Notice of Availability of the Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Bighorn Basin Resource Management Plan Revision, Cody and Worland Field Offices, Wyoming, 30716-30718 [2015-12941]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 2015 / Notices
• Limitations on the Following Uses:
This ACEC would be managed as a
ROW exclusion area, no land disposals
permitted; travel limited to designated
routes; closed (no lease) to fluid mineral
leasing, continue the 240 acre mineral
entry withdrawal; closed to renewable
energy development; closed to animal
trapping/traplines; target shooting not
permitted due to resource concerns; and
scattering of cremains not permitted.
Pryor Foothills Research Natural Area
(RNA) ACEC (2,606 acres).
• Values: Special status plants and
rare plant communities and significant
historic and cultural values.
• Limitations on the Following Uses:
The ACEC would be managed as a ROW
avoidance area; no land disposals
permitted; travel limited to designated
routes; VRM Class II area; plant
collecting allowed for scientific use or
range studies only (no collection of
special status plant species without a
permit); the ACEC managed as a NSO
within 1⁄4 mile buffer on known
sensitive plant sites and Controlled
Surface Use (area must be inventoried
for special status plants prior to surface
disturbing activities) (Note: all lands in
this ACEC east of Crooked Creek Road
(839 acres) are within an Lands with
Wilderness Characteristics unit which is
No Lease to fluid mineral leasing); the
ACEC is recommended for withdrawal
from mineral entry; closed to solid
leasable minerals and mineral material
sales; and renewable energy
development not permitted;
Stark Site ACEC (799 acres).
• Values: Unique cultural resources.
• Limitations on the Following Uses:
The ACEC would be managed as a ROW
avoidance area; motorized travel limited
to designated routes; managed as a VRM
Class II area, recommended for
withdrawal from mineral entry; fluid
mineral leasing leased with a NSO
stipulation, Open to solid mineral
leasing with NSO; closed to mineral
material sales; closed to target shooting
due to resource concerns; and scattering
of cremains not permitted.
Weatherman Draw ACEC (12,277
acres).
• Values: Unique cultural values.
• Limitations on the Following Uses:
The ACEC would be managed as a ROW
exclusion area on 4,986 acres and a
ROW avoidance area on 7,291 acres; no
land disposals permitted; travel limited
to designated routes; the ACEC managed
as a VRM Class II area; 4,986 acres
closed (no lease) to fluid mineral leasing
and 7,291 acres available to fluid
mineral leasing with a NSO stipulation;
600 acres are currently withdrawn from
mineral entry and 4,386 are
recommended for withdrawal from
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mineral entry; 4,986 acres closed to
development of solid leasable minerals
and 7,291 acres are open to solid
leasable mineral development with
NSO; 4,986 acres closed to mineral
material sales; the ACEC closed to
renewable energy development; animal
trapping/traplines prohibited on 4,986
acres; target shooting prohibited in the
ACEC due to resource concerns; and the
scattering of cremains prohibited.
The Proposed RMP does not adopt the
following ACEC: Greater Sage-Grouse
Habitat ACEC.
The Proposed RMP is also
recommending the following river
segments (3.15 miles) as suitable to
protect their outstandingly remarkable
values, free-flowing nature, and
classification. The following segments
would be recommended as suitable for
inclusion in the National Wild and
Scenic River System:
• Crooked Creek (above fish barrier—
1.59 miles) tentative management class
would be Wild.
• Crooked Creek (below fish barrier—
1.56 miles) tentative management class
would be Scenic.
Wild and Scenic River eligible and
suitable segments (14.08 miles total)
would be managed as NSO for oil and
gas leasing, exploration, and
development within 1⁄2 mile of the
eligible and suitable river segments. The
WSR eligible and suitable segments
would be managed as exclusion areas
for wind energy development.
The Proposed RMP/Final EIS is one of
a total of 15 separate EISs that make up
the BLM and Forest Service National
Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy.
Greater-Sage Grouse habitat within the
planning area consists of:
• Priority Habitat Management Area
(PHMA)—Areas identified as having the
highest conservation value for
maintaining sustainable greater sagegrouse populations; include breeding,
late brood-rearing, and winter
concentration areas.
• General Habitat Management Area
(GHMA)—Areas of seasonal or yearround habitat outside of PHMA.
