Title of Resource/Resource Use

Bureau of Land Management

US Department of Interior

Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment EIS

NEWSLETTER #2 - Scoping Results - July 2014

Grand Staircase-Escalante 

National Monument

BLM

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I want to thank everyone who participated in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) Livestock 

Grazing Plan Amendment EIS scoping process and Socioeconomic Workshops. More than 100 people attended the 

public scoping meetings held in December 2013 in Kanab, Escalante, and Salt Lake City, and more than 500 

individuals and groups submitted comments sharing their concerns and ideas regarding management of livestock 

grazing at GSENM. More than 80 people attended the Socioeconomic Workshops hosted in Escalante, Cannonville, 

and Kanab in January 2014. This newsletter reports on the information we received from you, the public, during 

these meetings and workshops, as well as from letters and emails you sent to us.

Based on information you provided, GSENM updated and expanded the planning issues and the planning criteria. 

We also heard from many of you that biological soil crusts are very important. We are discussing biological soil 

crusts with several experts and will host a Biological Soil Crusts Science Forum on August 6 at the Kanab City Library 

so you can hear what we hear.

We want to ensure that the alternatives include a range of options for comprehensive livestock management based 

on your comments. Alternatives will consider ways to sustain use of the land through improved land health while 

being guided by the overall direction given in the Proclamation. To aid in these goals, we are working closely with 

our Cooperating Agencies to formulate preliminary alternatives 

based on input received during the scoping process, the updated 

planning criteria, and the updated planning issues. The preliminary 

alternatives will be released for public review this fall. Comments 

received during the preliminary alternative review will be used to 

finalize the alternatives that will be analyzed in the Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). As we continue this planning 

effort, the success of the final plan amendment and its 

implementation is largely dependent on your continued 

involvement. 

Thanks again for your participation in the public scoping phase of 

this planning effort. We look forward to your continued 

engagement in this important effort.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Staszak

Acting Monument Manager

Grand Staircase-Escalante 

The Grand Staircase-Escalante 

National Monument is preparing an 

amendment to its 2000 Monument 

Management Plan (MMP). Amending 

the MMP will integrate livestock 

grazing and rangeland management 

with the management of other 

resources. The amendment will also 

integrate Glen Canyon National 

Recreation Area values and purposes 

into livestock management decisions 

for lands within the National 

Recreation Area where GSENM 

administers livestock grazing.

This is the second in a series of 

newsletters to keep you informed 

about the planning process and to 

announce the availability of the 

Scoping Report and the Socioeconomic 

Workshop Report.
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 Kanab 

Field Office and the Arizona Strip Field Office as well as 

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

Canyon. 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 NPS includes lands 

within Glen Canyon for which GSENM has livestock grazing 

administration responsibility. The decision area does not 

include state, municipal, or private lands. 

Cooperating Agencies

Five agencies accepted our invitation to participate as 

cooperating agencies in this planning effort:

 NPS-Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

 State of Utah

 Garfield County

 Kane County

 Natural Resource Conservation Service

These agencies are actively involved in the planning process.

Page 2 - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Newsletter #2 Scoping Results - July 2014
Scoping Report

The Scoping Report is now available. Thanks to you, we had a great turnout. 

More than 100 people attended the three scoping meetings held in Kanab, 

Escalante, and Salt Lake City. BLM received 564 letters or comment forms. All 

comments were reviewed and analyzed to identify the issues that will be 

addressed in the Monument Management Plan Amendment. Our team 

identified more than 1,200 comments from your submittals. The results of the 

scoping process are documented in the Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment 

Scoping Report, which can be downloaded from the GSENM website at http://

blm.gov/pgld. A hard copy is available for review at the GSENM Offices in 

Kanab (669 South Highway 89A) and Escalante (755 West Main).

Although our scoping process is completed, BLM will continue to accept and 

consider comments throughout the MMP-A/EIS process.

Socioeconomic Workshops 

Report

The Socioeconomic Workshops Report is available. More than 80 people 

attended the three workshops held in Kanab, Escalante, and Cannonville. 

