Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is embarking on a 

process to amend the Grand Staircase-Escalante National 

Monument Management Plan (MMP). For most of the 

Monument, land-use decisions for livestock grazing date 

to the early 1980s, well before Monument designation and 

development of the MMP. As part of the plan amendment 

process, BLM will prepare an Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS).

Your involvement is critical to this process. Please join 

us to help identify issues and concerns associated with 

livestock grazing in the planning area. You are encouraged 

to attend our public scoping meetings in December and our 

socio-economic workshops in January. Your involvement 

will help inform the EIS process. Many of you may 

remember the situation assessment related to livestock 

management on Grand-Staircase-Escalante National 

Monument (GSENM) that occurred in 2012. At that time, 

many local community members and leaders participated 

in the situation assessment. Information and insights 

gathered during those discussions will also help inform this 

EIS process.

Since the 1980s much has changed at the local, regional, 

and national levels. The Monument was established; land 

acquisitions transferred thousands of acres of inholdings 

to BLM within the Monument’s boundary; new BLM policy 

and guidance have been provided; visitation to the area is 

steadily increasing; and the use of science as a basis for 

land management has become a priority.

Amending the MMP will allow the integration of livestock 

grazing and rangeland management with the management 

of other resources. This plan amendment is needed to 

provide for the comprehensive management of livestock 

grazing that ensures protection of the objects and 

values included in Presidential Proclamation 6920 which 

established the Monument. 

GSENM has livestock grazing management responsibility 

for approximately two million acres of federal lands in 

Kane and Garfield Counties, Utah and Coconino County, 

Arizona. This includes BLM lands within GSENM and 

additional lands within portions of the Kanab Field Office 

(KFO) and the Arizona Strip Field Office (ASFO), as well 

as lands managed by the National Park Service (NPS) in 

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (GCNRA).

The NPS is cooperating in the preparation of this plan 

amendment and will also be making a decision for 

GCNRA lands consistent with that area’s enabling 

legislation. The amendment is also needed to integrate 

GCNRA values and purposes into livestock management 

decisions for lands within the recreation area where 

GSENM administers livestock grazing.

To keep you updated on the project, we will be writing 

articles for the local newspapers, updating information on 

the GSENM website, and providing newsletters such as 

this. 

Thank you for your interest in livestock grazing 

management on GSENM, GCNRA, and other public 

lands within the planning area. We look forward to 

hearing from you and to your continued involvement in 

this important planning process.

Sincerely,

Rene C. Berkhoudt

Monument Manager

Grand Staircase-Escalante 

National Monument

Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment - EIS

SCOPING NEWSLETTER - November 2013

Grand Staircase-Escalante 

National Monument

Bureau of Land Management

U.S. Department of the Interior

BLM
Page 2 - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Scoping Newsletter - November 2013

The BLM is an agency in the US Department of the Interior that manages approximately a quarter billion acres – more than any other Federal agency. This land, 

known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. Approximately 27 million acres of BLM administered 

lands make up the collection of National Conservation Lands, also known as the National Landscape Conservation System. These include BLM National Monuments, 

National Conservation Areas, Wilderness Areas, Wilderness Study Areas, and National Scenic and Historic Trails. The mission of the National Conservation Lands 

is to conserve, protect, and restore these nationally significant landscapes that are recognized for their outstanding cultural, ecological, and scientific values. 

Background

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument – 

BLM’s first National Monument - was established in 

1996 by Presidential Proclamation 6920 under the 

Antiquities Act of 1906 to protect a spectacular array 

of historic, biological, geological, paleontological, 

and archeological objects. Within the planning 

area 79 allotments are available and managed for 

livestock grazing, and 16 areas have been identified 

as unavailable for livestock grazing by past land use 

planning decisions. Currently, 91 permittees are 

authorized to graze cattle and horses in the planning 

area.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area was established 

in 1972 to provide for public outdoor recreation use 

and enjoyment of Lake Powell and adjacent lands 

and to preserve the scenic, scientific, and historic 

features contributing to public enjoyment of the area. 

