BLM's National News Release Feed

@BLMDirector Bob Abbey Joins Twitter, Tweets about Sage-Grouse Conservation

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:15:10 -0700

As a strong proponent of public engagement, Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey has jumped into the social media conversation on land management issues with his new Twitter feed, @BLMDirector .

National Forests Added and Comment Period Formally Extended on Planning for Sage-Grouse Conservation Measures

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:45:40 -0700

In cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will issue a corrected Notice of Intent to address sage-grouse in 10 additional National Forest System Lands and Resource Management Plans and formally extended the comment period through March 23, 2012. The notice will appear in the February 10, 2012, Federal Register.

The BLM and the Forest Service are seeking public comment on issues that should be addressed in Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements (SEIS) that will evaluate and provide greater sage-grouse conservation measures in land use plans in 10 Western states. This notice extends the time period for public comment on the scoping process for the EIS/SEIS through March 23, 2012.

The EIS/SEIS will be coordinated under two regions: The Rocky Mountain Region, previously designated as the Eastern Region, which includes land use plans in the states of Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and portions of Utah and Montana; and the Great Basin Region, previously designated as the Western Region, which includes land use plans in northeastern California, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and portions of Utah and Montana.

Within the Rocky Mountain Region, the potentially affected National Forest System Land Management Plans include:

BLM Signs Revised Historic Preservation Agreement That Enhances Tribal Consultation and Public Participation

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:10:20 -0700

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Bob Abbey today signed a revision to the BLM’s national programmatic agreement (PA) that clarifies how the agency consults with Tribes and other consulting parties on activities that may affect historic properties.

“This revision reinforces the BLM’s practice of respecting our unique relationship with Tribes and carefully considering their views and concerns through consultation,” said Abbey. “As the BLM examines proposals for activities on public lands, this revised PA will help us preserve the historical and cultural foundations that make the public lands special and vital.”

The PA has three signatories: the BLM, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), and National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO). Abbey, ACHP Executive Director John Fowler, and NCSHPO President Ruth Pierpont all signed the PA this morning at the ACHP’s quarterly business meeting in Washington, D.C. The original programmatic agreement was signed in 1997. A copy of the signed revision and questions and answers can be downloaded at this link.

The PA governs the agency’s activities on federal, state and private lands that may impact historic properties, including those historic properties of traditional religious and cultural significance to Tribes. It allows efficient consultation between the BLM and State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs). The PA is authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). That law requires BLM to consider, plan for, protect, and enhance historic properties that may be affected by its actions.

The revision emphasizes the requirement for the BLM to consult with Tribes in the context of an ongoing government-to-government relationship, to obtain their views on the potential impacts on resources of significance to Tribes, and encourages the development of tribe-specific consultation protocols. It authorizes the BLM to maintain protocols with SHPOs that establish a more efficient alternative Section 106 compliance process, but institutes a requirement for tribal consultation and public comment on BLM-SHPO protocol revisions. It also adds the BLM national tribal coordinator to the BLM Preservation Board. That board advises the BLM on policies and procedures for NHPA implementation.

While the revision enhances the consultation role of Tribes, it does not apply to Tribal lands.

The BLM announced the revision in December 2011. The current revision was developed with the two other signatories following an extensive process of outreach and consultation with tribes and other stakeholders which began in August 2008.

Comment Period for Greater Sage-Grouse Scoping Extended by BLM and Forest Service

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 13:15:40 -0700

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) are seeking public comment on issues that should be addressed in Environmental Impact Statements (EIS’s) and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements (SEIS’s) that will evaluate and provide greater sage-grouse conservation measures in land use plans in 10 Western states. To address requests for additional time to provide comment, the two agencies have extended the public scoping period an additional 45 days and will continue to accept scoping comments through March 23, 2012.

