BLM completes first phase of land exchange to develop 20,578 acre public use area near Miles City, Montana
| February 27, 2008 |  View for printing |
The Bureau of Land Management formally closed on the first phase of a land exchange involving the former Pumpkin Creek Ranch located about 15 miles south of Miles City, Feb. 20. “We’ve been working towards this for a number of years,” said Elaine Raper, Field Manager of the BLM Miles City Field Office. “Having this large block of public land close to Miles City will be an asset to the community that will be enjoyed for generations to come.”
The BLM, in conjunction with The Conservation Fund, began work on the assembled land exchange proposal in 2003. The BLM plans to acquire approximately 1,800 acres of private land remaining within the Pumpkin Creek Ranch in “Phase II” using federal lands in Carter County which were previously identified for consideration, surveyed and appraised. A value imbalance from the first phase will be equalized in the second and final phase of the exchange. The Phase II package will be presented to the public for input before closing.
Final completion of the exchange will create a block of approximately 20,578 acres of federal land available for a variety of public uses as well as the management of BLM resource programs.
For now, public access on the newly acquired parcels will be limited to protect the area’s resource values until a detailed management plan for the area is completed.
For more information contact the BLM Miles City Field Office at (406)233-2800 or visit us on the web at: http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/html. 
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