The Recreation Area has the largest livestock grazing 

program in the NPS. Per the enabling legislation 

for GCNRA and by means of a Memorandum of 

Understanding, BLM administers 19 grazing allotments 

totaling more than 300,000 acres within the planning 

area. 

The MMP became effective February 2000 and 

provides both a set of decisions outlining management 

direction and creates a framework for future planning 

and decision making. The MMP, however, deferred 

decisions related to livestock grazing and did not 

identify lands available or not available for that 

use. Instead it directed BLM to complete grazing 

assessments, allotment management plans, and 

authorizations by July 2003. Immediately after 

the MMP became effective, a decade-long grazing 

management planning process was initiated. Though a 

Draft EIS was released in 2008, that planning effort was 

later terminated.

 

Common Acronymns

• BLM - Bureau of Land Management

• NPS - National Park Service

• GSENM - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

• GCNRA - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

• MMP - Monument Management Plan

• EIS - Environmental Impact Statement

• NOI - Notice of Intent

Brent Stettler

Brent Stettler
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Scoping Newsletter - November 2013 - Page 3

The Planning Area and 

Decision Area

The planning area includes all public lands within 

GSENM and public lands for which GSENM has 

livestock grazing management responsibility. This 

includes BLM lands within GSENM and additional lands 

within portions of the KFO and the ASFO as well as 

lands managed by the NPS in GCNRA. Small areas of 

additional state, municipal, and private lands also border 

or are contained within the planning area.

GSENM's decision area for this planning effort includes 

all BLM lands within the Monument and BLM lands for 

which the Monument has livestock grazing management 

responsibility. The decision area for GCNRA includes 

lands within the Recreation Area for which GSENM 

has livestock grazing management responsibility. The 

decision area does not include state, municipal, or 

private lands. 

Cooperating Agencies

The cooperating agency role derives from the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 

which calls on federal, state, and local governments 

to cooperate with the goal of achieving “productive 

harmony” between humans and their environment. The 

cooperating agency relationship is distinctive, moving 

beyond consultation to engage officials and staff of 

other agencies and levels of government in working 

partnerships. For this planning effort, the following 

entities will be participating as Cooperating Agencies:

• NPS-Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

• State of Utah

• Garfield County

• Kane County

This high, rugged, and remote region, where bold plateaus and multihued 

cliffs run for distances that defy human perspective, was the last place in 

the continental United States to be mapped. 

-Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument 

Presidential Proclamation 6920
Process Milestones Public Participation Components

The Decisions to be Made

The Utah BLM State Director will decide whether to 

amend the MMP and integrate planning decisions for 

livestock grazing and rangeland management into the 

existing management plan. The underlying goal for 

completing the EIS process is to enable sustained use 

of the land through improved land health and sciencebased grazing management.

In his decision, the State Director will determine which 

lands are and are not available for livestock grazing 

and identify an area-wide amount of forage available for 

livestock grazing. 

In making his decision, the State Director will consider:

• other uses for the land,

• terrain characteristics,

• soil, vegetation, and watershed characteristics,

• the presence of undesirable vegetation, such as 

invasive weed infestations, and

• the presence of other resources that may require 

special management or protection, such as special 

status species or special recreation management 

areas.

The NPS is cooperating in the preparation of the 

environmental analysis and will be issuing a separate 

decision for lands within GCNRA. The NPS decision 

will be consistent with the GCNRA enabling legislation 

and will integrate GCNRA values and purposes into 

livestock management decisions for lands within the 

recreation area where GSENM administers livestock 

grazing.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument 

Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment Process 

Conduct Scoping

Record of Decision

Approved Plan Amendment

Proposed Plan Amendment

Final EIS

Draft Plan Amendment

Draft EIS

Identify a 

Preferred Alternative

Analyze Effects 

of Alternatives 

Formulate Alternatives

Analyze the 

Management Situation

• Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare EIS published in 

the Federal Register

• BLM invites participation of Cooperating Agencies

• Public scoping solicited through the NOI, letters, 

e-mails, and public meetings

• Notice of Availability to review Draft Plan Amendment/

Draft EIS published in the Federal Register 

• Draft Plan Amendment/EIS released for 90-day 

comment period

• Notice of Availability for Proposed Plan Amendment/

Final EIS published in the Federal Register 

• 60-day Governor’s Consistency Review provided

• 30-day protest period provided

Page 4 - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Scoping Newsletter - November 2013

