Notice of Availability of the Nevada and Northeastern California Greater Sage-Grouse Draft Land Use Plan Amendments and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, 65701-65703 [2013-26261]
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emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 212 / Friday, November 1, 2013 / Notices
analysis for the Draft LUP Amendments/
EIS. The public scoping process was
also used to introduce the public to
preliminary planning criteria, which set
limits on the scope of the Draft LUP
Amendment/EIS. Major issues
considered in the Draft LUP
Amendments/EIS include Greater SageGrouse, energy and mineral
development, lands and realty
(including rights-of-way), wildfire,
vegetation management (including
invasive species and conifer
encroachment), livestock grazing,
recreation and travel management, and
socioeconomics.
The Draft LUP Amendments/EIS
evaluates five alternatives in detail,
including a No Action Alternative
(Alternative A) and four action
alternatives (Alternatives B, C, D, and
E). Alternative A would retain the
management goals, objectives, and
direction specified in the current LUPs
for each resource or planning area.
Alternative B includes conservation
measures from the Sage-Grouse National
Technical Team Report. Alternative C
includes conservation measures that
various conservation groups submitted
to the BLM during the public scoping
process and includes proposed Areas of
Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).
Alternative D includes conservation
measures developed by the BLM Utah in
coordination with the local USFWS and
the USFS Intermountain Region (Region
4). Alternative E is based on the State of
Utah’s Conservation Plan for Greater
Sage-Grouse in Utah and the State of
Wyoming’s Governor’s Executive Order
2011–05 and 2013–3.
The BLM and USFS have identified
Alternative D as the preferred
alternative. Identification of this
alternative does not represent the final
agency decision. The Proposed LUP
Amendments/Final EIS may include
objectives and actions contained in any
of the alternatives analyzed in the Draft
LUP Amendment/EIS.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7–2(b), this
notice announces a concurrent public
comment period on proposed Areas of
Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).
As part of this planning process, fifteen
ACECs are proposed in Alternative C.
The proposed Greater-Sage-Grouse
ACECs include:
• Three Corners/Browns Park—50,100
acres
• Diamond Mountain—110,300 acres
• Little Mountain/Halfway Hollow—
60,700 acres
• Blue Mountain—18,900 acres
• Parker Mountain—201,800 acres
• Southern Mountain Valleys—105,300
acres
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•
•
•
•
Buckskin Valley—34,900 acres
Black Mountains—256,800 acres
Southern Great Basin—101,000 acres
Sheep Creek Mountains—316,700
acres
• Ibapah—47,000 acres
• Box Elder/Grouse Creek—364,100
acres
• Rich County—166,600 acres
Under Alternative C, the following
management prescriptions would apply
to all Greater Sage-Grouse habitat,
within the proposed ACECs: Closed to
new mineral leasing; unsuitable for new
surface coal mining; closed to new
mineral material disposal;
recommended for withdrawal from
mineral entry; designated as a right-ofway (ROW) exclusion area; and,
unavailable for livestock grazing.
Additionally, within the proposed
ACECs, the following management
would apply:
• Prioritize withdrawal from mineral
location and make existing claims
within the proposed ACECs subject to
validity patent examinations;
• Require Plans of Operations for any
Notice-level locatable mineral
development per 43 CFR 3809
regulations; and
• Prioritize the removal of un-needed
infrastructure, including mining or
ROW equipment, roads, range
developments and fencing.
Please note that public comments and
information submitted including names,
street addresses and email addresses of
persons who submit comments will be
available for public review and
disclosure at the above address during
regular business hours (7:45 a.m.–4:30
p.m.), Monday through Friday, except
holidays.
Before including an address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in any
comments, be aware that the entire
comment—including personal
identifying information—may be made
publicly available at any time. Requests
to withhold personal identifying
information from public review, may be
submitted, but the BLM cannot
guarantee that it will be able to do so.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10,
43 CFR 1610.2.
Jenna Whitlock,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013–26221 Filed 10–31–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–DQ–P
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65701
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNV930000. L11100000.DS0000.
