Yuma, Ariz. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Yuma Field Office is seeking public input to inform the Yuma East / Gila River Travel Management Plan (Yuma East / Gila River TMP) and associated environmental assessment. The Yuma East / Gila River Travel Management Planning Area covers approximately 700,684 acres of BLM-managed public land in Yuma, La Paz, and Maricopa Counties.

Travel management planning is necessary for designating and providing appropriate access to and across public lands for a variety of uses including recreation, hunting, grazing, mineral exploration and energy development. Travel management planning consists of three phases: route inventory, route evaluation, and the development of the travel management plan. On-the-ground inventory within the Yuma East / Gila River Travel Management Planning Area identified more than 1,250 miles of routes.

“To provide information and receive public input on this route inventory within the Yuma East / Gila River Travel Management Planning Area, the BLM will host virtual public meetings,” said BLM Yuma Field Manager Ray Castro. “During the virtual public meetings, the BLM will present an overview of its travel planning process and the Yuma East / Gila River Travel Management Plan specifically.” Maps of the inventoried routes will be available for review on the project’s National Environmental Policy Act Register (ePlanning) web page at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030434/510.

The public is encouraged to review the inventoried routes and make comments during a 30-day period starting January 22 and ending February 21, 2024.

The BLM will conduct two virtual Zoom meetings to provide information about the project and how to participate:

• Meeting 1: Tuesday, January 23 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.,
  (https://blm.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_5jRZ-CwHSZ-Kl4dQOxN6rg)
• Meeting 2: Wednesday, January 24 from 5 to 6:30 p.m., (https://blm.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_7OUqQbApRpa584zsJbI-uw)

Comments may be submitted in the following ways:

• Online via the “Participate Now” feature on the National NEPA Register. (ePlanning) https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030434/510
• Email to: AZ_YM_TRAILS@blm.gov
• US Mail to: BLM Arizona State Office, ATTN: Yuma East / Gila River TMP, One North Central Avenue, Suite 800, Phoenix, AZ 85004

The BLM plans to release the proposed travel management plan and environmental assessment for public review and comment by summer 2024 and expects to issue the Decision Record by December 2024.