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<br />\ "',j , <br />'.. / ,"..., '. '.. ,. <br /> <br />()n3'3~ <br /> <br />'. <br /> <br />, Sec. 23. SV2SV2SB4SE'h; <br />- -. Sec. 26; NE>hNE'h and NE'hNW'hNB4. <br /> <br />APPLICANT: This action is a planning amendment initiated by the BLM. <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION: <br /> <br />The Kremmhng Resource Management Plan (RMP) would be amended to enlarge the existing <br />Upper Colorado River Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA) and identify other lands <br />within the Colorado River corridor for ri ver related recreation management. Most of these <br />additional lands are upstream of Gore Canyon, the previous upper boundary of the SRMA. The <br />action would also identify management direction for lands acquired by the BLM which are <br />located in close proximity to the river and were acquired to enhance river related management <br />objectives. The principal management direction for the river corridor is to provide a semi- <br />primitive river based recreational experience in a rural setting, unencumbered by signs of <br />industrial or urban development. The proposed action would achieve this goal and provide <br />clear, concise, management direction for the SRMA. <br /> <br />The purpose of the EA is to analyze the effects of modifying the boundary of the SRMA, <br />identifying management direction for the proposed SRMA, and establishing land use priorities <br />for lands within the SRMA. The proposed action would identify the majority of the SRMA as a <br />recreation priority, with other areas identified for other land use priorities. All the land use <br />priorities identified in the proposed action would be consistent with the recreation theme of the <br />SRMA. The action is needed to identify the value of the lands within the proposed SRMA as <br />important for river related recreation endeavors, and provide resource protection measures <br />conducive with this designation and user expectations. <br /> <br />The proposed No Surface Occupancy (NSO) stipulation for oil and gas leasing would preclude <br />oil and gas development within the river corridor while still making the oil and gas resources <br />available for lease. This would ensure the important recreation resources within the river <br />corridor are protected. Although the potential for oil and gas development is considered low, this <br />would ensure development activities would be restricted to areas outside the SRMA. <br /> <br />The proposed withdrawal from settlement, sale, location, or entry under the general land laws. <br />including the mining laws, is also necessary to provide protection to important recreation <br />resources in the river corridor. Although the overall potential for locatable mineral occurrence is <br />considered to be low, there is always some speculative development potential. The 43 CFR 3809 <br />surface management regulations do not provide adequate regulatory protection for the important <br />natural resources in this area because the regulations do not totally preclude exploration and <br />mining activities and require no notification under casual use activities. Prospecting or mining <br />within this area would disturb the river related recreational environment and could impact the <br /> <br />5 <br />