[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 185 (Thursday, September 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57639-57641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24208]



[[Page 57639]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWO2100000 L11100000.DR0000.LXSISGST0000]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision; and Approved 
Resource Management Plan Amendments for the Rocky Mountain Region 
Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Regions of Lewistown, North Dakota, Northwest 
Colorado, and Wyoming; and Approved Resource Management Plans for 
Billings, Buffalo, Cody, HiLine, Miles City, Pompeys Pillar National 
Monument, South Dakota, and Worland

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Record of Decision (ROD); and Approved Resource Management Plan 
Amendments (ARMPAs) for the Rocky Mountain Region Greater Sage-Grouse 
(GRSG) sub-regions of Lewistown, North Dakota, Northwest Colorado, and 
Wyoming; and Approved Resource Management Plans (ARMPs) for Billings, 
Buffalo, Cody, HiLine, Miles City, Pompeys Pillar National Monument, 
South Dakota, and Worland. The Assistant Secretary for Land and 
Minerals Management of the U.S. Department of the Interior signed the 
ROD.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD, ARMPAs and ARMPs are available upon 
request and are also available for public inspection at the addresses 
listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. Interested persons may 
also review the ROD, ARMPAs and ARMPs on the internet at: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/sagegrouse.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contacts for each subregion for the 
GRSG ARMPAs and ARMPs are listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section.
    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 listed individuals during normal business hours. The FIRS 
is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or 
question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during 
normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ROD; the ARMPAs for the Rocky Mountain 
Region GRSG sub-regions of Lewistown, North Dakota, Northwest Colorado, 
and Wyoming; and the ARMPs for Billings, Buffalo, Cody, HiLine, Miles 
City, Pompeys Pillar National Monument, South Dakota, and Worland were 
developed through a collaborative planning process in order to 
incorporate land use plan level measures into existing BLM land use 
plans to protect, enhance, and restore GRSG and their habitat by 
reducing, eliminating, or minimizing threats to GRSG habitat in the 
context of the BLM's multiple-use and sustained yield mission under 
FLPMA.
    The ARMPAs and ARMPs approved by the ROD include land use 
allocations that limit or eliminate new surface disturbance in GRSG 
Priority Habitat Management Areas (PHMA), while minimizing disturbance 
in GRSG General Habitat Management Areas (GHMA). The Billings and Miles 
City ARMPs also include Restoration Habitat Management Areas (RHMA), 
where certain management actions in these areas provide for a balance 
between ongoing and future resource uses, so that habitat is 
maintained, while also allowing for residual populations in impacted 
areas to persist. The Northwest Colorado ARMPA also includes Linkage 
and Connectivity Habitat Management Areas (LCHMA), which have 
protections to facilitate the movement of GRSG and maintain ecological 
processes. In addition to establishing protective land use allocations, 
the ARMPAs and ARMPs implement a suite of management decisions, such as 
the establishment of disturbance limits, GRSG habitat objectives, 
mitigation requirements, monitoring protocols, and adaptive management 
triggers and responses, as well as other conservation measures 
throughout the range.
    The cumulative effect of these measures is to protect, improve, and 
restore GRSG habitat across the remaining range of the species in the 
Rocky Mountain Region and provide greater certainty that BLM land and 
resource management activities in GRSG habitat will lead to 
conservation of the GRSG and other species associated with the 
sagebrush ecosystem in the region.
    The ARMPs (plan revisions) approved by the ROD also provide updated 
land use plan management direction for all BLM program areas, including 
but not limited to, air quality, fish and wildlife, cultural, lands and 
realty, livestock grazing, minerals and energy, recreation and visitor 
services, soil and water, special management area designations 
(including Areas of Critical Environmental Concern), travel and 
transportation, vegetation, visual resources, wild horse and burros, 
land with wilderness characteristics, and wildland fire management.
    The ARMPAs approved by the ROD amend the following BLM Resource 
Management Plans (RMPs), completed in the year indicated:

