Yuma, Arizona. – 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 related environmental assessments. The East Yuma/Gila River Travel Management Planning Area covers approximately 700,684 acres of BLM-managed public lands located in Yuma, La Paz, and Maricopa counties.

Travel management plans are necessary to designate and provide adequate 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 travel management plan creation. Local inventory within the Yuma East/Gila River Travel Management Planning Area has identified over 1,250 miles of routes.

“The BLM will host a virtual public meeting to provide information and receive public input regarding the inventory of this route within the Yuma East/Gila River Travel Management Planning Area.” said BLM Yuma Field Manager Ray Castro.. “During the virtual public meeting, BLM will provide an overview of the travel planning process and specifically the Yuma East/Gila River Travel Management Plan.” A map of the route on the inventory will be provided by the National Environmental Policy Act for the next project. You will be able to view it on the Registration (ePlanning) web page. https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030434/510.

The public is encouraged to review and comment on the routes listed in the inventory during a 30-day period from January 22 to February 21, 2024.

BLM will conduct two virtual Zoom meetings to provide information about the project and ways to get involved.

Comments can be submitted by:

BLM plans to release the draft travel management plan and environmental assessment for public review and comment by summer 2024, and to issue a record of decision by December 2024.