Alternative D supports management
of greater sage-grouse seasonal habitats
and maintaining habitat connectivity to
achieve population objectives.
Alternative D would limit or eliminate
new surface disturbance in PHMA,
while minimizing disturbance in
GHMA.
The BLM and Forest Service, via the
Western Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA)
Management Zone Greater Sage-Grouse
Conservation Team, will develop a
Regional Mitigation Strategy to guide
the application of the mitigation
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hierarchy to address impacts within that
Zone. The Regional Mitigation Strategy
should consider any State-level greater
sage-grouse mitigation guidance that is
consistent with the requirements. The
Regional Mitigation Strategy will be
developed in a transparent manner,
based on the best science available and
standardized metrics. Development of
additional regional mitigation strategies
for other resource programs may occur
for implementation level decisions.
Instructions for filing a protest with
the Director of the BLM regarding the
Proposed RMP/Final EIS may be found
in the ‘‘Dear Reader’’ Letter of the
Billings and Pompeys Pillar National
Monument Proposed RMP/Final EIS
and at 43 CFR 1610.5–2. All protests
must be in writing and mailed to the
appropriate address, as set forth in the
ADDRESSES section above. Emailed
protests will not be accepted as valid
protests unless the protesting party also
provides the original letter by either
regular or overnight mail postmarked by
the close of the protest period. Under
these conditions, the BLM will consider
the emailed protest as an advance copy
and it will receive full consideration. If
you wish to provide the BLM with such
advance notification, please direct
emails to protest@blm.gov.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
protest, you should be aware that your
entire protest—including your personal
identifying information—may be made
publicly available at any time. While
you may ask us in your protest 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, 43 CFR 1610.5
Jamie E. Connell,
State Director, Montana/Dakotas.
[FR Doc. 2015–12937 Filed 5–28–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–DN–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWYR0000.L16100000.DP0000.
LXSS042K0000]
Notice of Availability of the Proposed
Resource Management Plan and Final
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Bighorn Basin Resource
Management Plan Revision, Cody and
Worland Field Offices, Wyoming
The Bureau of Land
Management, Interior.
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\29MYN1.SGM
29MYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 2015 / Notices
ACTION:
Notice of availability.
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared a Proposed Resource
Management Plan (RMP) and Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Cody and Worland Field Offices
and by this notice is announcing its
availability.
DATES: The BLM planning regulations
state that any person who meets the
conditions as described in the
regulations may protest the BLM’s
Proposed RMP/Final EIS. A person who
meets the conditions and files a protest
must file the protest within 30 days of
the date that the Environmental
Protection Agency publishes its notice
of availability in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Bighorn Basin
Proposed RMP/Final EIS have been sent
to affected Federal, State, Tribal, and
local Government agencies and to other
stakeholders and members of the public.
Copies of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS
are available for public inspection at:
• The Bureau of Land Management,
Wyoming State Office, 5353
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne,
Wyoming 82009
• The Bureau of Land Management,
Cody Field Office, 1002 Blackburn
Avenue, Cody, Wyoming 82414
• The Bureau of Land Management,
Worland Field Office, 101 South 23rd
Street, Worland, Wyoming 82401
Interested persons may also review
the Proposed RMP/Final EIS on the
internet at https://www.blm.gov/wy/st/
en/programs/Planning/rmps/
bighorn.html. All protests must be in
writing and mailed to one of the
following addresses:
Regular Mail: BLM Director (210),
Attention: Protest Coordinator, P.O.
Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024–
1383.
Overnight Delivery: BLM Director (210),
Attention: Protest Coordinator, 20 M
Street SE., Room 2134LM,
Washington, DC 20003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Holly Elliott, RMP Project Manager,
telephone: 307–347–5193; address: 101
South 23rd Street, Worland, Wyoming
82401; email: helliott@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
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or question with the above individual.
You will receive a reply during normal
business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Planning Area includes lands within the
BLM Cody and Worland Field Offices’
administrative boundaries, in all of Big
Horn, Park, and Washakie counties, and
most of Hot Springs County in northcentral Wyoming. The Planning Area
includes all lands, regardless of
jurisdiction, totaling 5.6 million acres;
however, the BLM will only make
decisions on lands that fall under the
BLM’s jurisdiction. Lands within the
Planning Area under the BLM’s
jurisdiction make up the Decision Area.
