The Bureau of Land Management issued four different options for a new Resource Management Plan for the Vernal Field Office area in Utah, an area that OIA has been watching closely due to its wilderness and recreation areas under threat of oil and gas development.

Under the four different RMP’s, the Bureau has suggested Alternative A. Described by the agency as “protecting sensitive resources,” this plan offers 96% of the managed land for oil and gas production. The other alternatives are not much better. Alternative B offers 97%, Alternative C, described by the agency as one that “Focuses on protection of natural and cultural resources,” offers almost 90% for oil and gas production, and Alternative D offers 97%.

OIA’s VP of Government Affairs, Myrna Johnson wrote a lengthy letter describing the industry’s disappointment with this plan and offering comment on how to improve it to reflect a more balanced use of resources. Johnson laid out several goals, including the economic benefits to local communities; cultural and heritage resources; and societal & health benefits to the American people.

OIA is asking the BLM to consider the $394 million in state and local tax revenues generated by travel spending in the state of Utah in 2004 and the 17.5 million people who traveled to Utah when designing the Resource Management Plan for the Vernal Field Office.

In related news, Outdoor Industry Foundation launched Getting Americans Active, an online database of outreach programs designed to introduce Americans to the active, outdoor lifestyle. The GAA was designed by OIF to allow users to locate national, regional, and local programs and search for organizations focused on recreational activities. The database includes not only outdoor-specific programs, but also programs with broader interest, like track & field, tennis, and swimming.