Notice of Availability of the Wyoming Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation, 19810-19811 [2018-09524]
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19810
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 87 / Friday, May 4, 2018 / Notices
rentals and royalties at rates of $10 per
acre, or fraction thereof, per year and 16
2⁄3 percent, respectively. The lessee also
agreed to the amended stipulations as
required by the Casper Approved
Resource Management Plan. The lessee
has paid the required $500
administrative fee and the $159 cost of
publishing this notice. The lessee met
the requirements for reinstatement of
the lease per Sec. 31(d) and (e) of the
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C.
188). The BLM proposes to reinstate the
lease effective April 1, 2016, under the
revised terms and conditions of the
lease and the increased rental and
royalty rates cited above.
Authority: 30 U.S.C. 188 (e)(4) and 43 CFR
3108.2–3 (b)(2)(v).
question with the above individual. A
reply will be sent during normal
business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The lessee
agreed to the amended lease terms for
rentals and royalties at rates of $10 per
acre, or fraction thereof, per year and 16
2⁄3 percent, respectively. The lessee has
paid the required $500 administrative
fee and the $159 cost of publishing this
notice. The lessee met the requirements
for reinstatement of the lease per Sec.
31(d) and (e) of the Mineral Leasing Act
of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 188). The BLM
proposes to reinstate the lease effective
March 1, 2016, under the original terms
and conditions of the lease and the
increased rental and royalty rates cited
above.
Authority: 30 U.S.C. 188 (e)(4) and 43 CFR
3108.2–3 (b)(2)(v).
Erik Norelius,
Acting Chief, Branch of Fluid Minerals
Adjudication.
Erik Norelius,
Acting Chief, Branch of Fluid Minerals
Adjudication.
[FR Doc. 2018–09528 Filed 5–3–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
[FR Doc. 2018–09527 Filed 5–3–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[LLWY920000. L51040000.FI0000.
18XL5017AR]
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWO200000.LXSGPL000000.18x.L11100
000.PH0000]
Notice of Proposed Reinstatement of
Terminated Oil and Gas Lease
WYW175931, Wyoming
Notice of Availability of the Wyoming
Draft Resource Management Plan
Amendment and Draft Environmental
Impact Statement for Greater SageGrouse Conservation
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
As provided for under the
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as
amended, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) received a petition
for reinstatement of competitive oil and
gas lease WYW175931 from Samson
Resources Company for land in
Converse County, Wyoming. The lessee
filed the petition on time, along with all
rentals due since the lease terminated
under the law. No leases affecting this
land were issued before the petition was
filed. The BLM proposes to reinstate the
lease.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erik
Norelius, Acting Branch Chief for Fluid
Minerals Adjudication, Bureau of Land
Management, Wyoming State Office,
5353 Yellowstone Road, P.O. Box 1828,
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003; phone 307–
775–6176; email enoreliu@blm.gov.
Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS)
at 1–800–877–8339 to contact Mr.
Norelius during normal business hours.
The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, to leave a message or
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:16 May 03, 2018
Jkt 244001
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 (FLPMA), the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared the Wyoming Draft Resource
Management Plan (RMP) Amendment
and Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for Wyoming Greater
Sage-Grouse (GRSG), and by this notice
is announcing the opening of the
comment period. BLM Wyoming is
soliciting comments on the entire Draft
EIS, as well as the specific planning
issues mentioned in this NOA, and the
cumulative effects analysis.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be
considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Draft RMP
Amendment/Draft EIS within 90 days
following the date the Environmental
Protection Agency publishes a notice of
availability of the Draft RMP
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00131
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Amendment/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 Wyoming Draft RMP
Amendment/Draft EIS by any of the
following methods:
• website: https://goo.gl/22jKE2.
• mail: attn: Greater Sage-Grouse EIS,
BLM Wyoming State Office, 5353
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, WY
82009.
Copies of the Wyoming Draft RMP
Amendment/Draft EIS are available in
the Wyoming State Office at the above
address or on the project website at:
https://goo.gl/22jKE2.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information contact Jennifer
Fleuret, Planning and Environmental
Coordinator, by telephone, 307–775–
6329; at the address above; or by email,
jfleuret@blm.gov. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to
contact Ms. Fleuret. The FRS is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
to leave a message or question with Ms.
