[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 40 (Friday, February 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 9206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4996]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[MT-962-1020-00]


Notice of Availability for the Montana/Dakotas Standards for 
Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management 
Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) includes additional information and documents the effects of 
adopting regional standards for rangeland health and guidelines for 
livestock grazing management on BLM-administered lands west of the 
Continental Divide, in Montana. The supplement discloses additional 
impacts not already covered in the Draft EIS from implementing the 
proposed alternatives on lands west of the Continental Divide. This 
action is proposed in accordance with revised regulations for livestock 
grazing on BLM-administered lands (43 CFR 4100). The proposed standards 
and guidelines were developed in partnership with the Butte Resource 
Advisory Council (RAC), and with other public input. There will be a 
60-day comment period on the Draft EIS Supplement. The comment period 
will begin the day the EPA Notice appears in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Brooks, BLM Montana State 
Office, P.O. Box 36800, Billings, Montana 59107-6800, or 406-255-2929.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When the Montana/Dakotas Draft EIS for 
Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing 
Management was issued, lands west of the Continental Divide were not 
included in the analysis because they are being considered as part of 
the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project (ICBEMP). 
However, the schedule to complete the ICBEMP has been extended, which 
would cause the Fallback Standards and Guidelines to automatically go 
into effect on August 12, 1997. By supplementing the Montana/Dakotas 
Draft EIS, these lands would be subject to the same consideration and 
analysis of alternatives as other lands in Montana/Dakotas. The record 
of decision signed on the Montana/Dakotas Standards and Guidelines 
Final EIS, will apply to lands west of the Continental Divide, in 
Montana. The ICBEMP decision will supersede the Montana/Dakotas 
Standards and Guidelines decision, for these lands, when the ICBEMP is 
complete. The supplement to the DEIS revises information and analysis 
in the Draft EIS to include BLM-administered lands west of the 
Continental Divide. There will be a 60-day comment period. Comments 
must be received by May 3, 1997. An open house will be held to exchange 
information with the public about the standards and guidelines 
supplement to the Draft EIS. The open house will be held on March 20, 
1997, at the Garnet Resource Area Office, 3255 Fort Missoula Road, 
Missoula, Montana, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

    Dated: February 21, 1997.
Thomas P. Lonnie,
Deputy State Director, Division of Resources.
[FR Doc. 97-4996 Filed 2-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P