WSP05313

• File Number: 8200.766
• Description: Gunnison River General
• State: CO
• Basin: Gunnison
• Water Division: 4
• Date: 3/1/1991
• Author: BLM
• Title: Gunnison Resource Area - Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement - Draft - Beginning to Chapter 3
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

,F] " ., .; )
rJ' :"':._ <.J .,

SUMMARY

This Draft Resource Management Plan and
Environmental Impact Statement (RMPIEIS)
identifies and analyzes the options for management of
the public lands for the next 10-12 years in the
Gunnison planning area in the Gunnison Resource
Area in west-central Colorado. The planning area
encompasses a total of approximately 960,730 acres in
the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Montrose
District. The BLM has administrative responsibility
for the public lands and resources on 585,012 surface
acres and 728,600 acres of mineral estate within tbe
planning area.

This resource management plan is being prepared
lISing the BLM's planning regulations issued under the
authority of the Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976.

ISSUE IDENTIFICATION

The planning process for this RMP lEIS began in
September 1988, with issue identification, Public
meetings to determine the scope of tbe document and
to identify public concerns that should be addressed
were beld in Gunnison, Lake City, and Montrose,
Colorado. Written comments were also solicited.
The issues identified by the public and the BLM
during this initial scoping process, and which are
addressed in the RMP, are detailed in Table 1-2.

MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES

Five multiple-lISe alternatives were developed in this
RMPIEIS. Under Alternative A, Continuation of
Current Management, multiple use management
would continue in much the same manner as currently
exists, using available inventory data, existing activity
or project plans for a variety of resource programs,
existing planning or environmental documents, and
established land use allocations. In Alternative B,

management of resources would focllS on developing
and maintaining recreational opportunities that
increase tourism and promote economic stability and
quality of life within the planning area. Under
Alternative C, objectives call for a high degree of
production and economic return of 'commodity"
oriented resources. In Alternative D, a high degree
of protection, enhancement, and maintenance of
natural values, over and above that required by
protective laws or policy is called for. Alternative E,
the Preferred Alternative, balances competing
demands by providing products and services while
protecting important and sensitive environmental
issues. Each alternative proposes different solutions
to the identified issues and describes the different
management options available to the BLM for the
planning area. Each of the alternatives is a complete,
reasonable, and implementable plan which provides a
framework for public land management and resource
allocation specific to the alternative's management
objectives.

Initially four alternatives were analyzed. They are
Alternatives A (Continuation of Current Management
Alternative), B, C, and D. Each alternative was
described, and the potential impacts of its
management on the environment were analyzed.
Based on this analysis, the BLM's policy and goals,
and the varying levels of responsiveness to the issues
identified during the scoping process, Alternative E,
the Preferred Alternative, was developed and its
environmental consequences were identified.

The alternatives are described in Chapter Three and
the anticipated environmental consequences of each
alternative are described in Chapter Four. Table S-1
summarizes the key points of each alternative.

S-1