CARSON CITY — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a notice of availability (NOA) of the draft Winnemucca District resource management plan (RMP) and draft environmental impact statement (EIS) in the Federal Registeron on June 25.

Release of the drafts initiates the 90 day public comment period has started on the land use management alternatives analyzed in the document. The BLM would appreciate receiving substantive comments on the draft RMP/EIS by Sept. 25.

Open houses will be held from 5 to 7 p.m.:

• July 26, at the Winnemucca Convention Center

• July 27, at the Lovelock Community Center

• July 28, at the Gerlach Community Center

• July 29, at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Reno.

The RMP will replace two outdated management framework plans (MFPs) approved in 1982 and amended in 1999. The new RMP is necessary because the existing MFPs do not satisfactorily address new and emerging resource issues such as landscape health, recreation, access and transportation, visual resource management, lands with wilderness characteristics and sage grouse habitat. In addition, there have been many changes in laws and regulations.

Once approved, the RMP will guide the management of federally approved activities on about 8.4 million acres of BLM-administered public lands and minerals in all of Humboldt and Pershing counties and portions of Washoe, Churchill and Lyon counties.

The BLM developed the alternatives described in the RMP with input from other federal agencies, tribal, state and local governments, the Resource Advisory Council and the general public.

The draft RMP/EIS is available on the Winnemucca District’s website at www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/wfo/blm_information/rmp.html.

Public comments can be submitted by mailing: Bob Edwards, Winnemucca District Office, 5100 E Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca NV 89445-2921 or by e-mailing wfoweb@nv.blm.gov.

E-mail messages should include “Winnemucca RMP, Edwards” in the subject line.

Public comments submitted for this project, including names and addresses of commentors will be available for public review at the Winnemucca District Office during regular business hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday except federal holidays.

For more information and to have your name added mailing list, contact Bob Edwards, RMP project lead, at 623-1500 or by e-mail to robert_edwards@blm.gov.