LXSISGST0000.13X; 13–08807; MO#
4500055596]
Notice of Availability of the Nevada
and Northeastern California Greater
Sage-Grouse Draft Land Use Plan
Amendments and Draft Environmental
Impact Statement
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance 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) and U.S.
Forest Service (USFS) have prepared a
Nevada and Northeastern California
Sub-region Greater Sage-Grouse Draft
Land Use Plan (LUP) Amendments and
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) and by this notice is announcing
the opening of the comment period.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be
considered, the BLM and USFS must
receive written comments on the Draft
LUP Amendments/Draft EIS within 90
days following the date the
Environmental Protection Agency
publishes its notice of the Draft LUP
Amendments/Draft EIS in the Federal
Register. The BLM and USFS will
announce future workshops and any
other public participation activities at
least 15 days in advance through public
notices, media releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written
comments related to the Nevada and
Northeastern California Sub-region
Greater Sage-Grouse Draft LUP
Amendments/Draft EIS by any of the
following methods:
• Web site: https://on.doi.gov/
14ZD3Rb.
• Email: blm_nv_ca_sagegrouse_eis_
comments@blm.gov.
• Mail: BLM—Greater Sage Grouse
EIS, Attn: Joe Tague, 1340 Financial
Blvd. Reno, NV 89502.
Copies of the Nevada and
Northeastern California Sub-region
Greater Sage-Grouse Draft LUP
Amendments/Draft EIS are available on
the Web at: https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/
en/prog/wildlife/greater_sagegrouse.html. Copies are also available at
BLM and USFS offices throughout the
subregion. For a list of these offices,
please see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe
Tague, Project Manager, telephone 775–
SUMMARY:
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861–6712; email jtague@blm.gov.
Persons who use a telecommunications
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
Nevada and Northeastern California
Sub-region Greater Sage-Grouse Draft
LUP Amendments and Draft EIS
addresses a range of alternatives focused
on specific conservation measures
across the range of the Greater SageGrouse (GRSG) in the sub-region. This
Draft LUP Amendments/Draft EIS is one
of 15 separate planning efforts that are
being undertaken as part of the BLM’s
and USFS’s National Greater SageGrouse Planning Strategy. The Draft
LUP Amendments/Draft EIS proposes to
amend the following Resource
Management Plans (RMP)/Land
Resource Management Plans (LRMP):
• Alturas RMP (2008)
• Eagle Lake RMP (2008)
• Surprise RMP (2008)
• Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon
Emigrant Trails National Conservation
Area RMP (2004)
• Carson City Consolidated RMP (2001)
• Elko RMP (1987)
• Ely RMP (2008)
• Shoshone-Eureka RMP (1986)
• Tonopah RMP (1997)
• Wells RMP (1985)
• Winnemucca RMP (revision in
progress)
• Humboldt National Forest LRMP
(1986)
• Toiyabe National Forest LRMP (1986)
The planning area covers all or
portions of 16 counties in Nevada and
portions of 7 counties in northeastern
California. Lands within the planning
area include a mix of private, Federal
and State lands. The decision area
includes approximately 17 million acres
of GRSG habitat administered by the
BLM or USFS. The LUP amendments
will be limited to making land use
planning decisions specific to the
conservation of Greater Sage-Grouse and
their habitat. Through this land use
planning process, the BLM and USFS
will identify Greater Sage-Grouse
preliminary priority management areas
(PPMAs) and preliminary general
management areas (PGMAs).
PPMAs are BLM-administered public
lands or National Forest System lands
identified as having the highest value to
maintaining sustainable Greater SageGrouse populations. PGMAs are BLM-
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administered public lands or National
Forest System lands that are not as
biologically important as PPMAs. In
addition to considering which lands
will be managed as PPMAs and PGMAs,
each alternative considers a unique set
of objectives and management actions.
The formal public scoping process for
the LUP Amendments/EIS began on
December 9, 2011, with the publication
of a Notice of Intent in the Federal
Register (76 FR 77008), and ended on
March 23, 2012. The BLM and USFS
held seven scoping open houses in
January 2012. The agencies used public
scoping comments to help identify
planning issues that directed the
formulation of alternatives and framed
the scope of analysis in the Draft LUP
Amendments/Draft EIS.
