Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment for Big Game Habitat Conservation for Oil and Gas Management, Colorado, 84384-84385 [2024-24336]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 22, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84384-84385]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-24336]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_CO_FRN_MO4500182534]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Approved 
Resource Management Plan Amendment for Big Game Habitat Conservation 
for Oil and Gas Management, Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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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 Big Game Habitat Conservation for Oil and Gas 
Management in Colorado. The Colorado State Director signed the ROD on 
October 17, 2024, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and 
makes the Approved RMP Amendment effective immediately.

DATES: The Colorado State Director signed the ROD on October 17, 2024.

ADDRESSES: The ROD/Approved RMP Amendment is available online at 
https://go.usa.gov/xzXxY. Printed copies of the ROD/Approved RMP 
Amendment are available for public inspection at the Colorado State 
Office, Denver Federal Center Building 40, Lakewood, CO 80215, or can 
be provided upon request by contacting the BLM at 
[email protected].
    A copy of the Protest Resolution Report is available at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Bittner, Deputy State Director, 
Resources, telephone 303-239-3768; address BLM Colorado State Office, 
Attn: Big Game Corridor amendment/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), 
Denver Federal Center Building 40, P.O. Box 151029, Lakewood, CO 80215; 
email [email protected]. Individuals in the United 
States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech 
disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 
telecommunications relay services for contacting Mr. Bittner. 
Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services 
offered within their country to make international calls to the point-
of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Approved RMP Amendment changes the 
following existing plans:

 Eastern Colorado RMP for the Royal Gorge Field Office (2024)
 San Luis Resource Area RMP (1991)
 Gunnison Resource Area RMP (1993)
 Uncompahgre Field Office RMP (2020)
 Colorado River Valley Field Office RMP (2015) and Roan Plateau 
Amendment (2016)
 Grand Junction Field Office RMP (2015)
 Kremmling RMP (2015)
 Little Snake RMP (2011)
 White River Field Office RMP (1997)
 Tres Rios Field Office RMP (2015)
 Canyons of the Ancients National Monument RMP (2010)
 Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area RMP (2004)

    The planning area includes all counties in Colorado and encompasses 
approximately 8.3 million acres of public land and approximately 27 
million acres of Federal mineral estate. The decision area includes all 
8.3 million acres of BLM-administered surface land (except where 
Federal minerals have been withdrawn from mineral leasing) plus 
approximately 4.7 million acres of Federal mineral split estate where 
the surface is owned by private owners, local government, or the State.
    The Approved RMP Amendment describes the actions and management 
guidance for the conservation of big game High Priority Habitat (HPH) 
and oil and gas management. The RMP Amendment aligns BLM management of 
oil and gas in big game HPH with the Colorado Energy and Carbon 
Management Commission (ECMC) rules for oil and gas development in elk, 
mule deer, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep HPH (Rule 1202.c, d; Rule 
1203). Where lands are open to oil and gas leasing under existing RMPs, 
the plan prescribes measures consistent with the ECMC rules to conserve 
seasonal habitats and connectivity within big game HPH in support of 
Colorado Parks and Wildlife's (CPW) big game population objectives. The 
approved RMP Amendment calls for the BLM to consider alternative 
locations for oil and gas operations that either avoid big game HPH 
altogether, or, where avoidance is not feasible, minimize adverse 
impacts to the maximum extent possible. The plan includes a controlled 
surface use stipulation that limits facility density to no more than 
one active oil and gas location per square mile in big game HPH. A 
consideration of CPW recommendations for route density is included as 
an objective and as a lease notice to further guide implementation.

[[Page 84385]]

    This surface density limitation would require the operator to 
address adverse direct and unavoidable indirect impacts through 
mitigation. This includes avoidance, minimization, and compensatory 
mitigation strategies in subsequent implementation-level National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analyses for proposed actions that may 
result in big game HPH loss and degradation. Subsequent implementation-
level mitigation could limit the duration and extent of development 
activities in big game HPH through all phases of development by 
avoiding activities in HPH, applying surface density and timing 
limitations, and mitigating residual impacts. The BLM may also require 
compensatory mitigation to offset disturbance or density limitation 
exceedances and adverse direct and unavoidable indirect impacts that 
result in the functional loss of habitat from oil and gas development 
in big game HPH. The BLM, after coordination with CPW, will determine 
whether compensatory mitigation proposed by the operator is sufficient 
to protect big game HPH from adverse direct and unavoidable indirect 
impacts.
    The BLM has the discretion to require an operator to modify surface 
operations to change or add specific mitigation measures when supported 
by scientific analysis and consistent with existing rights. Potential 
mitigation or conservation measures not already required as 
stipulations would be analyzed in a site-specific NEPA document and 
incorporated, as appropriate, as conditions of approval of the permit, 
plan of development, or other use authorization. The plan would require 
operators to develop and implement mitigation plans to minimize and 
offset direct, indirect, and cumulative adverse impacts. The RMP 
Amendment includes management guidance for enhanced coordination and 
use of best available science and information during implementation.
    The BLM provided the Proposed RMP/Final EIS on July 19, 2024, for a 
30-day protest period and did not receive any valid protests. No 
changes to the Proposed RMP Amendment/EIS were necessary.
    The BLM provided the Proposed RMP Amendment to the Governor of 
Colorado for a 60-day Governor's consistency review. No inconsistencies 
with State or local plans, policies, or programs were identified during 
the Governor's consistency review of the Proposed RMP Amendment. No 
changes to the RMP Amendment or EIS were necessary as a result of the 
Governor's consistency review.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2)

Douglas J. Vilsack,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-24336 Filed 10-21-24; 8:45 am]
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