Notice of Availability of the Wyoming Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement, 63525-63527 [2018-26700]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 236 / Monday, December 10, 2018 / Notices
a week, to leave a message or question
with Mr. Regan-Vienop. You will
receive a reply during normal business
hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM
prepared the Oregon Greater SageGrouse
Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS to
enhance cooperation with States by
improving alignment with State
management plans and strategies for
Greater Sage-Grouse, while continuing
to conserve, enhance, and restore
Greater Sage-Grouse and its habitat. The
Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS
also addresses a legal vulnerability,
which was exposed when a Federal
District Court in Nevada determined
that the BLM had violated the NEPA
when it finalized the 2015 plans.
The BLM developed the proposed
land use plan amendment in
collaboration with Oregon Governor
Kate Brown, State wildlife managers,
and other concerned organizations and
individuals, largely through the Western
Governors Association’s Sage-Grouse
Task Force. Using its discretion and
authority under the FLPMA, the BLM
proposes amending land use plans that
address Greater Sage-Grouse
management to improve alignment with
State of Oregon plans and management
strategies, in accordance with the BLM’s
multiple use and sustained yield
mission. This Proposed RMP
Amendment/Final EIS is one of six
separate planning efforts that are being
undertaken in response to the
Secretary’s Order (SO) 3353 (Greater
Sage-grouse Conservation and
Cooperation with Western States) and in
accordance with SO 3349 (American
Energy Independence). The proposed
plans refine the previous management
plan adopted in 2015 and aims to strike
a regulatory balance and build greater
trust among neighboring interests in
Western communities. The Proposed
RMP Amendment/Final EIS proposes to
amend the RMPs for field offices on
BLM-administered lands within Oregon.
The current management decisions for
resources are described in the following
RMPs:
• Andrews (2005)
• Baker (1989)
• Brothers/La Pine (1989)
• Lakeview (2003)
• Southeastern Oregon (2002)
• Steens (2005)
• Three Rivers (1992)
• Upper Deschutes (2005)
The planning area includes
approximately 60,649 acres of lands
administered by the BLM in three
Oregon counties: Harney, Lake, and
Malheur. Within the decision area, the
BLM administers approximately 21,959
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:10 Dec 07, 2018
Jkt 247001
acres of public lands, all of which is
Greater Sage-Grouse habitat. Surface
management decisions made as a result
of this Proposed RMP Amendment/
Final EIS will apply only to lands
administered by the BLM in the
decision area.
The formal public scoping process for
the RMP Amendment/EIS began on
October 11, 2017, with publication of a
Notice of Intent in the Federal Register
(82 FR 47248), and ended on December
1, 2017. The BLM held one public
scoping meeting in Burns, Oregon on
November 7, 2017.
The Oregon Draft RMP Amendment/
Draft EIS focused on the availability or
unavailability of livestock grazing in 13
key Research Natural Areas and
mitigation. Research Natural Areas are a
subset type of Areas of Critical
Environmental Concern. The Draft RMP
Amendment/Draft EIS evaluated two
alternatives in detail, including the No
Action Alternative (Alternative A) and
one action alternative (Alternative B,
Management Alignment Alternative).
Comments on the Draft RMP
Amendment/Draft EIS received from the
public and internal BLM review were
considered and incorporated as
appropriate into the proposed RMP
Amendment/Final EIS. Alternative A
would retain the current management
goals, objectives, and direction specified
in the current RMPs, as amended, for
each field office. Alternative B was
identified as the BLM’s preferred
alternative in the Draft RMP
Amendment/Draft EIS for the purposes
of public comment and review.
Identification of this alternative,
however, does not represent final
agency direction.
