[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10185-10186]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03393]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

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


Notice of Availability of the Idaho 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 Idaho 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 SEIS 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 Idaho Draft 
Supplemental EIS by any of the following methods:
     Website: https://goo.gl/Jd8uVf.
     Mail: BLM Idaho State Office, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Boise 
ID 83709
     Fax: (208) 373-3805
    Copies of the Idaho Draft Supplemental EIS for Greater Sage-Grouse 
Conservation are available in the BLM Idaho State Office at the above 
address or online at https://goo.gl/Jd8uVf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Beck, Greater Sage-Grouse 
Implementation Coordinator, telephone (208) 373-3841; address 1387 S. 
Vinnell Way, Boise ID 83709; 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

[[Page 10186]]

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 Idaho State Director signed the Record of Decision 
and Approved Idaho Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Plan Amendment (84 FR 
10325), 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 Idaho 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 Idaho planning area analyzed in this Draft Supplemental EIS 
includes approximately 39,500,000 acres of BLM, National Park Service, 
U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, State, local, and 
private lands in 28 counties: Ada, Adams, Bear Lake, Bingham, Blaine, 
Bonneville, Butte, Camas, Caribou, Cassia, Clark, Custer, Elmore, 
Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Jefferson, Jerome, Lemhi, Lincoln, Madison, 
Minidoka, Oneida, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Twin Falls, and Washington. 
Also analyzed are the cumulative effects across the Western Association 
of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' Management Zone and entire Greater Sage-
Grouse range. The BLM administers approximately 11,500,000 acres of 
public lands, providing approximately 8,810,000 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.

John F. Ruhs,
BLM Idaho State Director.
[FR Doc. 2020-03393 Filed 2-20-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P