Note: the following procedural policy is not necessarily enacted or accepted by the Bureau of Land Management at this date (you need to verify it with the district supervisor for BLM in the service area in which you seek permitting). Policy and procedural development is progressing rapidly and is expected to continue volatile for some time as negotiations progress, experience with actual pilot trial programs is accumulated and policy is adjusted in accordance.

What follows here is the proposal permitting authored by Smart Shelter. It would be of assistance to this program if several responsible persons with appropriate (self-contained, off-grid) equipment queried the relevant land managers for permits, demonstrating public support for a positive and remediative presence on our public lands to offset the damages from irresponsible use.

To utilize this avenue, it would be recommended that you locate, identify and document (photograph, video, field verify with BLM staff) illegal dump sites, invasive species infestations, damaging off road vehicle uses and propose a two week productive occupancy stay to remediate them. It would make a nice vacation alternative for those concerned about public lands health. It would make a nice group effort for your service organization or environmental entity. It could produce a nice sideline for those already in "Micros" or similar dwellings.

Remember, the viability of this program depends on the responsibility you portray.

Overview: BLM currently allows a two week camping privilege on their land without permitting. They also have a Volunteer Services Agreement they execute for those wishing to perform beneficial services on BLM land. This procedural recommendation which follows seeks to combine those policies and extend their effectiveness into a Short Term Productive Occupancy Program which retains policy currently in place but fosters a more popularly based and accessible "project" underwriting the productive presence of environmentally responsible and work-willing individuals to "camp" for two weeks, roll up their sleeves and contribute to public lands health. Many entities and individuals already are developing programs or habits along these lines....most notable is Western Slope Environmental Resource Council based in the North Fork area...which annually sponsors a weekend cleanup of public lands (though no continuous occupancy is included, which would enable an obviously increased impact). In fact, it wouldn't be a bad idea to consider turning the annual WSERC adobe badlands cleanup (usually in the Paonia area) into a group camping event, at least for a couple of days, which would ramp up a Short Term Productive Occupancy Program in small handleable increments. This (WSERC-sponsored)clean up process benefit has already garnered reduction of illegal dumping simply by removal of the example that dumping is allowed there. Remove the trash, it will stop accumulating. Remove the atv tracks, they will stop appearing. Remove the invasive species and they will stop propagating....all slowly, repetitively and methodically over time.

Site Identification- Identification, location and documentation of specific sites containing illegal dumps, general liter, invasive species, off road vehicle or other land damages to be remediated are left to the applying individual or group. This policy enables an informal program of "adoption" similar to the successful one on our highways for clean up. Favorite people pick favorite spots with troubling presences. A general map of suitable scale or location on BLM representative mapping is necessary, though need not be complex or overly detailed.

Site Documentation- Video footage, maps or photographs of the site and indicating damages needing remediation should be submitted. Field visit by BLM personnel might serve as an adequate substitute. Often, simply indicating location of a proposed site to BLM staff familiar with the location and damages will suffice and forgo other documentation...they usually already know what the mess looks like.

Productive Occupancy Permit Application- Permitting would be done with the current volunteer services application currently utilized by BLM. Automatic entitlement to a two week camping stay would be assumed part of the permit, since it is already a use by right to any citizen.

Occupancy- Date in and date out (not to exceed 14 days) would be indicated on the volunteer services application. Camping occupancy of the site would fall within BLM camping standards for waste disposal, nuisance presences, etc.

Equipment- The applicant/ service provider would supply off-grid, self-contained (human waste) equipment for the stay which may include open air camping, vehicle camping, RV or "Micro" facilities. Equipment must be located in non-damaging, existing road-accessable locations and premises must be cleaned and tire marks, etc irradicated on vacating the site.

Field Supervision and Verification- Field verification is discretionary to BLM. It is expected that, since law enforcement coverage of the entire area is already in place, these short term productive occupancies would be included in that coverage to watch impacts, conformity and time frame, without noticeable increase in workload to staff. Other BLM staff are encouraged to visit sites in progress to assess and evaluation the program.

Invasive Species Identification and Remediation Training Proper capabilities for identifying key invasive species, their seasonal vulnerability to curtailment and proper methods of irradication and disposal must be assured to BLM on behalf of the service providor. If training or assistance is needed they may be obtained from BLM staff, county weed control authorities or Smart Shelter Network. Disposal of all slash and debris must be approved by BLM.

Debris Disposal Techniques Approved In the instance of dump/liter clean up as a portion of the volunteer agreement, service provider must agree to approved and proper methods of disposal rated in rough priority of preference as follows: composting (chipper/shredder), recycling/reuse, burning, transport to land fill. Smart Shelter provides usable alternatives to most trash materials including biodegradable products shredding for soil augmentation and water retention, glass crushing and milling for gravel substitute and decorative landscaping, plastics reformulation, etc. This information is often posted in the Smart Shelter Resource Files on the Network Web Site www.smartshelter.com or is available through direct contact email at gd@smartshelter.com

Evaluation Completion of work mandates a return of the service provider to the responsible BLM staff verifying work completed and vacation of premises within the designated timeframe and to field complaints or questions. BLM at that time should assess incidents, reports, irradication and cleanup effectiveness to gauge success of the pilot program and to approve the service providing party with approval or disapproval for consideration and permitting of future projects.

Successive Projects- Return projects to the same site would be approved and encouraged to garner successive work impacts and monitoring of return of invasives infestations and site liter. Intervals between stays is discretionary to BLM, in accordance to current camping return policies. Individuals demonstrating competent and productive work in accordance with the prior projects would be considered and authorized for successive projects including back to back stays on different sites as a provisional "traveling" service provider, at the discretion and review of BLM and contingent on their successive site identification and permit applications

Recinsion of Permits- BLM has the authority to terminate any permit in the occupancy timeframe on determination of damages or unauthorized uses...as it does in all law enforcement venues on BLM land. It may choose to deny future permits on the basis on nonperformance or violations on the part of the service provider.

Prohibitions- The applicant agrees not to engage in any of the following: drug or alcohol use on BLM land, liter, noise pollution generation (music, stereos, ghetto blasters or boom boxes), use or possession of any personal motorized recreation vehicles (atvs, dirt bikes, jet skis, snowmobiles), any herbicides or pesticides, any off-road vehicle damages to unroaded lands, any impacts or trespass on private lands adjoining BLM property.

Who May Apply-Any person demonstrating environmental competence and proper equipment willing to process proper application may apply