[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45438-45439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16276]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLMTC030-L16100000-DO0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan and 
Associated Environmental Impact Statement for the North Dakota Field 
Office, North Dakota

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 
(FLPMA), and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as 
amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) North Dakota Field Office 
intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) with an associated 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for BLM public lands and resources 
managed by the North Dakota Field Office in North Dakota. Through this 
notice public scoping is being announced to solicit public comments and 
assist with identification and development of planning issues. The RMP 
will replace the existing North Dakota RMP, dated April 1988, as 
amended.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the RMP and 
associated EIS. Comments and resources information should be submitted 
by August 27, 2020. A series of public scoping meetings will be held in 
the planning area. Meeting times and locations will be announced 15 
days prior to each event through local news media, newsletters, and at 
the BLM e-Planning website at https://eplanning.blm.gov and search: 
North Dakota Resource Management Plan Revision.
    Formal scoping comments should be submitted prior to the close of 
the scoping period. The BLM will provide additional opportunities for 
public participation upon publication of the Draft RMP/EIS.

ADDRESSES: Documents related to the proposal may be viewed at the North 
Dakota Field Office, 99 23rd Ave. West, Suite A, Dickinson, ND 58601, 
during regular business hours from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except holidays, or online at: https://eplanning.blm.gov. Written public comments and input may be submitted 
by any of the following methods:
     Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov.
     Mail: North Dakota Field Office, Attention: North Dakota 
RMP, 99 23rd Ave. West, Suite A, Dickinson, ND 58601.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristine Braun, RMP Project Manager, 
North Dakota Field Office, at telephone: (701) 227-7725, or at the 
mailing address and website listed earlier. 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. Braun 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: This document provides notice that the BLM 
intends to prepare an RMP with an associated EIS, for BLM-administered

[[Page 45439]]

lands and resources located in North Dakota. This notice also announces 
the beginning of the scoping process and seeks public input on issues, 
planning criteria, and nominations for Areas of Critical Environmental 
Concern (ACEC).
    The RMP/EIS will fulfill the needs and obligations set forth by 
FLPMA, NEPA, and BLM management policies. The North Dakota planning 
area comprises approximately 58,900 acres of BLM-managed surface lands 
and approximately 4.6 million acres of BLM-administered Federal 
minerals. The bulk of the Federal mineral estate is coal. Additional 
acres are Federal oil and gas reserves only. The remaining acres are 
comprised of all minerals, coal and oil and gas only, and other 
reservations. The focus of the North Dakota Field Office has been 
mineral management on split estate lands (private surface and Federal 
minerals).
    The BLM will work collaboratively with interested parties and 
cooperating agencies to identify the management decisions that are best 
suited to local, regional, tribal and national needs and concerns. The 
public scoping process will identify, develop, and refine planning 
issues and planning criteria, including an evaluation of the existing 
RMP, in the context of the needs and interests of the public. Planning 
issues and criteria will guide the planning process. Comments on issues 
and planning criteria may be submitted in writing to the BLM at any 
public scoping meeting or by using one of the methods listed earlier.
    Preliminary issues, management concerns and planning criteria have 
been identified by BLM personnel and other agencies. This information 
represents the BLM's knowledge to date regarding the existing issues 
and concerns with current land management. The preliminary issues that 
will be addressed in this planning effort include:
     Minerals and energy development
     Vegetation management (including noxious weeds and 
invasive species management);
     Fish and wildlife habitat;
     Air quality;
     Recreation and visitor services;
     Livestock grazing;
     Lands and realty authorizations; and
     Special management area designations (including 
nominations for ACECs and comments specific to ACECs and other special 
designation areas).
    After public comments are gathered regarding issues the RMP/EIS 
should address, they will be placed in one of three categories:
    1. Issues to be resolved in the RMP/EIS;
    2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of the RMP/EIS.
    Rationale will be provided in the RMP/EIS for each comment placed 
in category two or three. In addition to these issues, a number of 
management concerns will be addressed in the RMP/EIS. The public is 
encouraged to help identify these questions and concerns during the 
scoping phase.
    The following preliminary planning criteria have been proposed to 
guide development of the RMP/EIS, avoid unnecessary data collection and 
analyses, and ensure the RMP/EIS is tailored to the issues. Other 
criteria may be identified during the public scoping process. After 
gathering comments on preliminary planning criteria, the BLM will 
finalize the criteria and provide feedback to the public on the 
criteria to be used throughout the planning process. Some of the 
planning criteria that are under consideration include:
     The plan will be completed in compliance with FLPMA and 
all other applicable laws.
     The plan will recognize valid existing rights.
     The planning process will include an EIS that will comply 
with NEPA.
     The plan will establish new guidance and identify existing 
guidance upon which the BLM will rely in managing public lands within 
the North Dakota Field Office.
     The planning process will include early coordination and 
Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation meetings with the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service during the development of the plan.
     The plan will recognize the State's responsibility to 
manage wildlife populations, including uses such as hunting and 
fishing, within the planning area.
     The planning process would involve American Indian tribal 
governments and tribal leaders and would provide strategies for the 
protection of recognized traditional and cultural uses.
     Decisions in the plan will strive to be compatible with 
the existing plans and policies of adjacent local, State, tribal, and 
Federal agencies as long as the decisions are in conformance with legal 
mandates on management of public lands.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personally identifiable information in your protest, be aware 
that your entire protest--including your personally identifiable 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your protest to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so. All submissions from organizations and businesses, and 
from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials 
of organizations or businesses, will be available for public inspection 
in their entirety.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2)

John Mehlhoff,
Montana/Dakotas State Director.
[FR Doc. 2020-16276 Filed 7-27-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P