BLM Seeks Public Input for SJ Islands National Monument Plans

— from Marcia deChadenèdes, San Juan Islands National Monument Manager —

Scoping Meetings for San Juan Islands National Monument

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is beginning a 30-day scoping period on the resource management plan (RMP) for the San Juan Islands National Monument.

The scoping period will provide the public with the opportunity—through interactive meetings and a comment period—to help the BLM identify various issues and management strategies that should be considered during the RMP planning process. The scoping period runs from March 2 – April 1, 2015.

As part of the scoping process, the BLM is holding five scoping meetings where the public can learn more about the National Monument and the planning effort, ask questions, reflect on issues, and provide comments.

“We hope to see all of our communities represented,” said Marcia deChadenèdes, San Juan Islands National Monument Manager. “Because we are laying the foundation for Monument management decisions for years to come, we need the local knowledge to make sure we are comprehensive in our planning.”

Date	Location	Time	Address
March 11, 2015	Friday Harbor	5 – 8 p.m.	Friday Harbor Grange 152 N 1st Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
March 12, 2015	Klahowya Ferry	1 – 3:30 p.m.	Klahowya Ferry Cafeteria Dining Area
March 12, 2015	Lopez Island	5 – 8 p.m.	Woodmen Hall 4102 Fisherman Bay Road Lopez Island, WA 98261
March 13, 2015	Orcas Island	5 – 8 p.m.	Eastsound Fire Hall 45 Lavender Lane Eastsound, WA 98245
March 14, 2015	Anacortes	12 – 3 p.m.	Anacortes Public Library 1220 10th St, Anacortes, WA 98221

Submit Comments

Written comments will be accepted at the public meetings and also may be submitted in the following ways:

Email: blm_or_sanjuanislandsnm@blm.gov
Mail: San Juan Islands National Monument RMP, P.O. Box 3, Lopez, WA 98261
Hand delivery: BLM Lopez Island Office, 37 Washburn Place, Lopez Island, WA 98261
Fax: 503-808-6333

To be most helpful, and to see your comment reflected in the scoping report, please submit comments by April 1, 2015.

The most useful comments will provide the BLM with specific, concise suggestions about issues that you believe the BLM should address through the planning effort and/or approaches and strategies you believe the BLM should consider adopting in its management of the San Juan Islands National Monument.

Before including your address, phone number, email 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.

Later this spring, a scoping report will be published, summarizing the issues raised during the public scoping period.

Please email blm_or_sanjuanislandsnm@blm.gov if you are interested in joining the email list to receive updates on the planning process.

For more information about the San Juan Islands National Monument RMP, visit www.blm.gov/SanJuanIslandsNM/RMP