Resource Management Plan
The current land use plan for the St. George Field Office is the St George Field Office Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan approved in March of 1999. The plan calls for cooperative management through partnerships and community involvement to resolve the numerous land and resource issues throughout Washington County. Major issues addressed in the plan include, among others, implementation of the Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan, protection of endangered species habitats located within the urbanizing region around the city of St. George, assisting partner agencies in implementation of the Virgin River Program, identifying river segments found suitable for designation as part of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, designation of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, identification and protection of water storage sites, designation of major utility corridors throughout the county, land exchange criteria for achieving resource management goals, responding to critical outdoor recreation demands, meeting community needs for expansion and economic development, and coordination with local Indian tribes and Zion National Park. The plan establishes a vision and overall objectives for land and resource management throughout the field office. All approved actions on public lands in the county are to be consistent with the goals and decisions of RMP.
The RMP has been amended on three occasions to address new issues or to expand on topics previously addressed in the 1999 publication. They include the following:
- September, 2001: evaluation of 6 additional stream segments adjacent to Zion National Park for consideration as additions to the Wild and Scenic River System. This amendment was completed through the 2001 General Management Plan for Zion National Park in a collaborative study process.
- September, 2005: a statewide planning amendment for Fire and Fuels Management on public lands in Utah.
- December 2005: a Bureau-wide planning amendment for Wind Energy Development on public lands.
One additional Bureau-wide planning amendment is underway involving the designation of major utility corridors throughout public lands in the western United States. Started in 2005, the amendment is projected for completion in calendar year 2008.
The St. George Field Office initiated a planning amendment in January of 2005 to address Off Highway Vehicle route designations that were not completed in the 1999 RMP. Upon completion of public scoping in March of 2005, all funds for the amendment were reallocated by BLM to higher priority planning efforts elsewhere in Utah and completion of the amendment has been postponed until replacement funding is made available.
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