Fleuret. You will receive a reply during
normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Greater
Sage-Grouse is a state-managed species
that is dependent on sagebrush steppe
ecosystems. These ecosystems are
managed in partnership across the range
of the Greater Sage-Grouse by federal,
state, and local authorities. Efforts to
conserve the species and its habitat date
back to the 1950s. Over the past two
decades, state wildlife agencies, federal
agencies, and many others in the range
of the species have been collaborating to
conserve Greater Sage-Grouse and its
habitats. The United States Department
of the Interior (DOI) and the BLM have
broad responsibilities to manage federal
lands and resources for the public
benefit. Nearly half of Greater SageGrouse habitat is managed by the BLM.
The BLM is committed to being a good
neighbor and investing in on-the-ground
conservation activities through close
collaboration with State governments,
local communities, private landowners,
and other stakeholders.
In September 2015, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) determined
that the Greater Sage-Grouse did not
warrant listing under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973. The USFWS based
its ‘‘not warranted’’ determination, in
part, on the conservation commitments
and management actions in the BLM
and U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service)
E:\FR\FM\04MYN1.SGM
04MYN1
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 87 / Friday, May 4, 2018 / Notices
Greater Sage-Grouse land use plan
amendments and revisions (2015 GRSG
land use plan decisions), as well as on
other private, state, and federal
conservation efforts. Since 2015 the
BLM, in discussion with partners,
primarily Governors and state wildlife
management agencies, recognized that
several refinements and policy updates
could help strengthen conservation
efforts, while providing increased
economic opportunity to local
communities. The BLM and Department
of Interior worked closely with
Governors charged with managing
Greater Sage-Grouse to determine
whether some, none, or all of the 2015
Land Use Plans should be amended.
After carefully considering the
Governor’s input, and using its
discretion and authority under FLPMA,
as well as under direction from the
Secretary, including Secretary’s Order
(SO) 3353, the BLM proposes amending
the Wyoming Greater Sage-Grouse land
use plans that address GRSG
management. This action is proposed to
enhance cooperation and improve
alignment with the state plans or
management strategies, in accordance
with the BLM’s multiple use and
sustained yield mission. The BLM
prepared the Wyoming Greater SageGrouse Draft RMP Amendment/Draft
EIS to address alternatives that will
build upon its commitment to conserve
and restore Greater Sage-Grouse habitat,
while improving collaboration and
alignment with state management
strategies for Greater Sage-Grouse. The
BLM seeks to improve management
alignment in ways that will increase
management flexibility, maintain access
to public resources, and promote
conservation outcomes. The BLM used
internal, agency, and public scoping to
identify issues considered in the
environmental analysis. As part of this
analysis, the BLM also examined the
range of alternatives evaluated in the
BLM’s 2015 GRSG land use plan
decisions and their supporting NEPA
analyses.
This Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS
is one of six separate planning efforts
that are being undertaken in response to
SO 3353, Greater Sage-Grouse
Conservation and Cooperation with
Western States (June 7, 2017), and in
accordance with SO 3349, American
Energy Independence (March 29, 2017).
The Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS
proposes to amend the RMPs for field
offices on BLM lands within BLM
Wyoming boundaries. The current
management decisions for resources are
described in the following resource
management plans (RMPs):
• Buffalo RMP (2015)
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:16 May 03, 2018
Jkt 244001
• Casper RMP (2007)
• Cody RMP (2015)
• Kemmerer RMP (2010)
• Lander RMP (2014)
• Newcastle RMP (2000)
• Pinedale RMP (2008)
• Rawlins RMP (2008)
• Green River RMP (1997)
• Worland RMP (2015)
The planning area includes nearly 60
million acres of BLM, National Park
Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation, State, local, and
private lands located in Wyoming, in 20
counties: Albany, Bighorn, Campbell,
Carbon, Converse, Crook, Fremont, Hot
Springs, Johnson, Lincoln, Natrona,
Niobrara, Park, Sheridan, Sublette,
Sweetwater, Teton, Uinta, Washakie,
and Weston. Within the decision area,
the BLM administers more than 18
million acres of public lands, providing
approximately 17 million acres of
Priority and General GRSG habitat.
Surface management decisions made as
a result of this Draft RMP Amendment/
Draft EIS will apply only to BLM
administered lands in the decision area.
The formal public scoping process for
the RMP Amendment/EIS began on
October 11, 2017, with the publication
of a Notice of Intent in the Federal
Register (82 FR 47248), and ended on
December 1, 2017. The BLM Wyoming
held two public scoping meetings in
November 2017. The BLM used scoping
comments to help identify planning
issues to form alternatives and frame the
scope of the analysis in the Draft RMP
Amendment/Draft EIS. The scoping
process was also used to familiarize the
public and introduce them to
preliminary planning criteria, which
sets limits on the scope of the Draft RMP
Amendment/Draft EIS.
The Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS
addresses the designation of sagebrush
focal areas, mitigation standards,
clarification of habitat objectives tables,
adjustments to habitat boundaries to
reflect new information, and reversing
adaptive management responses when
the BLM determines that resource
conditions no longer warrant those
responses.
The Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS
evaluates two alternatives in detail,
including the No Action Alternative
(Alternative A) and one action
alternative (Alternative B). Alternative B
has been identified as BLM’s Preferred
Alternative for the purposes of public
comment and review. Identification of
this alternative, however, does not
represent final agency direction, and the
Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS
may reflect changes or adjustments from
information received during public
comment, from new information, or
PO 00000
Frm 00132
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
19811
from changes in BLM policies or
priorities. The Proposed RMP
Amendment/Final EIS may include
objectives and actions described in the
other analyzed alternative as well. In
addition, certain components of the
2015 GRSG plans are not present in the
Lander RMP; therefore, only the
portions applicable to Lander would be
amended through this process.
Alternative A would retain the
current management goals, objectives,
and direction specified in the current
RMPs for each field office.
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 address provided in
the ADDRESSES section of this notice
during regular business hours (8:00 a.m.
to 4:00 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
Mary Jo Rugwell,
State Director, Wyoming.
[FR Doc. 2018–09524 Filed 5–3–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–84–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVC01000.L19200000.ET0000;
LRORF1709600; MO# 450010998
Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and
Availability of an Associated
Environmental Assessment, and
Notification of Public Meeting; Nevada
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Proposed Withdrawal
AGENCY:
In accordance with Section
204 of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976, as amended
(FLPMA), the Secretary of the Interior
proposes to withdraw approximately
769,724 acres of Federal land in
Churchill, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, and
Pershing Counties, Nevada, for up to 4
years from all forms of appropriation
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\04MYN1.SGM
04MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 87 (Friday, May 4, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19810-19811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09524]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWO200000.LXSGPL000000.18x.L11100000.PH0000]
Notice of Availability of the Wyoming Draft Resource Management
Plan Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Greater
Sage-Grouse Conservation
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 (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared the Wyoming Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Wyoming Greater Sage-
Grouse (GRSG), and by this notice is announcing the opening of the
comment period. BLM Wyoming is soliciting comments on the entire Draft
EIS, as well as the specific planning issues mentioned in this NOA, and
the cumulative effects analysis.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS within 90 days
following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes a
notice of availability of the Draft RMP Amendment/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 Wyoming Draft RMP
Amendment/Draft EIS by any of the following methods:
website: https://goo.gl/22jKE2.
mail: attn: Greater Sage-Grouse EIS, BLM Wyoming State
Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, WY 82009.
Copies of the Wyoming Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS are available
in the Wyoming State Office at the above address or on the project
website at: https://goo.gl/22jKE2.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact
Jennifer Fleuret, Planning and Environmental Coordinator, by telephone,
307-775-6329; at the address above; or by email, [email protected].
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call
the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact Ms.
Fleuret. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a
message or question with Ms. Fleuret. You will receive a reply during
normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Greater Sage-Grouse is a state-managed
species that is dependent on sagebrush steppe ecosystems. These
ecosystems are managed in partnership across the range of the Greater
Sage-Grouse by federal, state, and local authorities. Efforts to
conserve the species and its habitat date back to the 1950s. Over the
past two decades, state wildlife agencies, federal agencies, and many
others in the range of the species have been collaborating to conserve
Greater Sage-Grouse and its habitats. The United States Department of
the Interior (DOI) and the BLM have broad responsibilities to manage
federal lands and resources for the public benefit. Nearly half of
Greater Sage-Grouse habitat is managed by the BLM. The BLM is committed
to being a good neighbor and investing in on-the-ground conservation
activities through close collaboration with State governments, local
communities, private landowners, and other stakeholders.