The results of the workshops are documented in the Livestock Grazing 

Plan Amendment Socioeconomic Workshops Report. Based on your hard 

work, we developed five representative scenarios for use in the 

socioeconomic analysis. The report can be downloaded from the GSENM 

website at http://blm.gov/pgld. A hard copy is available for review at 

the GSENM Offices in Kanab and Escalante.

The BLM is an agency in the US Department of the Interior that manages approximately one-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.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Newsletter #2 Scoping Results - July 2014 - Page 3
Planning Issues

BLM defines planning issues as disputes or controversies 

about existing and potential land and resource allocations, 

levels of resource use, production, and related 

management practices. Planning issues will provide the 

major focus for development of alternatives. During the 

scoping process, we requested information from you on 

seven preliminary planning issues. 

The comments received were analyzed to update and 

expand the preliminary issues related to management of 

livestock in the planning area. These issues will assist in 

determining the alternatives developed and analyzed in the 

MMP-A/EIS. 

The following planning issues will guide the development of 

the MMP-A/EIS. Planning issues may be updated or refined 

throughout the planning process. 

1. Effects of livestock grazing management on GSENM

proclamation-identified scientific and historic objects and 

values.

2. Effects of livestock grazing management on the resources

and values for which Glen Canyon was established (e.g., 

public outdoor recreation use and enjoyment, scenic, 

scientific, and historic features).

3. Lands available for livestock grazing in the decision area.

4. Forage currently available on an area-wide basis for

livestock grazing and available for future anticipated 

demands.

5. Guidelines and criteria for future allotment-specific

adjustments, such as amount of forage available for 

livestock, season of use, or other grazing management 

practices.

6. Management of existing range improvement seedings

and opportunities for future range improvements.

7. Effects of livestock grazing management on vegetation,

including riparian vegetation.

8. Effects of livestock grazing management on soils,

including biological soil crusts.

9. Effects of climate change and drought on forage

availability.

10. Effects of livestock grazing management on local custom

and culture.

11. Effects of livestock grazing management on the area’s

economy.

12. Effects of livestock grazing management on recreation.

BLM must analyze a broad range of alternatives through the 

planning process. GSENM, along with our Cooperating Agencies, 

will develop alternatives to consider different scenarios for 

managing livestock and rangelands. During the scoping process, 

many commenters made suggestions on how to manage 

livestock. Two submissions included proposed alternatives. 

Many scoping participants described livestock grazing as an 

important part of their livelihood as well as their culture and 

would like expanded grazing opportunities; it is likely that an 

alternative will be developed that maximizes or expands 

grazing opportunities. Other comments described the effects 

of livestock grazing and would like to see ungrazed areas; it is 

likely that alternatives will be developed that reduce or 

discontinue grazing in some areas.

 Common Acronyms

BLM - Bureau of Land Management

NPS - National Park Service

GSENM - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Glen Canyon - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

MMP - Monument Management Plan

MMP-A - Monument Management Plan Amendment

EIS - Environmental Impact Statement

Page 4 - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Newsletter #2 Scoping Results - July 2014
Planning Criteria

Planning criteria establish constraints, guidelines, and 

standards for the planning process. We requested your 

input on the preliminary planning criteria and several 

commenters suggested. Based on your comments, and 

input from our cooperating agencies, BLM updated the 

planning criteria it will use when preparing the Draft EIS/

MMP-A.

1. The BLM will limit the scope of the MMP-A to making 

land use planning decisions specific to livestock grazing.

2. The BLM will address lands managed by the BLM and 

the NPS in the MMP-A.

3. The BLM and NPS will administer grazing within Glen 

Canyon in a manner that protects Glen Canyon values and 

purposes pursuant to Public Law 92-593 and in 

accordance with the 1916 NPS Organic Act.

4. Land use planning decisions must be consistent with 

the objects, values, and purposes in the presidential 

proclamation for GSENM and the enabling legislation for 

Glen Canyon, as applicable.

5. The approved MMP-A will comply with the Federal 

Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic 

Preservation Act, and Council on Environmental Quality 

regulations at 40 CFR 1500-1508.

