BLM updates Tres Rios field office; San Miguel County opts for seasonal U‑29 closure to protect Gunnison sage‑grouse habitat

San Miguel County commissioners heard an update on Bureau of Land Management operations and local federal projects and agreed to pursue a seasonal closure on County Road U‑29 to limit disturbance to potential Gunnison sage‑grouse habitat.

Derek Padilla, a representative with the Tres Rios Bureau of Land Management field office, told the county at its Sept. 10 special meeting that the Indian Springs right‑of‑way easement “was going to expire now in December,” but BLM staff had been alerted in time to avoid a gap that would force a new NEPA review and processing fees. Padilla said the BLM’s realty program is short‑staffed and carrying a backlog of roughly 120 permits; because the county flagged the easement before it lapses, the BLM expects to reissue it without imposing late fees.

The commissioners and county Road and Bridge staff discussed the status of other BLM coordination items, including planned prescribed burns and ongoing fire detection and response. Padilla said the Tres Rios office brought in resources from around the country during the recent season and plans prescribed burns on the West Rim of the Dolores and possibly near Dawson in the fall.

County Road and Bridge staff asked about U‑29, a route that crosses potential Gunnison sage‑grouse habitat. Staff and BLM wildlife specialists discussed alternatives including rerouting the road, abandoning segments, or imposing seasonal vehicle restrictions. County staff said rerouting would be expensive and that some potential alternate routes crossed private land or would require construction. Star (identified in the meeting by first name) said neighboring Gunnison County’s seasonal closure program has functioned with gates that landowners can open and close and minimal disruption to landowners and to foot access for recreation.

After discussion, and following advice from BLM wildlife staff that bird presence in the area is currently low, the commissioners decided not to pursue an immediate, costly reroute and instead to adopt the status‑quo approach of implementing a seasonal closure when warranted. Commissioner comments emphasized monitoring Gunnison sage‑grouse populations and returning to more costly reroute options only if the species’ presence or population increases.

Padilla also reported that American Helium is making progress toward regulatory compliance on federal realty matters, transferring assets, paying back rent on federal pipelines and pads and preparing to begin a state‑funded plug‑and‑abandon program for nonproducing wells. He said American Helium is not yet producing from federal parcels.

What happens next: county staff asked BLM to provide a short written confirmation that the easement renewal package was received and being processed; commissioners directed staff to monitor Gunnison sage‑grouse counts and to implement seasonal closures for U‑29 in the spring if birds are observed or biologists recommend it.

A public commentant who follows county land records urged clearer, shared mapping between federal and county road inventories, a topic the BLM said it is working on with a limited data‑cleanup budget.

Commissioners said they will revisit the U‑29 question if monitoring indicates the species repopulates the area or if funding becomes available for a reroute.