The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely District, Caliente Field Office is asking the public to provide input on developing trails for non-motorized recreation such as hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding in Lincoln County. The deadline to provide input is May 31, 2012.

The BLM welcomes all comments received that address the potential for developing trails systems that range in experience level from easy to difficult. Informal public meetings will be held to facilitate further discussion following receipt of initial comments. Once a proposed action and reasonable alternatives are defined through a collaborative process, the BLM will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will be provided to the public for review and comment. The draft EA could be released to the public as soon as August 2012.

Interested individuals should address all written comments to the BLM Caliente Field Office, PO Box 237, Caliente, NV 89008, Attn: Melissa Buzzard or email them to Melissa Buzzard at mbuzzard@blm.gov. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available

at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

For more information, contact Melissa Buzzard, BLM Caliente Field Office recreation technician, at (775) 726-8100 or mbuzzard@blm.gov

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends.

In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.