Greater Sage-grouse Directives

The following directives have been identified by BLM Librarians as relevant to the BLM's Greater sage-grouse conservation initiative.

Please note that instruction memoranda and information bulletins have a fixed life-span and include an expiration date. Expired policy below is marked as Obsolete. Resources designated as internal use only are available to users on the BLM network; for assistance, please contact the BLM Library.

This page includes instruction memoranda (IMs) and information bulletins (IBs) organized by issuing office: Washington Office IMs; State Office IMs; Washington Office IBs; Fire and Aviation IBs; and State Office IBs. 

Please note that you may access current BLM policy documents through the Library Policy Resources page.

WASHINGTON OFFICE INSTRUCTION MEMORANDA

IM Number	Subject	Date
WO-2022-056	Gunnison and Greater Sage-Grouse (including the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment) Habitat Assessment Policy	09-13-2022
WO-2020-027	Update to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Handbook documenting the Mule Deer and Sage Grouse Categorical Exclusion (CX) Directed by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Interim Guidance)	06-04-2020
WO-2018-026	Implementation of Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Management Plan Revisions or Amendments – Oil & Gas Leasing and Development Prioritization Objective - Obsolete	12-27-2017
WO-2018-025	Implementation of the Habitat Objectives Table from the 2015 Greater Sage-Grouse Approved Resource Management Plans and Amendments	12-27-2017
WO-2018-024	Setting Priorities for Review and Processing of Grazing Authorizations and Related Livestock Grazing Monitoring	12-27-2017
WO-2018-023	Incorporating Thresholds and Responses into Grazing Permits/Leases	12-27-2017
WO-2018-022	Process for Evaluating Greater Sage-Grouse Land Use Plan Adaptive Management Hard and Soft Triggers	12-27-2017
WO-2018-021	Gunnison and Greater Sage-Grouse (including the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment) Habitat Assessment Policy	12-27-2017
WO-2016-148	Preliminary Target Allocation Directives for Fiscal Year 2017 and Accomplishment Reporting Guidance for Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017 for Vegetation and Habitat Protection Project Work in Sage-Grouse Habitat (Internal) - Obsolete	08-25-2016
WO-2016-145	Tracking and Reporting Surface Disturbance and Reclamation - Obsolete	09-01-2016
WO-2016-144	Gunnison and Greater Sage-Grouse (including the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment) Habitat Assessment Policy - Obsolete	09-01-2016
WO-2016-143	Implementation of Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Management Plan Revisions or Amendments - Oil & Gas Leasing and Development Sequential Prioritization - Obsolete	09-01-2016
WO-2016-142	Incorporating Thresholds and Responses into Grazing Permits/Leases - Obsolete	09-01-2016
WO-2016-141	Setting Priorities for Review and Processing of Grazing Authorizations in Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat - Obsolete	09-01-2016
WO-2016-140	Process for Assessing, Coordinating, and Implementing Greater Sage-Grouse Land Use Plan Adaptive Management Hard and Soft Triggers - Obsolete	09-01-2016
WO-2016-139	Policy for Resource Management Plan Effectiveness Monitoring for Renewable Resources with Additional Guidance for Plans Implementing the Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Strategy - Obsolete	09-01-2016
WO-2016-115	Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Treatments within Sage-Grouse Habitat - Obsolete	06-24-2016
