United States Department of the Interior
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United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Arizona Strip District Vermilion Cliffs National Monument 345 East Riverside Drive St. George, Utah 84790 http://www.blm.gov/az/ Phone (435) 688-3200 • Fax (435) 688-3258 In Reply Refer To: 6340/6360 (LLAZA02000) May 8, 2019 NOTICE OF PUBLIC SCOPING PROPOSED CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT OF THE PARIA CANYON-VERMILION CLIFFS WILDERNESS AND OTHER RELATED ACTIONS Dear Interested Party, Please be advised that an Environmental Assessment (EA) will be prepared to disclose the potential environmental impacts for a proposed change in management ofthe Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. The purpose ofthis letter is to help the BLM identify issues that should be considered in the EA and to invite comments on this proposed project in terms of any issues, reso~rces, or uses that should be considered in preparing this EA. This letter will also assist the BLM in learning who is interested in this proposed project and wishes to be informed when the EA may be available for public review and comment. The Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Management Plan (WMP) was originally developed in 1987, and was amended in 1998 in order to establish daily visitor use limits for Coyote Buttes North, Coyote Buttes South, and Paria Canyon/Buckskin Gulch to preserve wilderness character, including naturalness, outstanding opportunities for solitude, and outstanding opportunities for primitive and unconfined recreation. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in public demand to visit these areas, in particular to Coyote Buttes North (where the feature known as "The Wave" is located). This demand has caused the Bureau ofLand Management (BLM) to reconsider visitor use allocations for the area. The purpose ofthe proposed action is to increase recreational opportunities and visitor access, as outlined in Secretarial Orders 3347 and 3366, while preserving wilderness values. The BLM is considering increasing daily visitor limits from 20 people to a maximum of 96 people per day (based on limits established in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument Resource Management Plan) in Coyote Buttes North. No changes to permit numbers for Coyote Buttes South or Buckskin/Paria Canyon are proposed. Since the 1998 WMP amendment, additional issues related to management ofthe wilderness have arisen that could affect use ofthe wilderness and have effects on resources. These issues are outlined below: Resource Damage • Proliferation ofhuman waste; • Horse manure accumulating in Paria Canyon/Buckskin Gulch; • Dog waste; I • Interactions with dogs; • Impacts to wilderness character (naturalness); • Physical damage to fins and other geologic features from hikers. Safety • People getting lost; • Heat related illness; • Need for search and rescue; • Limited communications. Administrative Facilities • Parking and restroom facilities at trailheads are reaching capacity; • Potential need for administrated facilities for storing materials and supplies The BLM is seeking your input on how to address these issues as well as any other issues you may be aware of related to management of the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Increasing the number of permits available would increase the likelihood of getting a permit, increase the number of encounters with other visitors on the trail, potentially decrease opportunities for solitude, and potentially increase impacts to other resources. In other words, permits would be easier to obtain, but visitors would have to share their experience with many others. The BLM is seeking your input on whether or not to increase visitor numbers in Coyote Buttes North. Your comments on the following items will be most useful in assisting decision makers in determining the visitor use allocation for this area, as well as other actions that may be included in the EA: Resource Damage - we are looking for ideas to reduce resource damage and maintain solitude, particularly if daily visitor limits in Coyote Buttes North are increased. Some examples include: • Determining a number of visitors (between 20 and 96, based upon limits established in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument Resource Management Plan) appropriate for Coyote Buttes North, considering the large demand for access, while protecting the area's wilderness character; • Increase visitor numbers on some days, and remain at current levels on other days; • Stagger times when groups are hiking to provide separation between groups; • Implement a point system for unsuccessful permit applicants; • Not allowing dogs in Coyote Buttes North, South, and/or Paria Canyon/Buckskin Gulch; • Allowing the permit system to serve U.S. military veterans by providing a percentage or set number of permits only to U.S. veterans (including spouse and dependents); • Requiring human waste to be packed out in Buckskin Gulch, Paria Canyon, Coyote Buttes North and South, and White Pocket; • Requiring visitors to pack out manure from all types of pack animals; ) I Safety - examples ofideas to improve safety • Options for trail signing; • Installing communications infrastructure; • Regulating the time ofday visitors can start their hike ( to prevent exposure during the hottest part of the day). Administrative Facilities • Additional restroom and parking facilities outside of the wilderness; 2 • Administrative storage facilities outside of the wilderness; How You Can Participate: The BLM cordially invites you to participate in the public scoping process for the proposed change in management ofthe Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. The public scoping process is designed to introduce the proposed project to the public and solicit comments on what the BLM should consider in the analysis. This letter is also to notify you ofthree public meetings that will be held during the scoping process. These meetings are scheduled for (all meetings are local time): June 4, 2019: 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Kanab Middle School, 690 S. Cowboy Way, Kanab, Utah. June 5, 2019: 5:00 p.m. to 8!00 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott Page at Lake Powell, 600 Clubhouse Drive, Page, Arizona. J1111e 6, 2019: 5:00 p.111. to 8:00 p.m. at the Dixie Convention Center, 1835 South Convention Center Drive, St. George, Utah. By law, the names and addresses of those commenting are available for public review during regular business hours. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying infom1ation in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment - including your personal identifying information - may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying infom1ation from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All comments from organizations or businesses will be available for public inspection in their entirety. Interested persons, organizations, and agencies are encouraged to comment on the scope of the analysis of the proposed action, on specific issues the EA should address, and alternatives to the proposed action. Please submit any scoping comments and/or express interest in receiving notice when the EA is available for public review by June 21, 2019 to: Brandon Boshell BLM, Vernlilion Cliffs National Monument 345 East Riverside Drive St. George, UT 84790 blm az vcnm pcvc comrnents@blm. gov Documents relevant to this project will also be posted on the BLM's ePlanning website at: https://go.usa.gov/xmnHg Based upon the issues identified, the BLM will assess the appropriate level ofenviromnental analysis and documentation. Thank you for your time and continued;involvement in public land management in Coconino County, Arizona and Kane County, Utah. Ifyou have questions about this project you may contact Brandon Boshell at 435-688-3241 or blm az vcnm pcvc [email protected] Sincerely, U~½(.~MI, Lorraine M. Christian Field Manager 3 .