BLM invites public comment on SPRNCA draft Land Health Evaluations and scoping on the associated grazing lease renewals
30-day comment period begins May 18
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TUCSON, Ariz. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tucson Field Office has released draft Land Health Evaluations (LHEs) and has initiated public scoping on the associated lease renewal Environmental Assessment (EA) for the four grazing allotments located partially in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. The May 18 release began a 30-day comment period.
The completion of the LHEs and associated EA will be the BLM’s initial step in managing the four grazing allotments through an adaptive management process as approved in the July 2019 SPRNCA Resource Management Plan (RMP). The purpose of the LHEs is to evaluate existing monitoring data against the Arizona Standards for Rangeland Health (1997) and other site-specific objectives which align with the relevant SPRNCA RMP objectives. The objectives in the SPRNCA RMP further define what “conserve, protect, and enhance” mean for the SPRNCA conservation values per P.L. 100-696. Thus, if the BLM is achieving the SPRNCA RMP objectives, then the BLM is complying with the requirements of the SPRNCA enabling legislation.
The BLM is considering the renewal of four livestock grazing leases for the following allotments: Babocomari, Brunckow Hill, Three Brothers, and Lucky Hills. The four allotments are located north of the town of Sierra Vista, in Cochise County, Arizona.
Each LHE identifies a preliminary determination towards the attainment of Arizona Standards for Rangeland Health for each allotment. In the case of non-achievement of Standards, the LHE would begin to identify causal factors for either not achieving or not making significant progress towards achieving the Standards. Following the preliminary determinations in the draft LHEs, a separate final determination (released as an appendix to the draft EA) identifies attainment or non-attainment of standards and, if applicable, identifies the causal factors.
The BLM is soliciting scoping comments for the EA that will analyze the impacts of renewing the livestock grazing leases on the SPRNCA Allotments. The BLM interdisciplinary team has worked to identify a preliminary purpose and need, range of alternatives, and issues. This information is written up in a “scoping packet” which is meant to assist interested persons in developing their scoping comments. The BLM will use scoping comments to refine the range of alternatives and the issues as well as to inform the impact analysis which has not yet been written. The next opportunity for public comment will be on the draft EA.
In addition, the BLM has put together a StoryMap, as an additional communication tool, that explains the SPRNCA Land Health Evaluation process as well as the Proposed Action for the EA.
Click here to access the StoryMap.
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.