Introduction
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing an amendment to its resource management plan to refine areas where recreational target shooting would be allowed in the Sonoran Desert National Monument located in Maricopa and Pinal counties, Arizona. The goal is to protect public health and safety while balancing various recreational uses on public lands.
Proposed Amendment Details
The proposed amendment would designate 5,295 acres of the Sonoran Desert National Monument, or approximately 1% of the total 485,791-acre area, as open for target shooting. The remaining 480,496 acres would be closed to target shooting. The public will have 60 days to comment on the proposed target shooting closure areas starting on January 23, 2023. A 30-day protest period will also be available.
Background on the Sonoran Desert National Monument
The Sonoran Desert National Monument was established in 2001 and is managed by the BLM. In 2012, a resource management plan was completed for the area. A 2015 court order then required BLM to reanalyze the impacts of target shooting. An amended plan in 2018 allowed dispersed target shooting in some areas. However, this was challenged in court again in 2019. The current proposed amendment would fulfill requirements from an April 2022 court settlement.
Providing Public Input
Documents and maps detailing the proposed amendment will be available starting January 23rd on the BLM’s National NEPA Register website. The public can submit comments on the target shooting closure proposals via email to BLM_AZ_SDNMtargetshooting@blm.gov or by mail to the specified BLM office by March 22nd.
BLM Mission
The BLM manages over 245 million acres of public lands in the U.S. on behalf of the American people. Its mission is to sustain the health and productivity of these lands for current and future generations. The agency also administers 700 million acres of federal subsurface mineral estate throughout the nation.
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