83 FR 63527 - Notice of Availability of the Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement, Utah

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 236 (December 10, 2018)

Page Range		63527-63528
FR Document		2018-26698

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared the Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed Resource Management Plan (Proposed RMP) Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Region. By this Notice, the BLM is announcing the opening of a protest period concerning the Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 236 (Monday, December 10, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 236 (Monday, December 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63527-63528]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26698]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWO200000.18X L11100000.PH0000.LXSGPL000000]


Notice of Availability of the Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed 
Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact 
Statement, Utah

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, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared the 
Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed Resource Management Plan (Proposed 
RMP) Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for 
the Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Region. By this Notice, the BLM is 
announcing the opening of a protest period concerning the Proposed RMP 
Amendment and Final EIS.

DATES: A protest regarding the Proposed RMP Amendment announced with 
this notice must be filed by January 9, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS is available on the BLM 
ePlanning project website at https://go.usa.gov/xP8xc. 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 and Final EIS are available for public inspection at the BLM 
Utah State Office, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, UT 
84101 or on the project website listed above.
    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: Quincy Bahr, Greater Sage-Grouse RMP 
Project Manager; telephone 801-539-4122; address 440 West 200 South, 
Suite 500, Salt Lake City, UT 84101; or by 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 Mr. Bahr. 
The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message 
or question with Mr. Bahr. You will receive a reply during normal 
business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM prepared the Proposed RMP Amendment 
and Final EIS to analyze a range of alternatives that will continue 
conserving, enhancing, and restoring Greater Sage-Grouse and its 
habitat, while improving alignment with state management strategies for 
Greater Sage-Grouse. The plan also addresses a legal vulnerability, 
which was exposed when a Federal District Court in Nevada determined 
that the BLM had violated the National Environmental Policy Act when it 
finalized the 2015 plans.
    The BLM developed the proposed land use plan amendment in 
collaboration with Utah Governor Gary Herbert, 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 Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act, the BLM proposes amending its land use plans that address Greater 
Sage-Grouse management to improve alignment with the State of Utah's 
plan, in accordance with the BLM's multiple use and sustained yield 
mission. Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the BLM is 
required by law to work cooperatively with states on land-use plans and 
amendments.
    This Proposed RMP Amendment/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 BLM Utah 
boundaries. The current management decisions for resources are 
described in the following RMPs:
     Box Elder Resource Management Plan (1986)
     Cedar/Beaver/Garfield/Antimony Resource Management Plan 
(1986)
     Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Management 
Plan (2000)
     House Range Resource Management Plan (1987)
     Kanab Resource Management Plan (2008)
     Park City Management Framework Plan (1975)
     Pinyon Management Framework Plan (1978)
     Pony Express Resource Management Plan (1990)
     Price Resource Management Plan (2008)
     Randolph Management Framework Plan (1980)
     Richfield Resource Management Plan (2008)
     Salt Lake District Isolated Tracts Planning Analysis 
(1985)
     Vernal Resource Management Plan (2008)
     Warm Springs Resource Management Plan (1987)
    The planning area includes approximately 48,158,700 acres of BLM, 
National Park Service, United States Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of 
Reclamation, State, local, and private lands located in Utah, in 27 
counties: Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, 
Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, 
Salt Lake, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, 
Wayne, and Weber. Within the decision area, which is limited to the 
portions of the planning area where the decisions from this process may 
apply, the BLM administers approximately 4 million acres of public 
land, providing approximately 3.4 million acres of Greater Sage-Grouse 
habitat. Surface management decisions made as a result of this Proposed 
RMP Amendment and Final EIS will apply only to BLM-administered lands 
in the decision area.
    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. The BLM 
Utah held public scoping meetings on November 14, 2017, in Vernal, 
Utah; on November 15, 2017, in Cedar City, Utah; and on November 16, 
2017, in Snowville, Utah.
    On May 4, 2018, the Notice of Availability for the Draft RMP

[[Page 63528]]

