Notice of Availability of the Northwest Colorado Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation, 10183 [2020-03394]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 10183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03394]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[20X.LLWO200000. L11700000.PH0000.LXSGPL000000]


Notice of Availability of the Northwest Colorado Draft 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Greater Sage-Grouse 
Conservation

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, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared this 
Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and by this 
notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. BLM Colorado is 
soliciting comments on the Draft Supplemental EIS.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Draft Supplemental EIS within 45 days following 
the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes a notice of 
availability of the Draft Supplemental 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 Colorado Draft SEIS 
by any of the following methods:
     Website: https://goo.gl/kmLtwT.
     Mail: BLM Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street, 
Lakewood, CO 80215; or the BLM Grand Junction Field Office, 2815 H 
Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506.
    Copies of the Northwest Colorado Draft Supplemental EIS are 
available at the BLM Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street, 
Lakewood, CO 80215; the BLM Grand Junction Field Office, 2815 H Road, 
Grand Junction, CO 81506; and online at https://goo.gl/kmLtwT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leah Waldner, Colorado Sage-Grouse 
Implementation Coordinator, telephone (970) 244-3045; address 2815 H 
Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506. 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. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a 
message or question with the above individual. 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 State wildlife agencies, Federal agencies, local 
communities, private landowners, and other stakeholders. Since the 
1950s these partners have collaborated to conserve Greater Sage-Grouse 
and its habitats. The U.S. Department of the Interior 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 2019 the BLM Colorado State Director signed the Record of 
Decision and Approved the Northwest Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse 
Resource Plan Amendment (84 FR 10327), building upon the BLM's 
commitment to conserve and restore Greater Sage-Grouse habitat while 
improving collaboration and alignment with State management strategies 
for Greater Sage-Grouse. The BLM sought to improve management alignment 
in ways that would increase management flexibility, maintain access to 
public resources, and promote conservation outcomes.
    The Draft Supplemental EIS will supplement and clarify the analysis 
relied on in the 2019 BLM Northwest Colorado Record of Decision, 
including with respect to the BLM considering a range of reasonable 
alternatives, taking a ``hard look'' at environmental effects, and 
evaluating cumulative impacts. Through the Draft Supplemental EIS, the 
BLM will also allow for additional public comment on the BLM's approach 
to compensatory mitigation and Greater Sage-Grouse habitat 
conservation.
    The Colorado planning area analyzed in this Supplemental EIS 
includes approximately 15 million acres of BLM, National Park Service, 
U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, State, local, and 
private lands in 10 counties: Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Larimer, 
Mesa, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt, and Summit. Also analyzed is the 
cumulative effects across the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife 
Agencies' Management Zone and entire Greater Sage-Grouse range. The BLM 
administers approximately 8.5 million acres of public lands within this 
area, providing approximately 3.7 million acres of Greater Sage-Grouse 
habitat.
    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.

Jamie Connell,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2020-03394 Filed 2-20-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P