Instruction Manual for Commenting 

on the San Juan Islands National Monument

Draft Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement

U.S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

San Juan Islands National Monument 

BLM Lopez Island Office 

PO Box 3 

37 Washburn Place

Lopez, WA 98261

Phone: (360) 468-3754

Email: blm_or_sanjuanislandsnm@blm.gov
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Table of Contents

1. Monument Map.........................................................................................................................................2

2. Instruction Manual for Commenting.........................................................................................................3

3. Snapshot of the Planning Effort................................................................................................................4

3.1 Resource Management Plan Timeline ................................................................................................5

4. What Do You Need to Know Before Commenting? ................................................................................6

4.1. What Types of Comments are We Seeking?......................................................................................7

4.2. When is the Comment Deadline?.......................................................................................................8

4.3. Where Do I Submit Comments? ........................................................................................................8

5. Comment Forms........................................................................................................................................9

5.1 Comment Form Directions................................................................................................................10

5.2 Example Comment Form..................................................................................................................11

Photo: Posey Island
1. Monument Map

Decisions in this Resource Management Plan only relate to 1,021 acres of scattered BLM-administered land, the landscapes of the San 

Juan Islands National Monument. Our management boundaries are above mean high tide, where land meets the Salish Sea.
2. Instruction Manual for Commenting

This is an instruction manual to assist you in commenting on the San Juan Islands National 

Monument Draft Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS). The 

Draft RMP/EIS available for public comment from October 5, 2018, through January 3, 2019.

The Draft RMP/EIS contains the full details of the management approaches considered for 

Monument landscapes and the analysis of their impacts on the Monument and other land and 

resources. 

We developed several documents to help you review and provide informed comments on the 

Draft RMP/EIS:

 The Instruction Manual for Commenting (this document); and

 The Planning Process Primer and Guidebook for the Draft RMP/EIS (Guidebook) 

(which summarizes information on key management approaches analyzed in the Draft 

RMP/EIS).

We have also developed comment forms (see Section 5 below), to make it easier to comment on 

the large and more detailed Draft RMP/EIS.

All of these publications, including the Draft RMP/EIS, are available in hard copy at the BLM 

Lopez Island and Spokane District offices. They are also available online at:

https://go.usa.gov/xRphc

Photo: Turn Point Light Station
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3. Snapshot of the Planning Effort

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered lands are required to have an overarching 

resource management plan (RMP) generated through a comprehensive planning. This process 

will establish a management framework outlining objectives and parameters for what will and 

will not be allowed in the Monument. Public engagement must occur for both the overarching 

plan and for future on-the-ground actions that will tier to the overarching plan.

We will also be making implementation-level decisions1for travel and transportation 

management as part of this planning process. This is because of the limited amount of road and 

trail miles in the Monument (1 mile and 14.9 miles, respectively). It is also because the BLM 

solicited intensive site-specific public feedback on roads and trails during this planning process.

The Draft RMP/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a big step toward the Approved RMP

(see timeline below). The Approved RMP will provide a management framework for 

approximately twenty years. It will define management parameters in order to protect and restore 

Monument cultural and ecological values, to ensure tribal treaty rights are respected, and to 

address growing demand for Monument recreational use.

When developing the Proposed RMP/Final EIS, the BLM considers public, tribal and agency 

partner comments, the impacts of management approaches on resources, and agency priorities.

Photo: Patos Island Lighthouse, Patos Island

 

1 See Guidebook for further information and definitions. 
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3.1 Resource Management Plan Timeline

Tasks and Milestones Estimated Date

Kick Off the Planning Effort January 2015-Summer 2015 (Public scoping: 

March 2015)

Develop the Draft Resource Management 

Plan (RMP)/ Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS) Summer 2015-Summer 2018

CURRENT STEP:

Publish the Draft RMP/EIS

Provide a 90 day public review and 

comment period.

Fall 2018

Develop the Proposed RMP/Final EIS Fall 2018-Winter 2019

Publish the Proposed RMP/Final EIS Winter 2019

Develop the Record of Decision/Approved 

RMP Spring 2019

Publish Approved ROD/RMP Spring 2019

See the Planning Process Primer and Guidebook for the Draft RMP/EIS (Guidebook) page 66

for details on next steps as outlined above.
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4. What Do You Need to Know Before Commenting?

In the Draft RMP/EIS, you will find:

 A spectrum of management approaches representing the diverse input received.

 Chapter 2, which describes all of the management approaches we logically grouped for 

analysis, creating themes for management. These approaches are called “alternatives.”

 Chapter 3, which presents the analysis by our resource specialists of impacts from each of 

the alternatives. 

 The No Action Alternative, which considers a continuation of the existing management 

approach (focusing on meeting legal mandates and preventing unnecessary and undue 

degradation of the Monument). 

