Recreation Advocate

Interior Department Releases List of Monuments Under Review, Announces First-Ever Formal Public Comment Period for Antiquities Act Monuments

WASHINGTON (May 5, 2017) – The Department of the Interior today announced the first ever formal public comment period for members of the public to officially weigh in on monument designations under the Antiquities Act of 1906, and the Department released a list of monuments under review under the President’s Executive Order 13792, issued April 26, 2017. A public comment period is not required for monument designations under the Antiquities Act; however, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and President Trump both strongly believe that local input is a critical component of federal land management.

May 4, 2017 - With fire season approaching, homeowners and communities can make their homes safer from wildfire by reducing flammable materials and creating more defensible space around their property.

These ten safety tips can help firefighters and protect homes and neighborhoods from wildfires:

• Clear leaves and other debris from roofs, gutters, porches and decks. This helps prevent embers from igniting your home.
• Remove dead vegetation and other items from under your deck or porch, and within 10 feet of the house.
• Screen in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris and combustible materials from accumulating.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (May 4, 2017) -- A settlement involving BLM Utah travel management has been favorably received by the courts, and is poised on final approval. Recall that a proposed settlement agreement was filed in U.S. District Court in Utah on January 13, 2017, affecting roughly ten million acres of lands in six BLM Utah field offices.

Following months of negotiations, the proposed agreement was signed by the BLM, preservationist plaintiffs led by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, and OHV advocacy organizations the BlueRibbon Coalition/Sharetrails.org, Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition, and Trails Preservation Alliance. Two groups of energy companies and the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) did not sign the settlement but do not object to it, while San Juan/Kane Counties, and the State of Utah along with six other counties, filed written objections and urged the court to reject the settlement.

PARON – The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission would like to remind everyone to be cautious and use good judgment when driving around water or deciding to go through with previously planned trips involving on-the-water recreation. Wildlife officers and other swift-water recovery teams were involved in many operations during the last week, but the work is far from over. 

Illegal dumping continues to be a serious problem on all districts of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Dumping destroys the natural beauty and habitat of National Forest System (NFS) lands and discourages people from visiting areas where dumping is occurring.

Illegal dump sites are constantly being discovered. Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Law Enforcement Officers are finding dumps that include yard debris, animal carcasses, household garage, appliances, and even motor vehicles.