84380 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 204 / Tuesday, October 22, 2024 / Notices 

available at: https://www.usgs.gov/ 

programs/climate-adaptation-sciencecenters/advisory-council-climateadaptation-science. 

Agenda Topics: Agenda topics will 

cover (a) subcommittee progress (if any) 

since the previous full-Council meeting; 

(b) discussion of key items on the 

horizon for the CASCs; (c) development 

and discussion of next key priorities 

and workplan for the ACCAS; (d) 

changes to or development of new 

subcommittees; (e) process for 

upcoming membership nominations and 

charter renewal. The final agenda will 

be made available in advance of the 

meeting at: https://www.usgs.gov/ 

programs/climate-adaptation-sciencecenters/advisory-council-climateadaptation-science. The meeting will 

include opportunities for public 

comment on both meeting days, 

November 13 and 14. Comments may 

also be submitted to the council in 

writing by email to iullerick@usgs.gov. 

Meeting Accessibility/Special 

Accommodations: The meeting is open 

to the public; however, seating may be 

limited due to room capacity. A virtual 

attendance option will be provided to 

those who register. Public attendees 

should register by completing the form 

found at https://www.usgs.gov/ 

programs/climate-adaptation-sciencecenters/advisory-council-climateadaptation-science. Registration is due 

by November 6, 2024. 

Please make requests in advance for 

sign-language interpreter services, 

assistive listening devices, language 

translation services, or other reasonable 

accommodations. We ask that you 

contact iullerick@usgs.gov at least seven 

(7) business days prior to the meeting to 

give the Department of the Interior 

sufficient time to process your request. 

All reasonable accommodation requests 

are managed on a case-by-case basis. 

Individuals in the United States who 

are deaf, blind, hard of hearing, or have 

a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, 

TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 

telecommunications relay services. 

Individuals outside the United States 

should use the relay services offered 

within their country to make 

international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States. 

Public Disclosure of Comments: There 

will be an opportunity for public 

comment during the meeting. 

Depending on the number of people 

who wish to speak and the time 

available, the time for individual 

comments may be limited. Written 

comments may also be sent to the 

ACCAS for consideration. To allow for 

full consideration of information by 

ACCAS members, written comments 

must be provided to iullerick@usgs.gov 

at least three (3) business days prior to 

the meeting. 

Before including your address, phone 

number, email address, or other 

personally identifiable information (PII) 

in your comment, you should be aware 

that your entire comment—including 

your PII—may be made publicly 

available at any time. While you may 

ask us in your comment to withhold 

your PII from public view, we cannot 

guarantee that we will be able to do so. 

Authority: 5 U.S.C. ch. 10. 

Isabella Ullerick, 

Designated Federal Officer, Advisory Council 

for Climate Adaptation Science. 

[FR Doc. 2024–23971 Filed 10–21–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4338–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Office of the Secretary 

[BLM_HQ_FRN_MO4500181945] 

National Environmental Policy Act 

Implementing Procedures for the 

Bureau of Land Management 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

Department of the Interior’s 

(Department) proposal to revise the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

implementing procedures for the Bureau 

of Land Management (BLM) at Chapter 

11 of Part 516 of the Departmental 

Manual (DM) to add a new categorical 

exclusion for geothermal resource 

confirmation activities on Federal 

geothermal resource leases. 

DATES: Comments must be postmarked 

(for mailed comments), delivered (for 

personal or messenger delivery 

comments), or filed (for electronic 

comments) no later than November 21, 

2024. 

ADDRESSES: The public can review the 

Substantiation Report for the proposed 

new CX online at: https://eplanning.

blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2034686/ 

510. Comments can be submitted using: 

—BLM National NEPA Register: https:// 

eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/ 

project/2034686/510. Follow the 

instruction at this website. 

—Mail, personal or messenger delivery: 

U.S. Department of the Interior, 

Bureau of Land Management, 

Attention: HQ330 Geothermal 

Resource Confirmation Categorical 

Exclusion, 1849 C Street NW, 

Washington, DC 20240. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Heather Bernier, Division Chief, 

Decision Support, Planning, and NEPA, 

at (303) 239–3635, or hbernier@blm.gov. 

Individuals in the United States who are 

deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have 

a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, 

TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 

telecommunications relay services. 

Individuals outside the United States 

should use the relay services offered 

within their country to make 

international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., 

requires Federal agencies to consider 

the environmental effects of their 

proposed actions in their decisionmaking processes and to inform and 

engage the public in that process. 

