Notice of Availability of Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment for Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation, Nevada and Northeastern California, 10323-10324 [2019-05294]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 54 / Wednesday, March 20, 2019 / Notices
Secretary’s Order (S.O.) 3353 (Greater
Sage-Grouse Conservation and
Cooperation with Western States) and in
accordance with S.O. 3349 (American
Energy Independence). The
amendments refine the previous
management plan adopted in 2015 to
strike a regulatory balance and build
greater trust among neighboring
interests in Western communities.
The Wyoming Greater-Sage Grouse
Approved RMP Amendment specifically
addresses 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
Approved RMP Amendment amends the
following RMPs for BLM-administered
lands in Wyoming:
• 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
20 counties in Wyoming: 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. The ROD
approves the Agency Preferred
Alternative identified in the Final EIS.
The BLM issued the ROD in compliance
with relevant laws, regulations, policies,
and plans, including those guiding
agency decisions that may have an
impact on resources and their values,
services, and functions.
On December 10, 2018, the BLM
published the Notice of Availability
(NOA) for the Wyoming Greater SageGrouse Proposed RMP Amendment/
Final EIS (83 FR 63525) in the Federal
Register. The publication of the NOA
initiated a 30-day protest period for the
proposed land-use-planning decision.
The protest period was later extended
an additional seven days to help
account for technical issues the public
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:27 Mar 19, 2019
Jkt 247001
encountered when submitting protests
during the partial Federal government
shutdown in January 2019. The NOA
publication also initiated a
simultaneous 60-day review by the
Governor of Wyoming to identify and
inconsistencies with State or local
plans, policies, or programs. At the
close of the protest period, five protests
had been received. These protests were
resolved by the BLM Director;
individual protest response letters were
sent to all protesting parties. Protest
resolution is contained in the Director’s
Protest Summary Report, which is
available online at https://www.blm.gov/
programs/planning-and-nepa/publicparticipation/protest-resolution-reports.
The proposed RMP Amendment was not
modified as a result of the protest
resolution. The Wyoming Governor’s
review identified the several editorial
changes that were accepted by the BLM.
The BLM clarified that the 2019
Amendment applies to the BLM’s
management for Sage-Grouse over all
prior versions. The BLM made sure that
Management Decision MD SSS–5 is
consistent with MD SSS–6. BLM
updated Appendix A management
directions for special status species
numbers 7 through 10 to be consistent
with the State’s strategy and the process
outlined in management direction
special status species number 4. The
BLM rearranged the sentences within
management direction special status
species number 12 to place ‘‘measures
would be considered at the site-specific
project level where and when
appropriate’’ at the end of the
management action, thereby putting the
emphasis on considering new
information for noise management. The
BLM clarified how components in
Appendix C would be used to
sufficiently demonstrate that no undue
harm to core area populations would be
expected as a result of the proposed
action and would not impact the
statewide viability of the species,
providing references to additional
processes used when making that
determination.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6.
Mary Jo Rugwell,
BLM Wyoming State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019–05292 Filed 3–19–19; 8:45 am]
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10323
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[19X LLWO230 L11100000.PN0000
LXSGPL000000]
Notice of Availability of Record of
Decision and Approved Resource
Management Plan Amendment for
Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation,
Nevada and Northeastern California
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) announces the
availability of the Record of Decision
(ROD) for the Approved Resource
Management Plan (RMP) Amendment
for Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation
for the Nevada and Northeastern
California Greater Sage-Grouse SubRegion. The Nevada and California State
Directors signed the ROD on March 15,
2019, which constitutes the final
decision of the BLM and makes the
Approved RMP Amendment effective
immediately.
