NLP Public Mtg2 Presentation-6-22-11

 Meeting Administration and Objectives

 The Partnership

 Understanding the Study Area

 What We Heard

 Alternatives to be Evaluated

 Participant Discussion

 Next Steps

 Adjourn to Open House

 Pagers and Cell Phones

 Restrooms



 Meeting Breaks–You’re not glued to your

seat!

 Critique ideas, not people… show respect

for the views of others

honest questions- make clear

 Ask

comments

 Avoid Side Conversations

 Listen with an open mind

on functional, constructive

 Focus

comments

 Thirty second soapbox? 

 Communicate effectively by actively

listening

 Enjoy our time together 

 Introduce the Partners & the NEPA Process

 Presentthe Alternatives to be Evaluated for

the Environmental Assessment (EA)

 Takecomments or questions related to the

study area and/or the Proposed Alternative

 Understand the Next Steps and How You Can

Continue to Provide Input

Reclamation



Reclamation’s Role in this Project

• Land Owner of Lake Pleasant Regional Park

• Maricopa County operates the Park under

the Recreational Management Agreement of

1990

• Reclamation must approve the Recreation

Management Plan, triggering NEPA



• The NEPA Process (National Environmental Policy Act)

 Lake Pleasant Regional Park is surrounded by BLM,

Arizona State Trust Land, and private land.

 Management actions taken within Lake Pleasant

Regional Park potentially affect adjacent lands.

 The goal is seamless recreational opportunities for

you.

 “Partners” approach first used in developing the

Agua Fria Conservation Area Management Plan.

The Partnership

• Reclamation

• Bureau of Land Management

• Prescott National Forest

• Arizona State Land Department

• Arizona Game & Fish Dept

• Yavapai County Planning

• Maricopa County Parks & Recreation Dept

• Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office

• City of Peoria

Public Input



• Your input is essential to the NEPA

Process



• As land managers, we are responsible

for balancing recreation with protection

of sensitive resources.

Maricopa County Parks & Recreation Department



• Manage Lake Pleasant Regional Park (LPRP)

• Lake Pleasant Master Plan Completed in 1995 – 4 years

of multi-agency planning and extensive public input.

• Master Plan determined: A Conservation Area is

Limited access and development which will preserve

riparian areas.

• These areas will have Class III or Class IV accessibility.

Class III – Facility access requires assistance from

staff or companion. Terrain is rugged.

Class IV – Facility is not accessible due to rough

terrain.

• Increased Use Advanced Area Planning

Bureau of Land Management

Castle Hot Springs Special

Recreation Management Area

(SRMA)

 Open space scenic & visual

 High quality trail system

• Hells Canyon

Wilderness

• Maricopa Co. Trail

System

• Humbug Mining

 Resource protection

 Legal public access







Black Canyon SRMA (motorized and non-motorized)

 Table Mesa Recreation Area

 Black Canyon National Recreation Trail (corridor)

 Wickenburg-Lake Pleasant Regional Park-Black Canyon

Trail Corridor

Bureau of Land Management



Castle Hot Springs SRMA

Key Decisions



• Designate roads and trails



• Identify long-distance

corridors



• Emphasize recreational

opportunities



• Connect to LPRP and other

recreational areas

Understanding the Study Area

Study Area – Land Ownership

Study Area – Sensitive Habitat

Study Area – Wildlife Corridors

Study Area – Tortoise Habitat

Study Area – Bald Eagle Closure

A desire to recreate in the area and have

some type of “legal” access to the water

 A desire to have more connectivity in

trails, and to long-term routes (i.e.,

Wickenburg, Table Mesa)

 A desire to keep the area somewhat

primitive in nature



comments were compiled and

 All

considered for alternative analysis

 Current Legal Routes –BLM inventoried

routes (2001), and Park Castle Hot

Springs and Cow Creek roads



 Conservation– BLM conservation

concept and implement Park 1995 Master

Plan



 Proposed Management Plan – Balance

recreation and protect sensitive areas

 Receive Public Comments by July 22nd



 ReviewPublic Comments and Evaluate

Alternatives for Consideration



 Draft the Environmental Assessment (EA)



 EAAvailable Tentatively late 2011/early

2012 – for public comment

 By Mail:

• Bureau of Reclamation, 6150 W Thunderbird Rd,

Glendale, AZ, 85306-4001, ATTN: PXAO-1500/NLP

 By E-Mail: NLPRec@blm.gov

 For Info:

• www.maricopa.gov/parks/lake_pleasant/nlp.aspx

• Sandra Eto, Reclamation – 623.773.6254