Section 101(a) of NEPA sets forth a 

national policy to use all practicable 

means and measures, including 

financial and technical assistance, in a 

manner calculated to foster and promote 

the general welfare, to create and 

maintain conditions under which 

humans and nature can exist in 

productive harmony, and fulfill the 

social, economic, and other 

requirements of present and future 

generations of Americans. 42 U.S.C. 

4331(a). Section 102 of NEPA directs 

agencies to interpret and administer 

Federal policies, regulations, and laws 

consistent with NEPA’s policies. 42 

U.S.C. 4332. 

To comply with NEPA, agencies 

determine the appropriate level of 

review for a proposed action: an 

environmental impact statement (EIS), 

an environmental assessment (EA), or a 

categorical exclusion (CX). 40 CFR 

1501.3(c). If a proposed action is likely 

to have significant environmental 

effects, the agency will prepare an EIS 

and document its decision in a record 

of decision. 40 CFR part 1502, 1505.2. 

If the proposed action is not likely to 

have significant environmental effects 

or the level of significance is unknown, 

the agency will prepare an EA, which 

involves a more concise analysis and 

process than an EIS. 40 CFR 1501.5. 

Following preparation of an EA, the 

agency may reach a finding of no 

significant impact (FONSI) if the 

analysis shows that the action will have 

no significant effects. 40 CFR 1501.6. If, 

following preparation of an EA, the 

agency finds that the proposed action 

will have significant effects, it will 

prepare an EIS before authorizing the 

action. 40 CFR 1501.6(a)(3). 

Under NEPA and the Council on 

Environmental Quality’s (CEQ’s) 

implementing regulations, a Federal 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 204 / Tuesday, October 22, 2024 / Notices 84381 

1Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), 

Establishing, Applying, and Revising Categorical 

Exclusions under the Environmental Policy Act, at 

2–3. November 23, 2010. https://ceq.doe.gov/docs/ 

ceq-regulations-and-guidance/NEPA_CE_

Guidance_Nov232010.pdf. 

agency must establish CXs—categories 

of actions that the agency has 

determined normally do not 

significantly affect the quality of the 

human environment, individually or in 

the aggregate—in its agency NEPA 

procedures. 42 U.S.C. 4336(e)(1); 40 

CFR 1501.4, 1507.3(c)(8), 1508.1(e). If an 

agency determines that a CX covers a 

proposed action, the agency then 

evaluates the proposed action for any 

extraordinary circumstances in which a 

normally excluded action may have a 

significant effect. 40 CFR 1501.4(b), 

1508.1(o). Responsible Officials in the 

Department’s bureaus evaluate proposed 

actions for the existence of 

extraordinary circumstances in 

accordance with the Department’s 

NEPA implementing regulations at 43 

CFR 46.205 and 46.215; see also 40 CFR 

1501.4(b), (b)(1)–(2). 

Under NEPA, a CX is defined as ‘‘a 

category of actions that a Federal agency 

has determined normally does not 

significantly affect the quality of the 

human environment.’’ 42 U.S.C. 4336e. 

CEQ recognizes that CXs increase 

efficiency by reducing the resources 

spent analyzing proposals that normally 

do not have potentially significant 

environmental effects, thereby allowing 

those resources to be focused on 

proposals that are more likely to have 

significant environmental effects.1 The 

appropriate use of CXs allows NEPA 

compliance, in the absence of 

extraordinary circumstances that merit 

further consideration, to be concluded 

without preparing either an EA or an 

EIS. 

The Department’s revised NEPA 

procedures were published in the 

Federal Register on October 15, 2008 

(73 FR 61292), and are codified at 43 

CFR part 46. Additional Departmentwide NEPA policy may be found in the 

DM, in chapters 1 through 4 of part 516. 

The NEPA procedures for the 

Department’s bureaus are published as 

additional chapters of DM part 516. 

Chapter 11 of 516 DM covers the BLM’s 

procedures. The BLM’s current 

procedures can be found at: https://

www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/elips/ 

documents/516-dm-11_0.pdf. These 

procedures address policy as well as 

procedure to assure compliance with 

the spirit and intent of NEPA. 

Rationale for the Proposed New CX 

The Department proposes to establish 

this new Geothermal Resource 

Confirmation (GRC) CX to facilitate the 

permitting of operations plans (OPs) for 

lessees to drill and test resource wells 

and expedite renewable energy 

development on public lands. 