SUMMARY:
The ROD is available on the
BLM ePlanning project website at
https://goo.gl/uz89cT. Click the
Documents and Reports link on the left
side of the screen to find the electronic
version of these materials. Hard copies
of the ROD are also available for public
inspection at the BLM Nevada State
Office, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno,
Nevada 89502, and the BLM California
State Office, 2800 Cottage Way #W1623,
Sacramento, California 95825.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Matthew Magaletti, Sage-Grouse Lead,
telephone, 775–861–6472; address, 1340
Financial Boulevard, Reno, Nevada
89502; email, mmagalet@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. Magaletti. The
FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week, to leave a message or question
with Mr. Magaletti. You will receive a
reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM
developed the Nevada and Northeastern
California Greater Sage-Grouse
Approved RMP Amendment 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 Approved RMP
Amendment also addresses a legal
vulnerability, which was exposed when
a Federal District Court in Nevada
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\20MRN1.SGM
20MRN1
jbell on DSK30RV082PROD with NOTICES
10324
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 54 / Wednesday, March 20, 2019 / Notices
determined that the BLM had violated
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) when it finalized the 2015
plans.
The BLM developed the Approved
RMP Amendment in collaboration with
the Governor’s Offices in Nevada and
California, 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 (FLPMA), the
BLM amends land use plans that
address Greater Sage-Grouse
management to improve alignment with
the State of Nevada and the State of
California plans and management
strategies, in accordance with the BLM’s
multiple use and sustained yield
mission.
This Approved RMP Amendment is
one of six separate plan amendments
developed and issued 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
amendments refine the previous
management plan adopted in 2015 and
aim to strike a regulatory balance and
build greater trust among neighboring
interests in Western communities.
The Nevada and Northeastern
California Approved RMP Amendment
specifically addresses Sagebrush Focal
Area designations, mitigation,
adjustments to habitat management area
designations to reflect new information,
reversing adaptive management
responses when the BLM determines
that resource conditions no longer
warrant those responses (in addition to
addressing updates to the adaptive
management strategy based on best
available science), allocation exception
processes, seasonal timing restrictions,
modifying habitat objectives when best
available science is available, and
through plan clarification: Modifying
lek buffers, requirements for required
design features, and removal and/or
modification to three livestock grazing
management decisions in order to
comply with 43 CFR 4160.1. The
Approved RMP Amendment amends the
following RMPs for BLM-administered
lands in Nevada and Northeastern
California:
• Alturas RMP (2008)
• Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon
NCA RMP (2004)
• Carson City Consolidated RMP (2001)
• Eagle Lake RMP (2008)
• Elko RMP (1987)
• Ely RMP (2008)
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:27 Mar 19, 2019
Jkt 247001
•
•
•
•
•
Shoshone-Eureka RMP (1986)
Surprise RMP (2008)
Tonopah RMP (1997)
Wells RMP (1985)
Winnemucca RMP (2015)
The planning area includes
approximately 70.3 million acres of
BLM, National Park Service, United
States Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation, State, local, and private
lands located in Nevada and
northeastern California, in 17 counties:
Churchill, Elko, Eureka, Humboldt,
Lander, Lassen, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral,
Modoc, Nye, Pershing, Plumas, Sierra,
Storey, Washoe, and White Pine. Within
the decision area, the BLM administers
approximately 45.4 million acres of
public lands, providing approximately
20.5 million acres of Greater SageGrouse habitat. Surface management
decisions made in the Approved RMP
Amendment apply only to lands
administered by the BLM in the
decision area.
The BLM prepared an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance
with the NEPA to analyze the direct,
indirect, and cumulative environmental
impacts associated with the proposed
action and the alternatives. The ROD
approves the Agency Preferred
Alternative identified in the Final EIS.
The BLM issued the ROD based on
compliance with relevant laws,
regulations, policies, and plans,
including those guiding agency
decisions that may have an impact on
resources and their values, services, and
functions. On December 10, 2018, the
Notice of Action (NOA) for the Nevada
and Northeastern California Greater
Sage-Grouse Proposed RMP
Amendment/Final EIS (83 FR 63528)
was published in the Federal Register.