Amendment/EIS was published, and the BLM accepted public comments on 
the range of alternatives, effects analysis and Draft RMP Amendment/EIS 
for 90 days, ending on August 2, 2018. During the public comment period 
public meetings were held in the following locations in Utah: June 26, 
2018, in Cedar City, Utah; June 27, 2018 in Vernal, Utah; and June 28, 
208, in Randolph, Utah.
    The Draft RMP Amendment/EIS focused on the following issues: 
Sagebrush focal area designation; disturbance and density caps; 
mitigation; modification of habitat objectives; changes to fluid 
mineral leasing waivers, exceptions and modification criteria; the need 
for General Habitat Management Areas; exceptions to Greater Sage-Grouse 
management within non-habitat portions of Priority Habitat Management 
Areas; lek buffers; reversing adaptive management responses when the 
BLM determines that resource conditions no longer warrant those 
responses; prioritization of mineral leasing; land disposals and 
exchanges; predation; burial of transmission lines; decisions that 
require analysis of specific alternatives during implementation; 
adjustment of habitat boundaries to reflect new information; grazing 
systems and prioritization of grazing permits; water developments 
management in relation to water rights; travel and transportation 
management planning; and surface coal mining. The Draft RMP Amendment/
EIS evaluated two alternatives in detail, including the No-Action 
Alternative and one action alternative, the Management Alignment 
Alternative. Comments on the Draft RMP Amendment/EIS received from the 
public and internal BLM review were considered and incorporated as 
appropriate into the Proposed RMP Amendment and Final EIS. The No-
Action Alternative would retain the management goals, objectives, and 
direction specified in the current RMPs, as amended in 2015, for each 
field office. The Management Alignment Alternative has been identified 
as the BLM's Preferred Alternative. Identification of this alternative, 
however, does not represent final agency direction.
    Instructions for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM 
regarding the Proposed RMP Amendment/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

Edwin L. Roberson,
BLM Utah State Director.
[FR Doc. 2018-26698 Filed 12-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-33-P

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 236 / Monday, December 10, 2018 / Notices 63527

Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, Coordinator, WO–210, P.O. Box 71383, EIS proposes to amend the (RMPs) for
43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 1610.5 Washington, DC 20024–1383. field offices on BLM-administered lands
Duane Spencer, Overnight Delivery: BLM Director within BLM Utah boundaries. The
Acting BLM Wyoming State Director.
(210), Attention: Protest Coordinator, current management decisions for
WO–210, 20 M Street SE, Room resources are described in the following
[FR Doc. 2018–26700 Filed 12–7–18; 8:45 am]
2134LM, Washington, DC 20003. RMPs:
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: • Box Elder Resource Management
Quincy Bahr, Greater Sage-Grouse RMP Plan (1986)
Project Manager; telephone 801–539– • Cedar/Beaver/Garfield/Antimony
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Resource Management Plan (1986)
4122; address 440 West 200 South, Suite
500, Salt Lake City, UT 84101; or by • Grand Staircase-Escalante National
Bureau of Land Management Monument Management Plan (2000)
email qfbahr@blm.gov. Persons who use
[LLWO200000.18X • House Range Resource Management
a telecommunications device for the
L11100000.PH0000.LXSGPL000000] Plan (1987)
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay • Kanab Resource Management Plan
Notice of Availability of the Utah Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to (2008)
Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed contact Mr. Bahr. The FRS is available • Park City Management Framework
Resource Management Plan 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave Plan (1975)
Amendment and Final Environmental a message or question with Mr. Bahr. • Pinyon Management Framework
Impact Statement, Utah You will receive a reply during normal Plan (1978)
business hours. • Pony Express Resource
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM Management Plan (1990)
Interior. prepared the Proposed RMP • Price Resource Management Plan
ACTION: Notice of availability. Amendment and Final EIS to analyze a (2008)
range of alternatives that will continue • Randolph Management Framework
SUMMARY: In accordance with the conserving, enhancing, and restoring Plan (1980)
