[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10184-10185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03379]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[20X.LLWO200000. L11700000.PH0000.LXSGPL000000]


Notice of Availability of the Nevada and Northeastern California 
Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Greater Sage-
Grouse Conservation

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, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared this 
Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and by this 
notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. BLM Nevada and 
BLM California are soliciting comments on the Draft Supplemental EIS.

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

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Nevada and 
Northeastern California Draft Supplemental EIS by any of the following 
methods:

[[Page 10185]]

     Website: https://goo.gl/uz89cT.
     Mail: BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, 
NV 89502.
    Copies of the Nevada and Northeastern California Draft Supplemental 
EIS are available for public inspection at the BLM Nevada State Office, 
1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, NV 89502; the BLM California State Office, 
2800 Cottage Way #W1623, Sacramento, CA 95825 and online at https://goo.gl/uz89cT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn Sherve, Acting Nevada Sage-
Grouse Lead, telephone 775-861-6482; address 1340 Financial Blvd., 
Reno, NV 89502; email [email protected]; or Arlene Kosic, California 
Sage-Grouse Lead, telephone 530-279-2726; 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 the above 
individuals during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours 
a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above 
individuals. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Greater Sage-Grouse is a State-managed 
species that is dependent on sagebrush steppe ecosystems. These 
ecosystems are managed in partnership across the range of the Greater 
Sage-Grouse by State wildlife agencies, Federal agencies, local 
communities, private landowners, and other stakeholders. Since the 
1950s these partners have collaborated to conserve Greater Sage-Grouse 
and its habitats. The U.S. Department of the Interior and the BLM have 
broad responsibilities to manage Federal lands and resources for the 
public benefit. Nearly half of Greater Sage-Grouse habitat is managed 
by the BLM. The BLM is committed to being a good neighbor and investing 
in on-the-ground conservation activities through close collaboration 
with State governments, local communities, private landowners, and 
other stakeholders.
    In 2019 the BLM Nevada and California State Directors signed the 
Record of Decision and Approved the Nevada and Northeastern California 
Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Plan Amendment (84 FR 10323), building 
upon the BLM's commitment to conserve and restore Greater Sage-Grouse 
habitat while improving collaboration and alignment with State 
management strategies for Greater Sage-Grouse. The BLM sought to 
improve management alignment in ways that would increase management 
flexibility, maintain access to public resources, and promote 
conservation outcomes.
    The Draft Supplemental EIS will supplement and clarify the analysis 
relied on in the 2019 BLM Nevada and Northeastern California Record of 
Decision, including with respect to the BLM considering a range of 
reasonable alternatives, taking a ``hard look'' at environmental 
effects, and evaluating cumulative impacts. Through the Draft 
Supplemental EIS, the BLM will also allow for additional public comment 
on the BLM's approach to compensatory mitigation and Greater Sage-
Grouse habitat conservation.
    The Nevada and Northeastern California planning area includes 
approximately 70.3 million acres of BLM, National Park Service, U.S. 
Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, State, local, and private 
lands in 17 counties: Churchill, Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, 
Lassen, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Modoc, Nye, Pershing, Plumas, Sierra, 
Storey, Washoe, and White Pine. Also analyzed are the cumulative 
effects across the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' 
management zones and entire Greater Sage-Grouse range. Within the 
decision area, the BLM administers approximately 45.4 million acres of 
public lands, providing approximately 20.5 million acres of Greater 
Sage-Grouse habitat.
    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.

Jon Raby,
BLM Nevada State Director.
Karen E. Mouritsen,
BLM California State Director.
[FR Doc. 2020-03379 Filed 2-20-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P