1. PUBLIC LANDS:
BLM issues mammoth plan for two monuments, millions of acres in Ariz.

BLM's recent plans for the Arizona strip area are prompting a flurry of criticisms. Map courtesy of BLM.

A trio of new management plans covering two national monuments and millions of acres of federal lands in a remote but fast-growing area north of the Grand Canyon in Arizona favor human activity at the expense of wildlife habitat and wilderness-quality lands, critics contend.

The plans, issued May 9, cover 2.8 million acres of BLM land. But environmental groups take issue with almost every aspect of the plans, from wilderness delineations to off-highway vehicle use to habitat protection.

The plans are now in a 30-day appeal period. Critics of the plans say they hope to enter into discussions with BLM to address their concerns. Go to story #1