National Environmental Policy Act of Greater Sage-Grouse and its habitat, • Richfield Resource Management
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land while improving alignment with state Plan (2008)
Policy and Management Act of 1976, as management strategies for Greater Sage- • Salt Lake District Isolated Tracts
amended, the Bureau of Land Grouse. The plan also addresses a legal Planning Analysis (1985)
Management (BLM) has prepared the • Vernal Resource Management Plan
vulnerability, which was exposed when
Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed (2008)
a Federal District Court in Nevada • Warm Springs Resource
Resource Management Plan (Proposed determined that the BLM had violated
RMP) Amendment and Final Management Plan (1987)
the National Environmental Policy Act The planning area includes
Environmental Impact Statement (Final when it finalized the 2015 plans.
EIS) for the Utah Greater Sage-Grouse approximately 48,158,700 acres of BLM,
The BLM developed the proposed National Park Service, United States
Sub-Region. By this Notice, the BLM is land use plan amendment in
announcing the opening of a protest Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of
collaboration with Utah Governor Gary Reclamation, State, local, and private
period concerning the Proposed RMP Herbert, state wildlife managers, and
Amendment and Final EIS. lands located in Utah, in 27 counties:
other concerned organizations and Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon,
DATES: A protest regarding the Proposed individuals, largely through the Western Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery,
RMP Amendment announced with this Governors Association’s Sage-Grouse Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane,
notice must be filed by January 9, 2019. Task Force. Using its discretion and Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake,
ADDRESSES: The Proposed RMP authority under the Federal Land Policy Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele,
Amendment/Final EIS is available on and Management Act, the BLM proposes Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Wayne, and
the BLM ePlanning project website at amending its land use plans that Weber. Within the decision area, which
https://go.usa.gov/xP8xc. Click the address Greater Sage-Grouse is limited to the portions of the planning
Documents and Report link on the left management to improve alignment with area where the decisions from this
side of the screen to find the electronic the State of Utah’s plan, in accordance process may apply, the BLM
version of these materials. Hard copies with the BLM’s multiple use and administers approximately 4 million
of the Proposed RMP Amendment and sustained yield mission. Under the acres of public land, providing
Final EIS are available for public Federal Land Policy and Management approximately 3.4 million acres of
inspection at the BLM Utah State Office, Act, the BLM is required by law to work Greater Sage-Grouse habitat. Surface
440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt cooperatively with states on land-use management decisions made as a result
Lake City, UT 84101 or on the project plans and amendments. of this Proposed RMP Amendment and
website listed above. This Proposed RMP Amendment/ Final EIS will apply only to BLM-
All protests must be in writing (43 Final EIS is one of six separate planning administered lands in the decision area.
CFR 1610.5–2(a)(1)) and filed with the efforts that are being undertaken in The formal public scoping process for
BLM Director, either as a hard copy or response to the Secretary’s Order (SO) the RMP Amendment/EIS began on
electronically via the BLM’s ePlanning 3353 (Greater Sage-grouse Conservation October 11, 2017, with publication of a
project website listed previously. To and Cooperation with Western States) Notice of Intent in the Federal Register
submit a protest electronically, go to the and in accordance with SO 3349 (82 FR 47248) and ended on December
ePlanning project website and follow (American Energy Independence). The 1, 2017. The BLM Utah held public
the protest instructions highlighted at proposed plans refine the previous scoping meetings on November 14,
the top of the home page. If submitting management plan adopted in 2015 and 2017, in Vernal, Utah; on November 15,
a protest in hard copy, it must be mailed aims to strike a regulatory balance and 2017, in Cedar City, Utah; and on
to one of the following addresses: build greater trust among neighboring November 16, 2017, in Snowville, Utah.
U.S. Postal Service Mail: BLM interests in Western communities. The On May 4, 2018, the Notice of
Director (210), Attention: Protest Proposed RMP Amendment and Final Availability for the Draft RMP

