BLM To Revise Eastern Montana Resource Management Plan

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The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Miles City Field Office is inviting public input on a major planning revision concerning federal land management within the field office's area of jurisdiction.

The document will guide the agency’s management of public lands to ensure healthy ecosystems, promote multiple uses, and develop natural resources for present and future generations.

The new plan will transpire over the next three years and merge the current Powder River and Big Dry resource management plans. The scope of the resource management plan (RMP) will affect 2.78 million BLM-managed surface acres and 11.7 million sub-surface acres of mineral estate.

The planning area includes Carter, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, McCone, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sheridan, Treasure, Wibaux and portions of Big Horn and Valley counties.

The BLM will hold a series of scoping meetings February 22 through March 3, 2005.

The meetings are designed to give the public an opportunity to identify natural resource concerns and alternative management for resources.

"We want the public to help us establish management goals and planning issues so we can decide what actions will best maintain and protect resource values on BLM-managed land within the Miles City Field Office planning area," said BLM Miles City Field Office Manager Dave McIlnay.

Meeting dates and locations are as follows:

* February 22, Baker: The Garage (19 W Montana Ave), 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
* February 23, Ashland: Public School multipurpose meeting room, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
* February 23, Broadus: Community Center, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
* February 24, Terry: USDA Service Center, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
* February 28, Jordan: VFW Hall, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
* March 1, Sidney: Public Library, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
* March 1, Glendive: Carney Conference Center, Gabert Clinic, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
* March 2, Billings: Student Union Building, Montana State University, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
* March 3, Miles City: Room 106, Miles Community College, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The period for scoping officially begins February 4th and ends March 5th. In addition to the scoping meetings, scoping comments can also be submitted on the web at: http://www.milescityrmp.com, or in writing to: Miles City RMP Comments, P.O. Box 219, Miles City, MT 59301-0219.

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