Fortification Creek Area RMP Amendment

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In the Spotlight 2012 Fortification Creek Planning Area Annual Report Available from Buffalo Field Office    >> Annual Monitoring Report Documents Approved Amendment/EA & DR 2011 Wilderness Inventory 2010 Draft Plan Amendment/EA Coordination Letter 2008 Draft Plan Amendment/EA 2008 Summer Newsletter Location Map 2007 Environmental Report 2006 Scoping 2003 PRB FEIS 2001 RMP 1990s WGFD Elk Report 1982 Oil & Gas Plan

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Buffalo Field Office released the Decision Record (DR) and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) for the Fortification Creek Planning Area (FCPA) on August 5, 2011.

The Fortification Creek Planning Area is located in Campbell, Johnson, and Sheridan counties, Wyo. encompassing 100,655 acres. Fortification Creek is an area described as requiring special management in the Powder River Basin Oil and Gas Project Environmental Impact Statement (PRB EIS). It is home to a resident elk herd, a Wilderness Study Area (WSA), and has large areas of steep slopes and sensitive soils.

The DR approves oil and gas development in a phased approach with performance standards to protect elk and their habitat and to protect highly erodible soils. Operators are responsible for demonstrating how they will achieve the elk and reclamation performance standards in order for BLM to process applications for permit to drill (APDs). The decision also requires a monitoring program to ensure compliance with the performance standards.

BLM will produce an annual report summarizing the development and monitoring results. The 2012 annual report is now available.

For more information, contact Thomas Bills at (307) 684-1133 or tbills@blm.gov.