Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Bruneau-Owyhee Sage-Grouse Habitat Project, Owyhee County, Idaho, 2725-2726 [2015-00741]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 20, 2015 / Notices Permit TE–54185B DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applicant: Chaparral Energy, LLC, Oklahoma City, OK. Applicant requests a new permit for gas upstream and midstream production, including geophysical exploration (seismic) and construction, maintenance, operation, repair, and decommissioning of gas well field infrastructure, as well as construction, maintenance, operation, repair, decommissioning, and reclamation of gas gathering, transmission, and distribution pipeline infrastructure within Oklahoma. Introduction Public Availability of Comments Under the Endangered Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; Act), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on an incidental take permit (ITP) application for take of the federally listed American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) resulting from activities associated with geophysical exploration (seismic) and construction, maintenance, operation, repair, and decommissioning of oil and gas well field infrastructure within Oklahoma. If approved, the permit would be issued to the applicant under the Oil and Gas Industry Conservation Plan Associated with Issuance of Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(B) Permits for the American Burying Beetle in Oklahoma (ICP). The ICP was made available for comment on April 16, 2014 (79 FR 21480), and approved on May 21, 2014 (publication of the FONSI notice was on July 25, 2014; 79 FR 43504). The ICP and the associated environmental assessment/finding of no significant impact are available on the Web site at https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/ oklahoma/ABBICP. However, we are no longer taking comments on these documents. Written comments we receive become part of the public record associated with this action. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can request in your comment that we withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will not consider anonymous comments. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their entirety. the permit number when requesting documents or submitting comments. Æ U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Endangered Species—HCP Permits, P.O. Box 1306, Room 6034, Albuquerque, NM 87103. Æ Electronically: fw2_hcp_permits@ fws.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marty Tuegel, Branch Chief, by U.S. mail at Environmental Review, P.O. Box 1306, Room 6034, Albuquerque, NM 87103; or by telephone at 505–248– 6651. Applications Available for Review and Comment rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 2725 We invite local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies, and the public to comment on the following application under the ICP, for incidental take of the federally listed ABB. Please refer to the appropriate permit number (TE– 54185B) when requesting application documents and when submitting comments. Documents and other information the applicants have submitted with this application are available for review, subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). VerDate Sep<11>2014 14:47 Jan 16, 2015 Jkt 235001 Authority We provide this notice under section 10(c) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (50 CFR 17.22) and the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). Dated: January 12, 2015. Joy E. Nicholopoulos, Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region. [FR Doc. 2015–00725 Filed 1–16–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–55–P. PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 [14XL LLIDB00100 LF1000000.HT0000 LXSS020D0000 241A 4500069722] Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Bruneau-Owyhee SageGrouse Habitat Project, Owyhee County, Idaho Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of intent. AGENCY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Boise District, Boise, Idaho, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments to identify relevant issues. DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS. Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until February 19, 2015. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers and the BLM Web site, https://www.blm.gov/id. In order to be included in the draft EIS, all comments must be received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later. There will be additional opportunities for public participation upon publication of the draft EIS. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Bruneau Owyhee SageGrouse Habitat Project by any of the following methods: • Web site: https://www.blm.gov/id/st/ en/prog/nepa_register/BOSH-juniperremoval.html. • email: blm_id_ bruneauowyheesagegrouse@blm.gov. • fax: 208–384–3326. • mail: 3948 S. Development Avenue, Boise, ID 83705–5339. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Boise District Office at the above address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike McGee, Wildlife Biologist, Boise District Fuels Management to have your name added to the mailing list, at telephone 208–384–3300; address 3948 S. Development Avenue, Boise, ID 83705–5339; email blm_id_ bruneauowyheesagegrouse@blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\20JAN1.SGM 20JAN1 rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 2726 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 12 / Tuesday, January 20, 2015 / Notices device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project is a collaborative effort among Federal, State, and county governments as well as conservation organizations and the University of Idaho to improve and maintain functioning sage-grouse habitat in Owyhee County, Idaho. The proposal is to remove early-stage encroachment of western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) from Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) habitat across 1.5 million acres in the BLM Bruneau and Owyhee Field Offices. Treatment areas were selected based on the current distribution of sage-grouse and focused within a 10 kilometer radius of occupied sage-grouse leks. A lek is an area where sage-grouse gather each spring for mating and is considered breeding habitat. Recent research suggests that sagegrouse populations incur negative impacts at a very low level of juniper encroachment, and that no leks remain active when conifer cover exceeds 4 percent. Within the proposed treatment area, thousands of acres of sage-grouse habitat are being encroached upon by western juniper. Removal of early-stage juniper encroachment would improve and maintain suitable sage-grouse habitat. Many acres within the project area do not meet the criteria for treatment, for example, areas where juniper is well established and areas where no juniper trees are present. Therefore, actual treatment acres would be considerably less than the 1.5 million acres identified as the project area. Proposed treatments include cutting and lopping juniper, leaving the material on site, or cutting followed by jackpot burning. Jackpot burning— burning when the ground is saturated, frozen, or covered by snow—would be utilized in areas where scattering cut juniper is not feasible or desirable. Mastication of juniper using a track-hoe fitted with a grinding implement could also occur within 100 feet of existing roads. The BLM may use handsaws to implement treatment within designated wilderness or wilderness study areas, as determined through a minimum requirements analysis. The purpose of public scoping is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the VerDate Sep<11>2014 14:47 Jan 16, 2015 Jkt 235001 environmental analysis, including alternatives, and to guide the process for developing the EIS. At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary issues: • Juniper slash near roads posing a threat to the public and firefighters during a wildfire, • Introduction and spread of invasive and noxious vegetation, • Impacts to raptor nests, • Removal of old growth juniper, • Disturbance to lekking, nesting or wintering sage-grouse during project implementation, • Disturbance to migratory birds, and • Effects of juniper management on wilderness characteristics. Appropriate mitigation measures would be used to minimize impacts to sage-grouse habitat, old growth juniper, raptor nests, migratory birds, and wilderness characteristics. These mitigation measures would be identified in detail in the EIS and would primarily include physical avoidance and timing restrictions during implementation. The BLM will use NEPA public participation requirements to assist the agency in satisfying the public involvement requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470(f)) pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). Information about historic and cultural resources within the area potentially affected by the proposed sage-grouse habitat project will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources in the context of both NEPA and Section 106 of the NHPA. The BLM will consult with Indian Tribes on a government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, that may be interested in or affected by the proposed sage-grouse habitat project may request or be requested by the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis as a cooperating agency. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7. James M. Fincher, BLM Boise District Manager. [FR Doc. 2015–00741 Filed 1–16–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–GG–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLMTC 00900.L16100000.DP0000] Notice of Public Meeting, Dakotas Resource Advisory Council Meeting Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. AGENCY: In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Dakotas Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below. DATES: The Dakotas Resource Advisory Council meeting will be held on February 12, 2015 in Bowman, North Dakota. The meeting will start at 9:00 a.m. and adjourn at approximately 4:30 p.m. ADDRESSES: Bowman City Offices, 101 First Street Northeast, Bowman, North Dakota. SUMMARY: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Jacobsen, Public Affairs Specialist, BLM Eastern Montana/Dakotas District, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, Montana 59301; (406) 233–2831; mjacobse@blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–677–8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 15member council advises the Secretary of the Interior through the BLM on a variety of planning and management issues associated with public land management in North and South Dakota. At this meeting, topics will include: An Eastern Montana/Dakotas District report, North Dakota and South Dakota Field Office manager reports, Montana/Dakotas State Office RAC chair meeting topics for discussion, Ft. Meade Recreation Area trails projects report, individual RAC member reports and other issues the council may raise. All meetings are open to the public and the E:\FR\FM\20JAN1.SGM 20JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2725-2726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00741]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[14XL LLIDB00100 LF1000000.HT0000 LXSS020D0000 241A 4500069722]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Bruneau-Owyhee Sage-Grouse Habitat Project, Owyhee County, 
Idaho