Major issues considered in the Draft
LUP Amendments/Draft EIS include
special status species management
(GRSG specifically), fire and invasive
species, energy development, lands and
realty (including transmission), and
livestock grazing.
The Draft LUP Amendments/Draft EIS
evaluates six alternatives in detail,
including the No Action Alternative
(Alternative A), and five action
alternatives (Alternatives B, C, D, E and
F). The BLM and the USFS identified
Alternative D as the preferred
alternative. Identification of this
alternative, however, does not represent
final agency direction, and the Proposed
LUP Amendments/Final EIS may reflect
changes or adjustments based on
information received during public
comment, from new information, or
from changes in BLM or USFS policies
or priorities. The Proposed LUP/Final
EIS may include objectives and actions
described in the other analyzed
alternatives or otherwise within the
spectrum of the analyzed alternatives.
Alternative A (No Action) continues
current management direction under
existing planning documents for all 11
field offices involved in the planning
effort, plus the Humboldt and Toiyabe
National Forests.
Alternative B analyzes management
actions outlined in the National
Technical Team’s (NTT) Report.
Conservation measures under
Alternative B are focused primarily on
priority habitat areas that have the
highest conservation value to
maintaining or increasing GRSG
populations. These conservation
measures include such protections as
right-of-way (ROW) exclusions and a
fluid mineral leasing closure.
Alternative C reduces or eliminates
many of the uses on public lands,
including livestock grazing. The
alternative provides for a series of Areas
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of Critical Environmental Concern
(ACECs) throughout the planning area
for conservation of the Greater SageGrouse.
Alternative D, the Sub-regional
alternative, incorporates local
adjustments to the NTT Report which
were developed with cooperating
agencies. The purpose is to provide a
balanced level of protection, restoration,
enhancement and use of resources and
services to meet ongoing programs and
land uses. Conservation measures under
Alternative D are focused on both
Preliminary Priority Habitat (PPH) and
Preliminary General Habitat (PGH)
areas.
Alternative E (Nevada Governor’s
alternative) analyzes State-proposed
conservation strategies. As part of their
alternative submission, States provided
the BLM with geographic information
system data depicting their preferred
PPH and PGH areas, conservation
measures that should be applied to
these areas, and rationale as to why
their measures deviate from those
outlined in the NTT Report.
Alternative F emphasizes the
conservation actions that reduce many
current land uses, such as mineral
development, ROWs and other uses.
The alternative provides for a series of
ACECs throughout the planning area for
conservation of the Greater Sage-Grouse.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7–2(b), this
notice announces a concurrent public
comment period on proposed ACECs.
There are 32 ACECs proposed in
Alternative C and 9 ACECs in
Alternative F totaling approximately
13.6 million acres.
The GRSG habitat ACECs in
Alternative C include: Black Rock,
Buffalo/Skedaddle, Butte/Buck/White
Pine, Clan Alpine, Cortez; Desatoya,
Desert, East Valley, Fish Creek,
Gollaher, Islands, Lincoln, Lone Willow,
Massacre, Monitor, North Fork, O’Neil
Basin, Pine Forest, Reese River, Ruby
Valley, Santa Rosa, Schell/Antelope,
Shoshone, Snake, South Fork, Spring/
Snake Valley, Steptoe/Cave, Three Bar,
Toiyabe, Tuscarora, Virginia and Vya,
totaling approximately 12.2 million
acres. The following management
prescriptions would apply to these
areas: Close to livestock grazing during
lek, nesting and winter periods; prohibit
industrial wind and wind farm
construction in the ACEC or within 5–
10 miles of the boundary; prohibit
industrial solar projects within ACECs;
recommend a mineral withdrawl from
Preliminary Priority Sage-Grouse
Management Areas (PPMA) and targeted
restoration habitat; require features to
enhance GRSG habitat security in
existing ROW corridors and create
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avoidance areas for new ROWs and
communication and other towers;
protect Native American traditional and
cultural sites and uses; retain all public
lands in ACECs in Federal ownership;
prioritize acquisition of private lands in
ACECs over easements; minimize
herbicide use; close ACECs to oil, gas
and geothermal leasing; allow locatable
and nonlocatable mineral development
in nonhabitat areas; prohibit use of
helicopters within the ACEC to manage
wild horse populations.
