MAJOR ISSUES PROPOSED IN THE DRAFT PLAN

A. Pipeline Corridor Transfer | top of page | main page

Photo: Melissa Blair, Alaska Coalition

Alternative B proposes to relinquish 438,000 acres of unencumbered BLM lands along the pipeline corridor south of Delta down to Valdez to the State of Alaska. These lands comprise 63% of the federal subsistence hunting lands in East Alaska (Game Management Unit 13). According to page 552 of the draft East Alaska RMP, conveyance of the transportation/utility corridor land to the State would "constitute an irreversible and irretrievable loss of area available for subsistence hunting under federal subsistence regulations." Economic impacts to rural families and communities dependant upon subsistence hunting in this area would be devastating.

B. Oil and Gas and Locatable Minerals | top of page | main page
According to pages 130-134 of the Draft RMP, the BLM's Preferred Alternative proposes:

• 79% increase in the amount of lands open to oil and gas leasing
  (5,637,000 acres = 79% of entire planning area)
• 78% increase in the amounts of lands open to locatable mineral entry
  (6,032,000 acres = 85% of entire planning area)

C. Off-Highway Vehicle (OHVs) Management | top of page | main page
According to page 49 of the Draft RMP, The BLM's Preferred Alternative proposes:
75% of lands (5,320,000 acres) - OHVs will be restricted to existing trails.
24% of lands (1,692,000 acres) - OHVs will be restricted to designated trails.
0.6% of lands (44,000 acres) will be closed to motorized vehicles.

Photo: Melissa Blair, Alaska Coalition

Within the Delta Range, the Canwell and Augustana sub-units will be closed year-round to motorized use, with the exception of access for subsistence hunting. Alternative C explores the possibility of imposing limitations on OHV use within the Tonsina unit of the Tiekel Area. The south unit would be closed year-round to motorized vehicles and the north unit would be closed seasonally from April 15 to October 15. Support will be necessary to move this option into the Preferred Alternative.

D. Special Area Management | top of page | main page | map [PDF] | withdrawal map [PDF]
1. Bering Glacier Research Natural Area The Preferred Alternative proposes designating 827,000 acres of the Bering Glacier as a Resource Natural Area to protect the unique ecological values associated with the glacier and the glacier forelands (p.87). However, the Preferred Alternative also proposes allowing oil and gas leasing and locatable mineral entry to occur on the eastern 1/3 of the Bering Glacier RNA. p.130-133	Photo: Bureau of Land Management
2. Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) Alternative C discusses 3 options for ACEC designation, although none of them were included in the preferred alternative. p.87 Delta Bison Calving ACEC (map [PDF]) (19,000 acres) for protection of bison calving area and restoration or maintenance of habitat north of Summit Lake. Nelchina Caribou Calving ACEC (map [PDF]) (389,000 acres) for protection of caribou calving area south of the Susitna River. West Fork ACEC (map [PDF]) (490,000 acres) for protection of trumpeter swan and waterfowl habitat and wetlands adjacent to the West Fork of the Gulkana River.
3. Wild & Scenic Rivers Photo: Bureau of Land Management 24 river segments were identified as meeting eligibility criteria for protection under the National Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. Yet, only one river was determined to be suitable for designation into the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System (NWSRS). This 15-mile section of the South Branch of the West Fork of the Gulkana River is currently selected for conveyance to the State of Alaska. If this section is retained in long-term BLM management it will be recommended to Congress for inclusion in the NWSRS as an addition to the existing Gulkana National Wild River. p.282-285 Public comments are essential to show support for designating this branch of the Gulkana River and to encourage BLM to reconsider their preliminary suitability decisions for the other 23 eligible rivers that posess Outstandingly Remarkable Values and are special to YOU!
4. Special Recreation Management Areas (SRMA) The Preferred Alternative proposes 629,000 acres (9% of planning area) for SRMA designation. This includes designations for the Delta National Wild & Scenic River Corridor (44,000 acres), the Gulkana National Wild River Corridor (105,000 acres), the Delta Range (360,000 acres) and the Tiekel Area (120,000 acres). p.65 Alternative C considers designating a larger portion of the Tiekel Area (848,000 acres) and also designating 559,000 acres of the viewshed from the Denali Highway as an SRMA to maintain the primitive, semi-primitive, and roaded-natural recreation experiences available in the area. p.66
5. Denali Highway Back Country Byway Alternative B proposes designating 135-miles of the Denali Highway as a Back Country Byway. According to page 179 of the Draft RMP, "the Denali Highway qualifies as a Type 1 Back Country Byway with High Scenic Value... and adjacent scenery is classified as Class II Visual Resource Class."	Photo: Bureau of Land Management

To request a hard copy or CD of the Draft East Alaska RMP: contact Tammy Larzelere at tammy_larzelere@ak.blm.gov

When the BLM's websites are available the public, the draft RMP and additional information will be available at
http://www.glennallen.ak.blm.gov/landplan/index.html

Please feel free to contact Alaska Coalition staff directly for additional information:

Rachel James
BLM Wildlands Coordinator
Alaska Coalition
rachel@alaskacoalition.org
(907) 222-3766

Melissa Blair
Wildlands Policy Analyst
Alaska Coalition
melissa@alaskacoalition.org
(907) 222-1982

Comment deadline July 28, 2005!
This page was created June 8, 2005