The BLM prepared an Environmental Assessment associated with the Resource Management Plan Amendment, Recreation Area Management Plan, and Travel Management Plan in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions. The BLM will use the Environmental Assessment to evaluate the environmental and related social and economic effects of the proposed Logandale Trails Project.

To balance high-quality visitor experience with natural resource protection in one of the region’s most popular recreation areas, the BLM is engaging the public in the review of the Environmental Assessment, Recreation Area Management Plan and Travel Management Plan.

The figure below provides an overview and timeline of the NEPA process and indicates when the public can provide comments and input.

Opportunities for Public Involvement

Public Comment Period

The BLM conducted a 45-day comment period on the draft Environmental Assessment, Recreation Area Management Plan, and Travel Management Plan from September 28 to November 14, 2022. During this time, stakeholders and members of the public had the opportunity to provide comments on the draft documents. Additionally, the public had the opportunity to attend a virtual public meeting using Zoom video conferencing technology on October 26, 2022 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm PST.

During the virtual public meeting, attendees had the option of joining by computer or phone to learn about the Logandale Trails Project and the NEPA process. The meeting began with a brief presentation by BLM staff followed by an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and then provide their comments. Commenters had an allotted time period to provide comments and the order of commenters will be based on meeting registration. In addition, the public had the option of submitting public comments directly through this virtual public meeting website.

Scoping

The public had the initial opportunity to comment during the scoping period. The BLM conducted a 45-day scoping period from October 22 to December 6, 2021 when stakeholders and members of the public had the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed action and were able to attend a virtual public scoping meeting held on November 17, 2021.

During the public scoping period, the BLM received comments via the following methods: electronic comments submitted through the National NEPA Register page, email comments submitted through the project email or to the BLM project manager, written comments mailed to the Las Vegas Field Office, and oral comments made during the virtual public meeting. The Public Comment report can be found on the Projects National NEPA Register page. The BLM received 47 comment submissions and identified a total of 83 substantive comments. All the received comments were considered however, the BLM only analyzed those comments determined to be substantive. Substantive comments do one or more of the following:

• Raise issues the BLM has not considered or reinforce issues the BLM has already identified.

• Present information that can be used when the BLM considers the impacts of alternatives.

• Raise concerns, with reasoning, regarding public land resources in the project area.

• Recommend specific changes to the proposed action or propose a new alternative.

• Question, with a reasonable basis, the accuracy of information in an existing report or document.

The comments received included discussion about resource management, and many members of the public provided input on public outreach, travel management, rights-of-way, additional routes for consideration and specifically access to the area. The substantive comments were used to identify issue statements, concerns, disagreements, debate, or dispute over potential project impacts on the environment, for consideration in the development of alternatives and for consideration in the Environmental Assessment. Through the scoping process, the BLM has identified four alternatives, the proposed action, no action, and two additional action alternatives (see Station 6: Alternatives). These alternatives served as the foundation for the development of the draft Environmental Assessment, Recreation Area Management Plan, and Travel Management Plan.

For more information on the Logandale Trails Project or to be added to the mailing list, please contact Kenneth Kendrick (702-515-5073) or Colleen Cepero Rios (702-515-5395) or email BLM_NV_LVFO_Logandale_RAMP@blm.gov