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63528 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 236 / Monday, December 10, 2018 / Notices

Amendment/EIS was published, and the submitted electronically through the conditions as described in the
BLM accepted public comments on the BLM ePlanning project website as regulations may protest the BLM’s
range of alternatives, effects analysis described above. Protests submitted Proposed RMP Amendment and Final
and Draft RMP Amendment/EIS for 90 electronically by any means other than EIS. A person who meets the conditions
days, ending on August 2, 2018. During the ePlanning project website protest outlined in 43 CFR 1610.5–2 and wishes
the public comment period public section will be invalid unless a protest to file a protest must do so within 30
meetings were held in the following is also submitted in hard copy. Protests days of the date that the Environmental
locations in Utah: June 26, 2018, in submitted by fax will also be invalid Protection Agency publishes its Notice
Cedar City, Utah; June 27, 2018 in unless also submitted either through of Availability in the Federal Register.
Vernal, Utah; and June 28, 208, in ePlanning project website protest A protest regarding the Proposed RMP
Randolph, Utah. section or in hard copy. Amendment announced with this notice
The Draft RMP Amendment/EIS Before including your address, phone must be filed by January 9, 2019.
focused on the following issues: number, email address, or other ADDRESSES: The Proposed RMP
Sagebrush focal area designation; personal identifying information in your Amendment and Final EIS is available
disturbance and density caps; protest, please be aware that your entire on the BLM ePlanning project website at
mitigation; modification of habitat protest, including your personal https://goo.gl/uz89cT. Click the
objectives; changes to fluid mineral identifying information, may be made Documents and Report link on the left
leasing waivers, exceptions and publicly available at any time. While side of the screen to find the electronic
modification criteria; the need for you can ask us in your comment to version of these materials. Hard copies
General Habitat Management Areas; withhold your personal identifying of the Proposed RMP Amendment\Final
exceptions to Greater Sage-Grouse information from public review, we EIS are available for public inspection at
management within non-habitat cannot guarantee that we will be able to the BLM Nevada State Office, 1340
portions of Priority Habitat Management do so. Financial Boulevard, Reno, Nevada
Areas; lek buffers; reversing adaptive 89502, and the BLM California State
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10,
management responses when the BLM Office, 2800 Cottage Way # W1623,
43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 1610.5
determines that resource conditions no
Sacramento, California 95825.
longer warrant those responses; Edwin L. Roberson,
All protests must be in writing (43
prioritization of mineral leasing; land BLM Utah State Director. CFR 1610.5–2(a)(1)) and filed with the
disposals and exchanges; predation; [FR Doc. 2018–26698 Filed 12–7–18; 8:45 am] BLM Director, either as a hard copy or
burial of transmission lines; decisions BILLING CODE 4310–33–P electronically via the BLM’s ePlanning
that require analysis of specific project website listed previously. To
alternatives during implementation;
submit a protest electronically, go to the
adjustment of habitat boundaries to DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ePlanning project website and follow
reflect new information; grazing systems
the protest instructions highlighted at
and prioritization of grazing permits; Bureau of Land Management
the top of the home page.
water developments management in If submitting a protest in hard copy,
[LLWO200000.Ll
relation to water rights; travel and 1100000.PH0000.LXSGPL000000.18X.HAG it must be mailed to one of the following
transportation management planning; 18–0089] addresses:
and surface coal mining. The Draft RMP U.S. Postal Service Mail: BLM
Amendment/EIS evaluated two Notice of Availability of the Nevada Director (210), Attention: Protest
alternatives in detail, including the No- and Northeastern California Greater Coordinator, WO–210, P.O Box 71383,
Action Alternative and one action Sage-Grouse Proposed Resource Washington, DC 20024–1383.
alternative, the Management Alignment Management Plan Amendment and Overnight Delivery: BLM Director
Alternative. Comments on the Draft Final Environmental Impact Statement (210), Attention: Protest Coordinator,
RMP Amendment/EIS received from the WO–210, 20 M Street SE, Room
public and internal BLM review were AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior. 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003.
considered and incorporated as
ACTION: Notice of availability. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
appropriate into the Proposed RMP
Amendment and Final EIS. The No- Matthew Magaletti, Sage-Grouse Lead,
Action Alternative would retain the SUMMARY: In accordance with the telephone, 775–861–6472; address, 1340
management goals, objectives, and National Environmental Policy Act of Financial Blvd., Reno, Nevada 89502;
direction specified in the current RMPs, 1969, as amended, (NEPA) and the email, mmagalet@blm.gov. Persons who
as amended in 2015, for each field Federal Land Policy and Management use a telecommunications device for the
office. The Management Alignment Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay
Alternative has been identified as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to
BLM’s Preferred Alternative. prepared the Nevada and Northeastern contact Mr. Magaletti. The FRS is
Identification of this alternative, California Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
however, does not represent final Resource Management Plan (RMP) to leave a message or question with Mr.
agency direction. Amendment and Final Environmental Magaletti. You will receive a reply
Instructions for filing a protest with Impact Statement (EIS) for Greater Sage- during normal business hours.
the Director of the BLM regarding the Grouse Conservation for the Nevada and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM
Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS Northeastern California Greater Sage- prepared the Nevada and Northeastern
may be found online at https:// Grouse Sub-Region, and by this notice is California Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed
www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and- announcing its availability and the RMP Amendment and Final EIS to
nepa/public-participation/filing-a-plan- opening of a protest period concerning enhance cooperation with the States by
protest and at 43 CFR 1610.5–2. All the Proposed RMP Amendment and improving alignment with state
protests must be in writing and mailed Final EIS. management plans and strategies for
to the appropriate address, as set forth DATES: The BLM planning regulations Greater Sage-Grouse, while continuing
in the ADDRESSES section above or state that any person who meets the to conserve, enhance, and restore

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Document Created: 2018-12-08 00:22:12
Document Modified: 2018-12-08 00:22:12

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of availability.
Dates		A protest regarding the Proposed RMP Amendment announced with this notice must be filed by January 9, 2019.
Contact		Quincy Bahr, Greater Sage-Grouse RMP
FR Citation		83 FR 63527

83 FR 63527 - Notice of Availability of the Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement, Utah

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 236 (December 10, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management