The Decision Area consists of BLMadministered surface, totaling 3.2
million acres, and the Federal mineral
estate, totaling 4.2 million acres. The
revised RMP will replace the Washakie
and Grass Creek RMPs in the Worland
Field Office, Wyoming, and the Cody
RMP in the Cody Field Office,
Wyoming.
The Proposed RMP/Final EIS includes
a series of management actions, within
six management alternatives, designed
to address management challenges and
issues raised during scoping, including,
but not limited to: recreation, areas of
critical environmental concern (ACECs),
wildlife habitats, livestock grazing,
energy development, air quality and
global climate change, and wilderness
characteristics. Protection of Greater
Sage-Grouse habitat is analyzed in all
alternatives considered. The six
alternatives are:
• Alternative A (No Action
Alternative): Continues existing
management practices;
• Alternative B: Fosters conservation
of natural and cultural resources while
providing for compatible development
and use;
• Alternative C: Emphasizes resource
development and use;
• Alternative D (Proposed Plan):
Provides development opportunities
and protects sensitive resources;
• Alternative E: Provides
conservation of natural and cultural
resources and protection of Greater
Sage-Grouse Key Habitat Areas through
the designation of an ACEC; and
• Alternative F: Provides
development opportunities and protects
sensitive resources and protection of
Greater Sage-Grouse Core Habitat Areas
through the designation of an ACEC.
The Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare
the Bighorn Basin RMP/EIS was
published in the Federal Register on
October 17, 2008, and the Draft RMP/
EIS was released to the public on April
22, 2011. On July 12, 2013 the
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30717
Supplement to the Draft RMP/EIS was
published in the Federal Register to
include Alternatives E and F.
Comments on the Draft RMP/EIS and
Supplemental Draft EIS received from
the public and internal BLM review
were considered and incorporated as
appropriate into the proposed plan. As
modified, Alternative D is now
presented as the Proposed Bighorn
Basin RMP in the Proposed RMP/Final
EIS.
Alternative D generally allows
resource use if the activity can be
conducted in a manner that conserves
physical, biological, heritage and visual
resources. Alternative D proposes ACEC
designations for:
• Big Cedar Ridge (264 acres):
Value(s) of Concern—Paleontological.
Proposed Use Limitation(s)—Right-ofway (ROW) exclusion area, no-surface
occupancy (NSO) restriction applied to
fluid mineral leases, closed to
geophysical exploration, closed to
mineral material disposals and related
exploration and development activities,
motorized vehicle use limited to
existing roads and trails, and pursue a
withdrawal from appropriation under
the mining laws.
• Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite
(1,798 acres): Value(s) of Concern—
Paleontological. Proposed Use
Limitation(s)—Closed to surface
disturbing activities except to enhance
public education, heavy equipment
restriction on fire suppression activities,
motorized vehicle use limited to
designated roads and trails, interpretive
area closed to livestock grazing, an NSO
restriction applied to fluid mineral
leases, and pursue a withdrawal from
appropriation under the mining laws.
• Sheep Mountain Anticline (13,260
acres): Value(s) of Concern—Geologic,
Caves, Cultural and Scenic. Proposed
Use Limitation(s)—Motorized vehicle
use limited to designated roads and
trails, generally closed to surface
disturbing activities, unavailable for
fluid mineral leasing, and pursue a
withdrawal from appropriation under
the mining laws.
• Spanish Point Karst (11,854 acres):
Value(s) of Concern—Caves,
Recreational, Sinking Stream Segments
and Water Quality. Proposed Use
Limitation(s)—Unavailable for fluid
mineral leasing, closed to geophysical
exploration, closed to off highway
vehicle use, ROW avoidance/mitigation
area, and pursue a withdrawal from
appropriation under the mining laws.
• Brown/Howe Dinosaur Area (5,521
acres): Value(s) of Concern—
Paleontological. Proposed Use
Limitation(s)—Closed to mineral
material disposals, unavailable for fluid
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mineral leasing, ROW avoidance/
mitigation area, and pursue a
withdrawal from appropriation under
the mining laws.
• Carter Mountain (10,947 acres):
Value(s) of Concern—Vegetation,
Wildlife, Cultural, Recreational, Special
Status Species, Watershed and Soils.
