The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has unveiled a trio of final environmental impact statements and proposed management plans for national monuments in the West, prioritizing protecting archaeological and natural resources and setting the stage for changes in livestock grazing and outdoor recreation.
The proposed management plans cover Bear’s Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah, Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument in southern New Mexico and Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southcentral Oregon and northern California.
All plans propose varying changes to multiple uses, with the most significant occurring in Bear’s Ears. These changes are based on a thorough evaluation of the monuments’ current states and the need to balance resource use and protection, the agency said.
Bear’s Ears
After gathering input from Tribes, cooperators, stakeholders and the public, the BLM incorporated what it described as the best available science, including Indigenous knowledge, to ensure a balanced resource use and protection approach in the Bear’s Ears National Monument.
“The proposed plan would ensure that opportunities for recreation, livestock grazing, and other appropriate and compatible uses continue well into the future,” said BLM Utah State Director Greg Sheehan.
The proposed plan would designate 162,217 acres as unavailable or unsuitable for livestock grazing, potentially affecting permittees. It allows 62,035 animal unit months (AUMs) of permitted grazing on almost 1.2 million acres. Trailing would be allowed on 10,917 acres.
The plan also restricts water developments and range improvements, with the potential for removing existing infrastructure, except where it aids in protecting monument objects.
Vegetation management would prioritize light-on-the-land treatments and natural processes to enhance traditional uses and improve vegetation conditions.
Fire management would focus on environmentally protective measures, prioritizing safeguarding cultural and natural resources. Mechanical treatments for fuel management would be limited and used only to protect monument objects, with Indigenous knowledge guiding these efforts.
According to BLM, the proposed plan would carry forward all existing areas of critical environmental concern (ACECs) and designate the nominated Aquifer Protection ACEC.
The proposed plan would manage recreation through a zoned approach, designating four zones: Front Country, Passage, Outback and Remote. Recreation would also be managed within six management areas and seven subareas that align with these zones. Recreational shooting would be prohibited, and facility development would generally be allowed in the Front Country and Passage zones. In the Outback Zone, facilities would only be permitted when necessary to protect Bears Ears National Monument objects, with minimal development allowed in the Remote Zone to protect at-risk resources.
Organ Mountains
The BLM developed the management plan for the 476,591-acre Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument in southern New Mexico in close coordination with Tribes, cooperating agencies, and federal, state and local governments.
The plan designates four management areas: the Organ Mountains, Desert Peaks, Potrillo Mountains and Doña Ana Mountains. BLM said the proposed plan ensures continued protection of the monument’s unique resources while supporting outdoor recreation opportunities.
According to BLM, acres available for grazing and AUMs would remain unchanged under the proposed plan. Grazing allotments in the planning area cover approximately 492,062 acres of BLM-administered land, with 4,529 acres unavailable for standard-term livestock grazing. The BLM’s Las Cruces District Office currently authorizes 85,874 AUMs in the area, of which 84,943 AUMs are active and 931 are suspended, with 38 permits issued within or overlapping the planning area.
Livestock grazing changes will be evaluated separately after the plan’s completion, with the BLM conducting land health evaluations and grazing compatibility assessments to ensure grazing aligns with the monument’s conservation and preservation goals. The Dripping Springs Natural Area and Aguirre Springs Recreation Area would still be closed to grazing. The proposed plan would also eliminate the grazing of domestic sheep and goats throughout the monument to reduce the risk of disease transmission to bighorn sheep.
Cascade-Siskiyou
The third proposed plan by BLM covers the 113,500-acre Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and aims to safeguard its biodiversity while preserving its historical, archaeological and natural resources. The monument is home to rare plant and animal species across three ecoregions (Cascade, Klamath and Siskiyou), as well as ancient cultural sites, reflecting Native American occupancy that dates back thousands of years, BLM said.
According to the BLM, the proposed plan covers 11 active grazing allotments managed by the Ashland, Klamath Falls and Redding field offices, with 27,820 acres (25%) of BLM-administered lands in the monument actively grazed. These allotments, used by 10 lessees with 15 grazing leases, authorize up to 1,119 cattle and 3,287 AUMs, including use outside the planning area.
The proposed plan would incorporate adaptive, flexible and outcome-based grazing management, adjusting annual livestock forage availability without exceeding the current authorized AUMs. According to the BLM, the proposed plan would implement interim protections for sensitive riparian areas until a long-term solution is established, including modifying grazing practices before the next season to meet vegetation utilization and stubble height standards.
Additionally, the BLM would continue to evaluate allotments before lease renewals to ensure that livestock grazing aligns with current laws, regulations and the protection of biological resources within the monument.
The plan ensures that discretionary uses, including livestock grazing, recreation, transportation management and quarry use, are compatible with protecting the monument’s objects and values.
Comment periods for the trio of national monument proposed plans are open and expected to finish in mid-November. BLM is expected to issue a final record of decisions shortly afterward. To submit comments, visit eplanning.blm.gov. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