The GRSG ACECs in Alternative F
include: Bates Mountain, Cortez range,
Fish Creek Mountains, Little Fish Lake
Valley, Monitor, Monitor Valley, Reese
River, Roberts Mountain and Telegraph
Mountain, totaling approximately 1.4
million acres. The following
management prescriptions would apply
to these areas: Close the areas to cross
country vehicle travel; limit motorized
and mechanized travel to designated
routes and prohibit new routes within 4
miles of leks or within PPMAs;
seasonally prohibit camping and
nonmotorized recreation within 4 miles
of active leks; allow only Special
Recreation Permits that have
demonstrated beneficial or neutral
effects on PPMAs; include exclusion
areas for new ROWs in PPMAs; include
avoidance areas for new ROWs in PPMA
and Preliminary General Management
Areas (PGMA); retain PPMAs in the
ACECs in Federal ownership; prioritize
acquisition of private lands in ACECs
over easements; allow for vegetative
management to be consistent with
composition and structure in achieving
habitat objectives; allow for seasonal
and timing restrictions in livetock
grazing within ACECs; permanently
retire grazing permits as opportunitiy
arises; manage riparian areas and
wetlands to meet proper functioning
condition and maintain a component of
perennial forbes with diverse species
richness and productivity relative to site
potential; prohibit new water
developments for diversion from springs
or seeps within PPMA and PGMAs;
close to oil, gas, geothermal leasing
within PPMA and within 4 miles of
active leks; allow geophysical
exploration outside PPMAs using
helicopter-portable drilling methods
only and in accordance with seasonal
timing and other restrictions; not use
Catergorical Exclusion to resolve
Section 390 resource conflicts in PPMAs
and design and implement fuels
treatments with emphasis on protecting
existing sagebrush ecosystem.
Copies of the Nevada and
Northeastern California Sub-region
Greater Sage-Grouse Draft LUP
Amendments/Draft EIS are available at
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the following BLM and USFS offices
throughout the subregion:
Nevada
• BLM State Office, 1340 Financial
Blvd., Reno
• BLM Winnemucca District Office,
5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd.,
Winnemucca
• BLM Ely District Office, 702 North
Industrial Way, HC 33 Box 33500, Ely
• BLM Elko District Office, 3900 E.
Idaho Street, Elko
• BLM Carson City District Office, 5665
Morgan Mill Road, Carson City
• Battle Mountain District Office, 50
Bastian Road, Battle Mountain
• Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest,
1200 Franklin Way, Sparks
65703
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLID9310000 L16100000.DP0000.
LXSISGST0000]
Notice of Availability of the Idaho and
Southwestern Montana Greater SageGrouse Draft Land Use Plan
Amendments and Draft Environmental
Impact Statement
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
[FR Doc. 2013–26261 Filed 10–31–13; 8:45 am]
In accordance 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) and the Forest
Service (USFS) have prepared a Draft
Land Use Plan (LUP) Amendments and
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for managing Greater Sage-Grouse
(GRSG) in the Idaho and Southwestern
Montana sub-region, and by this notice
are announcing the opening of the
comment period.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be
considered, the BLM and the USFS
must receive written comments on the
Draft LUP Amendments/Draft EIS
within 90 days following the date the
Environmental Protection Agency
publishes notice of the Draft LUP
Amendments/Draft EIS in the Federal
Register. The BLM will announce future
meetings or hearings and any other
public participation activities at least 15
days in advance through public notices,
media releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the Idaho and Southwestern
Montana Greater Sage-Grouse Draft LUP
Amendments/Draft EIS by any of the
following methods:
• Email: blm_id_swmt_sagegrouse_
eis@blm.gov.