WO-2016-058	Completing Implementation Planning Targets for Land Use Plans and Amendments Associated with the National Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy - Obsolete	03-16-2016
WO-2016-040	Travel and Transportation Management Planning Schedules, Project Plans to Implement Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Management Plan Amendment or Revision Decisions - Obsolete	02-12-2016
WO-2016-038    Change 1	Change 1 to the Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation and Related Activities Funding Policy, Allocation, Directives, and Guidance for Fiscal Year 2016 Instruction Memorandum (Internal) - Obsolete	04-08-2016
WO-2016-038	Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation and Related Activities Funding Policy, Allocation, Directives, and Guidance for Fiscal Year 2016 (Internal) - Obsolete	02-03-2016
WO-2016-004	Fiscal Year 2016 Directed Allocations in Fuels, Wildlife, and Burned Area Rehabilitation (Internal) - Obsolete	10-14-2015
WO-2014-134	Completion of Wildfire and Invasive Species Assessments in Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat (Internal) - Obsolete	08-28-2014
WO-2014-114	Sage-grouse Habitat and Wildland Fire Management (Internal) - Obsolete	07-18-2014
WO-2014-100	Gunnison Sage-grouse Habitat Management Policy on Bureau of Land Management-administered Lands in Colorado and Utah - Obsolete [Note: This IM pertains to a different species of sage-grouse which was federally listed as a threatened species in 2014.]	05-30-2014
WO-2013-128	Sage-grouse Conservation in Fire Operations and Fuels Management (Internal) - Obsolete	05-23-2013
WO-2012-074	Use of ePlanning to Support the National Greater Sage-grouse Planning Strategy - Obsolete	03-01-2012
WO-2012-044	BLM National Greater Sage-grouse Land Use Planning Strategy - Obsolete	12-27-2011
WO-2012-043	Greater Sage-grouse Interim Management Policies and Procedures - Obsolete	12-22-2011
WO-2011-138	Sage-grouse Conservation Related to Wildland Fire and Fuels Management (Internal) - Obsolete	06-13-2011
WO-2010-149	Sage-grouse Conservation Related to Wildland Fire and Fuels Management - Obsolete	06-21-2010
WO-2010-084	Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Treatments within Sage-grouse Habitat - Obsolete	03-24-2010
WO-2010-071	Gunnison and Greater Sage-grouse Management Considerations for Energy Development (Supplement to National Sage-grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy) - Obsolete	03-05-2010
WO-2010-022	Managing Structures for the Safety of Sage-grouse, Sharp-tailed Grouse, and Lesser Prairie-chicken - Obsolete	12-02-2009
WO-2009-088	Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Conservation Data Call for Fiscal Year 2008 (Internal) - Obsolete	03-12-2009
WO-2008-204	Offsite Mitigation - Obsolete	09-30-2008
WO-2008-142, Change 1	2008/2009 Wildfire Season and Sage-grouse Conservation - Obsolete	05-19-2009
WO-2008-142	2008 Wildfire Season and Sage-grouse Conservation - Obsolete	06-19-2008
WO-2007-062	Range-wide Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Connectivity Mapping and Analysis Workshops - Obsolete	02-08-2007
WO-2006-030	Greater Sage-grouse Information Request for Fiscal Year 2005 (Internal) - Obsolete	10-24-2005
WO-2005-024	National Sage-grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy (Internal) - Obsolete	11-16-2004
WO-2004-187	Estimating the Budget for Bureau of Land Management's Greater Sage-grouse Conservation Efforts (Internal) - Obsolete	06-07-2004
WO-2004-180	Greater Sage-grouse Information Request for Land Use Planning Areas (Internal) - Obsolete	05-13-2004
WO-2004-136	Sage-grouse and Sagebrush Habitat Conservation (Internal) - Obsolete	03-17-2004
WO-2003-209	National Sage-grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy Development (Internal) - Obsolete	07-03-2003

