News
BLM Utah Invites Public to Sage-Grouse Scoping Meetings
As part of a national strategy to evaluate greater sage-grouse conservation measures, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Utah and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) are inviting the public to participate in public scoping meetings to help identify issues to be addressed in an environmental impact statement. Public scoping began on December 9, 2011, when the Notice of Intent was published in the Federal Register.
The scoping meetings, in an open-house format, will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the following locations:
Price
January 17 - Carbon County Event Center - 310 S. Fairgrounds Road
Vernal
January 18 - Western Park Convention Center - 300 East 200 South
Salt Lake City
January 19 - Hampton Inn & Suites-SLC Airport - 307 North Admiral Byrd
Randolph
January 23 - Randolph Senior Center - 5 North Main Street -
Snowville
January 24 - Snowville Town Hall - 20 West Main Street
Richfield
January 30 - Sevier County Clerk - Room #B46 250 North Main
Kanab
January 31 = Kanab City Library - 374 North Main
Cedar City
February 1 - Heritage Center-Festival Hall - 105 North 100 East
A complete list of scoping meeting times and locations can also be found on the BLM’s greater sage-grouse website at http://www.blm.gov/sagegrouse.
These scoping meetings are being held in conjunction with the 60-day public comment period to the Notice of Intent for the two agencies to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to incorporate greater sage-grouse conservation measures into land use plans and land management plans.
The 60-day public comment period provides the public an opportunity to comment on issues that should be addressed in the EIS. The public scoping meetings provide the public an additional opportunity to talk to staff and resource specialists and to submit written comments on the proposal in person.
Based on ongoing threats to the greater sage-grouse and its habitat throughout the West, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2015 deadline for making a decision whether to list the species under the Endangered Species Act, the BLM and the USFS plan to incorporate consistent objectives and conservation measures into all relevant plans by September 2014.
The two agencies have identified the following preliminary issues to address in their environmental analysis, including but not limited to: Greater Sage-grouse habitat management, wildfire, invasive species, rights-of-way, renewable energy development, grazing, off highway vehicle management and recreation.
To ensure that comments and information are fully considered, comments must be received by close of business on February 7, 2012. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
1. Web: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/sagegrouse/western.html
2. Email: sagewest@blm.gov
3. Fax: 775-861-6747
4. Mail: Western Region Project Manager, BLM Nevada State Office,
1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, NV 89502
For more about the BLM’s Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy, visit the following Website: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/sagegrouse.html.