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Boise 
District, Boise, Idaho, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the 
scoping process to solicit public comments to identify relevant issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS. 
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until February 19, 2015. 
The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced 
at least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers and the BLM 
Web site, https://www.blm.gov/id. In order to be included in the draft 
EIS, all comments must be received prior to the close of the 30-day 
scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is 
later. There will be additional opportunities for public participation 
upon publication of the draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Bruneau Owyhee Sage-
Grouse Habitat Project by any of the following methods:
     Web site: https://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/prog/nepa_register/BOSH-juniper-removal.html.
     email: blm_id_bruneauowyheesagegrouse@blm.gov.
     fax: 208-384-3326.
     mail: 3948 S. Development Avenue, Boise, ID 83705-5339.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Boise 
District Office at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike McGee, Wildlife Biologist, Boise 
District Fuels Management to have your name added to the mailing list, 
at telephone 208-384-3300; address 3948 S. Development Avenue, Boise, 
ID 83705-5339; email blm_id_bruneauowyheesagegrouse@blm.gov. Persons 
who use a telecommunications

[[Page 2726]]

device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during 
normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a 
week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You 
will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project is a collaborative effort among 
Federal, State, and county governments as well as conservation 
organizations and the University of Idaho to improve and maintain 
functioning sage-grouse habitat in Owyhee County, Idaho. The proposal 
is to remove early-stage encroachment of western juniper (Juniperus 
occidentalis) from Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) 
habitat across 1.5 million acres in the BLM Bruneau and Owyhee Field 
Offices. Treatment areas were selected based on the current 
distribution of sage-grouse and focused within a 10 kilometer radius of 
occupied sage-grouse leks. A lek is an area where sage-grouse gather 
each spring for mating and is considered breeding habitat.
    Recent research suggests that sage-grouse populations incur 
negative impacts at a very low level of juniper encroachment, and that 
no leks remain active when conifer cover exceeds 4 percent. Within the 
proposed treatment area, thousands of acres of sage-grouse habitat are 
being encroached upon by western juniper. Removal of early-stage 
juniper encroachment would improve and maintain suitable sage-grouse 
habitat. Many acres within the project area do not meet the criteria 
for treatment, for example, areas where juniper is well established and 
areas where no juniper trees are present. Therefore, actual treatment 
acres would be considerably less than the 1.5 million acres identified 
as the project area.
    Proposed treatments include cutting and lopping juniper, leaving 
the material on site, or cutting followed by jackpot burning. Jackpot 
burning--burning when the ground is saturated, frozen, or covered by 
snow--would be utilized in areas where scattering cut juniper is not 
feasible or desirable. Mastication of juniper using a track-hoe fitted 
with a grinding implement could also occur within 100 feet of existing 
roads. The BLM may use handsaws to implement treatment within 
designated wilderness or wilderness study areas, as determined through 
a minimum requirements analysis.
    The purpose of public scoping is to determine relevant issues that 
will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, including 
alternatives, and to guide the process for developing the EIS. At 
present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary issues:
     Juniper slash near roads posing a threat to the public and 
firefighters during a wildfire,
     Introduction and spread of invasive and noxious 
vegetation,
     Impacts to raptor nests,
     Removal of old growth juniper,
     Disturbance to lekking, nesting or wintering sage-grouse 
during project implementation,
     Disturbance to migratory birds, and
     Effects of juniper management on wilderness 
characteristics.
    Appropriate mitigation measures would be used to minimize impacts 
to sage-grouse habitat, old growth juniper, raptor nests, migratory 
birds, and wilderness characteristics. These mitigation measures would 
be identified in detail in the EIS and would primarily include physical 
avoidance and timing restrictions during implementation.
    The BLM will use NEPA public participation requirements to assist 
the agency in satisfying the public involvement requirements under 
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 
470(f)) pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). Information about historic and 
cultural resources within the area potentially affected by the proposed 
sage-grouse habitat project will assist the BLM in identifying and 
evaluating impacts to such resources in the context of both NEPA and 
Section 106 of the NHPA.
    The BLM will consult with Indian Tribes on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other 
policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and 
potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due 
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, that may be 
interested in or affected by the proposed sage-grouse habitat project 
may request or be requested by the BLM to participate in the 
development of the environmental analysis as a cooperating agency.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.

James M. Fincher,
BLM Boise District Manager.
[FR Doc. 2015-00741 Filed 1-16-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-GG-P

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