Proposed Use Limitation(s)—Heavy
equipment restriction on fire
suppression activities, ROW avoidance/
mitigation area, motorized vehicle use
limited to designated roads and trails,
closed to surface-disturbing activities on
slopes greater than 7 percent,
unavailable for fluid mineral leasing,
closed to mineral material disposals,
and pursue a withdrawal from
appropriation under the mining laws.
• Five Springs Falls (163 acres):
Value(s) of Concern—Recreational,
Scenic, Special Status Species, Geologic
and Public Safety. Proposed Use
Limitation(s)—Heavy equipment
restriction on fire suppression activities,
ROW avoidance/mitigation area,
climbing not allowed on the cliff that
forms the falls, motorized vehicle use
limited to designated roads and trails,
and unavailable for fluid mineral
leasing.
• Little Mountain (21,478 acres):
Value(s) of Concern—Caves, Cultural,
Paleontological, Scenic, Recreational,
Special Status Species, Vegetation and
Wildlife. Proposed Use Limitation(s)—
Heavy equipment restriction for fire
suppression activities, motorized
vehicle use limited to designated roads
and trails, a ROW avoidance/mitigation
area, unavailable for fluid mineral
leasing, and pursue a withdrawal from
appropriation under the mining laws.
• Upper Owl Creek (13,572 acres):
Value(s) of Concern—Cultural, Fish,
Recreational, Scenic, Soils, Special
Status Species, Vegetation and Wildlife.
Proposed Use Limitation(s)—Motorized
vehicle use limited to designated roads
and trails, closed to surface-disturbing
activities, pursue a withdrawal from
appropriation under the mining laws for
13,238 acres, ROW avoidance/
mitigation area, and unavailable for
fluid mineral leasing.
• Clarks Fork Canyon (4,759 acres):
Value(s) of Concern—Geologic, Open
Space, Recreational, Special Status
Species, and Wildlife. Proposed Use
Limitation(s)—Close 1,211 acres to
motorized vehicle use with the
remainder limited to designated roads
and trails, closed to surface-disturbing
activities, closed to mineral material
disposals, closed to geophysical
exploration, unavailable for fluid
mineral leasing, pursue a withdrawal
from appropriation under the mining
laws, renewable energy ROW exclusion
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area, and ROW avoidance/mitigation
area.
• Sheep Mountain (25,962 acres):
Value(s) of Concern—Special Status
Species, Vegetation and Wildlife.
Proposed Use Limitation(s)—Motorized
vehicle use limited to designated roads
and trails, unavailable for fluid mineral
leasing, closed to mineral material
disposals, pursue a withdrawal from
appropriation under the mining laws,
closed to surface-disturbing activities,
and ROW avoidance/mitigation area.
• Paleocene, Eocene Thermal
Maximum (14,913 acres): Value(s) of
Concern—Paleontological. Proposed
Use Limitation(s)—NSO restriction
applied to fluid mineral leases, and
closed to mineral material disposals.
The Proposed plan also makes a
determination that 20 waterways (92
miles) are not suitable for WSR
designation and releases those eligible
waterways from further interim
protection.
The Bighorn Basin Proposed RMP/
Final EIS is one of a total of 15 separate
EISs that make up the BLM and Forest
Service National Greater Sage-Grouse
Planning Strategy. Greater-Sage Grouse
habitat within the planning area
consists of:
• Priority Habitat Management Area
(PHMA)—Areas identified as having the
highest conservation value for
maintaining sustainable greater sagegrouse populations; include breeding,
late brood-rearing, and winter
concentration areas.
• General Habitat Management Area
(GHMA)—Areas of seasonal or yearround habitat outside of PHMA.
Alternative D supports management
of greater sage-grouse seasonal habitats
and maintaining habitat connectivity to
achieve population objectives.
Alternative D would limit or eliminate
new surface disturbance in PHMA,
while minimizing disturbance in
GHMA. Alternative D is also consistent
with guidelines provided in the
Governor’s Sage-Grouse Implementation
Team’s Core Population Area strategy
and the Governor’s Executive Order
(WY EO 2011–05).
The BLM and Forest Service, via the
Western Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA)
Management Zone Greater Sage-Grouse
Conservation Team, will develop a
Regional Mitigation Strategy to guide
the application of the mitigation
hierarchy to address impacts within that
Zone. The Regional Mitigation Strategy
should consider any State-level greater
sage-grouse mitigation guidance that is
consistent with the requirements. The
Regional Mitigation Strategy will be
developed in a transparent manner,
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4703
based on the best science available and
standardized metrics.