Geothermal resource confirmation 

drilling usually includes at least three 

wells drilled into the resource to 

evaluate commercial viability of the 

resource, and to determine the extent of 

the resource by demonstrating 

communication between wells. 

Authorizing any OPs for post-leasing 

drilling operations (to directly test for 

and confirm the existence of a 

geothermal resource) currently requires 

the BLM to prepare an EA to comply 

with NEPA. The BLM’s goal is to shift 

its analytical resources away from 

preparing EAs for actions that have been 

demonstrated to result in no significant 

impacts towards those that may. BLM 

has long experience with approval of 

OPs for geothermal resource 

confirmation operations and is familiar 

with the environmental effects of these 

activities, none of which normally result 

in significant or unanticipated effects to 

other resource values or uses. 

To substantiate its determination that 

the proposed new GRC CX describes a 

category of actions that does not 

normally have a significant effect on the 

environment, individually or in the 

aggregate, BLM assessed the 

environmental effects of previously 

implemented geothermal resource 

confirmation projects by evaluating 26 

BLM EAs that concluded with FONSIs 

and validating these environmental 

reviews by conducting postimplementation evaluations that 

confirmed the findings. 

A record of the BLM’s review can be 

found in the Substantiation Report for 

the proposed new CX (GRC CX 

Substantiation Report), which is 

available at https://eplanning.blm.gov/ 

eplanning-ui/project/2034686/510, 

incorporated by reference here, and 

summarized in the Justification for 

Change section below. Based upon this 

information, the BLM has found that the 

establishment of a CX is appropriate 

because no significant effects normally 

result from GRC operations conducted 

within the proposed parameters. 

Establishing the proposed new CX 

would ensure a timely process for 

review and processing of operations 

plan applications for geothermal 

resource confirmation drilling and 

testing projects that normally do not 

have significant effects. 

Description of Change 

The Department proposes to add one 

CX to 516 DM 11.9 at Section B. Oil, Gas 

and Geothermal Energy. The language of 

the proposed new CX at 516 DM 11.9 B 

(7) is: 

Approval of an operations plan for 

geothermal resource confirmation wells (e.g., 

core drilling, temperature gradient wells, 

and/or resource wells), including, but not 

limited to, construction of temporary routes 

for access, reclamation of all surface 

disturbance, and direct testing (e.g., flow 

tests) to confirm the existence of a 

geothermal resource, to improve injection 

support, or to demonstrate communication 

between wells that: 

• Does not include resource utilization; 

• Does not exceed 20 acres of total 

(contiguous or noncontiguous) surface 

disturbance; 

• Includes reclamation of temporary routes 

when their intended purpose(s) has been 

fulfilled, unless through a separate review 

and decision-making process the BLM 

incorporates and appropriately designates a 

route as part of its transportation system. 

Unless a temporary route is specifically 

intended to accommodate public use, use of 

the temporary route is limited to project 

specific geothermal resource confirmation 

purposes; 

• Requires temporary routes to be 

constructed and used to allow for the 

reclamation, by artificial or natural means, of 

the temporary route and areas where the 

vegetative cover was disturbed by the 

construction or use of the route, and requires 

such treatment to be designed to reestablish 

vegetative cover as soon as possible, but at 

least within 10 years after approved 

reclamation commences; and 

• Includes design elements to protect 

resources and resource uses consistent with 

the applicable Resource Management Plan, 

laws, regulations, and lease terms. 

The BLM’s intent in establishing this 

CX is to improve the efficiency of 

routine environmental review processes 

for geothermal resource confirmation. 

When applying this CX, Responsible 

Officials at the BLM will evaluate the 

proposed actions to determine whether 

there are any extraordinary 

circumstances. The Department’s 

extraordinary circumstances are listed at 

43 CFR 46.215 and include, in part, 

consideration of impacts on public 

health and safety; natural resources and 

unique geographic characteristics as 

historic or cultural resources; park, 

recreation, or refuge lands; wilderness 

areas; wild or scenic rivers; national 

natural landmarks, sole or principal 

drinking water aquifers; prime 

farmlands; wetlands; floodplains; 

national monuments; migratory birds; 

and other ecologically significant or 

critical areas; unresolved conflicts 

concerning alternative uses of available 

resources; unique or unknown 

environmental risks; precedent for 

future decision-making; historic 

properties; listed species or critical 

habitat; low income or minority 

populations; access by Indian religious 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
84382 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 204 / Tuesday, October 22, 2024 / Notices 

practitioners to, and for ceremonial use 

of, Indian sacred sites and the physical 

integrity of those sites; and contribution 

to the introduction, continued 

existence, or spread of invasive weeds 

or non-native invasive species. 

