The Hollister office of the federal Bureau of Land
Management
– which oversees nearly 100,000 acres in San Benito County – is
revising its resource management plan and wants local residents to
get involved.
The Hollister office of the federal Bureau of Land Management – which oversees nearly 100,000 acres in San Benito County – is revising its resource management plan and wants local residents to get involved.
The plan would cover the entire Central Coast region, including nearly 300,000 acres in 11 counties. About two thirds of BLM land is used for grazing, according to George Hill from the Hollister field office.
The region last updated its resource management plan, which guides how the land is used, in 1984.
Hill said BLM regions are required to update their resource management plans periodically, about once every 10 years. Regarding the 20-year break, he said there have been “substantial amendments” to the plan since then.
“So it’s time,” he said.
Public meetings will be held from May 3 to Aug. 2 in at least three locations in the area, according to Hill. Meeting dates will be announced through the Free Lance, newsletters and the BLM Web site, www.ca.blm.gov.
Some key issues up for debate include determining what areas should be used as special management areas; deciding use of wetlands; management of wildfires; and resources needed to address impacts to natural resources and human health from past mining, according to an analysis provided by BLM.
The BLM is an agency within the Department of the Interior. It oversees 261 million acres of public land, mostly in 12 western states, according to the BLM.
For more information or to submit comments, call 630-5055.