Instructions for filing a protest with
the Director of the BLM regarding the
Proposed RMP/Final EIS may be found
in the ‘‘Dear Reader’’ letter of the
Proposed RMP/Final EIS for the Bighorn
Basin RMP Revision Project and at 43
CFR 1610.5–2. All protests must be in
writing and mailed to the appropriate
address, as set forth in the ADDRESSES
section above. Emailed protests will not
be accepted as valid protests unless the
protesting party also provides the
original letter by either regular or
overnight mail postmarked by the close
of the protest period. Under these
conditions, the BLM will consider the
emailed protest as an advance copy and
it will receive full consideration. If you
wish to provide the BLM with such
advance notification, please direct
emails to protest@blm.gov.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
protest, you should be aware that your
entire protest—including your personal
identifying information—may be made
publicly available at any time. While
you may ask us in your protest 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, 43 CFR 1610.5
Mary Jo Rugwell,
Acting State Director, Wyoming.
[FR Doc. 2015–12941 Filed 5–28–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLMTM00000
L16100000.DQ0000.LXSS048E0000 MO#
4500079299]
Notice of Availability of the HiLine
District Proposed Resource
Management Plan and Final
Environmental Impact Statement,
HiLine District, Montana
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared a Proposed Resource
Management Plan (RMP) and Final
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\29MYN1.SGM
29MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 103 (Friday, May 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30716-30718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-12941]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWYR0000.L16100000.DP0000.LXSS042K0000]
Notice of Availability of the Proposed Resource Management Plan
and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Bighorn Basin Resource
Management Plan Revision, Cody and Worland Field Offices, Wyoming
AGENCY: The Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
[[Page 30717]]
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Cody and Worland Field
Offices and by this notice is announcing its availability.
DATES: The BLM planning regulations state that any person who meets the
conditions as described in the regulations may protest the BLM's
Proposed RMP/Final EIS. A person who meets the conditions and files a
protest must file the protest within 30 days of the date that the
Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice of availability in
the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Bighorn Basin Proposed RMP/Final EIS have been
sent to affected Federal, State, Tribal, and local Government agencies
and to other stakeholders and members of the public. Copies of the
Proposed RMP/Final EIS are available for public inspection at:
The Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009
The Bureau of Land Management, Cody Field Office, 1002
Blackburn Avenue, Cody, Wyoming 82414
The Bureau of Land Management, Worland Field Office, 101 South
23rd Street, Worland, Wyoming 82401
Interested persons may also review the Proposed RMP/Final EIS on
the internet at https://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/Planning/rmps/bighorn.html. All protests must be in writing and mailed to one of the
following addresses:
Regular Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest Coordinator, P.O.
Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024-1383.
Overnight Delivery: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest Coordinator,
20 M Street SE., Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Holly Elliott, RMP Project Manager,
telephone: 307-347-5193; address: 101 South 23rd Street, Worland,
Wyoming 82401; email: helliott@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 Planning Area includes lands within the
BLM Cody and Worland Field Offices' administrative boundaries, in all
of Big Horn, Park, and Washakie counties, and most of Hot Springs
County in north-central Wyoming. The Planning Area includes all lands,
regardless of jurisdiction, totaling 5.6 million acres; however, the
BLM will only make decisions on lands that fall under the BLM's
jurisdiction. Lands within the Planning Area under the BLM's
jurisdiction make up the Decision Area. The Decision Area consists of
BLM-administered surface, totaling 3.2 million acres, and the Federal
mineral estate, totaling 4.2 million acres. The revised RMP will
replace the Washakie and Grass Creek RMPs in the Worland Field Office,
Wyoming, and the Cody RMP in the Cody Field Office, Wyoming.