Lewistown GRSG ARMPA
     Judith RMP (1994)
     Headwaters RMP (1984)
North Dakota GRSG ARMPA
     North Dakota RMP (1988)
Northwest Colorado GRSG ARMPA
     Colorado River Valley RMP (2015)
     Grand Junction RMP (2015)
     Kremmling RMP (2015)
     Little Snake RMP (2011)
     White River RMP (1997)
Wyoming GRSG ARMPA
     Casper RMP (2007)
     Kemmerer RMP (2010)
     Newcastle RMP (2000)
     Pinedale RMP (2008)
     Rawlins RMP (2008)
     Green River RMP (1997) (being revised under the Rock 
Springs RMP)
    The ARMPs (plan revisions) approved by the ROD will replace the 
following Resource Management Plans (RMPs):
Billings and Pompeys Pillar National Monument ARMPs
     Billings RMP (1984)
Buffalo ARMP
     Buffalo RMP (1985)
Cody ARMP (portion of the Bighorn Basin planning effort)
     Cody RMP (1990)
HiLine ARMP
     West HiLine RMP (1988)
     Judith-Valley-Phillips RMP (1994)
Miles City ARMP
     Big Dry RMP (1996)
     Powder River RMP (1985)
South Dakota ARMP
     South Dakota RMP (1986)
Worland ARMP (portion of the Bighorn Basin planning effort)
     Washakie RMP (1988)
     Grass Creek RMP (1998)

    The Northwest Colorado and Wyoming Draft Land Use Plan Amendments 
(LUPAs)/Draft Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) and Proposed 
LUPAs/Final EISs included proposed GRSG management direction for 
National Forest System lands. However, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) 
has completed a separate ROD and Land and Resource Management Plans 
under USFS planning authorities. Management decisions within the ROD 
and ARMPAs apply only to BLM-administered lands.
    Across all sub-regions in the Rocky Mountain Region, the ROD, ARMPA 
and ARMPs amend and revise existing land use plan decisions on 
approximately 23 million BLM-administered surface acres.
    Notices of Availability (NOA) for the Rocky Mountain Region GRSG 
Proposed

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LUPAs and RMPs/Final EISs were published in the Federal Register on May 
29, 2015, which initiated a 30-day protest period and a 60-day 
Governor's consistency review period. The BLM received 149 timely and 
valid protest submissions across all Rocky Mountain proposed RMPs and 
LUPAs/Final EISs. All protests have been resolved and/or dismissed. For 
a full description of the issues raised during the protest period and 
how they were addressed, please refer to the Director's Protest 
Resolution Reports, which are available at the following Web site: 
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/planning/planning_overview/protest_resolution/protestreports.html.
    The BLM received notifications of inconsistencies and 
recommendations as to how to resolve them during the Governor's 
consistency review period from the States of Colorado, Montana, North 
Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. On August 6, 2015, the BLM State 
Directors for Colorado, Montana/Dakotas, and Wyoming sent notification 
letters to their respective States as to whether they accepted or 
rejected their recommendations for consistency. The States were then 
given 30 days to appeal the State Directors' decisions. The States of 
North Dakota and South Dakota appealed the BLM State Director's 
decisions. The BLM Director affirmed the State Director's decisions on 
these recommendations as the recommendations did not provide the 
balance required by 43 CFR 1610.3-2(e). The Director communicated his 
decisions on the appeals in writing to the Governors concurrently with 
the release of the RODs. The Proposed RMPs and LUPAs/Final EISs were 
selected in the ROD as the ARMPAs and ARMPs, with some minor 
modifications and clarifications based on protests received, the 
Governors' consistency reviews, and internal agency deliberations.
    Copies of the Lewistown GRSG ROD and ARMPA are available upon 
request and are available for public inspection at:
     BLM Montana/Dakotas State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, 
Billings, Montana 59101; and
     BLM Lewistown Field Office, 920 Northeast Main, Lewistown, 
Montana 59457.
    Copies of the North Dakota GRSG ROD and ARMPA are available upon 
request and are available for public inspection at:
     BLM Montana/Dakotas State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, 
Billings, Montana 59101; and
     BLM North Dakota Field Office, 99 23rd Avenue East, Suite 
A, Dickinson, North Dakota 58601.
    Copies of the Northwest Colorado GRSG ROD and ARMPA are available 
upon request and are available for public inspection at:
     BLM Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street, 
Lakewood, Colorado 80215; and
     BLM Northwest District Office, 2815 H Road, Grand 
Junction, Colorado 81506.
    Copies of the Wyoming GRSG ROD and ARMPA are available upon request 
and are available for public inspection at:
     BLM Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, 
Wyoming 82009;
     BLM Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper, 
Wyoming 82604;
     BLM Kemmerer Field Office, 312 Highway 189 North, 
Kemmerer, Wyoming 83101;
     BLM Newcastle Field Office, 1101 Washington Boulevard, 
Newcastle, Wyoming 82701;
     BLM Pinedale Field Office, 1625 West Pine Street, 
Pinedale, Wyoming 82941;
     BLM Rawlins Field Office, 1300 North Third, Rawlins, 
Wyoming 82301; and
     BLM Rock Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock 
Springs, Wyoming 82901.
    Copies of the Billings and Pompeys Pillar National Monument ROD and 
ARMPs are available upon request and are available for public 
inspection at:
     BLM Montana/Dakotas State Office and Billings Field 
Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana 59101.
    Copies of the Buffalo ROD and ARMP are available upon request and 
are available for public inspection at:
     BLM Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, 
WY 82003;
     BLM High Plains District Office, 2987 Prospector Drive, 
Casper, WY 82604; and
     BLM Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo, WY 
82834.
    Copies of the Cody ROD and ARMP are available upon request and are 
available for public inspection at:
     BLM Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, 
WY 82003; and
     BLM Cody Field Office, 1002 Blackburn Avenue, Cody, 
Wyoming 82414.
    Copies of the HiLine ROD and ARMP are available upon request and 
are available for public inspection at:
     BLM Montana/Dakotas State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, 
Billings, Montana 59101;
     BLM Havre Field Office, 3990 Highway 2 West, Havre, 
Montana 59501;
     BLM Malta Field Office, 501 South 2nd Street, Malta, 
Montana 59538; and
     BLM Glasgow Field Office, 5 Lasar Drive, Glasgow, Montana 
59230.
    Copies of the Miles City ROD and ARMP are available upon request 
and are available for public inspection at:
     BLM Montana/Dakotas State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, 
Billings, Montana 59101; and
     BLM Miles City Field Office, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles 
City, MT 59301.
    Copies of the South Dakota ROD and ARMP are available upon request 
and are available for public inspection at:
     BLM Montana/Dakotas State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, 
Billings, Montana 59101; and
     BLM South Dakota Field Office, 310 Roundup Street, Belle 
Fourche, SD 57717.
    Copies of the Worland ROD and ARMP are available upon request and 
are available for public inspection at:
     BLM Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, 
WY 82003; and
     BLM Worland Field Office, 101 South 23rd Street, Worland, 
Wyoming 82401.
    For further information contact: For the Lewistown GRSG ARMPA: Adam 
Carr, BLM Project Lead, telephone 406-538-1913; address Lewistown Field 
Office, 920 Northeast Main, Lewistown, MT 59457; email [email protected].
    For the North Dakota GRSG ARMPA: Ruth Miller, BLM Team Lead, 
telephone 406-896-5023; address Montana/Dakotas State Office, 5001 
Southgate Drive, Billings, MT 59101; email 
[email protected].
    For the Northwest Colorado GRSG ARMPA: Erin Jones, BLM Northwest 
District NEPA Coordinator, telephone 970-244-3008; address Northwest 
District Office, 2815 H Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506; email 
[email protected].
    For the Wyoming GRSG ARMPA: William West, BLM Planning and 
Environmental Coordinator, telephone 307-352-0259; address Rock Springs 
Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, Wyoming 82901; email 
[email protected].
    For the Billings ARMP: Carolyn Sherve-Bybee, Billings and Pompeys 
Pillar National Monument RMP Team Leader, telephone: 406-896-5234; 
address: 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, MT 59101; email: 
[email protected].

