BLM continues planning effort to conserve sage-grouse
Organization
BLM Office:
Media Contact:
As part of a huge effort to conserve the Greater Sage-Grouse and its habitat across 10 western states, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a 90-day public comment period that ended Feb. 20.“We are considering a range of alternatives designed to conserve and protect greater sage grouse habitat," said Joan Suther, Oregon sub-region Greater Sage-Grouse project manager. "We have been working closely with our cooperating agencies, but having these public comments are also important as we develop a plan to go forward."BLM Oregon's interdisciplinary team (IDT) is currently working on addressing public comments and developing the Proposed Resource Management Plan (PRMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), which is scheduled to be issued in July. Public comments will be used to inform the final management decisions. They will be grouped by resource and topic for analysis, and will be included in the final plan so that commenters can see how their comments were addressed.No further public comment opportunities will be available, but there will be a 30 day public review period for the FEIS, as well as a 60 day Governor's consistency review. The Record of Decision is scheduled to be issued in September. The draft Oregon Sub-Regional Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment/EIS would amend the BLM land management plans covering the Andrews, Baker, Lakeview, Steens, Three Rivers, Brothers LaPine (east), Southeastern Oregon, and Upper Deschutes RMPs in Oregon. It considers six possible management alternatives for maintaining and increasing habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse on BLM-administered lands in Oregon. Approximately 10 million acres of Oregon's Greater Sage-Grouse habitat is on BLM-administered lands. The decisions in this RMP Amendment apply only to BLM-administered lands in Oregon. They do not apply to private land. The draft Oregon Sub-Regional Greater Sage-Grouse RMP Amendment/EIS is available at on.doi.gov/H9NDe1 or on.doi.gov/I26YQt.
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.