The publication of the NOA initiated a
30-day protest period for the proposed
land-use-planning decision. The protest
period was later extended an additional
seven days to help account for technical
issues the public encountered when
submitting protests during the partial
Federal government shutdown in
January 2019. NOA publication also
initiated a simultaneous 60-day review
by the Governors of Nevada and
California to identify any
inconsistencies with State or local
plans, policies, or programs. At the
close of the protest period, 14 protests
had been received. These protests were
resolved by the BLM Director.
Individual protest response letters were
sent to all protesting parties. Protest
resolution is contained in the Director’s
Protest Summary Report, which is
available online at https://www.blm.gov/
programs/planning-and-nepa/public-
PO 00000
Frm 00035
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
participation/protest-resolution-reports.
The Nevada Governor’s review
recommended that the BLM reference
its Instruction Memorandum 2018–018
(Compensatory Mitigation) and the State
of Nevada’s Executive Order 2018–32
(order establishing use of the Nevada
Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan
and Conservation Credit System on state
and Federal lands) within the Approved
RMP Amendment, relative to
compensatory mitigation and allocation
exception management decisions. The
BLM incorporated these references into
the Approved RMP Amendment. The
California Governor did not respond to
the BLM within the 60-day review
period, therefore the proposed RMP
Amendment is presumed consistent
with the State of California’s policies
and management strategies.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6.
Jon K. Raby,
BLM Nevada State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019–05294 Filed 3–19–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–84–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWO230000.L11100000.PH0000.
LXSGPL000000.HAG 19–0055]
Notice of Availability of Record of
Decision and Approved Resource
Management Plan Amendment for
Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation,
Oregon
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) announces the
availability of the Oregon Greater SageGrouse Record of Decision (ROD) and
Approved Resource Management Plan
(RMP) Amendment for Greater SageGrouse conservation for the Oregon
Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Region. The
Acting State Director signed the ROD on
March 15, 2019, which constitutes the
final decision of the BLM and makes the
approved ROD effective immediately.
ADDRESSES: The ROD is available on the
BLM ePlanning project website at
https://goo.gl/4CNtH8. Click the
Documents and Reports link on the left
side of the screen to find the electronic
version of these materials. Paper copies
of the ROD are also available for public
inspection at the Oregon State Office
and the Burns, Lakeview, Prineville,
and Vale BLM District Offices.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim
Regan-Vienop, Planning and
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\20MRN1.SGM
20MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10323-10324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05294]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[19X LLWO230 L11100000.PN0000 LXSGPL000000]
Notice of Availability of Record of Decision and Approved
Resource Management Plan Amendment for Greater Sage-Grouse
Conservation, Nevada and Northeastern California
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability
of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Approved Resource Management
Plan (RMP) Amendment for Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation for the
Nevada and Northeastern California Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Region. The
Nevada and California State Directors signed the ROD on March 15, 2019,
which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved
RMP Amendment effective immediately.
ADDRESSES: The ROD is available on the BLM ePlanning project website at
https://goo.gl/uz89cT. Click the Documents and Reports link on the left
side of the screen to find the electronic version of these materials.
Hard copies of the ROD are also available for public inspection at the
BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, Nevada 89502,
and the BLM California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way #W1623,
Sacramento, California 95825.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Magaletti, Sage-Grouse Lead,
telephone, 775-861-6472; address, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno,
Nevada 89502; email, mmagalet@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. Magaletti. The FRS is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question
with Mr. Magaletti. You will receive a reply during normal business
hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM developed the Nevada and
Northeastern California Greater Sage-Grouse Approved RMP Amendment 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 Approved RMP Amendment also addresses a legal
vulnerability, which was exposed when a Federal District Court in
Nevada
[[Page 10324]]
determined that the BLM had violated the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) when it finalized the 2015 plans.
