BLM schedules public meetings in Montana

Lewistown, MT----The Bureau of Land Management has finished
rescheduling public meetings to answer questions and gather comments
concerning the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument Draft
Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/
EIS). The original meetings (scheduled for November and December ’05)
were postponed due to severe weather and travel conditions throughout
central Montana at the time.

The new meeting schedule looks like this:

        Date         &n bsp;     Community    ;       Location

Tuesday, Feb. 21         &nbs p;Lewistown        & nbsp; Yogo Inn
Wednesday, Feb. 22         &nbs p;Winifred        &n bsp; Community Center
Thursday, Feb. 23         &nbs p;Fort Benton           Ag Museum
Monday, Feb. 27         &nbs p;Havre          ;      Holiday Village Mall
Tuesday, Feb. 28         &nbs p;Chinook        &nb sp; Chinook Motor Inn
Wednesday, March 1           ;Big Sandy         & nbsp;Community Hall
Thursday, March 2           ;Hays         & nbsp;     John Capture Center
Monday, March 6           ;Malta                1st State Bank
Tuesday, March 7           ;Billings        &nb sp; MSU Billings (Student Union
Bldg.)
Wednesday, March 8           ;Great Falls         & nbsp;Townhouse Inn
Thursday, March 9           ;Kalispell        &n bsp; Outlaw Inn
Tuesday, March 14         &nbs p;Helena        &nbs p;      Jorgenson’s

These meetings will begin at 6:00 p.m. with introductions and a brief BLM
presentation about the RMP/EIS. Each meeting will then provide an
opportunity to talk individually with various resource specialists. Around
7:30 there will be a more formal public comment period with a court
reporter present to create an accurate transcript of the comments offered.
Depending on how many people wish to offer comments, a time limit may
be required of each speaker. Written comments will also be accepted at
these meetings.   The meetings are scheduled to adjourn at 9:00 p.m.

If you can not attend any of these meetings please send your written
comments to: Monument RMP Team, BLM Lewistown Field Office, 920 NE
Main St., P.O. Box 1160, Lewistown, MT 59457, or they may be e-mailed
to monumentrmp@blm.gov. All letters and emails should include the first
and last name of the individual commenting and a complete mailing
address. Those individuals who wish their name and address withheld
from public release must state that preference at the beginning of their
comments. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed. All
comments from organizations and businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, will be available for public release in their entirety.

The public comment period has also been extended and will now run
through April 26, 2006.


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