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Southern Wyoming under attack through the Rock Springs RMP

Inukshuk

Rising Sun Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2005
Messages
7,291
Location
Denver, CO
Submit comment at: https://www.sharetrails.org/southern-wyoming-under-attack-through-the-rock-springs-rmp/

The Bureau of Land Management has opened public comment for the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan until November 16, 2023. This plan will dictate how 3.7 million acres of land is managed and accessed for decades to come. This area is larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

Three additional alternatives have been created along with the current management (Alternative A). Alternative B which is the most restrictive is the preferred alternative by the BLM. Alternative C allows the most flexibility of management and is the least restrictive. Alternative D is the “compromise” alternative.

The plan proposes creating more than 1.6 million acres as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC’s). ACEC’s have historically closed off access to other uses and have allowed for extremely restrictive management actions to take place all in the name of “conservation”. ACEC’s are poorly defined and management and allowable uses can vary from area to area. For this reason, any creation of new ACEC’s is problematic.

The map below shows how many areas will likely be off limits if the BLM selects the most restrictive alternative. This is an example of what the 30×30 agenda looks like, and this likely explains why the Wyoming governor and others are opposed to what the BLM is proposing.

Screenshot-2023-09-14-at-10.29.36-AM-776x1024.png

There are many areas within the planning area of concern such as Little Mountain which is popular for recreation and the Killpecker Sand Dunes in the heart of the Red Desert.

Killpecker-Dunes.jpeg

The maps below show how this area will be transformed to an area that was widely open to public access and outdoor recreation to an area with heavy restrictions and closures.

Screenshot-2023-09-14-at-10.31.49-AM-754x1024.png
Current Management
Screenshot-2023-09-14-at-10.27.55-AM-763x1024.png
Proposed Management
If you work, hunt, or recreate on these lands, the BLM needs to hear from you before the November 16 Deadline.


Thank you for defending your ground!​

 

MonPetiteShoe

Cruise Moab Committee
Cruise Moab Committee
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Oct 7, 2020
Messages
444
Location
Aurora
I submitted my comment for option C. Thanks for bringing the issue up on a larger scale Daniel.
 

jps8460

Cruise Moab Committee
Cruise Moab Committee
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Feb 15, 2013
Messages
2,926
Location
Broomfield
Can we use AI to generate 10 million comments against any change? Does anyone know how to make chat gpt make like a bunch of unique sounding letters haha.
 

MonPetiteShoe

Cruise Moab Committee
Cruise Moab Committee
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Messages
444
Location
Aurora
Yes. I think the most difficult part is creating accounts that have unique addresses, names, etc. IF you could spoof a database of those " unique keys," mated to the comments, then you could have a substantial gain in interest.


.... Dave beat me to the article of bot armies. haha.

I'm following the thread regardless, I just need to get caught up on Dave's posted articles.


TBF: Aren't the majority of comments from BRC a copy/pasted version of something the BRC has drafted? i.e. spam, but with a human behind it? I'm probably being reductive.

Anyways... Here's what ChatGPT has to comment about it's support for Option C in the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan:


"Dear Bureau of Land Management,


I am writing to express my support for Option C in the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan. As a concerned citizen, I believe that this plan will play a crucial role in determining how 3.7 million acres of land is managed and accessed for decades to come.

Firstly, I would like to commend your efforts in proposing more than 1.6 million acres as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC's). Protecting these areas is vital for the preservation of biodiversity and sensitive ecosystems. However, I do have concerns about the creation of new ACEC's.

In my opinion, Option C strikes a balance between conservation and multiple-use management practices. It allows for responsible resource development while protecting important wildlife habitat and cultural resources. This option also considers factors such as socio-economics and recreation opportunities which are essential for the overall well-being of local communities.

I believe that it is important to note that while ACEC's have been used successfully in certain areas, they can also be problematic if not carefully managed. The lack of clear guidelines can lead to confusion and unintended consequences such as restricting access or prohibiting certain uses without proper justification.

Furthermore, designating large portions of land as ACEC's may prevent other beneficial uses from taking place on those lands in the future without proper evaluation or consideration. This could hinder economic development opportunities for local communities who heavily rely on extractive industries.

In conclusion, I urge you to continue with Option C when finalizing the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan. It provides flexibility through adaptive management strategies while still preserving valuable environmental resources and allowing for responsible use by various stakeholders.

The decisions made now will have profound effects on this region’s landscape for generations to come; therefore it is imperative that we strike a balance between conservation efforts and responsible land use practices through transparent decision-making processes.

Thank you for considering my comments.

Sincerely,

Totally not a bot.
 
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nuclearlemon

Hard Core 4+
Joined
Aug 23, 2005
Messages
8,320
Location
windy wyo
i wrote a prefix to the brc letter that, while not nice, should play right into wyomings attitudes of freedom. :)
 

DaveInDenver

Rising Sun Ham Guru
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
13,079
Location
Grand Junction
TBF: Aren't the majority of comments from BRC a copy/pasted version of something the BRC has drafted? i.e. spam, but with a human behind it? I'm probably being reductive.
One of the themes the articles touch on is something that BRC and others mention over the years when there's a call to action, which is you really should personalize any letter and it's far-and-away better to mention as many specifics as you can. If 500 people just use one of the automated letter generators it's essentially counted as one letter to the USFS/BLM/NPS/FCC/etc. But it does take up someone's time to read and catalog (which is now being done with bots and AI, too, so the flip side is it's easier to see through). So there's potentially a negative in that it's not really adding weight to the argument but is a burden.

