[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 138 (Friday, July 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42033-42035]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16819]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCO910000 L11100000.DO0000]


Notice of Intent To Incorporate Gunnison Sage-Grouse Conservation 
Measures Into the Bureau of Land Management Land Use Plans, Colorado 
and Utah and Prepare an Associated Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
(FLMPA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
intends to incorporate Gunnison Sage-Grouse Conservation Measures into 
Resource Management Plans (RMPs) within the range of the species and 
prepare an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). By this 
notice, the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to 
solicit public comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS. 
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until August 18, 2014. 
The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced 
at least 15 days in advance through local news media, newspapers and 
the BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Programs/wildlife/sage-grouse/GUSG.html. In order to be included in the 
analysis, all comments must be received prior to the close of the 30-
day scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever 
is later. Comments that are specific to a particular area or land use 
plan should be identified as such. We will provide additional 
opportunities for public participation upon publication of the Draft 
EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to Gunnison Sage-Grouse planning effort by any of the following 
methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Programs/wildlife/sage-grouse/GUSG.html; Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 303-239-3699.
     Mail: Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street, 
Lakewood, CO 80215.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the 
Colorado State Office (see address above); the Colorado Southwest 
District Office, 2465 South Townsend Avenue, Montrose, CO 81401; and 
Utah Canyon County District Office, 82 East Dogwood, Moab, UT 84532.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leigh D. Espy, Project Manager, via 
telephone: 303-239-3801; at the Colorado State Office (see address 
above); or via email: [email protected]. You may contact Ms. Espy to have 
your name added to our mailing list. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above 
individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours 
a day, seven days a week, to leave a message or question with the above 
individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In January 2013, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (FWS) published its proposed listing and proposed critical 
habitat decision for the Gunnison Sage-Grouse indicating that listing 
of the species as ``Endangered'' was warranted. The inadequacy of 
regulatory mechanisms to conserve the Gunnison Sage-Grouse and its 
habitat was identified as a significant threat in the FWS preliminary 
finding on the petition to list the Gunnison Sage-Grouse as an 
endangered species. The FWS has proposed conservation measures to be 
included in RMPs as the principal mechanism to assure adequate 
conservation of the Gunnison Sage-Grouse and its habitat on public 
lands. In view of the identified threats to the Gunnison Sage-Grouse, 
the BLM proposes incorporating consistent objectives and conservation 
measures to protect Gunnison Sage-Grouse and its habitat into RMPs by 
July 2016. The BLM plans to prepare an EIS to analyze proposed 
amendments within the range of the species for the following RMPs:
     Colorado
    [cir] San Luis RMP (1991)
    [cir] Gunnison RMP (1993)
    [cir] San Juan/San Miguel RMP (1985) (currently under revision in 
the Tres Rios and Uncompahgre RMPs)
    [cir] Uncompahgre Basin RMP (1989) (currently under revision in the 
Dominquez-Escalante National Conservation Area [NCA] RMP and 
Uncompahgre RMP)
    [cir] Grand Junction RMP (1987) (Currently under revision in the 
Grand

[[Page 42034]]

Junction RMP and the Dominquez-Escalante NCA RMP)
    [cir] Gunnison Gorge NCA RMP (2004)
    [cir] Canyons of the Ancients National Monument RMP (2010)
     Utah
    [cir] Moab RMP (2008)
    [cir] Monticello RMP (2008)