November 2013 to 

January 2014

Fall 2016

Spring 2016

Summer 2015

Spring 2015

Fall 2014 to

 Winter 2014/2015

Summer 2014

Spring 2014

The Federal Register notices and other documents 

developed throughout the planning process will 

be available to the public on the BLM's planning 

website: http://blm.gov/pgld.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Scoping Newsletter - November 2013 - Page 5

Preliminary Planning Criteria

During its initial planning sessions, GSENM staff 

developed preliminary planning criteria (see below). 

Planning criteria establish constraints, guidelines, and 

standards for the planning process. They help define 

the scope of the process and estimate the extent of data 

collection and analysis. The BLM requests your input 

and may modify these criteria based on your comments.

• The process will be limited to making land use planning 

decisions specific to livestock grazing.

• Lands addressed in the process will be public lands 

managed by BLM and NPS.

• Land use planning decisions must be consistent with 

the purpose and objectives outlined in the presidential 

proclamation for the GSENM and the enabling legislation 

for GCNRA, as applicable.

• The approved GSENM plan amendment will comply with 

all applicable laws, regulations, and BLM and NPS policies 

and guidance.

• Socio-economic analysis will use an accepted input-output 

quantitative model such as IMPLAN or RIMSII, and/or JEDI 

for analysis.

• BLM and NPS will coordinate and communicate with state, 

local, Tribal, and other federal governments, and provide 

ample opportunities for those governments to comment on 

the development of amendments.

• The BLM and NPS will review and use as appropriate 

current scientific information, research, technologies, 

and results of inventory, monitoring, and coordination to 

determine appropriate management strategies.

• The Plan Amendment will be based on the principles of 

Adaptive Management. 

Preliminary Planning Issues

A planning issue is a matter of controversy over 

resource management activities or land use that is well 

defined and entails alternative actions or decisions. 

BLM has identified preliminary planning issues (see 

below). Though we expect many public issues and 

concerns to fall within one of these statements, we do 

not presume that they are all-encompassing. The issue 

statements may be revised based on the comments we 

receive and new issue statements may be added. The 

BLM requests your comments on these or other issues 

associated with livestock grazing within the planning 

area.

• Effects on GSENM proclamation-identified scientific and 

historic objects and values.

• Lands available for livestock grazing within the planning 

area.

• Effects on the resources and values for which GCNRA was 

established.

• Forage currently available on an area-wide basis for 

livestock grazing and available for future anticipated 

demands. 

• Guidelines and criteria for future allotment-specific 

adjustments, such as rotational grazing plans which affect 

the livestock use.

• Impacts on local custom and culture as well as the area’s 

economy. 

• Management of existing rangeland improvement seedings.

The monument has a long and dignified human history: it is a place where one can 

see how nature shapes human endeavors in the American West, where distance and 

aridity have been pitted against our dreams and courage. Early Mormon pioneers left 

many historic objects, including trails, inscriptions, ghost towns such as the Old Paria 

townsite, rock houses, and cowboy line camps, and built and traversed the renowned 

Hole-in-the-Rock Trail as part of their epic colonization efforts.

-Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument 

Presidential Proclamation 6920

The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument’s 

vast and austere landscape embraces a spectacular 

array of scientific and historic resources. The 

monument presents exemplary opportunities for 

geologists, paleontologists, archeologists, historians, and 

biologists.

-Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument 

Presidential Proclamation 6920
Page 6 - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Scoping Newsletter - November 2013

How You Can Participate

Public involvement is an integral part of preparing 

the Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment. The public 

scoping period gives the public and interested agencies 

and organizations the opportunity to provide comments 

on issues to be addressed and methods to be used in 

the development of the plan amendment before BLM 

begins drafting it. Public comment opportunities allow 

you to be involved in the decision-making process 

and to ensure your voice is heard. People often have 

valuable information about places and resources they 

consider important, information BLM may not have. 

The official scoping period began with the publication of 

the NOI in the Federal Register on November 4, 2013 

and will close on January 13, 2014. During the scoping 

period, the BLM will host three public open houses in 

Kanab, Escalante, and Salt Lake City. Details for these 

meetings are provided below.