 The Draft Travel and Transportation Plan Appendix (Appendix H) to the Draft RMP/EIS, 

which includes alternatives for implementation-level Monument roads and trails 

decisions. 

There are many ways to submit comments: emails, letters, written comments delivered at public 

meetings, or comment forms. 

 Photo: Barnes Rock

Refer to the Glossary in the Guidebook for a definition of terms.
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4.1. What Types of Comments are We Seeking?

 Any additional, reasonable management approaches you think meet the purpose and 

need2for the planning effort. 

 Any additional information you believe is relevant to the analysis (Draft RMP/EIS 

Chapter 3). Please explain why the additional information is relevant. 

 Any concerns you have about the accuracy of the information used in the analysis. Please 

provide the reasoning or evidence behind your concerns.

 Any concerns about the methods or assumptions used for the impacts analysis (Draft 

RMP/EIS Appendix B). Please provide the reasoning behind your concerns. 

 Any changes or revisions you would like to see to one or more alternative (Draft 

RMP/EIS Chapter 2) as the BLM develops the Proposed RMP—including whether you 

think elements from one alternative should be attached to elements from another. 

Photo: Lummi Rocks

 

2 See Appendix 2 in the Guidebook for this planning effort’s stated Purpose and Need.
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4.2. When is the Comment Deadline?

January 03, 2019

Photo: Iceberg Point, Lopez Island

4.3. Where Do I Submit Comments?

 Email: blm_or_sanjuanislandsnm@blm.gov

 Regular Mail:

San Juan Islands National Monument

Lopez Island BLM Office

PO Box 3

Lopez, WA 98261

 Hand Delivery at:

Any Public Meeting

San Juan Islands National Monument

Lopez Island BLM Office

37 Washburn Place, 

Lopez Island, WA 98261

Spokane District BLM Office

1103 N Fancher Rd, 

Spokane Valley, WA 99212
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5. Comment Forms

For this planning effort, we developed several types of comment forms. These forms are 

intended to help you make the most impactful comments (called substantive comments3). 

There are 19 comment forms for your use:

 16 comment forms for human uses: 1 each for 16 specific management zones, called 

Recreation Management Areas or RMAs; 

 2 comment forms for key resources: Cultural Resources and Habitat and Plants; and

 1 general comment form: For general comments about the analysis and other topics. 

Comment forms identify page numbers linking them to the relevant pages in the Draft RMP/EIS 

and to the Guidebook. 

The 16 site-specific comment forms summarize management options related to human uses and 

include space for your thoughts on road and trail alternatives described in the Draft RMP/EIS.

Resource-specific comment forms summarize management options analyzed for cultural 

resources and habitat and plants. These forms also give space for you to explain the rationale for 

your comments. 

The tables in the comment forms only summarize major differences in the potential 

management approaches; refer Chapter 2 of the Draft RMP/EIS for the full details.

 

3 See Guidebook Appendix 4 for further information on “substantive comments.”
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5.1 Comment Form Directions

1. Using the forms provided, please provide your name and email, and then place check marks

in the columns next to the management approaches that make the most sense to you.

2. Be sure to write your reasoning on the back of the form. You can use the identification 

numbers of the column(s) you marked to reference your choices (see example below).

3. Use additional sheets as necessary.

 For comments related to habitat and plants, use the Habitat and Plants Comment Form. 

 For comments on related to cultural resources, use the Cultural Resources Comment 

Form. 

 For comments on human uses, choose the comment form(s) for the location(s) on which 

you specifically wish to comment. 

 For example, if you want to comment on human use management 

approaches at Watmough Bay, use the Watmough Bay Comment Form. 

 If commenting on multiple locations, please staple your site-specific 

comment forms together. 

 For comments on other topics or for general comments about the analysis, please use 

the General Comment Form.

All alternatives, including the No Action Alternative, are a place to start from. Like a build-yourown pizza, chose only the elements from the alternatives you prefer. 

The public comment period ends on January 03, 2019
5.2 Example Comment Form 
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Comment Deadline: 

January 03, 2019

How to Submit Comments:

 Email: blm_or_sanjuanislandsnm@blm.gov

 Regular Mail:

San Juan Islands National Monument

Lopez Island BLM Office

PO Box 3

Lopez, WA 98261

 Hand Delivery at:

Any Public Meeting

San Juan Islands National Monument

Lopez Island BLM Office

37 Washburn Place, 

Lopez Island, WA 98261

Spokane District BLM Office

1103 N Fancher Rd, 

Spokane Valley, WA 99212

For more information, refer to the Planning Process Primer and Guidebook for 

the Draft RMP/EIS or the full Draft RMP/EIS.