• Fax: 208–373–3805.
• Mail: BLM—Greater Sage-grouse
EIS, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Boise ID
83709.
Copies of the Idaho and Southwestern
Montana Greater Sage-Grouse Draft LUP
Amendments/Draft EIS are available at
the BLM Idaho State Office, 1387 S.
Vinnell Way, Boise ID 83709, or online
at: https://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/prog/
nepa_register/sage-grouse_rmp_
revision.html.
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
California
• BLM State Office, 2800 Cottage Way,
Suite W–1623, Sacramento
• Alturas Field Office, 708 W. 12th
Street, Alturas
• Eagle Lake Field Office, 2950
Riverside Drive, Susanville
• Surprise Field Office, 602 Cressler
Street, Cedarville
Please note that public comments and
information submitted, including
names, street addresses and email
addresses of persons who submit
comments, will be available for public
review and disclosure at the above
address during regular business hours (8
a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday through Friday,
except holidays.
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 1506.6, 40 CFR
1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2.
Amy Lueders,
BLM Nevada State Director.
PO 00000
SUMMARY:
Brent Ralston, the Idaho and
Southwestern Montana Sub Regional
Project Lead, telephone 208–373–3812;
see address above; email bralston@
blm.gov. Persons who use a
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 212 (Friday, November 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65701-65703]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26261]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNV930000. L11100000.DS0000. LXSISGST0000.13X; 13-08807; MO
4500055596]
Notice of Availability of the Nevada and Northeastern California
Greater Sage-Grouse Draft Land Use Plan Amendments and Draft
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance 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) and U.S.
Forest Service (USFS) have prepared a Nevada and Northeastern
California Sub-region Greater Sage-Grouse Draft Land Use Plan (LUP)
Amendments and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this
notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM and USFS
must receive written comments on the Draft LUP Amendments/Draft EIS
within 90 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes its notice of the Draft LUP Amendments/Draft EIS in the
Federal Register. The BLM and USFS will announce future workshops and
any other public participation activities at least 15 days in advance
through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments related to the Nevada and
Northeastern California Sub-region Greater Sage-Grouse Draft LUP
Amendments/Draft EIS by any of the following methods:
Web site: https://on.doi.gov/14ZD3Rb.
Email: blm_nv_ca_sagegrouse_eis_comments@blm.gov.
Mail: BLM--Greater Sage Grouse EIS, Attn: Joe Tague, 1340
Financial Blvd. Reno, NV 89502.
Copies of the Nevada and Northeastern California Sub-region Greater
Sage-Grouse Draft LUP Amendments/Draft EIS are available on the Web at:
https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/prog/wildlife/greater_sage-grouse.html.
Copies are also available at BLM and USFS offices throughout the
subregion. For a list of these offices, please see SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Tague, Project Manager, telephone
775-
[[Page 65702]]
861-6712; email jtague@blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications
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 Nevada and Northeastern California Sub-
region Greater Sage-Grouse Draft LUP Amendments and Draft EIS addresses
a range of alternatives focused on specific conservation measures
across the range of the Greater Sage-Grouse (GRSG) in the sub-region.
This Draft LUP Amendments/Draft EIS is one of 15 separate planning
efforts that are being undertaken as part of the BLM's and USFS's
National Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy. The Draft LUP
Amendments/Draft EIS proposes to amend the following Resource
Management Plans (RMP)/Land Resource Management Plans (LRMP):
Alturas RMP (2008)
Eagle Lake RMP (2008)
Surprise RMP (2008)
Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National
Conservation Area RMP (2004)
Carson City Consolidated RMP (2001)
Elko RMP (1987)
Ely RMP (2008)
Shoshone-Eureka RMP (1986)
Tonopah RMP (1997)
Wells RMP (1985)
Winnemucca RMP (revision in progress)
Humboldt National Forest LRMP (1986)
Toiyabe National Forest LRMP (1986)
The planning area covers all or portions of 16 counties in Nevada
and portions of 7 counties in northeastern California. Lands within the
planning area include a mix of private, Federal and State lands. The
decision area includes approximately 17 million acres of GRSG habitat
administered by the BLM or USFS. The LUP amendments will be limited to
making land use planning decisions specific to the conservation of
Greater Sage-Grouse and their habitat. Through this land use planning
process, the BLM and USFS will identify Greater Sage-Grouse preliminary
priority management areas (PPMAs) and preliminary general management
areas (PGMAs).