Comments may be submitted to the BLM by any of the following methods:

Eastern Region
- web site: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/sagegrouse/eastern.html
- email: sageeast@blm.gov
- fax: 307-775-6042
- mail: Eastern Region Project Manager, BLM Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone, Cheyenne, WY 82009
Western Region
- web site: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/sagegrouse/western.html
- email: sagewest@blm.gov
- fax: 775-861-6747
- mail: Western Region Project Manager, BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, NV 89502

BLM Seeks Bids for New, Publicly Accessible Pasture Facilities to Care for Wild Horses

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:20:50 -0700

As part of its responsibility to manage and protect wild horses and burros, the Bureau of Land Management is soliciting bids for new, publicly accessible pasture facilities located in the continental United States that provide a free-roaming environment. The solicitation is for one or more long-term pasture facilities accommodating 400 to 2,000 wild horses. Each pasture facility must be able to provide humane care for a one-year period, with a renewal option under BLM contract for nine one-year extensions. The BLM may require four or five public and/or media tours hosted by BLM staff and the contractor during the life of the contract. The solicitation is open until April 10, 2012, and is 100 percent set aside for small businesses under the North American Industry Classification System.

The BLM’s bidding requirements are posted in solicitation L12PS00118, the details of which are available at http://www.fedconnect.net. To obtain the solicitation: (1) click on "Search Public Opportunities"; (2) under Search Criteria, select "Reference Number"; (3) put in the solicitation number (L12PS00118); and (4) click "Search” and the solicitation information will appear. The solicitation form describes what to submit and where to send it. Applicants must be registered at http://www.ccr.gov to be considered for a contract award.

The BLM manages wild horses and burros as part of its overall multiple-use mission. Under the authority of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the BLM manages and protects these living symbols of the Western spirit while ensuring that population levels are in balance with other public rangeland resources and uses. To make sure that healthy herds thrive on healthy rangelands, the BLM must remove thousands of animals from the range each year to control the size of herds, which have virtually no predators and can double in population every four years. The current free-roaming population of BLM-managed wild horses and burros is 38,500, which exceeds by nearly 12,000 the number determined by the BLM to be the appropriate management level. Off the range, there are more than 45,000 wild horses and burros cared for in either short-term corrals or long-term pastures. All these animals, whether on or off the range, are protected by the BLM under the 1971 law.

BLM Announces Three Selections for National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 06:35:20 -0700

The Bureau of Land Management announced today that it has made selections for three positions on the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. The BLM has chosen Callie Hendrickson of Grand Junction, Colorado, as a new appointee for the category of General Public; June C. Sewing of Cedar City, Utah, as a new appointee for the category of Wild Horse and Burro Advocacy; and Boyd M. Spratling, DVM, of Deeth, Nevada, as a re-appointee to the category of Veterinary Medicine. These individuals will each serve three-year terms as members of the Advisory Board.

Ms. Hendrickson is Executive Director, White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts, and owner and consultant for E-Z Communications. As executive director of the conservation districts, Ms. Hendrickson has extensive experience in addressing public rangeland health concerns for the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts. Her career is focused on natural resource policy development and education. She has served on the Colorado Foundation for Water Education, Mesa County 4-H Foundation, Mesa County Farm Bureau, and the Mesa County Cattlewomen. Ms. Hendrickson replaces Janet M. Jankura.

Ms. Sewing is Executive Director and Secretary for the National Mustang Association, for which she has worked since 1985. Her current responsibilities include management of the association’s wild horse sanctuary. Ms. Sewing has also served as the president of various charitable organizations, as trustee on the Cedar City hospital board for 20 years, and on a local committee dealing with the endangered Utah prairie dog. Ms. Sewing has received a Citizen Volunteer award from the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Realtors, and Southern Utah University. Ms. Sewing replaces Robin Lohnes.

BLM Issues Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Oil Shale and Tar Sands

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 07:30:30 -0700

Preferred Alternative Identifies Research and Development as Appropriate First Step on Public Lands

Opens 90-day public review and comment period

BLM and Forest Service Announce 2012 Grazing Fee

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:00:20 -0700

The Federal grazing fee for 2012 will be $1.35 per animal unit month (AUM) for public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and $1.35 per head month (HM) for lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The 2012 fee is the same as last year’s.

BLM Extends Deadline for Nominations for Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0700

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has extended to March 30 the deadline for nominations for the 2012 Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards. These awards recognize solid mineral (non-coal) development operations that embody the principles of sustainable development or represent outstanding examples of reclamation or environmental stewardship.

BLM Seeks Nominations to Resource Advisory Councils

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:20 -0700

The Bureau of Land Management announced on January 25, 2012, that it is seeking public nominations for open positions on its 29 Resource Advisory Councils, which advise the BLM on public land issues. As advertised in the Federal Register, the BLM will consider nominations for 45 days.