6. The approved MMP-A will comply with 43 CFR 1600, 

the BLM H-1601-1, Land Use Planning Handbook (2005), 

the 2008 BLM H-1790-1 NEPA Handbook, and other 

applicable BLM policies and guidance.

7. Land use planning decisions for Glen Canyon will 

comply with applicable NPS Management Policies, 

Director’s Orders, and Reference Manuals.

8. Utah BLM Standards for Rangeland Health and 

Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management (BLM 1997)

will be used. The BLM will apply existing applicable Land 

Health Standards to all alternatives.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Newsletter #2 Scoping Results - July 2014 - Page 5

9. The BLM will apply the goals, objectives, and 

recommendations for grazing practices and 

management actions identified in the 1999 Grazing 

Management Plan for Glen Canyon National Recreation 

Area to all alternatives for NPS-managed lands to ensure 

protection of park resources and values as defined by 

the NPS.

10. The BLM will use an accepted input-output 

quantitative model such as Impact Analysis for Planning 

(IMPLAN), Regional Input Output Modeling System 

(RIMS II), Jobs and Economic Development Impact 

(JEDI), and/or the Economic Profile System-Human 

Dimensions Toolkit (EPS-HDT) for socioeconomic 

analysis.

11. The BLM and NPS will review and use as appropriate 

current scientific information, research, technologies, 

and results of inventory, monitoring, and coordination 

to inform management strategies. The use of scientific 

and scholarly information will be consistent with 

Department of Interior Manual 305 DM 3.

12. The BLM and NPS will coordinate and communicate 

with federal, state, local, and tribal governments to 

ensure that the BLM and NPS consider provisions of 

pertinent plans, seek to resolve inconsistencies between 

federal, state, local, and tribal plans. The BLM and NPS 

will also provide ample opportunities for federal, state, 

local, and tribal governments to comment on the 

development of amendments.

13. The BLM will base the MMP-A on the principles of 

adaptive management.

The BLM received 81 comments relating to economics. Half 

of these comments expressed that livestock grazing is a vital 

economic contributor to the region. Other comments noted 

that the BLM should prioritize tourism which is a main 

contributor to the local economy.
Page 6 - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Newsletter #2 Scoping Results - July 2014

Biological Soil Crusts 

Science Forum

Many of you identified biological soil crusts as a key factor in 

managing livestock in the planning area. Many comments 

stressed the importance of maintaining and restoring 

biological soil crusts. GSENM has been discussing biological 

soil crusts with several experts. To allow you to hear what 

we hear, BLM is hosting a science forum. 

This public science forum will bring together a panel of 

experts on biological soil crusts to explore:

 what is currently known about biological soil crust on the

Monument and on adjacent lands managed by Glen

Canyon National Recreation Area,

 the role of biological soil crusts as part of regional

ecosystems,

 management practices that will assist the Monument and

Glen Canyon in meeting objectives for biological soil

crusts, and

 the potential for using biological soil crust condition as an

indicator of land health.

The panel experts are scientists actively working with 

biological soil crusts and crust-related issues. They are 

familiar with the nature of crusts within the planning area, 

and represent a mix of government scientists and 

independent and/or academic researchers. They are able to 

share research findings in ways that are accessible to the 

general public and have an interest in the scientific evaluation 

of management approaches to rangeland. Our panel will 

include:

 Dr. Matthew Bowker, Assistant Professor, Northern

Arizona University School of Forestry

 Dr. Janis Boettinger, Professor, Utah State University,

College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

 Dr. Jayne Belnap, Research Ecologist, United States

Geological Survey, Canyonlands Research Station

 Dr. Fee Busby, Professor, Utah State University, Quinney

College of Natural Resources

Our forum will be held in Kanab, Utah, at the Kanab City 

Library, from 9 am to 4 pm, on Wednesday, August 6. 

The forum is open to the public; you are invited and 

encouraged to participate as we learn more about 

biological soil crusts. 

