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Millions of acres in the balance as Sage-Grouse scoping meetings start
Exploration and mining on up to 47 million acres of public lands may be impacted by the BLM's decision to develop a national plan to restore sagebrush habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse in 10 western states.

Author: Dorothy Kosich
Posted: Monday , 09 Jan 2012
RENO -

Scoping meetings begin this week in several western mining states which will determine if millions of acres of public land in 10 western states could possibly be withdrawn from mineral exploration, grazing, and other multiple uses to protect sage-grouse breeding grounds and habitat.

The BLM is developing a national plan to preserve, conserve, and restore sagebrush habitat, the home of the Greater Sage-Grouse. The BLM and the U.S. Forest Service are seeking comments in 10 western states on issues that should be addressed in evaluating Greater Sage-Grouse measures in land use plans in 10 western states.

Twenty-six scoping meetings in communities in Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, California, and Utah have been scheduled by the BLM, beginning this week until February 7. After the scoping is complete, the BLM will incorporate a scoping report into the development of four sub-regional environmental impact statements.

On Dec. 27, 2011, the Bureau of Land Management issued Greater Sage-Grouse Interim Management Policies and Procedures for a number of public land uses including locatable and salable minerals, solid minerals leasing, and fluid minerals.

The Interim Management and Planning Direction Instructional Memorandums provide immediate direction for the management of Greater Sage-Grouse habitat while the BLM works on updating multiple-land use plans. Consistent protection measures for the species and its habitat will be incorporated into Resource Management Plans that will provide for longer-term conservation for the Greater Sage-Grouse.

The guidance in these documents apply to up to 47 million acres of land managed by the BLM in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

The Instructional Memorandums (IMs) outline policies and procedures for locatable and saleable minerals that request that holders of notices and mining plans of operation modify their operations to avoid or minimize adverse effects on Greater Sage Grouse habitat.

The IMs cover a wide range of issues associated with carrying out the BLM's multiple-use mandate on public lands in the west including vegetation management; wildlife energy stabilization and burned area rehabilitation; wildfire suppression and fuels management; rights of way for roads, powerlines, pipelines and wind farms; grazing; recreation; wild horse and burro management; and grasshopper and Mormon Cricket control management.

Proposed new policies for locatable minerals would require that new notices and plans of operation comply with the requirements in 43 CFR 3809 surface management regulations to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation. Proposed BLM policies call for open pit mining operations to maintain or enhance Greater Sage-Grouse habitat in cooperation with the BLM, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and state wildlife agencies.