The Taos Field Office is in the process of revising its land use plan decisions for Bureau of Land Management-administered lands within Colfax, Harding, Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos, and Union Counties, comprising of approximately 595,100 surface acres.
The revised Taos Resource Management Plan (RMP) addresses the primary issues of public interest within the planning area, including visual resource management, land tenure adjustment, land uses (i.e., rights-of-way), mineral development, off-highway vehicle use, renewable energy, and special area designations.
Scoping Report
The scoping report for the RMP reflects public participation in the scoping process, for which the Taos Field Office greatly appreciates your help. The report describes the overall scoping process and summarizes the major issues based on the input received from the public. Also, the report identifies the nature of potential decisions that will be made about each issue, preliminary areas that will be considered for a special designation, and describes opportunities for additional public participation in the planning process.
Current Status
The Scoping Report completes the first step in the planning process, the scoping phase. The next steps in the planning process are:
- Development of alternative management options for each of the issues identified.
- Analysis of the effects of the alternative management options.
- Preparation of a Draft RMP and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for distribution to the public for review and comment.
- After considering comments on the Draft, preparation of the Proposed Plan and Final EIS.
- Following release of the Proposed Plan and Final EIS, a Record of Decision, presenting the RMP selected for implementation, is signed.
Currently, the Taos Field Office is in the process of preparing the Draft RMP/EIS. The plan is expected to be available for public review and comment during the summer of 2009 and will be announced through various media.
For further information, please contact Brad Higdon, Planning Coordinator, or Sam DesGeorges, Field Manager, at 575.758.8851. You may also direct written correspondence to: Taos Field Office, Attention: Planning Coordinator, 226 Cruz Alta Rd., Taos, NM 87571.
The Taos Field Office appreciates your interest in the management of your public lands and looks forward to your participation during the remaining steps in the planning process.
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