PPMAs are BLM-administered public lands or National Forest System
lands identified as having the highest value to maintaining sustainable
Greater Sage-Grouse populations. PGMAs are BLM-administered public
lands or National Forest System lands that are not as biologically
important as PPMAs. In addition to considering which lands will be
managed as PPMAs and PGMAs, each alternative considers a unique set of
objectives and management actions.
The formal public scoping process for the LUP Amendments/EIS began
on December 9, 2011, with the publication of a Notice of Intent in the
Federal Register (76 FR 77008), and ended on March 23, 2012. The BLM
and USFS held seven scoping open houses in January 2012. The agencies
used public scoping comments to help identify planning issues that
directed the formulation of alternatives and framed the scope of
analysis in the Draft LUP Amendments/Draft EIS.
Major issues considered in the Draft LUP Amendments/Draft EIS
include special status species management (GRSG specifically), fire and
invasive species, energy development, lands and realty (including
transmission), and livestock grazing.
The Draft LUP Amendments/Draft EIS evaluates six alternatives in
detail, including the No Action Alternative (Alternative A), and five
action alternatives (Alternatives B, C, D, E and F). The BLM and the
USFS identified Alternative D as the preferred alternative.
Identification of this alternative, however, does not represent final
agency direction, and the Proposed LUP Amendments/Final EIS may reflect
changes or adjustments based on information received during public
comment, from new information, or from changes in BLM or USFS policies
or priorities. The Proposed LUP/Final EIS may include objectives and
actions described in the other analyzed alternatives or otherwise
within the spectrum of the analyzed alternatives.
Alternative A (No Action) continues current management direction
under existing planning documents for all 11 field offices involved in
the planning effort, plus the Humboldt and Toiyabe National Forests.
Alternative B analyzes management actions outlined in the National
Technical Team's (NTT) Report. Conservation measures under Alternative
B are focused primarily on priority habitat areas that have the highest
conservation value to maintaining or increasing GRSG populations. These
conservation measures include such protections as right-of-way (ROW)
exclusions and a fluid mineral leasing closure.
Alternative C reduces or eliminates many of the uses on public
lands, including livestock grazing. The alternative provides for a
series of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) throughout
the planning area for conservation of the Greater Sage-Grouse.
Alternative D, the Sub-regional alternative, incorporates local
adjustments to the NTT Report which were developed with cooperating
agencies. The purpose is to provide a balanced level of protection,
restoration, enhancement and use of resources and services to meet
ongoing programs and land uses. Conservation measures under Alternative
D are focused on both Preliminary Priority Habitat (PPH) and
Preliminary General Habitat (PGH) areas.
Alternative E (Nevada Governor's alternative) analyzes State-
proposed conservation strategies. As part of their alternative
submission, States provided the BLM with geographic information system
data depicting their preferred PPH and PGH areas, conservation measures
that should be applied to these areas, and rationale as to why their
measures deviate from those outlined in the NTT Report.
Alternative F emphasizes the conservation actions that reduce many
current land uses, such as mineral development, ROWs and other uses.
The alternative provides for a series of ACECs throughout the planning
area for conservation of the Greater Sage-Grouse.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b), this notice announces a concurrent
public comment period on proposed ACECs. There are 32 ACECs proposed in
Alternative C and 9 ACECs in Alternative F totaling approximately 13.6
million acres.