The BLM’s National Training Center will be supporting a 

webinar and livestream broadcast for the forum to ensure 

that people who are unable to travel to Kanab will be able 

to attend the forum remotely. The forum will also be 

recorded and available for viewing at a later date.

A team of facilitators will be on site during the forum to 

assist with organizing questions and opportunities to 

interact with the panel members.

Our professional facilitators will design a program to allow 

ample time for panel members to field questions from both 

the live audience and the remote audience.

As the date gets closer, GSENM will send news releases to 

the local media and update the project website. Look for 

additional details on how you can participate in the 

webinar and livestream broadcast on the project website: 

http://blm.gov/pgld.
What’s Next?

The comments and ideas you shared during scoping provide 

the basis for the next step in the planning process. This next 

step is the development of preliminary alternatives for how 

livestock will be managed by GSENM. Evaluating a set of 

alternatives enables us to compare and contrast the 

advantages and disadvantages of one course of action over 

another and provides a sound approach to decision making, 

as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. 

Once preliminary alternatives have been developed, GSENM 

will host public meetings to introduce and discuss the 

alternatives. The meetings will be announced in news 

releases, on GSENM's website, and in a newsletter mailed to 

everyone on the project mailing list. At this time, we 

anticipate that the meetings will take place late in October 

2014. We will want your comments on the preliminary 

alternatives before we begin analyzing the effects.

Based on public comments received and an analysis of the 

alternatives’ impacts, a preferred alternative will be 

selected. The analysis of the alternatives, including the 

preferred one, will be included in the Draft MMP-A/EIS. 

When the Draft MMP-A/EIS is published, GSENM will 

announce its availability for public review and comment. 

After announcing the Draft MMP-A/EIS is ready for review, 

GSENM will host public meetings to answer your questions, 

discuss the contents of 

the Draft MMP-A/EIS, 

and accept comments. 

You will have at least 90 

days to provide 

comments. The Draft 

MMP-A/EIS is slated to 

be published in 2015. 

For more information, please visit the 

GSENM Livestock Grazing Plan 

Amendment Webpage:

http://blm.gov/pgld

If you have questions about the planning effort or would 

like more information, please contact us via telephone, 

email, fax, or mail. 

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 South Highway 89-A

Kanab, UT 84741

GSENM is maintaining a mailing list specifically for this 

Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment process. If you wish 

to be added, to change your address, or to add an email 

address, please let us know. If you provide an email 

address, we will send updates and newsletters via email 

to conserve paper. If you wish to be removed from the 

mailing list, please let us know. Unless we hear from 

you, your name and address will be retained on the 

mailing list and you will receive information on the MMPA/EIS at key points in the planning process. 

GSENM Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment 

Mailing List

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment / EIS - Newsletter #2 Scoping Results - July 2014 - Page 7
Mark Your Calendars

Biological Soil Crusts Science Forum

August 6, 2014 - Kanab City Library, Kanab, Utah 

Preliminary Alternatives Available for Public Review 

and Comment

October 2014

Draft Monument Management Plan Amendment EIS 

Available for 90-Day Public Review and Comment 

Summer 2015

Proposed Plan Amendment - Final EIS Available 

Spring 2016

Records of Decision Issued and Plan Amendment Approved

Fall 2016

During the scoping process, BLM received 564 

comment letters, faxes, and emails. Of that number 

64 submissions (11 percent) were from Garfield and 

Kane Counties. Of the remaining submissions, 146 

(26 percent) were from commenters in other Utah 

counties; 294 (52 percent) were from other states; 

and 60 (11 percent) did not indicate a geographic 

origin . 

US Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

Escalante National Monument - Grand Staircase

669 South HWY 89A

Kanab, UT 84741

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

OR PRIVATE USE $300 PENALTY F

lante National Monument Esca - BLM Grand Staircase

Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment/EIS 

Newsletter #2

, visit For more information

the BLM’s project website:

http://blm.gov/pgld

Livestock Grazing Plan Amendment EIS

NEWSLETTER #2 - Scoping Results - July 2014

Grand Staircase-Escalante 

National Monument