B L M Bighorn Basin Resource Management Plan Revision Project Supplement to the Bighorn Basin Draft Resource Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement W y o m i n g - C o d y & W o r l a n d F i e l d O f f i c e s Chapters 1 - 6, Appendices, Glossary, and Maps July 2013 The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands. BLM/WY/PL-13/024+1610 This page intentionally left blank. Bighorn Basin Resource Management Plan Revision Project Supplement to the Bighorn Basin Draft Resource Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement Chapters 1 - 6, Appendices, Glossary, and Maps U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Cody Field Office, Wyoming and U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Worland Field Office, Wyoming July 2013 Abstract Supplement to the Bighorn Basin Draft Resource Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement Lead Agency: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Type of Action: Administrative Jurisdiction: Portions of Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie counties, Wyoming Abstract: The Bighorn Basin Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) were released for public review and comment in April 2011 (76 Federal Register [FR] 22721, April 22, 2011). In July 2012, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rocky Mountain Regional Interdisciplinary Team identified the need to prepare a Supplement to the Bighorn Basin Draft RMP and Draft EIS (the Supplement) to consider incorporation of proposed management actions in designated greater sage-grouse Key and Core Habitat Areas and to thoroughly consider the conservation measures identified in the Greater Sage-grouse National Technical Team (NTT) Report on National Greater Sage- Grouse Conservation Measures (Sage-grouse NTT 2011), as referenced in BLM IM No 2012-044 (BLM National Greater Sage-Grouse Land Use Planning Strategy). The Supplement describes and analyzes two additional alternatives (E and F) to address these issues. The Supplement and the Draft RMP and Draft EIS are combined efforts to revise RMPs for the BLM Cody Field Office and BLM Worland Field Office (the Planning Area). The Planning Area is located in north- central Wyoming, and comprises approximately 5.6 million acres of land in Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie counties. Within the Planning Area, the BLM administers approximately 3.2 million acres of surface land and 4.2 million acres of federal mineral estate. The Draft RMP and Draft EIS analyzed alternatives A through D, representing complete land use plans for managing the Planning Area. For the new alternatives analyzed in the Supplement, management under Alternative E is the same as under Alternative B, except it designates Key Habitat Areas for greater sage-grouse as the Greater Sage-Grouse Key Habitat Areas ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern); management under Alternative F is the same as under Alternative D, except it designates Core Habitat Areas for greater sage-grouse as the Greater Sage-Grouse Core Habitat Areas ACEC. The BLM is analyzing ACEC designations for greater sage-grouse priority habitat because this resource was found to meet the relevance and importance criteria that require its consideration as an ACEC. The Supplement only includes new information and rationale needed to support the incorporation of alternatives E and F into the planning process and references the Draft RMP and Draft EIS for context needed to understand the management and impacts discussed. The environmental consequences of alternatives E and F are described in comparison to those of alternatives A through D in the Draft RMP and Draft EIS. Following receipt and consideration of public comments on the Supplement, the BLM will select the Proposed RMP and prepare a Final EIS that integrates content from the Supplement and the Bighorn Basin Draft RMP and Draft EIS. When completed, the Records of Decision for the RMP will provide comprehensive, long-range decisions for (1) managing resources in the BLM Cody and Worland Field Offices and (2) identifying allowable uses on the BLM-administered surface land and mineral estate. Comments are accepted for 90 days following the date the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publishes the Notice of Availability for this Supplement to the Draft RMP and Draft EIS in the Federal Register. Comments should be submitted via email to [email protected]. Alternatively, comments can mailed to: Bighorn Basin RMP and EIS, Bureau of Land Management Worland Field Office, P.O. Box 119, 101 South 23rd Street, Worland, Wyoming 82401. Supplement to the Bighorn Basin Draft RMP and Draft EIS Abstract This page intentionally left blank. Supplement to the Bighorn Basin Draft RMP and Draft EIS