STATE OFFICE INSTRUCTION MEMORANDA

State / IM Number	Subject	Date
California
CA-2012-009	Addition of the Bi-State DPS of the Greater Sage-grouse to the California-BLM Sensitive Species List - Obsolete	03-16-2012
Colorado
CO-2015-025	2015 Bureau of Land Management Sage-Grouse Habitat Protection, Conservation and Restoration Strategies for Firefighting Efforts (Internal) - Obsolete	07-28-2015
CO-2013-033	Gunnison Sage-grouse Habitat Management Policy on Bureau of Land Management-Administered Lands in Colorado (Internal) - Obsolete  (Attachment 1 and Attachment 2 linked separately (Internal)) - Obsolete	07-15-2013
CO-2010-028	Gunnison Sage-grouse (GUSG) and Greater Sage-grouse (GRSG) Habitat Management Policy on Bureau of Land Management Administered Lands in Colorado (Internal) - Obsolete (Attachment linked separately (Internal)) - Obsolete	08-17-2010
Idaho
ID-2018-002	Greater Sage-grouse, Habitat Planning Map Annual Geographical Information System (GIS) Data Call (Internal) - Obsolete	11-06-2014
ID-2017-018	Disclosure and Use of Greater Sage-Grouse and Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse Lek Data in Documents (Internal) - Obsolete (Attachment linked separately (Internal)) - Obsolete	09-28-2017
ID-2017-002	Greater Sage-grouse, Habitat Planning Map Annual Geographical Information System (GIS) Data Call (Internal) - Obsolete	10-24-2016
ID-2016-030	Land Use Plan (LUP) Crosswalk with LUP Amendments, including the Greater Sage-Grouse (GRSG) Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment (ARMPA) - Obsolete (Attachment linked separately (Internal)) - Obsolete	09-13-2016
ID-2016-024	Greater Sage-Grouse Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment (ARMPA) - Project Conformance Review Process (Internal) - Obsolete (Attachment linked separately (Internal)) - Obsolete	07-27-2016
ID-2016-011	Greater Sage-Grouse Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment and Interim Land Use Plan Amendment Guide - Obsolete	03-14-2016
ID-2016-006	Greater Sage-Grouse, Habitat Planning Map Annual Geographical Information System (GIS) Data Call (Internal) - Obsolete	01-12-2016
ID-2015-039	Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat and Wildland Fire Objectives (Internal) - Obsolete (Attachment 1, attachment 2, attachment 3, attachment 4 and attachment 5 linked separately (Internal)) - Obsolete	06-16-2015
ID-2015-013	Greater Sage-Grouse, Habitat Planning Map Annual Geographical Information System (GIS) Data Call (Internal)	12-24-2014
ID-2014-011	Greater Sage-Grouse, Habitat Planning Map Annual Geographical Information System (GIS) Data Call (Internal) - Obsolete	11-20-2013
ID-2013-036	Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat and Wildland Fire Objectives (Internal) - Obsolete (Attachment 1, attachment 2, attachment 3, attachment 4 and attachment 5 linked separately (Internal)) - Obsolete	06-27-2013
ID-2013-010	Greater Sage-Grouse, Habitat Planning Map Annual Geographical Information System (GIS) Data Call (Internal) - Obsolete	11-26-2012
ID-2009-006	Policy Statement on the Implementation of the Conservation Plan for the Greater Sage-grouse in Idaho - Obsolete	11-06-2008
ID-2008-051	2008 Wildfire Season and Sage-grouse Conservation (Internal) - Obsolete	06-06-2008
Montana/Dakotas
MT-2017-037	Montana/Dakotas Range Improvement Projects and Sage-Grouse Conservation (Internal) - Obsolete	06-19-2017
MT-2016-028	Sage-Grouse Funding Project Submission (Internal) - Obsolete	02-16-2016
MT-2016-035	Implementing Sage Grouse Monitoring (Internal) - Obsolete	03-25-2016
MT-2015-067	2015 Bureau of Land Management Sage­ Grouse Habitat Protection, Conservation and Restoration Strategies for Firefighting Efforts (Internal) - Obsolete	07-10-2015
MT-2011-026	Data Call for the Annual Review of the Greater Sage-grouse (Internal) - Obsolete	02-11-2011
MT-2010-017	Guidance for Greater Sage-grouse Management and Conservation in Resource Management Plan (RMP) Revisions in Management Zones 1 and 2 within the Montana/Dakotas BLM (Internal) - Obsolete	11-30-2009
MT-2009-049	2009 Wildfire Season and Sage-grouse Conservation (Internal) - Obsolete	06-23-2009
MT-2008-062	Fire, Sage-grouse and Key Sage Habitats (Internal) - Obsolete	08-04-2008
MT-2005-018	National Sage-grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy (Internal) - Obsolete	01-07-2005
Nevada
NV-2016-038	Direction for Reporting a Proposed Activity within Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Management Areas; and Requesting a Disturbance Cap Variance and/or a No Surface Occupancy Stipulation Exception, as described in the Nevada and Northeastern California Greater Sage-Grouse Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment (Internal) - Obsolete	06-23-2016
NV-2015-017	Revised Direction for Proposed Activities within Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat (Internal) - Obsolete	02-05-2015