Responsible Officials in the BLM are 

required to review any proposed action 

for which they intend to rely on a CX, 

as provided at 43 CFR 46.205, by 

comparing it with the list at 43 CFR 

46.215, and to document that review in 

accordance with any applicable BLM 

NEPA or program guidance. The 

Responsible Official will assess whether 

an extraordinary circumstance exists. If 

the Responsible Official cannot rely on 

a CX to support a decision on a 

particular proposed action due to 

extraordinary circumstances, the 

Responsible Official will prepare an EA 

or EIS, consistent with 40 CFR 

1501.4(b)(2) and 43 CFR 46.205(c). 

The public is asked to review and 

comment on the proposed new CX. To 

be considered, any comments on this 

proposed addition to the list of CXs in 

the DM must be received by the date 

listed in the DATES section of this notice 

at the location listed in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments received after that 

date will be considered only to the 

extent practicable. Comments, including 

names and addresses of respondents, 

will be part of the public record and 

available for public review at the BLM 

address shown in the ADDRESSES

section, during business hours, 8 a.m. to 

4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except holidays. Before including your 

address, telephone number, email 

address, or other personal identifying 

information in your comment, you 

should be aware that your entire 

comment—including your personally 

identifying information—may be made 

publicly available at any time. While 

you can ask us in your comment to 

withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Justification for Change 

The BLM proposes this GRC CX after 

reviewing existing BLM NEPA analyses 

and available scientific research on the 

effects of routine actions that would be 

included in the proposed new CX over 

time and over different geographic 

areas. The BLM has documented in 

detail the justification for establishing 

this new CX in the Substantiation 

Report, which is incorporated by 

reference here and available to review in 

full at the websites shown in 

ADDRESSES. 

Pursuant to the Geothermal Steam Act 

of 1970, the BLM is responsible for 

issuing leases for geothermal resource 

development and managing resource 

development, in part by processing 

permit applications for drilling, 

production, and utilization (electrical 

generation) on the Federal mineral 

estate. This authority encompasses 

approximately 700 million acres of 

Federal minerals, including BLMmanaged public lands, National Forest 

System lands, other Federal lands, as 

well as split estate (e.g., non-Federal 

surface) lands where the Federal 

Government has retained the mineral 

estate. 

Geothermal energy offers the Nation a 

clean, domestic, and abundant 

renewable resource. Conventional 

(hydrothermal) geothermal power plants 

use heat energy found in rock 

formations containing hot water or 

steam below the Earth’s surface to turn 

a turbine and generate electrical power. 

Geothermal energy is a baseload source 

of electricity, generating energy 24 

hours a day, regardless of changing 

weather patterns; as such, geothermal 

energy can help bridge the gap created 

by the intermittent generation of power 

from other renewable energy sources 

like solar and wind. Among renewable 

energy sources, geothermal power 

plants also have the smallest amount of 

surface disturbance relative to 

electricity produced, with a generationweighted average of 0.34 acre/Gigawatt 

hour. Currently, approximately seventy 

(∼70) percent (%) of geothermal 

installed capacity in the United States 

includes Federal resources. For these 

reasons, the BLM’s Geothermal Energy 

Program is a critical component of 

efforts to advance and diversify the 

Nation’s energy portfolio. 

The proposed new CX would support 

streamlined project authorization at the 

resource confirmation drilling phase 

and simplify the NEPA process. 

Establishment of the CX could support 

more efficient authorization of resource 

confirmation and testing, which could 

remove unnecessary barriers to the 

development of geothermal energy. 

