In light of that shared commitment to multiple use and the conservation of this species, MSGA, along with other coalition partners, have requested that the comment period on both the RMPA/EIS and the associated Area(s) of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) be extended to September 11, 2024 — a total of 180 days.
The scope of this proposal is enormous, with 10 states, 77 land use plans, and millions of acres impacted. The BLM has constructed an umbrella that shadows an incredible diversity of different landscapes, dominant land uses, predator concerns, wild horse and burro numbers, habitat health conditions, fire risks, and more. It will be nigh impossible for stakeholders to provide the local, landscape-level attention that this plan requires in just 90 — or 60, for ACECs — days. With more than 600 pages of analysis and information to chew through, many of the entities that are closest to the land and best qualified to provide input, including farmers, ranchers, and county government officials, will be hard pressed to meet the BLM’s initial deadline.