Instructions for filing a protest with
the Director of the BLM regarding the
Proposed RMPA/Final EIS may be
found online at https://www.blm.gov/
programs/planning-and-nepa/publicparticipation/filing-a-plan-protest 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 or submitted
electronically through the BLM
ePlanning project website as described
above. Protests submitted electronically
by any means other than the ePlanning
project website protest section will be
invalid unless a protest is also
submitted in hard copy. Protests
submitted by fax will also be invalid
unless also submitted either through
ePlanning project website protest
section or in hard copy.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personally identifiable information in
your comment, you should be aware
PO 00000
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63525
that your entire comment—including
your personally identifiable
information—may be made publicly
available at any time. While you can ask
the BLM in your comment to withhold
your personally identifiable 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
Christopher J. McAlear,
Acting State Director, Oregon/Washington,
Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. 2018–26701 Filed 12–7–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–33–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWO200000.Ll
1100000.PH0000.LXSGPL000000.18X.HAG
18–0089]
Notice of Availability of the Wyoming
Proposed Resource Management Plan
Amendment and Final 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, (FLPMA) the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared the Wyoming Proposed
Resource Management Plan (RMP)
Amendment and Final Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for Greater SageGrouse Conservation for the Wyoming
Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Region and by
this notice is announcing its availability
and the opening of a protest period
concerning the Proposed RMP
Amendment.
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 Amendment and Final
EIS. A person who meets the conditions
outlined in 43 CFR 1610.5–2 and wishes
to file a protest must do so within 30
days of the date that the Environmental
Protection Agency publishes its Notice
of Availability in the Federal Register.
A protest regarding the Proposed RMP
Amendment announced with this notice
must be filed by January 9, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The Proposed RMP
Amendment and Final EIS is available
on the BLM ePlanning project website at
https://goo.gl/FoqAn9. Click the
Documents and Report link on the left
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\10DEN1.SGM
10DEN1
63526
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 236 / Monday, December 10, 2018 / Notices
side of the screen to find the electronic
version of these materials. Hard copies
of the Proposed RMP Amendment and
Final EIS are available for public
inspection at the Wyoming State Office.
All protests must be in writing (43 CFR
1610.5–2(a)(1)) and filed with the BLM
Director, either as a hard copy or
electronically via the BLM’s ePlanning
project website listed previously. To
submit a protest electronically, go to the
ePlanning project website and follow
the protest instructions highlighted at
the top of the home page.
If submitting a protest in hard copy,
it must be mailed to one of the following
addresses:
U.S. Postal Service Mail: BLM
Director (210), Attention: Protest
Coordinator, WO–210, P.O. Box 71383,
Washington, DC 20024–1383.
Overnight Delivery: BLM Director
(210), Attention: Protest Coordinator,
WO–210, 20 M Street SE, Room
2134LM, Washington, DC 20003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jenny Marzluf, Greater Sage-grouse
Implementation Coordinator by
telephone, 307–775–6090; at the address
above; or by email, jmarzluf@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. Marzluf. The
FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week, to leave a message or question
with Ms. Marzluf. You will receive a
reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM
prepared the Wyoming Greater SageGrouse Proposed RMP Amendment and
Final EIS to enhance cooperation with
the States by improving alignment with
state management plans and strategies
for Greater Sage-Grouse, while
continuing to conserve, enhance, and
restore Greater Sage-Grouse and its
habitat. The Proposed RMP Amendment
and Final EIS also addresses the issues
remanded to the agency by a March 31,
2017 Order by the United States District
Court for the District of Nevada, which
determined that the BLM had violated
the NEPA when it finalized the 2015
Nevada plan.
The BLM developed the proposed
land use plan amendment in
collaboration with Wyoming Governor
Matt Mead, state wildlife managers, and
other concerned organizations and
individuals, largely through the Western
Governors Association’s Sage-Grouse
Task Force. Using its discretion and
authority under FLPMA, the BLM
proposes amending land use plans that
address Greater Sage-Grouse
management to improve alignment with
individual state plans or management
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:10 Dec 07, 2018
Jkt 247001
strategies, in accordance with the BLM’s
multiple use and sustained yield
mission.
This Proposed RMP Amendment and
Final EIS is one of six separate planning
efforts that are being undertaken in
response to Secretary’s Order (SO) 3353
(Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation and
Cooperation with Western States) and in
accordance with SO 3349 (American
Energy Independence). The proposed
plans refine the previous management
plan adopted in 2015 and aims to strike
a regulatory balance and build greater
trust among neighboring interests in
Western communities. The Proposed
RMP Amendment and Final EIS
proposes to amend the RMPs for field
offices on BLM-administered lands
within BLM Wyoming boundaries. The
current management decisions for
resources are described in the following
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
approximately 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
approximately 18 million acres of
public land, providing approximately 17
million acres of Priority and General
Greater Sage-Grouse habitat. Surface
management decisions made as a result
of this Proposed RMP Amendment and
Final EIS will apply only to BLMadministered lands in the decision area.