Where an ongoing plan revision or amendment may not be completed by 
July 2016, the date of the underlying completed RMP is also listed, as 
it may be amended as part of this EIS effort. This amendment may modify 
planning decisions in the NCAs and/or the National Monument listed 
above, consistent with the designation.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues relating to the conservation of the Gunnison Sage-Grouse and its 
habitat that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, 
including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the EIS. 
The BLM and FWS identified preliminary issues for the planning areas, 
including sagebrush habitat management practices, science directly 
applicable to protection of the Gunnison Sage-Grouse, and the effects 
of sagebrush habitat management on other public land resources 
including: Fluid minerals, coal mining, hard rock mining, mineral 
materials, renewable energy development, rights-of-way (including 
transmission), invasive species, livestock grazing, vegetation 
management, fire, land tenure, off-highway vehicle management, and 
recreation. Additionally, as part of this EIS and planning process, the 
BLM intends to identify and apply appropriate mitigation objectives and 
management actions to meet conservation objectives for the Gunnison 
Sage-Grouse. These objectives and management actions could include on-
site and regional mitigation measures. Preliminary planning criteria 
include:
     The BLM will consider allocative and/or prescriptive 
standards to conserve Gunnison Sage-Grouse and their habitat on public 
land, as well as habitat objectives and management actions designed to 
restore or enhance proposed Gunnison Sage-Grouse unoccupied proposed 
critical habitat.
     The BLM will use the Gunnison Sage-Grouse Rangewide 
Conservation Plan (Rangewide Steering Committee, 2005), and any other 
appropriate resources to identify Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat 
requirements and best management practices.
     The BLM will consider FWS-developed Gunnison Sage-Grouse 
conservation measures.
     The planning effort will comply with FLPMA; NEPA; Council 
on Environmental Quality regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508; 
Department of the Interior Regulations at 43 CFR part 46 and 43 CFR 
part 1600; the BLM H-1601 Land Use Planning Handbook, ``Appendix C: 
Program-Specific and Resource-Specific Decision Guidance Requirements'' 
for affected resource programs; the 2008 BLM NEPA Handbook (H-1790-1); 
and all other applicable BLM policies and guidance.
     The planning effort will be limited to making land use 
planning decisions specific to the conservation of Gunnison Sage-Grouse 
and its habitat.
     The BLM will consider land use allocations and/or 
prescriptive standards to conserve Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat, as 
well as objectives and management actions to restore, enhance and 
improve Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat.
     The planning effort will recognize valid existing rights.
     Lands addressed in the RMP amendments/revisions will be 
public lands (including split-estate lands) managed by the BLM in 
Gunnison Sage-Grouse occupied and unoccupied habitats. Decisions in the 
RMP amendments/revisions will apply only to Federal lands and minerals 
administered by the BLM.
     The BLM will use a collaborative and multi-jurisdictional 
approach, where appropriate, to determine the goals and objectives of 
public lands for the conservation of Gunnison Sage-Grouse and their 
habitat.
     The BLM will consider a reasonable range of alternatives, 
including appropriate management prescriptions that focus on the 
relative values of resources while contributing to the conservation of 
the Gunnison Sage-Grouse and sage-grouse habitat.
     The BLM will address socioeconomic impacts of the 
alternatives developed. Socioeconomic analyses will use an accepted 
input-output quantitative model such as Impact Analysis for Planning or 
Regional Input-Output Modeling System.
     The BLM will use current scientific information, research, 
technologies, and results of inventory, monitoring, and coordination to 
determine appropriate local and regional management strategies that 
will enhance or restore Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat.
     Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat management that intersects 
with Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) on public lands administered by the 
BLM will be guided by the BLM Manual Section--6330 Management of 
Wilderness Study Areas. Land use allocations made for WSAs must be 
consistent with laws, regulations and policies related to WSA 
management.
     For BLM-administered lands, all activities and uses within 
Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat will follow existing land health 
standards. Standards and guidelines for livestock grazing and other 
applicable programs will be applicable to all alternatives for BLM 
lands.
     The BLM will consult with Indian tribes to identify sites, 
areas and objectives important to their cultural and religious heritage 
within Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat.
     The BLM will coordinate and communicate with state, local 
and tribal governments to ensure the BLM considers provisions of 
pertinent plans; seek to resolve inconsistencies between state, local 
and tribal plans; and provide ample opportunities for state, local and 
tribal governments to comment on the development of amendments or 
revisions.
     The planning effort will be based on the principles of 
Adaptive Management.
     The most current approved BLM corporate spatial data will 
be supported by current metadata and will be used to ascertain Gunnison 
Sage-Grouse habitat extent and quality. Data will be consistent with 
the principles of the Information Quality Act of 2000.
     The BLM will use the FWS and appropriate State game and 
fish agencies' Gunnison Sage-Grouse data and expertise to the fullest 
extent practicable in making management determinations on Federal 
lands. The BLM recognizes State game and fish agencies' jurisdiction as 
the primary management agencies for species not managed under the 
Endangered Species Act.
    You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing 
to the BLM at any public scoping meeting, or you may submit them to the 
BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. To 
be most helpful, you should submit comments by the close of the 30-day 
scoping period or within 15 days after the last public meeting, 
whichever is later.
    The public is also invited to nominate or recommend areas on public 
lands for Gunnison Sage-Grouse and its habitat within the planning 
areas identified above to be considered as Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern as a part of this planning process (BLM Manual 
1613.3.31).
    Parties interested in leasing and development of Federal coal in 
the planning areas should provide coal resources data for their area(s) 
of

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interest. Specifically, information is requested on the location, 
quality and quantity of Federal coal with development potential, and on 
surface resource values related to the 20 coal unsuitability criteria 
described in 43 CFR part 3461. This information will be used for any 
necessary updating of coal screening determinations (43 CFR 3420.1-4) 
in the Decision Area and in the environmental analysis.
    The BLM will use the NEPA public participation requirements to 
assist the agency in satisfying the public involvement requirements 
under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 
U.S.C. 470(f)) pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). The information about 
historic and cultural resources within the area potentially affected by 
the proposed action will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating 
impacts to such resources in the context of both NEPA and Section 106 
of the NHPA. The BLM will consult with Indian tribes on a government-
to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other 
policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and 
potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due 
consideration. Federal, state and local agencies, along with tribes and 
other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the 
proposed action the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate in 
the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by 
the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis 
as a cooperating agency.
    The BLM will evaluate identified issues to be addressed in the plan 
amendments/revisions, and will place them into one of three categories:
    1. Issues to be resolved in the plan;
    2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the Draft EIS as to why an 
issue was placed in category two or three. The public is also 
encouraged to help identify any management questions and concerns that 
should be addressed in the plan amendments/revisions. The BLM will work 
collaboratively with interested parties to identify the management 
decisions that are best suited to local, regional and national needs 
and concerns.
    The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan 
amendments in order to consider the variety of resource issues and 
concerns identified. Specialists with expertise in the following 
disciplines will be involved in the planning process: Rangeland 
management, minerals and geology, vegetation management, fire, outdoor 
recreation, wildlife, lands and realty, hydrology, soils, sociology, 
and economics.
    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 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.

David McCormack,
Acting BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-16819 Filed 7-17-14; 8:45 am]
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