Mesa County Commissioners Assert Authority Over Public Lands

Monday Mesa County Commissioners voted to pass a resolution to assert their authority over public lands in Mesa County. Last year the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its Resource and Travel Management Plans for Mesa County, but not without opposition. "Motorized recreation, hunting and fishing bring in $250 million a year in Mesa County and the BLM is trying to close 65% of motorized access on our public lands," said director of the Public Land Access Association. "We received a petition of over 1,800 signatures from our constituents asking us to protect access for them," said Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese. Determinations of access has caused disagreements and numerous public comments on the plans. "It's not a thing to stand up and say we're fighting, we're fighting, we're fighting against the federal government. All it's saying is by authority we can do this,"said Colorado Mule Deer Association director Denny Behrens. "If we have an issue with the federal government we could go forward under this resolution to reassert our jurisdiction," said Pugliese...more