SLVEC comments about the shift in BLM’s priorities, impacting the Valley’s public land management
- 20 hours ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 23 minutes ago
PRESS RELEASE
The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council supports community engagement in the management of public lands.
The San Luis Valley Field Office was notified on March 25 that its long-awaited Resource Management Plan (RMP) was canceled until further notice, due to a “shift in Administration priorities,” said Sean Noonan, the Outdoor Recreation Planner at the Valley’s field office.
An RMP is a comprehensive blueprint that directs how the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will conserve the health, diversity, and productivity of a landscape with the demand for resources and recreation opportunities. These plan for the next 15 to 20 years of management.
This announcement was less than three weeks before the extensive public process was set to begin. Its initial set of meetings across Valley communities was to be held between April 13 and 15, in Saguache, Monte Vista, and Antonito, respectively, with a virtual option on the 16th.
“The Administration is not prioritizing public interests on public lands,” said Christine Canaly, SLVEC’s Director. “Extractive interests are taking precedence.”
The San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council (SLVEC) planned to educate and engage residents throughout the RMP process to ensure local voices and values were considered for land management decisions.
This opportunity was stripped from Valley residents, again.
Noonan explained, with disappointment, that this cycle has been true for the San Luis Valley since 2007. The San Luis Valley Field Office operates under a 30-year-old document, published in 1991. It is one of only two field offices in Colorado without an updated RMP.
The San Luis Valley Field Office, along with the Royal Gorge Office, is part of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain District, which covers more than half of the state’s total land area. They manage over 500,000 acres across the Upper Rio Grande basin, including some of the Valley’s most popular destinations, such as Penitente Canyon and Blanca Wetlands.
To add to the loss, Doug Vilsack announced his resignation in March as Colorado State Director after declining to be transferred to another position at the National Operations Center in Denver. He has been in this post since 2022.
“Without Vilsack, we no longer have an advocate for the public at the state office,” Canaly said.
This example is a microcosm of the Bureau’s priorities under the Trump Administration — a shift that views public lands as only an asset on ‘America’s balance sheet.’