The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has scheduled two additional information meetings at which it seeks input on recreational target shooting management alternatives for the Sonoran Desert National Monument. The meeting dates and locations are:
- Feb. 11: noon to 3 p.m., Copper Sky Recreation Center, 44342 W Martin Luther King Blvd., Maricopa.
- Feb. 21: 4-7 p.m., Burton Barr Central Library, 1221 N Central Ave., Phoenix.
The purpose of the meetings is to present the draft management alternatives, answer public questions, and receive public input to be considered as the planning process progresses. During the first 30 minutes of each meeting, the BLM will provide opening remarks describing the ground rules and will proceed to present the alternatives. The remaining time will be conducted in an open house format, during which staff will answer additional questions and receive input to be considered. Three meetings were previously held Jan. 19-21 in Phoenix and Casa Grande.
The 90-day comment period will close on March 15, 2017. All comments must be received prior to this date in order to be included in the final analysis.
Following the public comment period, the BLM will consider all of the input and begin work to finalize the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA).
Stakeholders and other members of the public are encouraged to submit their comments for the record through the BLM online land use planning tool, ePlanning. Written comments may be mailed to the BLM’s project manager, Wayne Monger, at 21605 N. 7th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85027, faxed to (623) 580-5623, or e-mailed to BLM_AZ_SDNMtargetshooting@BLM.gov.
SDNM RMP Planning Website: http://bit.ly/SDNMtargetshooting.