83 FR 63523 - Notice of Availability of the Northwest Colorado Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 236 (December 10, 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 the Northwest Colorado Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation for the Northwest Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Region, and by this notice is announcing its availability and the opening of a protest period concerning the Proposed RMP Amendment.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 236 (Monday, December 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63523-63524]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26699]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWO200000.Ll 1100000.PH0000.LXSGPL000000.18X.HAG 18-0089]


Notice of Availability of the Northwest Colorado Proposed 
Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact 
Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 the Northwest Colorado Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) 
Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Greater 
Sage-Grouse Conservation for the Northwest Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse 
Sub-Region, and by this notice is announcing its availability and the 
opening of a protest period concerning the Proposed RMP Amendment.

DATES: The BLM planning regulations state that any person who meets the 
conditions as described in the regulations may protest the BLM's 
proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS. A person who meets the conditions 
outlined in 43 CFR 1610.5-2 and wishes to file a protest must do so 
within 30 days of the date that the Environmental Protection Agency 
publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. A protest 
regarding the Proposed RMP Amendment announced with this notice must be 
filed by January 9, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS is available on the 
BLM ePlanning project website at https://go.usa.gov/xP6Xa. Click the 
Documents and Report link on the left side of the screen to find the 
electronic version of these materials. Hard copies of the Proposed RMP 
Amendment/Final EIS are also available for public inspection at the 
Colorado State Office and the Grand Junction Field Office.
    All protests must be in writing (43 CFR 1610.5-2(a)(1)) and filed 
with the BLM Director, either as a hard copy or electronically via the 
BLM's ePlanning project website listed previously. To submit a protest 
electronically, go to the ePlanning project website and follow the 
protest instructions highlighted at the top of the home page. If 
submitting a protest in hard copy, it must be mailed to one of the 
following addresses:
    U.S. Postal Service Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest 
Coordinator, WO-210, P.O Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024-1383
    Overnight Delivery: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest 
Coordinator, WO-210, 20 M Street SE, Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bridget Clayton, Sage-Grouse 
Coordinator, BLM Colorado, telephone (970) 244-3045; address 2815 H 
Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506; 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, 7 days a week, to leave a message or 
question with Ms. Clayton. You will receive a reply during normal 
business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM prepared the Northwest Colorado 
Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS 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 BLM developed the proposed land use plan amendment in 
collaboration with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, 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 FLPMA, the BLM proposes 
amending land use plans that address Greater Sage-Grouse management to 
improve alignment with State of Colorado plans and management 
strategies, in accordance with the BLM's multiple use and sustained 
yield mission.
    This Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS is one of six separate 
planning efforts that are being undertaken 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 proposed plans refine the previous 
management plan adopted in 2015 and aims to strike a regulatory balance 
and build greater trust among neighboring interests in Western 
communities. The Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS proposes to amend 
the RMPs for field offices on BLM-administered lands within Colorado. 
The current management decisions for resources are described in the 
following RMPs:

[[Page 63524]]

     Colorado River Valley RMP (BLM 2015)
     Grand Junction RMP (BLM 2015)
     Kremmling RMP (BLM 2015)
     Little Snake RMP (BLM 2011)
     White River RMP (BLM 1997) and associated amendments, 
including the White River Oil and Gas Amendment (BLM 2015)
    The Northwest Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed RMP Amendment 
and Final EIS planning area is part of the larger Rocky Mountain Region 
and encompasses approximately 15 million acres, including 8.5 million 
acres of public lands managed by five BLM field offices in the 10 
northwest Colorado counties of Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, 
Larimer, Mesa, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt, and Summit. The planning area 
encompasses National Park Service, US Department of Defense, US Forest 
Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, State of Colorado, county, city, 
and private lands. Decisions in this RMP Amendment apply solely to BLM-
administered surface (totaling approximately 1.7 million acres) and 
BLM-administered Federal mineral estate (approximately 2.1 million 
acres) within Greater Sage-Grouse habitat.
    The formal public scoping process for the RMP Amendment/EIS began 
on October 11, 2017, with publication of a Notice of Intent in the 
Federal Register (82 FR 47248) and ended on December 1, 2017. BLM 
Colorado held a public scoping meeting in Craig, Colorado on November 
8, 2017.
    The Notice of Availability for the Draft Supplemental EIS was 
published on October 11, 2017, and the BLM accepted public comments on 
the range of alternatives, effects analysis and Draft RMP amendments 
for 90 days, ending on August 2, 2018. During the public comment 
period, two public meetings were held in Silt and Craig, Colorado. The 
Northwest Colorado Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS focused on the 
issue of allowing greater flexibility for the BLM to work with the 
State of Colorado on issues related to fluid minerals management and 
mitigation. The Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS evaluated two 
alternatives in detail, including the No Action Alternative 
(Alternative A) and one action alternative (Alternative B). Comments on 
the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS received from the public and internal 
BLM review were considered and incorporated as appropriate into the 
proposed plan amendment. Alternative A would retain the current 
management goals, objectives, and direction specified in the current 
RMPs, as amended, for each field office. Alternative B was identified 
as the BLM's Preferred Alternative. Identification of this alternative, 
however, does not represent final agency direction. The Proposed RMP 
Amendment is a refinement of the Management Alignment Alternative from 
the Draft RMP Amendment and Draft EIS, with consideration given to 
public comments, corrections, and rewording for clarification of 
purpose and intent.
    Instructions for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM 
regarding the Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS may be found online 
at https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/filing-a-plan-protest and at 43 CFR 1610.5-2. All protests must be in 
writing and mailed to the appropriate address, as set forth in the 
ADDRESSES section above or submitted electronically through the BLM 
ePlanning project website as described above. Protests submitted 
electronically by any means other than the ePlanning project website 
protest section will be invalid unless a protest is also submitted in 
hard copy. Protests submitted by fax will also be invalid unless also 
submitted either through ePlanning project website protest section or 
in hard copy.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your protest, please be aware 
that your entire protest, 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, 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 
1610.5

Kristin M. Bail,
Assistant Director, Resources and Planning.
[FR Doc. 2018-26699 Filed 12-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-33-P