[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10186-10187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03380]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

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


Notice of Availability of the Oregon 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 Oregon is 
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 Oregon Draft 
Supplemental EIS by any of the following methods:
     Website: https://goo.gl/4CNtH8.
     Mail: BLM Oregon State Office, Attn: Draft Supplemental 
EIS for Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation, 1220 SW 3rd Ave., Portland, 
OR 97204.
    Copies of the Oregon Draft Supplemental EIS for Greater Sage-Grouse 
Conservation are available in the BLM Oregon State Office at 1220 SW 
3rd Ave., Portland, OR 97204 and online at https://goo.gl/4CNtH8.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Regan-Vienop, Planning and 
Environmental Coordinator, phone 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 to contact the above 
individual 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 
individual. 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 Oregon State Director signed the Record of Decision 
and Approved Oregon Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Plan Amendment (84 FR 
10324), 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 Oregon 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,

[[Page 10187]]

the BLM will also allow for additional public comment on the BLM's 
approach to compensatory mitigation and Greater Sage-Grouse habitat 
conservation.
    The Oregon planning area includes approximately 60,649 acres of BLM 
administered lands located in Oregon, in three counties: Harney, Lake, 
and Malheur. Also analyzed are the cumulative effects across the 
Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' Management Zone and 
entire Greater Sage-Grouse range. Within the decision area, the BLM 
administers approximately 21,959 acres of public lands, providing 
approximately 21,959 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.

Jose L. Linares,
BLM Oregon-Washington Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2020-03380 Filed 2-20-20; 8:45 am]
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