The BLM developed the Approved RMP Amendment in collaboration with
the Governor's Offices in Nevada and California, 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 (FLPMA), the BLM amends land use plans that address
Greater Sage-Grouse management to improve alignment with the State of
Nevada and the State of California plans and management strategies, in
accordance with the BLM's multiple use and sustained yield mission.
This Approved RMP Amendment is one of six separate plan amendments
developed and issued 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
amendments refine the previous management plan adopted in 2015 and aim
to strike a regulatory balance and build greater trust among
neighboring interests in Western communities.
The Nevada and Northeastern California Approved RMP Amendment
specifically addresses Sagebrush Focal Area designations, mitigation,
adjustments to habitat management area designations to reflect new
information, reversing adaptive management responses when the BLM
determines that resource conditions no longer warrant those responses
(in addition to addressing updates to the adaptive management strategy
based on best available science), allocation exception processes,
seasonal timing restrictions, modifying habitat objectives when best
available science is available, and through plan clarification:
Modifying lek buffers, requirements for required design features, and
removal and/or modification to three livestock grazing management
decisions in order to comply with 43 CFR 4160.1. The Approved RMP
Amendment amends the following RMPs for BLM-administered lands in
Nevada and Northeastern California:
Alturas RMP (2008)
Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon NCA RMP (2004)
Carson City Consolidated RMP (2001)
Eagle Lake RMP (2008)
Elko RMP (1987)
Ely RMP (2008)
Shoshone-Eureka RMP (1986)
Surprise RMP (2008)
Tonopah RMP (1997)
Wells RMP (1985)
Winnemucca RMP (2015)
The planning area includes approximately 70.3 million acres of BLM,
National Park Service, United States Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation, State, local, and private lands located in Nevada and
northeastern California, in 17 counties: Churchill, Elko, Eureka,
Humboldt, Lander, Lassen, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Modoc, Nye, Pershing,
Plumas, Sierra, Storey, Washoe, and White Pine. Within the decision
area, the BLM administers approximately 45.4 million acres of public
lands, providing approximately 20.5 million acres of Greater Sage-
Grouse habitat. Surface management decisions made in the Approved RMP
Amendment apply only to lands administered by the BLM in the decision
area.
The BLM prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in
accordance with the NEPA to analyze the direct, indirect, and
cumulative environmental impacts associated with the proposed action
and the alternatives. The ROD approves the Agency Preferred Alternative
identified in the Final EIS. The BLM issued the ROD based on compliance
with relevant laws, regulations, policies, and plans, including those
guiding agency decisions that may have an impact on resources and their
values, services, and functions. On December 10, 2018, the Notice of
Action (NOA) for the Nevada and Northeastern California Greater Sage-
Grouse Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS (83 FR 63528) was published in
the Federal Register. The publication of the NOA initiated a 30-day
protest period for the proposed land-use-planning decision. The protest
period was later extended an additional seven days to help account for
technical issues the public encountered when submitting protests during
the partial Federal government shutdown in January 2019. NOA
publication also initiated a simultaneous 60-day review by the
Governors of Nevada and California to identify any inconsistencies with
State or local plans, policies, or programs. At the close of the
protest period, 14 protests had been received. These protests were
resolved by the BLM Director. Individual protest response letters were
sent to all protesting parties. Protest resolution is contained in the
Director's Protest Summary Report, which is available online at https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports. The Nevada Governor's review recommended that the
BLM reference its Instruction Memorandum 2018-018 (Compensatory
Mitigation) and the State of Nevada's Executive Order 2018-32 (order
establishing use of the Nevada Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan
and Conservation Credit System on state and Federal lands) within the
Approved RMP Amendment, relative to compensatory mitigation and
allocation exception management decisions. The BLM incorporated these
references into the Approved RMP Amendment. The California Governor did
not respond to the BLM within the 60-day review period, therefore the
proposed RMP Amendment is presumed consistent with the State of
California's policies and management strategies.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6.
Jon K. Raby,
BLM Nevada State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019-05294 Filed 3-19-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P
