Date: June 28, 2004

CONTACT: Jamie Thompson, Public Affairs Officer, (775) 623-1500

OUTFITTERS APPLY FOR BLM PERMITS

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Winnemucca Field Office has received several applications for Special Recreation Permits (SRPs) to conduct commercial outfitter and guide hunting services. Commercial outfitter-guide operations authorized under SRPs would occur on BLM lands throughout the state, including designated wilderness areas and wilderness study areas. Many of the applicants have held multi-year permits in the past, which can be renewed for up to five years. Applicants who are renewing their permits and are in good standing with BLM, could be issued another 5-year permit. New applicants could be issued a 1-year permit the first year and after showing compliance with the conditions and stipulations of the permit for that year would be issued a multi-year permit for up to 5 years. Permits are reviewed annually and modified to ensure adequate resource protection.

Outfitter and guide SRP applicants are required to submit more specific information about their operations than was requested of them in the past. This information will be used to ensure that monitoring of permit stipulations is adequate and to reduce conflicts among commercial and dispersed recreation users.

Comments and concerns should be submitted in writing by no later than July 16, 2004 by mail to Dave Lefevre, Outdoor Recreation Planner, Winnemucca Field Office, 5100 East Winnemucca Blvd, Winnemucca NV 89445-2921, by fax to his attention to 775-623-1503, or by email to wfoweb@nv.blm.gov (with "SRP" on the subject line).

- BLM -