To support the development of the 

CX, the BLM examined 26 geothermal 

projects analyzed in EAs that all 

supported FONSIs, and that were 

completed between 2005–2019, to 

identify potential impacts resulting from 

the kinds of activities normally 

included in GRC operations plans, as 

outlined in the 43 CFR Subpart 3260 

regulations. The NEPA documents were 

reviewed to determine the scope of 

environmental consequences 

anticipated to result from the proposed 

actions. The size and scale of GRC 

projects reviewed in those documents 

were the basis of the surface disturbance 

limitations chosen for the proposed CX; 

specifically, the BLM determined that a 

limit of 20 acres will exclude the largest 

GRC operations, which are likeliest to 

result in significant effects. The BLM 

was careful to develop the scope of the 

proposed GRC CX so as to include only 

projects that involve drilling and direct 

testing of a resource. Therefore, the 

BLM, in its analysis, excluded projects 

that included actual production of 

geothermal resources, which requires 

construction and operation of utilization 

facilities (e.g., power plants and 

transmission facilities). Such activities 

would be included and analyzed in the 

next phase of geothermal resource 

development, Utilization Operations, as 

outlined in the 43 CFR Subpart 3270 

regulations, and are therefore beyond 

the scope of the intended category of 

activities BLM intends to exclude from 

further NEPA analysis with this GRC 

CX. BLM also reviewed 20 

representative oil and gas drilling 

projects on Federal lands, because the 

activities, equipment, and surface 

impacts between these two types of 

fluid minerals are largely similar at the 

drilling stage. 

As discussed in the Methods section 

of the Substantiation Report, the BLM 

currently relies on EAs to review GRC 

projects. In the EAs reviewed, no 

significant individual or cumulative 

impacts were predicted to result from 

the kinds of activities included in the 

proposed GRC CX, nor were any 

unanticipated impacts observed after 

projects were implemented. Actual 

impacts were the same as predicted 

impacts in all cases. In all instances, 

project design elements required by 

BLM regulations, resource management 

plans, and leases were adequate to 

minimize or avoid adverse impacts. 

None of the evaluated projects would 

have resulted in a need to complete an 

EIS for the actions proposed in this CX, 

had these measures not been applied as 

a feature of the proposed action or 

alternatives. 

As described in the Substantiation 

Report, the BLM has experience 

analyzing and implementing GRC 

projects in an environmentally 

sustainable manner and considers the 

activities described in this proposal to 

be routine and the environmental effects 

of those activities to be non-significant. 

Expediting consideration of GRC 

projects is essential to improve 

management of geothermal resources on 

BLM-administered lands. Establishment 

of this proposed new CX would 

facilitate implementation of BLM 

priorities for identifying steps to 

establish and implement a program to 

improve Federal permit coordination 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 204 / Tuesday, October 22, 2024 / Notices 84383 

with respect to eligible renewable 

energy projects on covered land, with 

the goal of accelerating responsible 

development of renewable energy (i.e., 

geothermal) on public lands. 

Authorities: NEPA, the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 

amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); E.O. 

11514, March 5, 1970, as amended by 

E.O. 11991, May 24, 1977; and CEQ 

regulations (40 CFR 1507.3). 

Stephen G. Tryon, 

Director, Office of Environmental Policy and 

Compliance. 

[FR Doc. 2024–24358 Filed 10–21–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4331–84–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[BLM_CO_FRN_MO4500182301] 

Notice of Availability of the Record of 

Decision and Approved Resource 

Management Plan Amendment for the 

Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus 

minimus), Colorado and Utah 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) announces the 

availability of the Record of Decision 

(ROD) for the Approved Resource 

Management Plan (RMP) Amendment 

for the Gunnison Sage-Grouse 

(Centrocercus minimus) located in 

Southwest Colorado and Southeast 

Utah. The Colorado and Utah State 

Directors signed the ROD on October 17, 

2024, which constitutes the decision of 

the BLM and makes the Approved RMP 

Amendment effective immediately. 

DATES: The Colorado and Utah State 

Directors signed the ROD/Approved 

RMP Amendment on October 17, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: The ROD/Approved RMP 

Amendment is available online at 

https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/ 

project/2019031/510. Printed copies of 

the ROD/Approved RMP Amendment 

are available for public inspection at the 

Grand Junction, Uncompahgre, Tres 

Rios, Gunnison, San Luis Valley, Moab, 

and Monticello Field Offices or can be 

provided upon request by contacting 

Gina Phillips, Project Manager, BLM 

Colorado, telephone 970–589–9852, 

BLM Southwest District Office, 2465 S 

Townsend Ave., Montrose, CO 81401, 

email BLM_CO_GUSG_RMPA@blm.gov. 

A copy of the Protest Resolution 

Report is available at: https://

www.blm.gov/programs/planning-andnepa/public-participation/protestresolution-reports. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina 

Phillips, Project Manager, telephone 

970–589–9852, BLM Colorado, BLM 

Southwest District Office, 2465 S 

Townsend Ave., Montrose, CO 81401, 

email BLM_CO_GUSG_RMPA@blm.gov. 