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    For the Buffalo ARMP: Thomas Bills, Buffalo RMP Team Leader; The 
BLM Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo, WY 82834, by 
telephone 307-684-1133, or by email [email protected].
    For the Cody ARMP: Holly Elliott, RMP Project Manager, telephone: 
307-347-5193; address: 101 South 23rd Street, Worland, Wyoming 82401; 
email: [email protected].
    For the HiLine ARMP: Brian Hockett, Planning and Environmental 
Coordinator, telephone: 406-262-2837; address: 3990 Highway 2 West, 
Havre, MT 59501; email: [email protected].
    For the Miles City ARMP: Mary Bloom, Miles City RMP Team Leader, 
telephone: 406-233-2800; address: 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT 
59301; email: [email protected].
    For the Pompeys Pillar National Monument ARMP: Carolyn Sherve-
Bybee, Billings and Pompeys Pillar National Monument RMP Team Leader, 
telephone: 406-896-5234; address: 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, MT 
59101; email: [email protected].
    For the South Dakota ARMP: Mitch Iverson, RMP Project Manager, 
telephone: 605-892-7008; or Lori (Chip) Kimball, BLM South Dakota Field 
Manager, telephone: 605-892-7000; address: 310 Roundup Street, Belle 
Fourche, SD 57717; email: [email protected].
    For the Worland ARMP: Holly Elliott, RMP Project Manager, 
telephone: 307-347-5193; address: 101 South 23rd Street, Worland, 
Wyoming 82401; email: [email protected].

    Authority:  36 CFR 219.59, 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 
1610.2; 43 CFR 1610.5.

Amy Lueders,
Acting Assistant Director, Renewable Resources & Planning.
[FR Doc. 2015-24208 Filed 9-22-15; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P