83 FR 19808 - Notice of Availability of the Colorado Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 87 (May 4, 2018)

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 a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Colorado Greater-Sage-Grouse (GRSG) Conservation and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. BLM Colorado is soliciting comments on the entire Draft EIS, as well as the specific planning issues mentioned in this NOA, and the cumulative effects analysis.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 87 (Friday, May 4, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19808-19809]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09523]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWO200000.LXSGPL000000.18x.L11100000.PH0000]


Notice of Availability of the Colorado Draft Resource Management 
Plan Amendment and Draft 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 (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Colorado Greater-Sage-Grouse 
(GRSG) Conservation and by this notice is announcing the opening of the 
comment period. BLM Colorado is soliciting comments on the entire Draft 
EIS, as well as the specific planning issues mentioned in this NOA, and 
the cumulative effects analysis.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS within 90 days 
following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes a 
notice of availability of the Draft RMP Amendment/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 Colorado GRSG RMP 
Amendment/Draft EIS by any of the following methods:
     Website: https://goo.gl/kmLtwT.
     mail: BLM--Greater Sage-Grouse EIS, 2815 H Road, Grand 
Junction, CO 81506. Copies of the Colorado GRSG Draft RMP Amendment/
Draft EIS are available at the website above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact 
Bridget Clayton, Colorado Sage-grouse Coordinator, telephone 970-244-
3045; see address above; 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 to contact Ms. Clayton. The FRS is 
available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to leave a message or 
question with Ms. Clayton. 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 federal, state, and local authorities. Efforts to 
conserve the species and its habitat date back to the 1950s. Over the 
past two decades, state wildlife agencies, federal agencies, and many 
others in the range of the species have been collaborating to conserve 
Greater Sage-Grouse and its habitats. The United States Department of 
the Interior (DOI) 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 September 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 
determined that the Greater Sage-Grouse did not warrant listing under 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The USFWS based its ``not 
warranted'' determination, in part, on the conservation commitments and 
management actions in the BLM

[[Page 19809]]

and U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) Greater Sage-Grouse land use 
plan amendments and revisions (2015 GRSG land use plan decisions), as 
well as on other private, state, and federal conservation efforts. 
Since 2015 the BLM, in discussion with partners, primarily Governors 
and state wildlife management agencies, recognized that several 
refinements and policy updates could help strengthen conservation 
efforts, while providing increased economic opportunity to local 
communities. The BLM and Department of Interior worked closely with 
Governors charged with managing Greater Sage-Grouse to determine 
whether some, none, or all of the 2015 Land Use Plans should be 
amended. After carefully considering the Governor's input, and using 
its discretion and authority under FLPMA, as well as under direction 
from the Secretary, including Secretary's Order (SO) 3353, the BLM 
proposes amending the Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse land use plans that 
address GRSG management. This action is proposed to enhance cooperation 
and improve alignment with the state plans or management strategies, in 
accordance with the BLM's multiple use and sustained yield mission. The 
BLM prepared the Colorado GRSG Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS to address 
alternatives that will build upon its commitment to conserve and 
restore Greater Sage-Grouse habitat, while improving collaboration and 
alignment with state management strategies for Greater Sage-Grouse. The 
BLM seeks to improve management alignment in ways that will increase 
management flexibility, maintain access to public resources, and 
promote conservation outcomes. The BLM used internal, agency, and 
public scoping to identify issues considered in the environmental 
analysis. As part of this analysis, the BLM also examined the range of 
alternatives evaluated in the BLM's 2015 GRSG land use plan decisions 
and their supporting NEPA analyses. This Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS 
is one of six separate planning efforts that are being undertaken in 
response to SO 3353, Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation and Cooperation 
with Western States (June 7, 2017), and in accordance with SO 3349, 
American Energy Independence (March 29, 2017). The Draft RMP Amendment/
Draft EIS proposes to amend the RMPs for field offices on BLM lands 
within BLM Colorado boundaries. In addition to the 2015 Northwest 
Colorado GRSG Approved RMP Amendment, current management decisions for 
resources are described in the following RMPs:

 Colorado River Valley RMP (2015)
 Kremmling RMP (2015)
 Grand Junction RMP (2015)
 Little Snake RMP (2011)
 White River RMP (1997)
    The planning area includes approximately 4,153,000 acres of BLM, 
National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 
State, local, and private lands located in Colorado, in 10 counties: 
Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Larimer, Mesa, Moffat, Rio Blanco, 
Routt and Summit. Within the decision area, the BLM manages 
approximately 1,731,400 acres of GRSG habitat. Surface management 
decisions made as a result of this Draft RMP Amendment/EIS will apply 
only to BLM-administered lands in the decision area.
    The formal public scoping process for the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft 
EIS began on October 11, 2017, with the publication of a Notice of 
Intent in the Federal Register (82 FR 47248), and ended on December 1, 
2017. A public scoping meeting was held in Craig, Colorado, on November 
8, 2017.
    The Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS addresses leasing availability 
within one mile from active leks, lek buffers, adjustments to habitat 
boundaries to reflect new information, and changes to waivers, 
exceptions and modification criteria. The Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS 
evaluate two alternatives in detail, including the No Action 
Alternative (Alternative A) and one action alternative (Alternative B). 
Alternative B has been identified as BLM's Preferred Alternative for 
the purposes of public comment and review. Identification of this 
alternative, however, does not represent final agency direction, and 
the Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS may reflect changes or adjustments 
from information received during public comment, from new information, 
or from changes in BLM policies or priorities. The Proposed RMP 
Amendment/Final EIS may include objectives and actions described in the 
other analyzed alternative as well. Alternative A would retain the 
current management goals, objectives, and direction specified in the 
current RMPs for each field office.
    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 address provided in the ADDRESSES section of this notice during 
regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), Monday through Friday, 
except holidays.
    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 and 43 CFR 1610.2

Gregory P. Shoop,
Acting BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2018-09523 Filed 5-3-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-84-P