The formal public scoping process for
the RMP Amendment and EIS began on
October 11, 2017, with publication of a
Notice of Intent in the Federal Register
(82 FR 47248) and ended on December
1, 2017. The BLM in Wyoming held
public scoping meetings in Cheyenne,
Wyoming, and Pinedale, Wyoming in
November of 2017. The Notice of
Availability for the Draft Supplemental
EIS was published on May 4, 2018, and
the BLM accepted public comments on
the range of alternatives, effects analysis
and draft RMP amendments for 90 days,
ending on August 2, 2018. During the
public comment period, two public
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
meetings were held, one in Cheyenne
and one in Pinedale.
The Wyoming Draft RMP
Amendment/Draft EIS focused on the
issues of 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
evaluated two alternatives in detail,
including the No Action Alternative
(Alternative A) and one action
alternative (Alternative B). Comments
on the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS
received from the public and internal
BLM review were considered and
incorporated as appropriate into the
proposed plan amendment. Alternative
A would retain the current management
goals, objectives, and direction specified
in the current RMPs, as amended, for
each field office. Alternative B has been
identified as the BLM’s Preferred
Alternative. Identification of this
alternative, however, does not represent
final agency direction.
Instructions for filing a protest with
the Director of the BLM regarding the
Proposed RMP Amendment and Final
EIS may be found online at https://
www.blm.gov/programs/planning-andnepa/public-participation/filing-a-planprotest 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 or
submitted electronically through the
BLM ePlanning project website as
described above. Protests submitted
electronically by any means other than
the ePlanning project website protest
section will be invalid unless a protest
is also submitted in hard copy. Protests
submitted by fax will also be invalid
unless also submitted either through
ePlanning project website protest
section or in hard copy.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
protest, please be aware that your entire
protest, 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.
E:\FR\FM\10DEN1.SGM
10DEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 236 / Monday, December 10, 2018 / Notices
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10,
43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 1610.5
Duane Spencer,
Acting BLM Wyoming State Director.
[FR Doc. 2018–26700 Filed 12–7–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWO200000.18X
L11100000.PH0000.LXSGPL000000]
Notice of Availability of the Utah
Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed
Resource Management Plan
Amendment and Final Environmental
Impact Statement, Utah
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976, as
amended, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) has prepared the
Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed
Resource Management Plan (Proposed
RMP) Amendment and Final
Environmental Impact Statement (Final
EIS) for the Utah Greater Sage-Grouse
Sub-Region. By this Notice, the BLM is
announcing the opening of a protest
period concerning the Proposed RMP
Amendment and Final EIS.
DATES: A protest regarding the Proposed
RMP Amendment announced with this
notice must be filed by January 9, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The Proposed RMP
Amendment/Final EIS is available on
the BLM ePlanning project website at
https://go.usa.gov/xP8xc. Click the
Documents and Report link on the left
side of the screen to find the electronic
version of these materials. Hard copies
of the Proposed RMP Amendment and
Final EIS are available for public
inspection at the BLM Utah State Office,
440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt
Lake City, UT 84101 or on the project
website listed above.
All protests must be in writing (43
CFR 1610.5–2(a)(1)) and filed with the
BLM Director, either as a hard copy or
electronically via the BLM’s ePlanning
project website listed previously. To
submit a protest electronically, go to the
ePlanning project website and follow
the protest instructions highlighted at
the top of the home page. If submitting
a protest in hard copy, it must be mailed
to one of the following addresses:
U.S. Postal Service Mail: BLM
Director (210), Attention: Protest
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:10 Dec 07, 2018
Jkt 247001
Coordinator, WO–210, P.O. Box 71383,
Washington, DC 20024–1383.
Overnight Delivery: BLM Director
(210), Attention: Protest Coordinator,
WO–210, 20 M Street SE, Room
2134LM, Washington, DC 20003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Quincy Bahr, Greater Sage-Grouse RMP
Project Manager; telephone 801–539–
4122; address 440 West 200 South, Suite
500, Salt Lake City, UT 84101; or by
email qfbahr@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 Mr. Bahr. The FRS is available
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave
a message or question with Mr. Bahr.