Individuals in the United States who are 

deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have 

a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, 

TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 

telecommunications relay services for 

contacting Ms. Phillips. Individuals 

outside the United States should use the 

relay services offered within their 

country to make international calls to 

the point-of-contact in the United 

States. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Approved RMP Amendment for the 

Gunnison Sage-Grouse changes the 

following existing plans: 

Colorado: 

• Canyons of the Ancients National 

Monument RMP (2010) 

• Dominguez-Escalante National 

Conservation Area RMP (2017) 

• Grand Junction Field Office RMP 

(2015) 

• Gunnison Gorge National 

Conservation Area RMP (2004) 

• Gunnison Resource Area RMP 

(1993) 

• McInnis Canyons National 

Conservation Area RMP (2004) 

• San Luis Resource Area RMP (1991) 

• Tres Rios Field Office RMP (2015) 

• Uncompahgre Field Office RMP 

(2020) 

Utah: 

• Moab Field Office RMP (2008) 

• Monticello Field Office RMP (2008) 

The Gunnison Sage-Grouse Approved 

RMP Amendment modifies management 

decisions and actions to promote 

Gunnison sage-grouse recovery and 

maintain and enhance habitat, as 

identified in the 2020 U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (USFWS) Recovery 

Plan, across the eight currently 

recognized populations in southwest 

Colorado and southeast Utah. Gunnison 

sage-grouse is federally listed as a 

threatened species under the 

Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 

1531–1544). The planning area spans 

portions of 19 Colorado Counties: 

Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos, Costilla, 

Delta, Dolores, Garfield, Gunnison, 

Hinsdale, La Plata, Mesa, Mineral, 

Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, Rio 

Grande, Saguache, San Juan, and San 

Miguel; and two Utah Counties: Grand 

and San Juan, and encompasses 

approximately 25 million acres of 

public land. The Approved RMP 

Amendment makes decisions for 

approximately 2,182,660 acres of BLMmanaged surface lands (1,951,440 acres 

in Colorado and 231,220 acres in Utah) 

and 2,852,390 acres of Federal 

subsurface mineral estate (2,563,220 

acres in Colorado and 289,170 acres in 

Utah). The alternative selected as the 

Approved RMP Amendment is a 

clarified version of Alternative F, as 

described in the Proposed RMP 

Amendment. The Approved RMP 

Amendment focuses conservation 

measures on occupied and unoccupied 

habitat. For all populations, the 

Approved RMP Amendment would 

apply buffers to protect all lek statuses 

(active, inactive, historic, unknown, 

occupied, and unoccupied). The 

Approved RMP Amendment includes a 

1-mile adjacent non-habitat buffer 

around occupied and unoccupied 

habitat areas, where minimization 

measures could apply. For Recreation 

and Lands and Realty program areas, the 

Approved RMP Amendment applies 

management designed for the Gunnison 

Basin population and different 

management designed for the seven 

satellite populations (those outside of 

the Gunnison Basin). For all 

populations, the Approved RMP 

Amendment manages resource uses 

with an objective for no increase in net 

surface disturbance in habitat. Also, the 

Approved RMP Amendment closes all 

areas with no and low potential for fluid 

mineral leasing in both occupied and 

unoccupied habitat management areas. 

The Approved RMP Amendment 

designates three new Areas of Critical 

Environmental Concern: Dry Creek 

Basin (San Miguel population; 10,920 

acres), Sapinero Mesa (Gunnison Basin 

population; 17,240 acres), and Chance 

Gulch (Gunnison Basin population; 

13,150 acres), specifically for the 

protection and enhancement of 

Gunnison sage-grouse habitat. One new 

Backcountry Conservation Area 

(referred to as Sugar Creek Backcountry 

Conservation Area in the Gunnison 

Basin population; 17,210 acres) is 

designated to preserve intact, public 

lands and priority habitat for wildlife, 

while offering primitive recreation 

opportunities. 

These landscape level management 

decisions provide habitat conservation 

and reduction of threats to Gunnison 

sage-grouse populations. They reflect a 

long-term commitment by the BLM and 

cooperating agencies for conservation of 

the species by continuing protection, 

restoration, and enhancement of 

Gunnison sage-grouse habitat. 

The BLM published a notice of intent 

in the Federal Register to initiate the 

public scoping period for this planning 

effort on July 6, 2022 (87 FR 40262). 


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