The Proposed RMP/Final EIS includes a series of management actions,
within six management alternatives, designed to address management
challenges and issues raised during scoping, including, but not limited
to: recreation, areas of critical environmental concern (ACECs),
wildlife habitats, livestock grazing, energy development, air quality
and global climate change, and wilderness characteristics. Protection
of Greater Sage-Grouse habitat is analyzed in all alternatives
considered. The six alternatives are:
Alternative A (No Action Alternative): Continues existing
management practices;
Alternative B: Fosters conservation of natural and
cultural resources while providing for compatible development and use;
Alternative C: Emphasizes resource development and use;
Alternative D (Proposed Plan): Provides development
opportunities and protects sensitive resources;
Alternative E: Provides conservation of natural and
cultural resources and protection of Greater Sage-Grouse Key Habitat
Areas through the designation of an ACEC; and
Alternative F: Provides development opportunities and
protects sensitive resources and protection of Greater Sage-Grouse Core
Habitat Areas through the designation of an ACEC.
The Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the Bighorn Basin RMP/EIS was
published in the Federal Register on October 17, 2008, and the Draft
RMP/EIS was released to the public on April 22, 2011. On July 12, 2013
the Supplement to the Draft RMP/EIS was published in the Federal
Register to include Alternatives E and F.
Comments on the Draft RMP/EIS and Supplemental Draft EIS received
from the public and internal BLM review were considered and
incorporated as appropriate into the proposed plan. As modified,
Alternative D is now presented as the Proposed Bighorn Basin RMP in the
Proposed RMP/Final EIS.
Alternative D generally allows resource use if the activity can be
conducted in a manner that conserves physical, biological, heritage and
visual resources. Alternative D proposes ACEC designations for:
Big Cedar Ridge (264 acres): Value(s) of Concern--
Paleontological. Proposed Use Limitation(s)--Right-of-way (ROW)
exclusion area, no-surface occupancy (NSO) restriction applied to fluid
mineral leases, closed to geophysical exploration, closed to mineral
material disposals and related exploration and development activities,
motorized vehicle use limited to existing roads and trails, and pursue
a withdrawal from appropriation under the mining laws.
Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite (1,798 acres): Value(s) of
Concern--Paleontological. Proposed Use Limitation(s)--Closed to surface
disturbing activities except to enhance public education, heavy
equipment restriction on fire suppression activities, motorized vehicle
use limited to designated roads and trails, interpretive area closed to
livestock grazing, an NSO restriction applied to fluid mineral leases,
and pursue a withdrawal from appropriation under the mining laws.
Sheep Mountain Anticline (13,260 acres): Value(s) of
Concern--Geologic, Caves, Cultural and Scenic. Proposed Use
Limitation(s)--Motorized vehicle use limited to designated roads and
trails, generally closed to surface disturbing activities, unavailable
for fluid mineral leasing, and pursue a withdrawal from appropriation
under the mining laws.
Spanish Point Karst (11,854 acres): Value(s) of Concern--
Caves, Recreational, Sinking Stream Segments and Water Quality.
Proposed Use Limitation(s)--Unavailable for fluid mineral leasing,
closed to geophysical exploration, closed to off highway vehicle use,
ROW avoidance/mitigation area, and pursue a withdrawal from
appropriation under the mining laws.
Brown/Howe Dinosaur Area (5,521 acres): Value(s) of
Concern--Paleontological. Proposed Use Limitation(s)--Closed to mineral
material disposals, unavailable for fluid
[[Page 30718]]
mineral leasing, ROW avoidance/mitigation area, and pursue a withdrawal
from appropriation under the mining laws.
Carter Mountain (10,947 acres): Value(s) of Concern--
Vegetation, Wildlife, Cultural, Recreational, Special Status Species,
Watershed and Soils. Proposed Use Limitation(s)--Heavy equipment
restriction on fire suppression activities, ROW avoidance/mitigation
area, motorized vehicle use limited to designated roads and trails,
closed to surface-disturbing activities on slopes greater than 7
percent, unavailable for fluid mineral leasing, closed to mineral
material disposals, and pursue a withdrawal from appropriation under
the mining laws.
Five Springs Falls (163 acres): Value(s) of Concern--
Recreational, Scenic, Special Status Species, Geologic and Public
Safety. Proposed Use Limitation(s)--Heavy equipment restriction on fire
suppression activities, ROW avoidance/mitigation area, climbing not
allowed on the cliff that forms the falls, motorized vehicle use
limited to designated roads and trails, and unavailable for fluid
mineral leasing.
Little Mountain (21,478 acres): Value(s) of Concern--
Caves, Cultural, Paleontological, Scenic, Recreational, Special Status
Species, Vegetation and Wildlife. Proposed Use Limitation(s)--Heavy
equipment restriction for fire suppression activities, motorized
vehicle use limited to designated roads and trails, a ROW avoidance/
mitigation area, unavailable for fluid mineral leasing, and pursue a
withdrawal from appropriation under the mining laws.
Upper Owl Creek (13,572 acres): Value(s) of Concern--
Cultural, Fish, Recreational, Scenic, Soils, Special Status Species,
Vegetation and Wildlife. Proposed Use Limitation(s)--Motorized vehicle
use limited to designated roads and trails, closed to surface-
disturbing activities, pursue a withdrawal from appropriation under the
mining laws for 13,238 acres, ROW avoidance/mitigation area, and
unavailable for fluid mineral leasing.
Clarks Fork Canyon (4,759 acres): Value(s) of Concern--
Geologic, Open Space, Recreational, Special Status Species, and
Wildlife. Proposed Use Limitation(s)--Close 1,211 acres to motorized
vehicle use with the remainder limited to designated roads and trails,
closed to surface-disturbing activities, closed to mineral material
disposals, closed to geophysical exploration, unavailable for fluid
mineral leasing, pursue a withdrawal from appropriation under the
mining laws, renewable energy ROW exclusion area, and ROW avoidance/
mitigation area.
Sheep Mountain (25,962 acres): Value(s) of Concern--
Special Status Species, Vegetation and Wildlife. Proposed Use
Limitation(s)--Motorized vehicle use limited to designated roads and
trails, unavailable for fluid mineral leasing, closed to mineral
material disposals, pursue a withdrawal from appropriation under the
mining laws, closed to surface-disturbing activities, and ROW
avoidance/mitigation area.
Paleocene, Eocene Thermal Maximum (14,913 acres): Value(s)
of Concern--Paleontological. Proposed Use Limitation(s)--NSO
restriction applied to fluid mineral leases, and closed to mineral
material disposals.
The Proposed plan also makes a determination that 20 waterways (92
miles) are not suitable for WSR designation and releases those eligible
waterways from further interim protection.
The Bighorn Basin Proposed RMP/Final EIS is one of a total of 15
separate EISs that make up the BLM and Forest Service National Greater
Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy. Greater-Sage Grouse habitat within the
planning area consists of:
Priority Habitat Management Area (PHMA)--Areas identified
as having the highest conservation value for maintaining sustainable
greater sage-grouse populations; include breeding, late brood-rearing,
and winter concentration areas.
General Habitat Management Area (GHMA)--Areas of seasonal
or year-round habitat outside of PHMA.
Alternative D supports management of greater sage-grouse seasonal
habitats and maintaining habitat connectivity to achieve population
objectives. Alternative D would limit or eliminate new surface
disturbance in PHMA, while minimizing disturbance in GHMA. Alternative
D is also consistent with guidelines provided in the Governor's Sage-
Grouse Implementation Team's Core Population Area strategy and the
Governor's Executive Order (WY EO 2011-05).
The BLM and Forest Service, via the Western Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) Management Zone Greater Sage-Grouse
Conservation Team, will develop a Regional Mitigation Strategy to guide
the application of the mitigation hierarchy to address impacts within
that Zone. The Regional Mitigation Strategy should consider any State-
level greater sage-grouse mitigation guidance that is consistent with
the requirements. The Regional Mitigation Strategy will be developed in
a transparent manner, based on the best science available and
standardized metrics.
Instructions for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM
regarding the Proposed RMP/Final EIS may be found in the ``Dear
Reader'' letter of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS for the Bighorn Basin RMP
Revision Project and at 43 CFR 1610.5-2. All protests must be in
writing and mailed to the appropriate address, as set forth in the
ADDRESSES section above. Emailed protests will not be accepted as valid
protests unless the protesting party also provides the original letter
by either regular or overnight mail postmarked by the close of the
protest period. Under these conditions, the BLM will consider the
emailed protest as an advance copy and it will receive full
consideration. If you wish to provide the BLM with such advance
notification, please direct emails to protest@blm.gov.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your protest, you should be
aware that your entire protest--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you may
ask us in your protest 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, 43 CFR
1610.5
Mary Jo Rugwell,
Acting State Director, Wyoming.
[FR Doc. 2015-12941 Filed 5-28-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
