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 Nevada and California State Directors signed the Record of Decision and Approved the Nevada and Northeastern California Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Plan Amendment (84 FR 10323), 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 Nevada and Northeastern California 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 Nevada and Northeastern California planning area includes approximately 70.3 million acres of BLM, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, State, local, and private lands in 17 counties: Churchill, Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lassen, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Modoc, Nye, Pershing, Plumas, Sierra, Storey, Washoe, and White Pine. Also analyzed are the cumulative effects across the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' management zones and entire Greater Sage-Grouse range. Within the decision area, the BLM administers approximately 45.4 million acres of public lands, providing approximately 20.5 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.

85 FR 10184