Notice2024-24336
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment for Big Game Habitat Conservation for Oil and Gas Management, Colorado
Primary source
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Published
October 22, 2024
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentLand Management Bureau
Abstract
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment for Big Game Habitat Conservation for Oil and Gas Management in Colorado. The Colorado State Director signed the ROD on October 17, 2024, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved RMP Amendment effective immediately.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 204 (Tuesday, October 22, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 22, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84384-84385]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-24336]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_CO_FRN_MO4500182534]
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Approved
Resource Management Plan Amendment for Big Game Habitat Conservation
for Oil and Gas Management, Colorado
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability
of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Approved Resource Management
Plan (RMP) Amendment for Big Game Habitat Conservation for Oil and Gas
Management in Colorado. The Colorado State Director signed the ROD on
October 17, 2024, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and
makes the Approved RMP Amendment effective immediately.
DATES: The Colorado State Director signed the ROD on October 17, 2024.
ADDRESSES: The ROD/Approved RMP Amendment is available online at
<a href="https://go.usa.gov/xzXxY">https://go.usa.gov/xzXxY</a>. Printed copies of the ROD/Approved RMP
Amendment are available for public inspection at the Colorado State
Office, Denver Federal Center Building 40, Lakewood, CO 80215, or can
be provided upon request by contacting the BLM at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fbb9b7b6a4b8b4a498948989929f948988a48b979a959592959cbb999796d59c948d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1d5f5150425e52427e726f6f7479726f6e426d717c737374737a5d7f7170337a726b">[email protected]</span></a>.
A copy of the Protest Resolution Report is available at: <a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports">https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Bittner, Deputy State Director,
Resources, telephone 303-239-3768; address BLM Colorado State Office,
Attn: Big Game Corridor amendment/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),
Denver Federal Center Building 40, P.O. Box 151029, Lakewood, CO 80215;
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b2f0feffedf1fdedd1ddc0c0dbd6ddc0c1edc2ded3dcdcdbdcd5f2d0dedf9cd5ddc4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="31737d7c6e727e6e525e434358555e43426e415d505f5f585f5671535d5c1f565e47">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals in the United
States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech
disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services for contacting Mr. Bittner.
Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services
offered within their country to make international calls to the point-
of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Approved RMP Amendment changes the
following existing plans:
<bullet> Eastern Colorado RMP for the Royal Gorge Field Office (2024)
<bullet> San Luis Resource Area RMP (1991)
<bullet> Gunnison Resource Area RMP (1993)
<bullet> Uncompahgre Field Office RMP (2020)
<bullet> Colorado River Valley Field Office RMP (2015) and Roan Plateau
Amendment (2016)
<bullet> Grand Junction Field Office RMP (2015)
<bullet> Kremmling RMP (2015)
<bullet> Little Snake RMP (2011)
<bullet> White River Field Office RMP (1997)
<bullet> Tres Rios Field Office RMP (2015)
<bullet> Canyons of the Ancients National Monument RMP (2010)
<bullet> Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area RMP (2004)
The planning area includes all counties in Colorado and encompasses
approximately 8.3 million acres of public land and approximately 27
million acres of Federal mineral estate. The decision area includes all
8.3 million acres of BLM-administered surface land (except where
Federal minerals have been withdrawn from mineral leasing) plus
approximately 4.7 million acres of Federal mineral split estate where
the surface is owned by private owners, local government, or the State.
The Approved RMP Amendment describes the actions and management
guidance for the conservation of big game High Priority Habitat (HPH)
and oil and gas management. The RMP Amendment aligns BLM management of
oil and gas in big game HPH with the Colorado Energy and Carbon
Management Commission (ECMC) rules for oil and gas development in elk,
mule deer, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep HPH (Rule 1202.c, d; Rule
1203). Where lands are open to oil and gas leasing under existing RMPs,
the plan prescribes measures consistent with the ECMC rules to conserve
seasonal habitats and connectivity within big game HPH in support of
Colorado Parks and Wildlife's (CPW) big game population objectives. The
approved RMP Amendment calls for the BLM to consider alternative
locations for oil and gas operations that either avoid big game HPH
altogether, or, where avoidance is not feasible, minimize adverse
impacts to the maximum extent possible. The plan includes a controlled
surface use stipulation that limits facility density to no more than
one active oil and gas location per square mile in big game HPH. A
consideration of CPW recommendations for route density is included as
an objective and as a lease notice to further guide implementation.
[[Page 84385]]
This surface density limitation would require the operator to
address adverse direct and unavoidable indirect impacts through
mitigation. This includes avoidance, minimization, and compensatory
mitigation strategies in subsequent implementation-level National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analyses for proposed actions that may
result in big game HPH loss and degradation. Subsequent implementation-
level mitigation could limit the duration and extent of development
activities in big game HPH through all phases of development by
avoiding activities in HPH, applying surface density and timing
limitations, and mitigating residual impacts. The BLM may also require
compensatory mitigation to offset disturbance or density limitation
exceedances and adverse direct and unavoidable indirect impacts that
result in the functional loss of habitat from oil and gas development
in big game HPH. The BLM, after coordination with CPW, will determine
whether compensatory mitigation proposed by the operator is sufficient
to protect big game HPH from adverse direct and unavoidable indirect
impacts.
The BLM has the discretion to require an operator to modify surface
operations to change or add specific mitigation measures when supported
by scientific analysis and consistent with existing rights. Potential
mitigation or conservation measures not already required as
stipulations would be analyzed in a site-specific NEPA document and
incorporated, as appropriate, as conditions of approval of the permit,
plan of development, or other use authorization. The plan would require
operators to develop and implement mitigation plans to minimize and
offset direct, indirect, and cumulative adverse impacts. The RMP
Amendment includes management guidance for enhanced coordination and
use of best available science and information during implementation.
The BLM provided the Proposed RMP/Final EIS on July 19, 2024, for a
30-day protest period and did not receive any valid protests. No
changes to the Proposed RMP Amendment/EIS were necessary.
The BLM provided the Proposed RMP Amendment to the Governor of
Colorado for a 60-day Governor's consistency review. No inconsistencies
with State or local plans, policies, or programs were identified during
the Governor's consistency review of the Proposed RMP Amendment. No
changes to the RMP Amendment or EIS were necessary as a result of the
Governor's consistency review.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2)
Douglas J. Vilsack,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-24336 Filed 10-21-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-16-P
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