Notice of Availability of the Oregon Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement, 63524-63525 [2018-26701]

Download as PDF 63524 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 236 / Monday, December 10, 2018 / Notices • Colorado River Valley RMP (BLM 2015) • Grand Junction RMP (BLM 2015) • Kremmling RMP (BLM 2015) • Little Snake RMP (BLM 2011) • White River RMP (BLM 1997) and associated amendments, including the White River Oil and Gas Amendment (BLM 2015) The Northwest Colorado Greater SageGrouse Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS planning area is part of the larger Rocky Mountain Region and encompasses approximately 15 million acres, including 8.5 million acres of public lands managed by five BLM field offices in the 10 northwest Colorado counties of Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Larimer, Mesa, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt, and Summit. The planning area encompasses National Park Service, US Department of Defense, US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, State of Colorado, county, city, and private lands. Decisions in this RMP Amendment apply solely to BLMadministered surface (totaling approximately 1.7 million acres) and BLM-administered Federal mineral estate (approximately 2.1 million acres) within Greater Sage-Grouse habitat. 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. BLM Colorado held a public scoping meeting in Craig, Colorado on November 8, 2017. The Notice of Availability for the Draft Supplemental EIS was published on October 11, 2017, 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 in Silt and Craig, Colorado. The Northwest Colorado Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS focused on the issue of allowing greater flexibility for the BLM to work with the State of Colorado on issues related to fluid minerals management and mitigation. The Proposed RMP Amendment and Final 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 was identified VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:10 Dec 07, 2018 Jkt 247001 as the BLM’s Preferred Alternative. Identification of this alternative, however, does not represent final agency direction. The Proposed RMP Amendment is a refinement of the Management Alignment Alternative from the Draft RMP Amendment and Draft EIS, with consideration given to public comments, corrections, and rewording for clarification of purpose and intent. 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. Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 1610.5 Kristin M. Bail, Assistant Director, Resources and Planning. [FR Doc. 2018–26699 Filed 12–7–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–33–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLWO200000.L11100000. PH0000.LXSGPL000000. 18X. HAG 19–0014] Notice of Availability of the Oregon Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared the Oregon Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation for the Oregon Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Region 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 Amendment/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/Final EIS is available on the BLM ePlanning project website at https://goo.gl/4CNtH8. 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/Final EIS are also available for public inspection at the Burns, Lakeview, and Vale BLM District Offices. 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: Jim Regan-Vienop, Planning and Environmental Coordinator, at (503) 808–6062; address, 1220 SW 3rd Ave. Suite 1305, Portland, OR 97204; email, jreganvienop@blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\10DEN1.SGM 10DEN1 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 Frm 00060 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 236 (Monday, December 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63524-63525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26701]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWO200000.L11100000. PH0000.LXSGPL000000. 18X. HAG 19-0014]


Notice of Availability of the Oregon 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 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
has prepared the Oregon Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) 
Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Greater 
Sage-Grouse Conservation for the Oregon Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Region 
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 Amendment/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/Final EIS is available on the BLM 
ePlanning project website at https://goo.gl/4CNtH8. 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/
Final EIS are also available for public inspection at the Burns, 
Lakeview, and Vale BLM District Offices.
    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: Jim Regan-Vienop, Planning and 
Environmental Coordinator, at (503) 808-6062; address, 1220 SW 3rd Ave. 
Suite 1305, Portland, OR 97204; 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. The FRS is available 24 
hours a day, 7 days

[[Page 63525]]

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 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/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 personally identifiable information in your comment, you should 
be aware 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
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