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.
January 9, 2012
By Dorothy Kosich aka Dorothy Y. Kosich, Deputy Editor and Americas Editor,
Reno, Nevada 775-323-0207; Fax: 775-323-1357
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Reno, Nevada - 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states could possibly be withdrawn from mineral exploration, grazing, and other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 December
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.
Copyright 2012, MineWeb.
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