We continue to work with BLM director Robert Abbey to reverse the damaging decisions made by the Bush administration and establish stronger protections for threatened public lands in Alaska. We encourage Secretary Salazar to direct the agency to return Alaska’s public lands back to public hands. For Bristol Bay, we ask him to direct the Department of Interior (DOI) to create a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement that would adopt the strongest possible protections for the lands and waters of Bristol Bay; re-conduct the review of the rivers on BLM lands using a watershed-level approach; and ensure fisheries and traditional ways of life are not sacrificed to short-sighted development.
In addition, BLM is currently developing a Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Eastern Interior planning area. This plan will provide future management guidance for 8 million acres of federal public land including: the White Mountains National Recreation Area, the Steese National Conservation Area, the Fortymile area and the upper Black River. We are currently heavily engaged with the planning process and working to build the support needed to achieve the strongest possible protections for sensitive resources and special areas throughout the region. A draft of the plan is expected to be released in March, 2010.
- ARTICLE: Obama Releases New Reforms for Leasing Program
- ARTICLE: Salazar says oil and gas leases to come under further scrutiny
- ACTION: Click here to tell Secretary of the Interior Salazar to direct the BLM to create a real management place for Bristol Bay
