BLM Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Project

The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public input regarding potential issues that may be analyzed in the proposed Sagebrush Ecosystem Management Project. The BLM will be preparing an Environmental Assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act to evaluate environmental impacts from this proposed action. The proposed programmatic action would be District-wide and include portions of Lander, Eureka, Nye, and Esmeralda Counties. Goals for this project include decreasing the severity and intensity of future wildland fires by reducing hazardous fuel loads, sustaining and improving sagebrush plant communities, and managing Phase I and targeted Phase II pinyon-juniper stands in wildlife habitat.

The majority of the project will focus on pinyon-juniper tree removal utilizing a variety of different methods that will be determined at a site specific level. The proposed action will include criteria that will determine where and how treatments will be implemented at each different site. In addition to pinyon-juniper removal, the BLM is also proposing to conduct herbicide treatments to remove non-native plants, allow the seeding and planting of native species and permit the collection of native seeds. The primary purpose and need of this project is to protect and enhance sagebrush plant communities, restore the natural function of riparian areas, and to promote the health of pinyon-juniper stands to improve wildlife habitat and natural resources.

Information gained during this public comment period assist the BLM in identifying potential environmental issues, project alternatives, and mitigation measures associated with the Sagebrush Ecosystem project. The process also provides a mechanism for determining the scope and the significant issues associated with the project so that the EA can focus the analyses on areas of interest and concern. Therefore, public participation during the comment period is a vital component to prepping a comprehensive and informative EA and the BLM appreciates all input received.

General area maps for the proposed action can be viewed at http://bit.ly/2enK6jX. The public comment period will begin on Monday, October 24, 2016 and all comments will be accepted for the record until Wednesday, November 23, 2016. Comments can be written and submitted to the Battle Mountain District Office, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, NV, 89820 ATTN: Sagebrush Ecosystem Management Project Lead, or emailed to blm_nv_bmd_sagebrushecosystem@blm.gov.

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be aware that your entire comment including your personal identifying information may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, the BLM cannot guarantee it will be able to do so. All submissions from organizations and businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety.