[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 236 (Monday, December 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63524-63525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26701]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWO200000.L11100000. PH0000.LXSGPL000000. 18X. HAG 19-0014]


Notice of Availability of the Oregon Proposed Resource Management 
Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
has prepared the Oregon Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) 
Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Greater 
Sage-Grouse Conservation for the Oregon Greater Sage-Grouse Sub-Region 
and, by this notice, is announcing its availability.

DATES: The BLM planning regulations state that any person who meets the 
conditions as described in the regulations may protest the BLM's 
Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS. A person who meets the conditions 
outlined in 43 CFR 1610.5-2 and wishes to file a protest must do so 
within 30 days of the date that the Environmental Protection Agency 
publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. 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://goo.gl/4CNtH8. 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/
Final EIS are also available for public inspection at the Burns, 
Lakeview, and Vale BLM District Offices.
    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: Jim Regan-Vienop, Planning and 
Environmental Coordinator, at (503) 808-6062; address, 1220 SW 3rd Ave. 
Suite 1305, Portland, OR 97204; 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. The FRS is available 24 
hours a day, 7 days

[[Page 63525]]

a week, to leave a message or question with Mr. Regan-Vienop. You will 
receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM prepared the Oregon Greater 
SageGrouse Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS to enhance cooperation with 
States by improving alignment with State management plans and 
strategies for Greater Sage-Grouse, while continuing to conserve, 
enhance, and restore Greater Sage-Grouse and its habitat. The Proposed 
RMP Amendment/Final EIS also addresses a legal vulnerability, which was 
exposed when a Federal District Court in Nevada determined that the BLM 
had violated the NEPA when it finalized the 2015 plans.
    The BLM developed the proposed land use plan amendment in 
collaboration with Oregon Governor Kate Brown, 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 FLPMA, the BLM proposes amending 
land use plans that address Greater Sage-Grouse management to improve 
alignment with State of Oregon plans and management strategies, in 
accordance with the BLM's multiple use and sustained yield mission. 
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/Final EIS proposes to amend the RMPs for field 
offices on BLM-administered lands within Oregon. The current management 
decisions for resources are described in the following RMPs:
     Andrews (2005)
     Baker (1989)
     Brothers/La Pine (1989)
     Lakeview (2003)
     Southeastern Oregon (2002)
     Steens (2005)
     Three Rivers (1992)
     Upper Deschutes (2005)
    The planning area includes approximately 60,649 acres of lands 
administered by the BLM in three Oregon counties: Harney, Lake, and 
Malheur. Within the decision area, the BLM administers approximately 
21,959 acres of public lands, all of which is Greater Sage-Grouse 
habitat. Surface management decisions made as a result of this Proposed 
RMP Amendment/Final EIS will apply only to lands administered by the 
BLM 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 
held one public scoping meeting in Burns, Oregon on November 7, 2017.
    The Oregon Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS focused on the 
availability or unavailability of livestock grazing in 13 key Research 
Natural Areas and mitigation. Research Natural Areas are a subset type 
of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. The Draft RMP Amendment/
Draft EIS evaluated two alternatives in detail, including the No Action 
Alternative (Alternative A) and one action alternative (Alternative B, 
Management Alignment Alternative). Comments on the Draft RMP Amendment/
Draft EIS received from the public and internal BLM review were 
considered and incorporated as appropriate into the proposed RMP 
Amendment/Final EIS. Alternative A would retain the current management 
goals, objectives, and direction specified in the current RMPs, as 
amended, for each field office. Alternative B was identified as the 
BLM's preferred alternative in the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS for 
the purposes of public comment and review. 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 RMPA/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 personally identifiable information in your comment, you should 
be aware that your entire comment--including your personally 
identifiable information--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask the BLM in your comment to withhold your personally 
identifiable 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

Christopher J. McAlear,
Acting State Director, Oregon/Washington, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. 2018-26701 Filed 12-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-33-P