public lands unless there are reasons to deny access founded in sound science and affirmative analysis, and not a presumption of harm.
It is the policy of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission to place a high priority on conserving existing access and modes of access for hunting, fishing, trapping, shooting, wildlife watching, OHV use, dispersed camping and other responsible forms of outdoor recreation; and to place a high priority on improving access upon such lands in areas of the State where access is currently difficult or nonexistent.
It is unacceptable for a federal multiple use land management agency to establish regulations that the public cannot understand; that the federal land manager cannot effectively enforce; or that the land manager imposed upon state and local enforcement authorities an unreasonable and unenforceable mandate that denies reasonable and sufficient access to citizens. The Department will actively advocate for access issues and seek to maintain the Commission’s legal standing to seek remedies for decisions that injure the Department’s ability to meet the Commission’s strategic objectives for wildlife management or management of recreational activities under the Commission’s jurisdiction.
Resources
US FOREST SERVICE
http://www.fs.fed.us/
Southwest Regional Office
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/
517 Gold Avenue
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
(505) 842-3275
USFS Land Use and Travel Management Planning Rules and Background
Bureau of Land Management Planning
Arizona State Office
http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html
One North Central Avenue, Suite 800
Phoenix, AZ 85004-4427
Phone: (602) 417-9200
Email: ASOWEB_AZ@blm.gov
BLM Arizona Home Page with Updated Plan Information
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING
Arizona State Office http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html
One North Central Avenue, Suite 800
Phoenix, AZ 85004-4427
Phone: (602) 417-9200
Email: ASOWEB_AZ@blm.gov
BLM Arizona Home Page with Updated Plan Information
BLM Map http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/info/arizona_offices/boundaries.html
