BLM and BIA release joint plan for Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas
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NORMAN, Okla. - The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Oklahoma Field Office, in coordination with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Eastern Oklahoma Regional Office and Southern Plains Regional Office, has released the Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas (OKT) Final Joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Bureau of Land Management Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Bureau of Indian Affairs Proposed Integrated Resource Management Plan. This release initiates a 30-day protest period.
Together, the proposed BLM and BIA land use plans enable each agency to manage lands under their administrative authority across the planning area. Within the planning area, the BLM administers 15,100 acres of public land and approximately 4.8 million acres of Federal mineral estate; the BIA Eastern Oklahoma Regional Office manages 394,200 surface acres and approximately 2 million acres of mineral estate; and the BIA Southern Plains Regional Office manages 457,500 surface acres and 632,000 acres of mineral estate. The BIA-administered trust lands include multiple tribal jurisdictional boundaries.
The BLM Proposed RMP and BIA Proposed Integrated RMP will update land use management decisions for resource values such as vegetation, fish and wildlife, energy and minerals, lands and realty, and recreation. The document also facilitates future environmental analysis and permitting of Indian minerals.
Copies of the OKT Final Joint EIS/BLM Proposed RMP and BIA Proposed Integrated RMP are available for review at the following BLM offices: Oklahoma Field Office, 201 Stephenson Parkway, Suite 1200, Norman, Oklahoma and the New Mexico State Office, 301 Dinosaur Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico. An electronic copy of the document, along with supporting information, is available online at www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/plans-in-development/new-mexico/oklahoma-rmp.
Pursuant to the BLM’s planning regulations, any person who participated in the planning process for this land use planning effort, and has a material interest that is or could be adversely impacted by the resultant resource management decisions, can protest approval of the resource management decisions. Comments can be submitted via the web address above, or by mail to: BLM Oklahoma Field Office, Attn.: Patrick Rich, RMP Team Lead, 201 Stephenson Parkway, Suite 1200, Norman, OK 73072. For additional information, please contact Patrick Rich, RMP Team Lead, at 405-579-7154.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.