BLM issues Interim Management orders on sage-grouse PDF Print E-mail
Written by Jim Sloan   
Sunday, 08 January 2012 17:31
WSFF_Crossroads_SageGrouse_200The Bureau of Land Management has issued instructions to its state offices to take immediate steps to protect a dwindling greater sage grouse population in 10 Western states.

In two separate directives, called Instructional Memorandums (IMs) in BLM parlance, BLM Director Bob Abbey outlined how he wants the BLM to manage sage-grouse habitat while the agency revises Resource Management Plans for BLM lands in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

In a public release, Abby said the goal of the IMs is to restore and maintain sage-grouse and their habitat “while also facilitating safe and responsible energy development and recreational opportunities that power our economy."

For example, in “priority” sage-grouse habitat that includes breeding, brood-rearing and winter concentration areas, human-caused disturbance would be limited to less than 2.5 percent of the species’ total habitat.

In March 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ruled that listing sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act was “warranted but precluded” because it was busy with more-troubled species. But it said the BLM and U.S. Forest Service are not “fully implementing the regulatory mechanisms available” to ensure the species’ conservation, which is why the two agencies are trying to address the FWS’s concerns.

As part of that effort, the BLM and USFS are holding five scoping meetings in Nevada to allow people to talk to staff and resource specialists about what the agencies should address in the environmental impact statements to evaluate conservation measures for sage-grouse.The BLM and the USFS have identified the following preliminary issues to address in its environmental analysis: greater sage-grouse habitat management, fluid minerals, coal mining, hard rock mining, mineral materials, rights-of-way, renewable energy development, wildfire, invasive species, grazing, off highway vehicle management and recreation.

The scoping meetings will follow an open house format; no formal presentations will be given so participants may arrive at any time during the meeting. The meetings will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at all Nevada locations except for the meeting in Ely, which will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Here's the schedule:

• Tonopah, Jan. 9, Tonopah Convention Center, 301 Brougher Ave
• Ely, Jan. 10, BLM Office, 702 N. Industrial Way
• Elko, Jan. 11, Hilton Garden Inn, 3650 Idaho Street
• Winnemucca, Jan. 12, Winnemucca Inn, 741 W. Winnemucca Blvd
• Reno, Jan. 30, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Hyatt Place, 1790 E. Plumb Lane

The 60-day comment period ends Feb. 7. Comments and requests to be added to the mailing list may be made to the BLM during the scoping meetings, by email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by mail: Western Region Project Manager, BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, NV 89502. Additional information is available at the BLM’s greater sage-grouse website at: www.blm.gov/sagegrouse. Questions may be emailed to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

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