Notice of Availability of the Draft Southeastern Oregon Resource Management Plan Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Malheur Field Office, Vale District, Oregon, 25304-25305 [2019-11290]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 105 (Friday, May 31, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25304-25305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-11290]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLOR930000.L16100000.DS0000.LXSS072H0000.19X.HAG 19-0013]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Southeastern Oregon Resource 
Management Plan Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Malheur Field Office, Vale District, Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Draft Southeastern Oregon Resource Management Plan (RMP) 
Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
Malheur Field Office of the Vale District and, by this notice, is 
announcing the opening of the comment period.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Draft Southeastern Oregon RMP Amendment and 
Draft EIS within 90 days following the date the Environmental 
Protection Agency publishes its notice of availability of the Draft 
Southeastern Oregon RMP Amendment and 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 Draft Southeastern 
Oregon RMP Amendment and Draft EIS by any of the following methods:
     Website: https://go.usa.gov/xnsQx.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 541-473-6213.
     Mail: SEORMPA, c/o Vale District BLM, 100 Oregon Street, 
Vale, OR 97918.

The Draft Southeastern Oregon RMP Amendment and Draft EIS and 
accompanying background documents are available at the website: https://go.usa.gov/xnsQx.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Renee Straub, Assistant Field Manager, 
541-473-6289; 100 Oregon Street, Vale, OR 97918; 
[email protected]. Contact Ms. Straub to have your name added to 
our mailing list. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the 
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
to contact the above individual during normal business hours. FRS is 
available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to leave a message or a 
question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during 
normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq., is the statutory authority that 
provides the primary direction to the BLM to develop, maintain, amend, 
and revise land use plans, which provide for the use of public lands. 
Further, FLPMA provides that the BLM shall manage the public lands 
under the principles of multiple use and sustained yield (Sec. 103, 43 
U.S.C. 1702; Sec 202, 43 U.S.C. 1712; and Sec. 302, 43 U.S.C. 1732). 
The southeastern Oregon planning area covers approximately 4.6 million 
acres of public lands in Malheur, Grant, Harney, and Baker Counties in 
Oregon. The area is characterized by a basin and range topography, with 
remote canyons, desert, and mountain systems. The Draft Southeastern 
Oregon RMP Amendment and Draft EIS includes a range of five 
alternatives designed to address three main issues raised in a 2010 
settlement agreement: Lands with wilderness characteristics, off 
highway vehicle (OHV) use, and livestock grazing. Resource uses not 
addressed by the alternatives in this focused amendment will continue 
as defined under the 2002 Southeastern Oregon RMP, as amended by the 
2015 and 2019 Oregon Greater Sage-Grouse Approved RMP Amendments.
    The following is an overview of the five alternatives:
     The No Action Alternative represents the continuation of 
existing management under the 2002 Southeastern Oregon RMP and Record 
of Decision (ROD) (as amended by the 2015 Oregon Greater Sage-Grouse 
RMP Amendment) with the inclusion of interim management stipulations 
outlined in the 2010 settlement agreement. These stipulations require 
the protection of wilderness characteristics in 76 public land units 
where the BLM's updated inventory found wilderness characteristics to 
exist.
     Alternative A is the BLM's preferred alternative and 
reflects the continuation of existing management under the 2002 
Southeastern Oregon RMP and ROD (as amended by the 2015 Oregon Greater 
Sage-Grouse RMP Amendment) without the restrictions of the 2010 
settlement agreement. The 2002 Southeastern Oregon RMP and ROD did not 
provide specific management for, or protection of, lands with 
wilderness characteristics. If this alternative were selected, the 2002 
Southeastern Oregon RMP and ROD would not prioritize protection of 
lands with wilderness characteristics outside of existing wilderness 
study areas. Processing voluntary grazing permit relinquishment and 
implementation of measures to address standards and guidelines for 
rangeland health would continue as under current management and policy. 
Management of all other resources would continue under the 2002 
Southeastern Oregon RMP, as amended. Existing allocations at the land 
use planning level (such as visual resource management classes, OHV 
categories, and rights-of-way authorizations) across the planning area 
would not change. Under Alternative A, the BLM would continue to 
provide for a sustainable yield of forage for livestock grazing while 
maintaining resource values for long-term multiple use, consistent with 
management objectives, and would be unchanged from current practices.
    Alternatives B, C, and D would establish new management protections 
for units of public land (outside of existing wilderness study areas) 
that have been identified as having wilderness characteristics. The 
specific units identified for protection varies by alternative.
     Alternative B reflects the highest level of protection 
required by the 2010 settlement agreement. Alternative B prioritizes 
protection of wilderness characteristics in all 76 units determined to 
possess wilderness characteristics. The 76 wilderness characteristics 
units and all wilderness study areas would be managed as closed to OHV 
use, and existing primitive routes would be closed to motorized travel. 
In addition, in all other units where off-road vehicle use is currently 
allowed (referred to as ``open''), OHV use would be limited to existing 
roads and primitive routes. To address the 2010 settlement agreement in 
this alternative, where existing livestock grazing practices are found 
to be significant causal factors for non-attainment of standards and 
guidelines for rangeland health, the BLM would suspend grazing permits, 
either at the allotment- or pasture-scale, for the duration of the RMP 
in units identified