NV-2014-022	Revised Direction for Proposed Activities within Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat (Internal) - Obsolete	07-15-2014
NV-2013-009	Bi-State Distinct Population Segment of Greater Sage-Grouse Interim Management Policies and Procedures - Obsolete	12-03-2012
NV-2012-058	Revised Direction for Proposed Activities within Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat - Obsolete	08-10-2012
NV-2011-075	Directions for Using the Sage-Grouse Form for Proposed Activities within 75% Greater Sage-Grouse Breeding Areas (Internal) - Obsolete	08-19-2011
NV-2010-035	Direction for Completion of the Restoration Mapping (R-mapping) for Sagebrush and Greater and Bi-State Sage-Grouse Habitat (Internal) - Obsolete	05-06-2010
NV-2006-035	Request for Comment on Draft Agreement for Use of Insecticides within Sage-grouse Habitat in Nevada for Mormon Cricket and Grasshopper Suppression (Internal) - Obsolete	03-10-2006
Oregon/Washington
OR-2016-021	Oregon Greater Sage-Grouse Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment Implementation Conformance Review (Internal) - Obsolete	05-24-2016
OR-2013-034	Greater Sage-Grouse Programmatic Candidate Conservation Agreement for Rangeland Management on Bureau of Land Management Lands in Oregon (Internal) - Obsolete	09-30-2014
OR-2009-038	Modification of Guidance Found in the Greater Sage-grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy for Oregon: A Plan to Maintain and Enhance Populations and Habitat (Oregon State Strategy) - Obsolete	06-01-2009
OR-2008-014	Wind Energy Testing and Monitoring Proposals in Sage-grouse Habitat - Obsolete	10-30-2007
OR-2007-073	Sage-grouse Guidelines - Obsolete	07-25-2007
OR-2007-053	OR/ID/NV Cooperative Shrub-Steppe Restoration Partnership - Healthy Lands Initiative (Internal) - Obsolete	04-19-2007
OR-2004-087	Greater Sage-grouse Information Request for Land Use Planning Areas in Oregon for Use by the Oregon Sage-grouse and Sagebrush Habitat Conservation Team (Internal) - Obsolete	06-18-2004
OR-2004-049	Appointment of District Sage-grouse Data Teams (Internal) - Obsolete	03-12-2004
Utah
UT-2016-018	Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Utah Response to the National Asset Prepositioning Strategy for High Priority Sage Grouse Habitat, FA-IM-2016-020, Action Item #4 (Internal) - Obsolete	05-16-2016
UT-2012-047	GIS Dataset Verification for Use in the Greater Sage-grouse Land Use Plan Amendment No Action Alternative (Internal) - Obsolete	04-16-2012
UT-2005-025	National Sage-grouse Strategy Implementation (Internal) - Obsolete	12-20-2004
UT-2004-064	Greater Sage-grouse Information Request for Land Use Planning Areas (Internal) - Obsolete	05-06-2004
UT-2000-056	Sagebrush/Sage-grouse Strategy and Interim Guidance - Obsolete	05-10-2000
Wyoming
WY-2016-024	Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Management Policy on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming Administered Public Lands Including the Federal Mineral Estate (Internal) - Obsolete	08-15-2016
WY-2015-049	BLM Sage­Grouse Habitat Protection/Conservation/Restoration Strategies for Firefighting Efforts (Internal) - Obsolete	08-07-2015
WY-2015-029	Implementation of the Greater Sage-Grouse Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA) for Range Management on BLM Lands in Wyoming (Internal) - Obsolete	03-04-2015
WY-2013-035	Step-by-step Cooperative Strategy for Use of Web-based Density and Disturbance Calculation Tool (DDCT) (Internal)  - Obsolete	06-11-2013
WY-2013-033	Wyoming Sage-grouse 9-Plan RMP Amendment Technical Team (Internal)  - Obsolete	06-03-2013
WY-2012-019	Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Management Policy on Wyoming Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Administered Public Lands Including the Federal Mineral Estate (Internal) - Obsolete	02-10-2012
WY-2010-013	Oil and Gas Leasing Screen for Greater Sage-grouse - Obsolete	12-29-2009
WY-2010-012	Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Management Policy on Wyoming Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Administered Public Lands Including the Federal Mineral Estate - Obsolete	12-29-2009
WY-2004-057	Statement of Policy Regarding Sage-grouse Management Definitions, and Use of Protective Stipulations, and Conditions of Approval (COAs) (Internal) - Obsolete	08-16-2004
WY-2004-054	Conservation Planning for Sage-grouse in Wyoming (Internal) - Obsolete	08-03-2004
WY-2002-014	Request for Comments on Framework Assessment of Sage-grouse Habitat on Public Lands in Wyoming (Internal) - Obsolete	02-20-2002
WY-2001-047, Change 1	Framework Assessment of Sage-grouse Habitat on Public Lands in Wyoming (Internal) - Obsolete	07-13-2001
WY-2001-047	Framework Assessment of Sage-grouse Habitat on Public Lands in Wyoming (Internal) - Obsolete	06-14-2001
WY-2001-007	Review of Guidelines for Managing Prescribed Fire in Sage-grouse Habitats in Wyoming (Internal)  - Obsolete	11-21-2000