The GRSG habitat ACECs in Alternative C include: Black Rock,
Buffalo/Skedaddle, Butte/Buck/White Pine, Clan Alpine, Cortez;
Desatoya, Desert, East Valley, Fish Creek, Gollaher, Islands, Lincoln,
Lone Willow, Massacre, Monitor, North Fork, O'Neil Basin, Pine Forest,
Reese River, Ruby Valley, Santa Rosa, Schell/Antelope, Shoshone, Snake,
South Fork, Spring/Snake Valley, Steptoe/Cave, Three Bar, Toiyabe,
Tuscarora, Virginia and Vya, totaling approximately 12.2 million acres.
The following management prescriptions would apply to these areas:
Close to livestock grazing during lek, nesting and winter periods;
prohibit industrial wind and wind farm construction in the ACEC or
within 5-10 miles of the boundary; prohibit industrial solar projects
within ACECs; recommend a mineral withdrawl from Preliminary Priority
Sage-Grouse Management Areas (PPMA) and targeted restoration habitat;
require features to enhance GRSG habitat security in existing ROW
corridors and create
[[Page 65703]]
avoidance areas for new ROWs and communication and other towers;
protect Native American traditional and cultural sites and uses; retain
all public lands in ACECs in Federal ownership; prioritize acquisition
of private lands in ACECs over easements; minimize herbicide use; close
ACECs to oil, gas and geothermal leasing; allow locatable and
nonlocatable mineral development in nonhabitat areas; prohibit use of
helicopters within the ACEC to manage wild horse populations.
The GRSG ACECs in Alternative F include: Bates Mountain, Cortez
range, Fish Creek Mountains, Little Fish Lake Valley, Monitor, Monitor
Valley, Reese River, Roberts Mountain and Telegraph Mountain, totaling
approximately 1.4 million acres. The following management prescriptions
would apply to these areas: Close the areas to cross country vehicle
travel; limit motorized and mechanized travel to designated routes and
prohibit new routes within 4 miles of leks or within PPMAs; seasonally
prohibit camping and nonmotorized recreation within 4 miles of active
leks; allow only Special Recreation Permits that have demonstrated
beneficial or neutral effects on PPMAs; include exclusion areas for new
ROWs in PPMAs; include avoidance areas for new ROWs in PPMA and
Preliminary General Management Areas (PGMA); retain PPMAs in the ACECs
in Federal ownership; prioritize acquisition of private lands in ACECs
over easements; allow for vegetative management to be consistent with
composition and structure in achieving habitat objectives; allow for
seasonal and timing restrictions in livetock grazing within ACECs;
permanently retire grazing permits as opportunitiy arises; manage
riparian areas and wetlands to meet proper functioning condition and
maintain a component of perennial forbes with diverse species richness
and productivity relative to site potential; prohibit new water
developments for diversion from springs or seeps within PPMA and PGMAs;
close to oil, gas, geothermal leasing within PPMA and within 4 miles of
active leks; allow geophysical exploration outside PPMAs using
helicopter-portable drilling methods only and in accordance with
seasonal timing and other restrictions; not use Catergorical Exclusion
to resolve Section 390 resource conflicts in PPMAs and design and
implement fuels treatments with emphasis on protecting existing
sagebrush ecosystem.
Copies of the Nevada and Northeastern California Sub-region Greater
Sage-Grouse Draft LUP Amendments/Draft EIS are available at the
following BLM and USFS offices throughout the subregion:
Nevada
BLM State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno
BLM Winnemucca District Office, 5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd.,
Winnemucca
BLM Ely District Office, 702 North Industrial Way, HC 33 Box
33500, Ely
BLM Elko District Office, 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko
BLM Carson City District Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson
City
Battle Mountain District Office, 50 Bastian Road, Battle
Mountain
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, 1200 Franklin Way, Sparks
California
BLM State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-1623, Sacramento
Alturas Field Office, 708 W. 12th Street, Alturas
Eagle Lake Field Office, 2950 Riverside Drive, Susanville
Surprise Field Office, 602 Cressler Street, Cedarville
Please note that public comments and information submitted,
including names, street addresses and email addresses of persons who
submit comments, will be available for public review and disclosure at
the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.),
Monday through Friday, except holidays.
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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2.
Amy Lueders,
BLM Nevada State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-26261 Filed 10-31-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P
