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EAGLE MOUNTAIN — The Bureau of Land Management is asking for the public’s input on amending the management plan which closed the eastern Lake Mountains area to target shooting.
The Lake Mountain area was originally closed to target shooting in December 2012 for two years following fires in the area that were sparked by target shooters and caused evacuations of nearby homes. The 8,124-acre area was closed for another two years in December 2014 during the cleanup and while BLM officials created the Pony Express Resource Management plan for the eastern Lake Mountain area.
Now BLM officials are asking for input and comments from the public as it begins an environmental assessment “to determine the suitability of and potential for target shooting restrictions on public lands in this area,” according to a BLM news release.
The eastern Lake Mountains area west of Utah Lake receives around 20-50,000 visitors each year and is used year-round for a variety of recreational activities. The recreational activity in the area is steadily increasing and the use has impacted the resources and created use conflicts, according to BLM officials.
“Based on use, resources and public health and safety needs, the Salt Lake Field Office has identified the need to better manage recreational target shooting opportunities and affected resources in the Eastern Lake Mountains,” the news release said.
The public is invited to attend the BLM planning meetings to give its input. The meetings will be announced on the BLM website. Comments can also be emailed to blm_ut_sl_comments@blm.gov.
“Using information obtained from the public, issues regarding target shooting will be identified and alternatives will be developed and analyzed,” the BLM said.