 

 

WASHINGTON OFFICE INFORMATION BULLETINS

IB Number	Subject	Date
WO-2017-022	Land Description Criteria for Processing Sagebrush Focal Area Withdrawal Actions and Other Points of Clarification (Internal)	01-12-2017
WO-2015-079	Availability of Bureau of Land Management Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Efforts Data Provided to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Efforts Database	09-14-2015
WO-2015-055	Availability of the Sage-Grouse Habitat Assessment Framework as a BLM Technical Reference 6710-1	06-05-2015
WO-2008-091	Process for Distribution of Key Sage-grouse Habitat Map (Internal)	07-18-2008
WO-2008-059	Greater Sage-grouse Data Call - Obsolete	03-20-2008
WO-2003-109	Briefing Package for Draft National BLM Sage-grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy (Internal)	07-10-2003
WO-2001-129	Sage-grouse Publication (Internal)	07-18-2001
WO-2001-094	Availability of Publication Entitled, "Guidelines to Manage Sage-grouse Populations and Their Habitats" (Internal)	04-11-2001
WO-2001-049	Request for Nominations for a BLM Sagebrush Conservation Strategy Group and Update on Interagency Sagebrush Ecosystem Conservation Planning (Internal) - Obsolete	01-22-2001
WO-2000-138	Review of Draft Management Guidelines for Sagebrush (Artemisia) in the Western U.S. (Internal)	07-07-2000
WO-2000-015	Conference on Sage-grouse and Sagebrush Habitat (Internal) - Obsolete	10-22-1999

 

FIRE AND AVIATION INFORMATION BULLETINS

IB Number	Subject	Date
FA-IB-2017-009	Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Data for Wildland Fire Management Decision Making and Reporting of Acres Burned (Internal)	03-27-2017
FA-IB-2016-007	Greater Sage Grouse Habitat Data for Wildland Fire Management Decision Making & Reporting of Acres Burned, Attachment 1, Attachment 2  (Internal)	04-15-2016

 

STATE OFFICE INFORMATION BULLETINS

State / IB Number	Subject	Date
Colorado
CO-2016-023	Data Request for Five Year Record of Project Applications within Gunnison Sage-Grouse Habitat (Internal) - Obsolete (Attachment 1 - Obsolete)	06-20-2016
Idaho
ID-2017-014	Authorized Actions Within an Existing Right-of-Way (ROW) in Designated Sage-Grouse Habitat (Internal) - Obsolete	06-16-2017
ID-2016-010	Plan Maintenance for the Idaho and Southwestern Montana Greater Sage-Grouse Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment (GRSG ARMPA) - Obsolete (Attachment 1 - Obsolete)	04-25-2016
ID-2015-001	Idaho Southwestern Montana Greater Sage-Grouse (GRSG) Administrative Draft Proposed Plan (ADPP) (Internal) - Obsolete (Attachment 1 and Attachment 2 (Internal) - Obsolete)	01-14-2014
ID-2013-023	Interim Framework for Evaluating Proposed Activities Within Greater Sage-Grouse (GSG) Preliminary Priority and Preliminary General Habitats on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land in Idaho (Internal) - Obsolete (Attachment 1 (Internal) - Obsolete)	07-09-2013
ID-2012-033	Data Call for Fuels Break and Land Use Authorization Data in Support of the Idaho and Southwestern Montana Sub Regional Sage-Grouse Planning Effort (Internal) - Obsolete	08-28-2012
ID-2012-001	Sage-grouse Priority and General Areas in Idaho (Internal) - Rescinded and Obsolete	10-03-2011
Nevada
NV-2017-021	Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Designations and Wildland Fire Reporting Requirements (Internal) - Obsolete	07-11-2017
Oregon/Washington
OR-2003-209	Draft National Sage-grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy (Internal)	07-23-2003
Utah
UT-2017-010	Implementing BLM Utah’s Greater Sage-Grouse Adaptive Management Triggers (Internal) - Obsolete	04-03-2017
UT-2011-015	FY 2011 Greater Sage-grouse Data Call for Annual Status Review (Internal)	02-15-2011
UT-2010-007	Initiation of Utah BLM Sage-grouse Policy Working Group and Identification of Team Members (Internal)	12-18-2009
Wyoming
WY-2010-022	Transmittal of the Publication "Grazing Influence, Management, and Objective Development in Wyoming's Greater Sage-grouse Habitat" (Internal) - Obsolete (Attachment 1 (Internal) - Obsolete)	08-24-2010
WY-2003-002	Sagebrush/Sage-grouse Habitat Maps (Internal)	10-22-2002
WY-2002-044	Review of Draft Wyoming Greater Sage-grouse Conservation Plan (Internal)	08-05-2002
WY-2001-028	Qualitative Assessment and Map Sagebrush/Sage-grouse Habitat in Wyoming (Internal)	03-02-2001