[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 230 (Thursday, November 30, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61571-61572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-29234]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[MT-925-06-1020-00]


Notice of Intent To Modify Management Plans and To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) To Address Standards for Rangeland 
Health and Guidelines for Grazing Management; Montana, North Dakota, 
and South Dakota

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Montana, North Dakota, 
and South Dakota intends to modify existing management plans and to 
conduct appropriate National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis 
to address standards for rangeland health and guidelines for grazing 
management, as required by BLM grazing regulations (43 CFR Part 4100). 
Public comment is sought on the issues and alternatives to be 
considered, and on suggested standards and guidelines.

DATES: Comments will be accepted throughout the process of modifying 
plans and conducting NEPA analysis. However, comments received after 
January 19, 1996, may not be reflected in the alternatives considered 
in the draft EIS or other NEPA analysis.

ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for additional information should be 
addressed to Dan Lechefsky, Planning Team Leader, Bureau of Land 
Management, P.O. Box 36800, Billings, Montana 59107, 406-255-2919.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM's new grazing administration 
regulations (43 CFR Part 4100), which became effective August 21, 1995, 
provide for the development of standards for rangeland health and 
guidelines for grazing management. These standards and guidelines are 
to be developed through BLM planning and NEPA processes. Incorporating 
standards and guidelines into existing plans will require some form of 
plan modification, ranging from simple plan maintenance to plan 
amendment. Management plans to be modified are: Big Dry, Billings, 
Dillon, Headwaters, Judith, North Dakota, Phillips, Powder River, South 
Dakota, Valley, and West HiLine. The Garnet Resource Management Plan 
will also be modified to incorporate standards and guidelines, 

[[Page 61572]]
although through a separate process tied to an ongoing regional 
assessment and environmental analysis for the Upper Columbia River 
Basin being conducted jointly by the BLM and Forest Service.
    At this point in time, it is unclear what level of plan 
modification (maintenance or amendment) and NEPA analysis will be 
needed. Should further scoping and development of the proposed action 
and alternatives indicate that an EIS is not needed, NEPA analysis will 
be accomplished through preparation of an environmental assessment.
    Resource Advisory Councils in Montana and the Dakotas will be 
consulted during the development of proposed standards and guidelines. 
This notice invites additional public comment on the issues to be 
addressed and alternatives to be considered in the EIS or other NEPA 
analysis. Issues preliminarily identified include: the effect that 
adoption of standards will have on resource conditions, uses, and users 
of public land, and the effect that adoption of guidelines will have on 
grazing management and livestock operations. Three preliminary 
alternatives have been identified: the continuation of current 
management as provided for in existing management plans, the adoption 
of the fallback standards and guidelines contained in the regulations, 
and the adoption of standards and guidelines developed in consultation 
with Resource Advisory Councils for Montana and the Dakotas.

    Dated: November 24, 1995.
Randy D. Heuscher,
Acting Deputy State Director, Division of Resources.
[FR Doc. 95-29234 Filed 11-29-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P