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Help us Protect Our Trails in Gila Lower Box, New Mexico

Dec 1, 2023

Categories: Action Alert | BLM | Map | New Mexico
Why you should submit here, even if you already have elsewhere!

We keep them honest. If everyone only comments through the government/agency site, we have to take their word on how many comments were received. By submitting through BRC, we create an independent record of our community’s response that can’t be buried or under-reported.

We protect your voice. If this fight ends up in court, having our own record of submitted comments means we don’t have to wait a year or more for a government agency to turn over documents. We can move quickly with proof that thousands of you spoke up.
We keep you in the loop. When you comment through our site, we can send you updates on what comes next. If you only use the government/agency site, you’re depending on them to tell you what happens next — and they won’t.

Double coverage matters. Even if you’ve already commented through the government/agency site, submitting through ours makes your voice count twice — once in their system, and once in ours. That way they know the OHV community is watching and tracking every move.

For years, BRC has been trusted to run action alerts like this. Thousands of members and supporters have used this system effectively to defend access to public lands. This isn’t about collecting your info — it’s about building the strongest, most transparent record possible to hold agencies accountable.

Why you should submit here, even if you already have elsewhere!

We keep them honest. If everyone only comments through the government/agency site, we have to take their word on how many comments were received. By submitting through BRC, we create an independent record of our community’s response that can’t be buried or under-reported.

We protect your voice. If this fight ends up in court, having our own record of submitted comments means we don’t have to wait a year or more for a government agency to turn over documents. We can move quickly with proof that thousands of you spoke up.

We keep you in the loop. When you comment through our site, we can send you updates on what comes next. If you only use the government/agency site, you’re depending on them to tell you what happens next — and they won’t.

Double coverage matters. Even if you’ve already commented through the government/agency site, submitting through ours makes your voice count twice — once in their system, and once in ours. That way they know the OHV community is watching and tracking every move.

For years, BRC has been trusted to run action alerts like this. Thousands of members and supporters have used this system effectively to defend access to public lands. This isn’t about collecting your info — it’s about building the strongest, most transparent record possible to hold agencies accountable.

Bureau of Land Management in New Mexico has proposed the next step, the environmental assessment (EA) to the Gila Lower Box Special Recreation Management Area. In 2022, BRC and it’s members participated in the scoping public comment period. BLM has since reviewed all submitted comments and has released the EA for the management area and will accept comments from the public again until December 1, 2023.

This area is in the southeast corner of New Mexico. Multiple existing motorized routes are proposed to be converted to non-motorized as you can see in the maps below. The maps below show the proposed alternative, however there is another alternative that is even more restrictive that the BLM could still choose. Because of the Gila River, this area is popular among many different users especially those accessing the river and wanting to disperse camp along the river. The areas depicted in the maps at the bottom of this page show the areas being proposed for motorized restrictions.

There is already an Area of Critical Environmental Concern within the boundaries and near Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas. Bureau of Land Management should not be creating a Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) if it is ultimately restricting recreation as a whole.

Nichols Canyon Road will be converted to non-motorized. Trailhead and parking area will be added.
Guage Station Road and Old Mining Road will be converted to non-motorized. Additional non-motorized trail is proposed.
The Spur Road will be converted to non-motorized.

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