[[Page 25305]]

in the 2010 settlement agreement. Should the BLM receive a voluntary 
permit relinquishment in a wilderness study area, designated national 
wild and scenic river corridor, designated national historic trail, 
area of critical environmental concern, research natural area, a unit 
found to possess wilderness characteristics, or designated critical 
habitat, the BLM would designate the units as unavailable to grazing 
(or reduced grazing use where common use by multiple permittees occurs) 
for the life of the Draft Southeastern Oregon RMP Amendment and Draft 
EIS.
     Alternative C prioritizes protection of 27 of the 76 units 
found to have wilderness characteristics. Use of OHVs in these 27 units 
would be limited to existing roads and primitive routes, unless 
currently designated as limited to designated routes or closed to OHV 
use. This alternative would continue existing OHV open management in 
eight specific units located in the north half of the planning area. 
For all other units currently managed as open to OHV use, Alternative C 
would change management to limited to existing roads and primitive 
routes for motorized vehicle use. The BLM would continue to follow 
existing policy when livestock grazing practices are found to be 
significant causal factors for non-attainment of standards and 
guidelines for rangeland health. The BLM would also continue to follow 
existing policy when a voluntary grazing permit relinquishment is 
received.
     Alternative D reflects an alternative method for 
addressing lands with wilderness characteristic units, OHV use, and 
livestock grazing that is required by the 2010 settlement agreement. 
This alternative is less protective than Alternative B. Alternative D 
prioritizes the protection of 33 of the 76 units found to have 
wilderness characteristics. As required by the 2010 settlement 
agreement, all 76 units with wilderness characteristics would be 
managed as OHV limited, unless currently allocated as limited to 
designated routes or closed to OHV use. Wilderness study areas would 
continue to be managed under the 2002 Southeastern Oregon RMP, as 
amended, as limited to designated routes under this alternative. To 
address the 2010 settlement agreement in Alternative D, where existing 
livestock grazing practices are found to be a significant causal factor 
for non-attainment of standards and guidelines for rangeland health, 
the BLM would suspend term grazing permits, either at the allotment- or 
pasture-scale, for the duration of the term permit (generally up to 10 
years) or until monitoring indicates that significant progress is made 
toward meeting standards and guidelines in units identified in the 2010 
settlement agreement. Should the BLM receive a permit relinquishment in 
a wilderness study area, designated national wild and scenic river 
corridor, or designated national historic trail, the BLM would 
designate the unit as unavailable to grazing (or reduced grazing use 
where common use by multiple permittees occurs) for the life of the 
document.
    Under Alternatives B, C, and D, units that are identified for the 
protection of wilderness characteristics would be designated as visual 
resource management class II, land tenure zone 1 (retention in public 
ownership), and as exclusion units for major rights-of-way and 
commercial renewable energy projects. Under Alternatives B, C, and D, a 
250-foot setback unit would be established to provide the BLM with 
management flexibility to adapt to resources needs, threats, and 
opportunities along boundary roads, while maintaining or enhancing the 
values within the protected units.
    Alternative A has been identified as the preferred alternative per 
40 CFR 1502.14(e). However, identification of a preferred alternative 
does not represent the final agency decision. For this reason, the BLM 
encourages comments on all alternatives and management actions 
described in the Draft Southeastern Oregon RMP Amendment and Draft EIS.
    Following the 90-day comment period, the BLM will develop a 
Proposed Southeastern Oregon RMP Amendment and Final EIS which will 
reflect changes or adjustments based on public comments.
    You may submit comments on the Draft Southeastern Oregon RMP 
Amendment and Draft EIS in writing to the BLM at any public meeting or 
through any of the methods identified in the ADDRESSES section above. 
All comments must be received by the end of the comment period. 
Comments submitted must include the commenter's name and street 
address. Whenever possible, please include reference to either the page 
or section in the document to which the comment applies.
    This notice begins the 90-day comment period for the Draft 
Southeastern Oregon RMP Amendment and Draft EIS. 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 above address during 
regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday through Friday, 
except holidays.
    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. All submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, are 
available for public inspection in their entirety.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, and 43 CFR 1610.2.

Theresa M. Hanley,
Acting State Director, Oregon/Washington.
[FR Doc. 2019-11290 Filed 5-30-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-P