Completing Implementation Planning Targets for Land Use Plans and Amendments Associated with the National Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
         BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240-0036
http://www.blm.gov

March 16, 2016
 

In Reply Refer To:

1610 (210) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 03/29/2016

Instruction Memorandum No. 2016-058

Expires:  09/30/2019

To:           All Field Office Officials

From:       Acting Deputy Director, Operations

Subject:   Completing Implementation Planning Targets for Land Use Plans and Amendments Associated with the National Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy                DD:  05/17/2017

Program Areas:   All Programs, Land Use Planning.

Purpose:  This Instruction Memorandum (IM) directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to complete implementation planning targets (program element DX), consistent with Washington Office (WO) IM-2013-014, Revised Guidance for Establishing Implementation Priorities for Land Use Plans, for all Approved Resource Management Plans (ARMPs) and Amendments (ARMPAs) associated with the National Greater Sage-Grouse (GRSG) Planning Strategy.  This IM also renews IM-2013-014.

Policy/Action:  Affected BLM Field, District, and/or State Offices must complete the implementation planning target (program element DX) for all ARMPs and ARMPAs associated with the National GRSG Planning Strategy by May 1, 2017.  To complete this target, BLM Field, District, and/or State Offices will follow the three-step implementation process (as outlined in WO IM-2013-014, Revised Guidance for Establishing Implementation Priorities for Land Use Plans), which is hereby renewed by this IM.  Planning liaisons within the Division of Decision Support, Planning and NEPA (WO-210) are available to assist with completing this target.

Timeframe:  This IM is effective immediately.

Budget Impact:  Long-term budgetary impacts will be improved as a result of this IM, as the implementation process outlined in WO IM-2013-014 will assist the Field, District, and/or State Offices in identifying and reporting priority actions to implement and evaluate the ARMPs and ARMPAs associated with the National GRSG  Planning Strategy.  However, short term budgetary impacts have and will continue to occur within the first 18 months following the signing of the GRSG RODs on September 21, 2015, as staff and resources will have to be redirected to complete these implementation planning targets (program element DX).  Implementation planning involves active participation from a variety of interdisciplinary staff responsible for implementing the ARMPs and ARMPAs.

Background:  The National GRSG Planning Strategy was initiated in 2011 in response to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) March 2010 “warranted, but precluded” Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing petition decision.  The BLM, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, developed a targeted, multi-tiered, coordinated, collaborative landscape-level management strategy, based on the best available science, which offered the highest levels of protection for GRSG in the most important habitat areas.  The Rocky Mountain Region GRSGROD approved a total of eight RMP revisions and four RMP amendments, the Great Basin Region GRSG ROD approved four RMP amendments, which were signed on September 21, 2015.  The targeted protections afforded in these plans protect the GRSG and its habitat, and over 350 wildlife species associated with the sagebrush-steppe ecosystem, which is widely recognized as one of the most imperiled of its kind in North America.

A documented, well-organized process is essential to the successful implementation of land use plans.  An implementation strategy lists prioritized decisions that (1) will help achieve the desired outcomes of one or more land use plans, and (2) can be implemented given existing or anticipated resources.  Developing implementation strategies enable the BLM to prioritize the preparation of implementation decisions.

Prior to the release of WO-IM-2013-014, land use plan implementation strategies were completed using a collaborative four-step method, consistent with BLM Land Use Planning Handbook (H-1601-1).  In an effort to improve and simplify plan implementation strategies, WO-IM-2013-014 (Revised Guidance for Establishing Implementation Priorities for Land Use Plans) reformatted the process to be followed in three steps aimed at increasing consistency in land use plan implementation; tracking and measuring the progress of plan implementation by connecting workload accomplishments to land use plans; providing stable and attainable targets; and providing BLM Field, District, and State Offices a valuable tool for prioritizing and planning workload.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected:  None.

Coordination:  The Division of Decision Support, Planning & NEPA (WO-210) coordinated preparation of this IM with the Division of Forest, Rangeland, Riparian and Plan Conservation (WO-220), the Division of Fish and Wildlife Conservation (WO-230), the Directorates of Resources and Planning (WO-200) and Energy, Minerals, and Realty Management (WO-300),and the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor.

Contact:  Please direct any questions concerning this IM to Brent Ralston, Division Chief (Acting), Decision Support, Planning and NEPA (WO-210), at 202-912-7289 or to Leah Baker, Branch Chief (Acting) Planning and NEPA (WO-212), at 202-912-7282. 

Signed by:                                                                      Authenticated by:
Mike Pool                                                                      Robert M. Williams
Acting, Deputy Director, Operations                            Division of IT Policy and Planning,WO-870