Using ChatGPT or whatever to write the actual letter is a potentially huge help but take the time to read the material and look at some maps for inputs before turning it loose. Find some place you've been or want to go, a trail you know where the status is mistakenly cataloged or would be particularly impactful in hindering access or good trips. Be specific and pointed even if it's only one campsite you went to. It could be the only comment out of thousands to mention it and could be the trigger to a favorable decision or future challenge or lawsuit.

During the San Rafael Desert comments it was noted that a lot of trails were illegal indicated closed due to anti-OHV groups over the years dropping branches across the trail. This served to reduce traffic by people unwilling to move them or not realizing that's not how a trail is closed. But regardless it did cause the trail to start to reclaim. I included a few routes of those in my comments. Doing an illegal closure is actually a crime so it's doubly embarrassing that the BLM overlooked it when they were surveying the routes and then tried to use it as justification for a closure.
 
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MonPetiteShoe

Cruise Moab Committee
Cruise Moab Committee
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Messages
444
Location
Aurora
Using ChatGPT or whatever to write the actual letter is a potentially huge help but take the time to read the material and look at some maps for inputs before turning it loose. Find some place you've been or want to go, a trail you know where the status is mistakenly cataloged or would be particularly impactful in hindering access or good trips. Be specific and pointed even if it's only one campsite you went to. It could be the only comment out of thousands to mention it and could be the trigger to a favorable decision or future challenge or lawsuit.

Hypothetically speaking, you could train a generative model with in depth topographic data bolstered by human provided use cases. If those use cases run the spectrum of "would like to go there someday," to "I remember these explicit details from November 1989," you could have a significant rise in unique, personalized comments for a specific area.

I'm not saying it's ethical, but I am saying it sounds like a technical antithesis to someone laying branches down to reduce traffic on trails.

Merely food for thought.
 

J1000

Rising Sun Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Messages
1,568
Location
Morrison, CO
I'm convinced they just file every comment in their "special filing cabinet." Feds gonna do what they're gonna do. The leadership wants humans out of wild areas, so that's what they're doing. I've written comments in every one of these that pops up but I'm not really sure it matters. Same thing happened with drones 10 ish years ago. Nothing changed after the comment period.

a59422ec48de881f83a4f070ace01b85.jpg
 

LARGEONE

Rising Sun Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Messages
2,875
Location
Broomfield, CO
Submitted.

Why is it so hard...Public means PUBLIC. These are Taxpayers' lands...not the Gubment's to do whatever the elitists want to do with them.
 

Inukshuk

Rising Sun Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2005
Messages
7,291
Location
Denver, CO
Today is THE LAST DAY to comment. Please take 45 seconds to comment!

https://www.sharetrails.org/souther...8f2-58b5-ee11-bea1-0022482237da&ceid=14046132

Comment Period Ends
Today! New Information From the BLM Regarding 10,000 Miles of Routes:​



The Rock Springs Resource Management Plan will affect 3.7 million acres in the state of Wyoming and today, January 17th, is the last day to submit comments! Our members and supporters have submitted nearly 900 comments in support of keeping access open so far but we need even more.
The Bureau of Land Management was originally saying that 10,000 miles of routes would be closed through this RMP. On January 16th, we had correspondence with the Rock Springs BLM field office in which they said, "Text referencing the travel management plan was mistakenly left in the Draft EIS, but that plan does not exist". This was left in from the 2011 travel management planning. However, half of the area is proposed to be designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern which lays the groundwork to closing routes within each of these areas.
BlueRibbon is asking that you take two minutes to send a comment in and edit it if you have specific knowledge of the area and share the link below with others. Please share and encourage the public to submit a comment. Help us reach our goal and flood the BLM with comments encouraging them to select Alternative C.
With your help we can work to prevent this 30X30 land grab!
 

Notyourmomslx450

Cruise Moab Committee
Cruise Moab Committee
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Messages
3,256
Location
Westminster
Today is THE LAST DAY to comment. Please take 45 seconds to comment!

https://www.sharetrails.org/souther...8f2-58b5-ee11-bea1-0022482237da&ceid=14046132

Comment Period Ends
Today! New Information From the BLM Regarding 10,000 Miles of Routes:​



The Rock Springs Resource Management Plan will affect 3.7 million acres in the state of Wyoming and today, January 17th, is the last day to submit comments! Our members and supporters have submitted nearly 900 comments in support of keeping access open so far but we need even more.
The Bureau of Land Management was originally saying that 10,000 miles of routes would be closed through this RMP. On January 16th, we had correspondence with the Rock Springs BLM field office in which they said, "Text referencing the travel management plan was mistakenly left in the Draft EIS, but that plan does not exist". This was left in from the 2011 travel management planning. However, half of the area is proposed to be designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern which lays the groundwork to closing routes within each of these areas.
BlueRibbon is asking that you take two minutes to send a comment in and edit it if you have specific knowledge of the area and share the link below with others. Please share and encourage the public to submit a comment. Help us reach our goal and flood the BLM with comments encouraging them to select Alternative C.
With your help we can work to prevent this 30X30 land grab!
Done
 
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