The public is formally invited and encouraged to 

participate in the planning process during the public 

scoping period. Some ways in which you can 

participate include:

• Attending one or more of the public scoping 

meetings. BLM and NPS staff will be available to 

answer questions.

• Providing written comments related to the planning 

effort.

• Reviewing the progress of the project on-line: 

http://blm.gov/pgld.

• Joining the GSENM Livestock Grazing Plan 

Amendment mailing list to receive future mailings and 

information. 

If you would like to join the mailing list or have questions 

about the planning effort, please contact us via telephone, 

email, fax, or mail. And please let us know if we can 

provide future mailings via email to conserve paper. 

CALL: Katherine Farrell at (435) 644-1257

EMAIL: BLM_UT_GS_EIS@blm.gov 

FAX: (435) 644-1250

MAIL: Bureau of Land Management

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

669 S. HWY 89-A

Kanab, UT 84741

TUESDAY 

Dec. 10, 2013

KANAB, UTAH

Monument Headquarters

669 South Hwy 89A

6 PM to 9 PM

WEDNESDAY 

Dec. 11, 2013

ESCALANTE, UTAH

Escalante Visitor Center

755 West Main Street

6 PM to 9 PM

THURSDAY 

Dec. 12, 2013

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

Salt Lake City Main Library

210 South 400 North

6 PM to 9 PM

You are encouraged to attend the public scoping meetings.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Scoping Newsletter - November 2013 - Page 7

We Want Your Ideas

We are taking your comments now. At this initial stage 

in the planning process, we are looking to hear from 

you about issues you believe need to be addressed in 

the Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment. You may want 

to bring particular places or resources to our attention.

We are very interested in your ideas and look forward 

to hearing from you during the scoping period. Your 

comments will help us focus the planning process.

We welcome any and all comments. The most helpful 

comments will accomplish one or more of the following:

■ Provide information specific to public lands for 

which GSENM has livestock grazing management or 

administration responsibility.

■ Present information relevant to the preliminary 

planning issues on page 5, such as:

•	 Identifying other issues that should be considered,

•	 Providing information related to the issues, or

•	 Suggesting reasons why we may not want to consider 

certain issues.

■ Recommend ways we might address issues or 

impacts associated with livestock grazing in the 

planning area, such as:

•	 Providing solution-oriented or specific examples,

•	 Describing potential alternatives,

•	 Suggesting ways to mitigate or reduce potentially 

harmful effects,

•	 Pointing to scientific studies or research, or

•	 Providing information or data you may have collected.

■ Present information relevant to the preliminary 

planning critieria on page 5, such as: 

•	 Identifying other criteria that should be considered, or

•	 Providing information related to the criteria.

■ Describe changes in livestock grazing management 

you would like to see and why you believe the changes 

are important.

You can email, fax, or mail your comments.

Email: BLM_UT_GS_EIS@blm.gov

Fax: (435) 644-1250

Mail: Bureau of Land Management 

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

669 S. HWY 89-A

Kanab, UT 84741

Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, 

or other personal identifying information in your comment, 

be advised that your entire comment, including personal 

identifying information, may be made publicly available at 

any time. While you can ask us to withhold your personal 

identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee 

that we will be able to do so.

Please provide comments 

by January 13, 2014.

R. Stewart

Stacy Sanchez
US Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

669 South HWY 89A

Kanab, UT 84741

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300

BLM Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment/EIS 

Scoping Newsletter

Mark Your Calendars 

Public Scoping Period 

November 4, 2013 to January 13, 2014

Socio-Economic Workshops

January 15 to 17, 2014 

Draft EIS – Plan Amendment Available for 90-Day Public Review and Comment 

Summer 2015

Proposed Plan Amendment - Final EIS Available for 30-day Public Review and Protest

Spring 2016

Records of Decision Issued and Plan Amendment Approved

Fall 2016

Grand Staircase-Escalante 

National Monument

Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment - EIS

SCOPING NEWSLETTER - November 2013

, visit For more information

the BLM’s project website:

http://blm.gov/pgld