In September 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
determined that the Greater Sage-Grouse did not warrant listing under
the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The USFWS based its ``not
warranted'' determination, in part, on the conservation commitments and
management actions in the BLM and U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service)
[[Page 19811]]
Greater Sage-Grouse land use plan amendments and revisions (2015 GRSG
land use plan decisions), as well as on other private, state, and
federal conservation efforts. Since 2015 the BLM, in discussion with
partners, primarily Governors and state wildlife management agencies,
recognized that several refinements and policy updates could help
strengthen conservation efforts, while providing increased economic
opportunity to local communities. The BLM and Department of Interior
worked closely with Governors charged with managing Greater Sage-Grouse
to determine whether some, none, or all of the 2015 Land Use Plans
should be amended. After carefully considering the Governor's input,
and using its discretion and authority under FLPMA, as well as under
direction from the Secretary, including Secretary's Order (SO) 3353,
the BLM proposes amending the Wyoming Greater Sage-Grouse land use
plans that address GRSG management. This action is proposed to enhance
cooperation and improve alignment with the state plans or management
strategies, in accordance with the BLM's multiple use and sustained
yield mission. The BLM prepared the Wyoming Greater Sage-Grouse Draft
RMP Amendment/Draft EIS to address alternatives that will build upon
its commitment to conserve and restore Greater Sage-Grouse habitat,
while improving collaboration and alignment with state management
strategies for Greater Sage-Grouse. The BLM seeks to improve management
alignment in ways that will increase management flexibility, maintain
access to public resources, and promote conservation outcomes. The BLM
used internal, agency, and public scoping to identify issues considered
in the environmental analysis. As part of this analysis, the BLM also
examined the range of alternatives evaluated in the BLM's 2015 GRSG
land use plan decisions and their supporting NEPA analyses.
This Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS is one of six separate planning
efforts that are being undertaken in response to SO 3353, Greater Sage-
Grouse Conservation and Cooperation with Western States (June 7, 2017),
and in accordance with SO 3349, American Energy Independence (March 29,
2017). The Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS proposes to amend the RMPs for
field offices on BLM lands within BLM Wyoming boundaries. The current
management decisions for resources are described in the following
resource management plans (RMPs):
Buffalo RMP (2015)
Casper RMP (2007)
Cody RMP (2015)
Kemmerer RMP (2010)
Lander RMP (2014)
Newcastle RMP (2000)
Pinedale RMP (2008)
Rawlins RMP (2008)
Green River RMP (1997)
Worland RMP (2015)
The planning area includes nearly 60 million acres of BLM, National
Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, State,
local, and private lands located in Wyoming, in 20 counties: Albany,
Bighorn, Campbell, Carbon, Converse, Crook, Fremont, Hot Springs,
Johnson, Lincoln, Natrona, Niobrara, Park, Sheridan, Sublette,
Sweetwater, Teton, Uinta, Washakie, and Weston. Within the decision
area, the BLM administers more than 18 million acres of public lands,
providing approximately 17 million acres of Priority and General GRSG
habitat. Surface management decisions made as a result of this Draft
RMP Amendment/Draft EIS will apply only to BLM administered lands in
the decision area.
The formal public scoping process for the RMP Amendment/EIS began
on October 11, 2017, with the publication of a Notice of Intent in the
Federal Register (82 FR 47248), and ended on December 1, 2017. The BLM
Wyoming held two public scoping meetings in November 2017. The BLM used
scoping comments to help identify planning issues to form alternatives
and frame the scope of the analysis in the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft
EIS. The scoping process was also used to familiarize the public and
introduce them to preliminary planning criteria, which sets limits on
the scope of the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS.
The Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS addresses the designation of
sagebrush focal areas, mitigation standards, clarification of habitat
objectives tables, adjustments to habitat boundaries to reflect new
information, and reversing adaptive management responses when the BLM
determines that resource conditions no longer warrant those responses.
The Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS evaluates two alternatives in
detail, including the No Action Alternative (Alternative A) and one
action alternative (Alternative B). Alternative B has been identified
as BLM's Preferred Alternative for the purposes of public comment and
review. Identification of this alternative, however, does not represent
final agency direction, and the Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS may
reflect changes or adjustments from information received during public
comment, from new information, or from changes in BLM policies or
priorities. The Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS may include objectives
and actions described in the other analyzed alternative as well. In
addition, certain components of the 2015 GRSG plans are not present in
the Lander RMP; therefore, only the portions applicable to Lander would
be amended through this process.
Alternative A would retain the current management goals,
objectives, and direction specified in the current RMPs for each field
office.
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 address provided in the ADDRESSES section of this notice during
regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 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
Mary Jo Rugwell,
State Director, Wyoming.
[FR Doc. 2018-09524 Filed 5-3-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P
