MUIRNet-News

(Aug 20, 2009) - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Buffalo Field Office will reopen the Weston Hills recreation area on August 21 following an emergency closure on July 24 due to vandalism that destroyed a vaulted toilet.

The destroyed toilet remains on the site but has been welded shut for safety and law enforcement reasons and is no longer available for public use.

“I am pleased that we are able to open this popular recreation area in time for the antelope hunting season,” noted Buffalo Field Office Manager Duane Spencer. “We appreciate all the cooperation and support from the public.”

The Weston Hills recreation area consists of approximately 9,000 acres of BLM-administered public lands adjoining the Thunder Basin National Grassland. The area is jointly managed with the USDA Forest Service. Weston Hills is located 25 miles northeast of Gillette, Wyo. and is accessible via Wyoming Highway 59 North.

For further information, contact Allison Ginn, BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner, at (307) 684-1116.

The BLM manages more land - 256 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.

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