BLM sport area in peril because of WSA status

As temporary use by snowmobilers of a potential wilderness area at Molas Lake turned long-term, Bureau of Land Management officials decided enough is enough. So, in an October order, Connie Clementson, field manager of the Tres Rios office of the BLM, said the 2013-14 winter will be the last that commercial and permitted snowmobile and dog-sled tour operators can use a 460-acre segment of 1,000 acres that Congress could label as wilderness. Long use, albeit only a few months a year, they reasoned, could lead to undue expectations and influence a congressional decision about a permanent land-use designation. A wilderness designation precludes motorized and other uses. The area is known as the West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. Casual users – nonpermitted, noncommercial users such as individuals or clubs – received an additional year of grace. Their last winter will be 2014-15. The rationale, Clementson said, is that it takes longer to get the word out to a dispersed clientele...more

I don't believe federal employees are supposed to lobby and we've all been told management will be based on sound science.  And yet, here we have a management decision to "influence a congressional decision".  The BLM is also concerned about "undue expectations".  Excuse me why I go find that in FLPMA.  What they are really doing is banning the uses now so those folks won't be around and raising hell about any federal legislation.  Looks like their ploy may backfire:

However, a reprieve for users of the 460 acres is possible. Identical legislation in both chambers of Congress, the Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act, contains language to remove the 460 acres from being labeled as wilderness, no matter what happens to the remaining acreage. A Senate committee will discuss the bill Wednesday. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, has asked for a hearing in the House, aide Darlene Marcus said.

Remember, the next time you're in a BLM office or around BLM employees, do not, I repeat, do not mention any of your "expectations", or they will try to manage them for you.