You will receive a reply during normal
business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM
prepared the Proposed RMP
Amendment and Final EIS to analyze a
range of alternatives that will continue
conserving, enhancing, and restoring
Greater Sage-Grouse and its habitat,
while improving alignment with state
management strategies for Greater SageGrouse. The plan also addresses a legal
vulnerability, which was exposed when
a Federal District Court in Nevada
determined that the BLM had violated
the National Environmental Policy Act
when it finalized the 2015 plans.
The BLM developed the proposed
land use plan amendment in
collaboration with Utah Governor Gary
Herbert, state wildlife managers, and
other concerned organizations and
individuals, largely through the Western
Governors Association’s Sage-Grouse
Task Force. Using its discretion and
authority under the Federal Land Policy
and Management Act, the BLM proposes
amending its land use plans that
address Greater Sage-Grouse
management to improve alignment with
the State of Utah’s plan, in accordance
with the BLM’s multiple use and
sustained yield mission. Under the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act, the BLM is required by law to work
cooperatively with states on land-use
plans and amendments.
This Proposed RMP Amendment/
Final EIS is one of six separate planning
efforts that are being undertaken in
response to the Secretary’s Order (SO)
3353 (Greater Sage-grouse Conservation
and Cooperation with Western States)
and in accordance with SO 3349
(American Energy Independence). The
proposed plans refine the previous
management plan adopted in 2015 and
aims to strike a regulatory balance and
build greater trust among neighboring
interests in Western communities. The
Proposed RMP Amendment and Final
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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63527
EIS proposes to amend the (RMPs) for
field offices on BLM-administered lands
within BLM Utah boundaries. The
current management decisions for
resources are described in the following
RMPs:
• Box Elder Resource Management
Plan (1986)
• Cedar/Beaver/Garfield/Antimony
Resource Management Plan (1986)
• Grand Staircase-Escalante National
Monument Management Plan (2000)
• House Range Resource Management
Plan (1987)
• Kanab Resource Management Plan
(2008)
• Park City Management Framework
Plan (1975)
• Pinyon Management Framework
Plan (1978)
• Pony Express Resource
Management Plan (1990)
• Price Resource Management Plan
(2008)
• Randolph Management Framework
Plan (1980)
• Richfield Resource Management
Plan (2008)
• Salt Lake District Isolated Tracts
Planning Analysis (1985)
• Vernal Resource Management Plan
(2008)
• Warm Springs Resource
Management Plan (1987)
The planning area includes
approximately 48,158,700 acres of BLM,
National Park Service, United States
Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation, State, local, and private
lands located in Utah, in 27 counties:
Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon,
Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery,
Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane,
Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake,
Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele,
Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Wayne, and
Weber. Within the decision area, which
is limited to the portions of the planning
area where the decisions from this
process may apply, the BLM
administers approximately 4 million
acres of public land, providing
approximately 3.4 million acres of
Greater Sage-Grouse habitat. Surface
management decisions made as a result
of this Proposed RMP Amendment and
Final EIS will apply only to BLMadministered lands in the decision area.
The formal public scoping process for
the RMP Amendment/EIS began on
October 11, 2017, with publication of a
Notice of Intent in the Federal Register
(82 FR 47248) and ended on December
1, 2017. The BLM Utah held public
scoping meetings on November 14,
2017, in Vernal, Utah; on November 15,
2017, in Cedar City, Utah; and on
November 16, 2017, in Snowville, Utah.
On May 4, 2018, the Notice of
Availability for the Draft RMP
E:\FR\FM\10DEN1.SGM
10DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 236 (Monday, December 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63525-63527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26700]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWO200000.Ll 1100000.PH0000.LXSGPL000000.18X.HAG 18-0089]
Notice of Availability of the Wyoming Proposed Resource
Management Plan Amendment and Final 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, (FLPMA) the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared the Wyoming Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment
and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Greater Sage-Grouse
Conservation for the Wyoming Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Region and by this
notice is announcing its availability and the opening of a protest
period concerning the Proposed RMP Amendment.
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 Amendment and Final EIS. A person who meets the conditions
outlined in 43 CFR 1610.5-2 and wishes to file a protest must do so
within 30 days of the date that the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. A protest
regarding the Proposed RMP Amendment announced with this notice must be
filed by January 9, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS is available on the
BLM ePlanning project website at https://goo.gl/FoqAn9. Click the
Documents and Report link on the left
[[Page 63526]]
side of the screen to find the electronic version of these materials.
