[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 125 (Friday, June 28, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 31088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13853]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCOF07000.L10200000.DS0000.19X]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for Domestic Sheep Grazing Permit Renewals, Gunnison Field 
Office, Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Domestic Sheep Grazing 
Permit Renewals in the Gunnison Field Office and by this notice is 
announcing the opening of the comment period.

DATES: To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Domestic Sheep Grazing Permit Renewals Draft 
EIS within 45 days following the date the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. 
The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public 
involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public 
notices, media releases, and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: Comments related to the Draft EIS for Domestic Sheep Grazing 
Permit Renewals must be submitted by the following methods:
     Electronic comments must be submitted through the BLM's 
ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xQTyQ.
     Hard copy comments must be submitted via mail or hand-
delivered to the Gunnison Field Office, 210 West Spencer, Gunnison, CO 
81230.
    A copy of the Draft EIS is available at the Gunnison Field Office 
at the address above or on the RMP ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xQTyQ. Click the Documents link on the left side of the 
screen to find the electronic version of the document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristi Murphy, Outdoor Recreation 
Planner, telephone: 970-642-4955; 210 West Spencer, Gunnison, CO 81230; 
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 to contact Ms. Murphy during normal business hours. The FRS is 
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or 
question. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM Gunnison Field office is proposing 
to renew the permits on nine domestic sheep grazing allotments, 
totaling 65,710 acres in Gunnison, Hinsdale and Ouray counties in 
Colorado.
    The BLM published a Notice of Intent initiating public scoping in 
2015 to identify issues through public participation and collaboration 
with partners. Initial scoping with internal staff, cooperating 
agencies, and the public identified the risk of contact and disease 
transmission between domestic sheep and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep as 
the primary issue. Additional issues identified during scoping include 
potential impacts to threatened and endangered species, local and 
regional economics, cultural resources, Native American religious 
concerns, and public land health.
    The Draft EIS includes alternatives that respond to the purpose and 
need, reduce the risk of contact and disease transmission, make 
progress in achieving land health standards, meet objectives of the 
Canada Lynx Conservation Assessment and Strategy, and meet the habitat 
and management guidelines of the Candidate Conservation Agreement for 
Gunnison Sage-Grouse.
    Alternatives analyzed in the EIS include the Proposed Action 
generated by the permittee applications. This alternative would provide 
grazing on nine allotments. Alternative B is the no action alternative 
and would continue current management. Alternative C emphasizes a 
reduction in the risk of contact between domestic sheep/goats and Rocky 
Mountain bighorn sheep by not authorizing domestic sheep/goat grazing 
in pastures that overlap with Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep's summer 
range. Alternative D emphasizes reduction of risk by not authorizing 
domestic sheep/goat grazing in the overall range of Rocky Mountain 
bighorn sheep. Alternative E is the No Grazing alternative. The BLM 
completed a risk of contact model for each of the action alternatives 
to aid in analyzing the potential levels of sheep interaction.
    Please note that public comments and information submitted, 
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who 
submit comments, will be available for public review and disclosure at 
the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), 
Monday through Friday, except holidays.
    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.

Jamie E. Connell,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019-13853 Filed 6-27-19; 8:45 am]
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