Hard copies of the Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS are available
for public inspection at the Wyoming State Office. All protests must be
in writing (43 CFR 1610.5-2(a)(1)) and filed with the BLM Director,
either as a hard copy or electronically via the BLM's ePlanning project
website listed previously. To submit a protest electronically, go to
the ePlanning project website and follow the protest instructions
highlighted at the top of the home page.
If submitting a protest in hard copy, it must be mailed to one of
the following addresses:
U.S. Postal Service Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest
Coordinator, WO-210, P.O. Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024-1383.
Overnight Delivery: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest
Coordinator, WO-210, 20 M Street SE, Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenny Marzluf, Greater Sage-grouse
Implementation Coordinator by telephone, 307-775-6090; 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. Marzluf. The FRS is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question
with Ms. Marzluf. You will receive a reply during normal business
hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM prepared the Wyoming Greater Sage-
Grouse Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS to enhance cooperation with
the States by improving alignment with state management plans and
strategies for Greater Sage-Grouse, while continuing to conserve,
enhance, and restore Greater Sage-Grouse and its habitat. The Proposed
RMP Amendment and Final EIS also addresses the issues remanded to the
agency by a March 31, 2017 Order by the United States District Court
for the District of Nevada, which determined that the BLM had violated
the NEPA when it finalized the 2015 Nevada plan.
The BLM developed the proposed land use plan amendment in
collaboration with Wyoming Governor Matt Mead, state wildlife managers,
and other concerned organizations and individuals, largely through the
Western Governors Association's Sage-Grouse Task Force. Using its
discretion and authority under FLPMA, the BLM proposes amending land
use plans that address Greater Sage-Grouse management to improve
alignment with individual state plans or management strategies, in
accordance with the BLM's multiple use and sustained yield mission.
This Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS is one of six separate
planning efforts that are being undertaken in response to Secretary's
Order (SO) 3353 (Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation and Cooperation with
Western States) and in accordance with SO 3349 (American Energy
Independence). The proposed plans refine the previous management plan
adopted in 2015 and aims to strike a regulatory balance and build
greater trust among neighboring interests in Western communities. The
Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS proposes to amend the RMPs for
field offices on BLM-administered lands within BLM Wyoming boundaries.
The current management decisions for resources are described in the
following 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 approximately 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 approximately 18 million acres of public
land, providing approximately 17 million acres of Priority and General
Greater Sage-Grouse habitat. Surface management decisions made as a
result of this Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS will apply only to
BLM-administered lands in the decision area.
The formal public scoping process for the RMP Amendment and EIS
began on October 11, 2017, with publication of a Notice of Intent in
the Federal Register (82 FR 47248) and ended on December 1, 2017. The
BLM in Wyoming held public scoping meetings in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and
Pinedale, Wyoming in November of 2017. The Notice of Availability for
the Draft Supplemental EIS was published on May 4, 2018, and the BLM
accepted public comments on the range of alternatives, effects analysis
and draft RMP amendments for 90 days, ending on August 2, 2018. During
the public comment period, two public meetings were held, one in
Cheyenne and one in Pinedale.
The Wyoming Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS focused on the issues of
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
evaluated two alternatives in detail, including the No Action
Alternative (Alternative A) and one action alternative (Alternative B).
Comments on the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS received from the public
and internal BLM review were considered and incorporated as appropriate
into the proposed plan amendment. Alternative A would retain the
current management goals, objectives, and direction specified in the
current RMPs, as amended, for each field office. Alternative B has been
identified as the BLM's Preferred Alternative. Identification of this
alternative, however, does not represent final agency direction.
Instructions for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM
regarding the Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS may be found online
at https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/filing-a-plan-protest 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 or submitted electronically through the BLM
ePlanning project website as described above. Protests submitted
electronically by any means other than the ePlanning project website
protest section will be invalid unless a protest is also submitted in
hard copy. Protests submitted by fax will also be invalid unless also
submitted either through ePlanning project website protest section or
in hard copy.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your protest, please be aware
that your entire protest, 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.
[[Page 63527]]
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR
1610.5
Duane Spencer,
Acting BLM Wyoming State Director.
[FR Doc. 2018-26700 Filed 12-7-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
