[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13603-13604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05962]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-IMR-YELL-17104; PPWONRADE2, PMP00EI05.YP0000, 15XP103905]


Environmental Impact Statement for a Management Plan for 
Yellowstone-Area Bison

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) and the State of Montana 
(State) are serving as joint lead agencies in the preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a plan to manage a wild and 
migratory population of Yellowstone-area bison, while minimizing 
brucellosis transmission between these wild bison and livestock to the 
extent practicable.

DATES: Interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are 
encouraged to provide written comments regarding the scope of issues 
and alternatives to be addressed in the EIS. The NPS and the State 
request that comments be submitted within the 90-day comment period, 
which begins on the date this Notice of Intent is published in the 
Federal Register. A 90-day comment period has been established to 
maximize the opportunity for agencies, members of the public and 
stakeholders to submit comments for consideration in this planning 
effort. The NPS and State intend to hold public scoping meetings on the 
EIS within the 90-day comment period. Specific dates, times and 
locations of the public scoping meetings will be made available via a 
joint press release to local media, a public scoping brochure to be 
mailed or emailed to interested parties and on the NPS's Planning, 
Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/YellBisonPlan. The NPS and State will provide 
additional opportunities for the public to offer written comments upon 
publication of the draft plan/EIS.

ADDRESSES: Information, including a copy of the public scoping 
brochure, will be available for public review online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/YellBisonPlan. Limited copies of the brochure will 
also be available in the Mailroom at the park's Administration Building 
in Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY and by request.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Bison are currently managed under the 2000 
Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) and subsequent adaptive 
management adjustments (Information available at www.ibmp.info). 
Because of new information and changed conditions since the 2000 IBMP, 
a new plan is being prepared, along with an environmental impact 
statement (EIS), pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C). The purpose of the new plan/EIS is to 
conserve a wild and migratory population of Yellowstone-area bison, 
while minimizing brucellosis transmission between these wild bison and 
livestock to the extent practicable.
    The NPS will exercise decision-making authority on the EIS and its 
associated Record of Decision (ROD) for NPS actions within the boundary 
of Yellowstone National Park, and the State will exercise decision-
making authority on the EIS and its associated ROD for actions on lands 
in Montana outside the park's boundary for which the State has 
jurisdiction. The NPS and State will continue to implement the 2000 
IBMP, as adjusted, within and outside Yellowstone National Park through 
coordination with the other IBMP partners until a new decision is made 
through this planning process.
    The following range of preliminary draft alternative concepts has 
been developed for review and comment. The alternative concepts and 
management tools under consideration may change based upon input 
received during public scoping and throughout the development of the 
plan/EIS.
    <bullet> Alternative 1 (No-Action Alternative) would continue 
implementation of the 2000 IBMP, as adjusted. As part of the existing 
IBMP, this alternative focuses on reducing the risk of brucellosis 
transmission from bison to cattle by managing bison that leave 
Yellowstone National Park and enter the State of Montana. It also seeks 
to maintain Montana's brucellosis-free status for domestic livestock. 
The population guideline for Yellowstone-area bison in the 2000 IBMP 
and under this alternative is 3,000 animals.
    <bullet> Alternative 2 (Minimize Human Intervention) would 
prioritize bison conservation and minimize human intervention in the 
management of Yellowstone-area bison. Bison abundance would primarily 
be regulated through public and treaty hunting on lands outside of the 
park in Montana, and natural processes. The maximum population limit of 
bison under this alternative would be based on estimates of food-
limited carrying capacity (~7,500 bison). Other wildlife management 
tools, such as habitat enhancement, could also be implemented. The risk 
of brucellosis transmission from bison to cattle would be managed 
through physical separation and limited hazing of bison back into the 
park. However, there would be no spring haze-back date for bison to be 
returned to the park. There would be no disease suppression efforts or 
research to improve suppression techniques in wildlife.
    <bullet> Alternative 3 (Limit Bison Migration into Montana) would 
focus on maintaining bison numbers below 3,000 animals, the level at 
which large migrations would likely occur during winter months, thus 
limiting the number of bison that migrate out of the park and into the 
State of Montana. Brucellosis transmission would be minimized through 
population control, separation of bison and cattle and hazing of bison 
back into the park. In spring, bison would be hazed back into the park 
by May 1 along the northern park boundary and May 15 along the western 
park boundary. Public and treaty hunting would occur outside of the 
park. No brucellosis disease

[[Page 13604]]

suppression actions for wildlife would be implemented, but research 
would be conducted to investigate future disease suppression tools for 
cattle and wildlife.
    <bullet> Alternative 4 (Suppress Brucellosis Transmission) would 
prioritize the prevention of brucellosis transmission between bison and 
livestock through a variety of tools, including disease suppression 
techniques, as practicable. Suppression tools may include capturing 
bison at facilities inside or outside Yellowstone National Park, 
culling of likely infectious bison, vaccination of bison at capture 
facilities, sterilization of bison before shipment to terminal pastures 
and adjusting land use by cattle. The population guideline for 
Yellowstone-area bison under this alternative would be 3,000 animals 
and would include specific tolerance thresholds north and west of the 
park in the State of Montana. Bison outside of the park on adjacent 
lands in Montana would be managed within an established boundary to 
minimize disease transmission, while also considering private property 
and public safety concerns. Public and treaty hunting would occur 
outside of the park.
    <bullet> Alternative 5 (Tolerance in Montana Linked to Overall 
Bison Abundance) would seek to expand bison tolerance north and west of 
the park year-round within specific geographic boundaries (e.g. within 
the Gardiner Basin and up to the Taylor Fork drainage). The current 
interagency bison population management guideline of 3,000 bison would 
be maintained. Tolerance thresholds for bison outside of the park in 
the State of Montana would depend on the overall number of bison in the 
population, with tolerance for bison in Montana increasing as the 
population approaches the population guideline. There would be no haze-
back dates, but the agencies would adhere to all other existing 
procedures in the 2000 IBMP, as adjusted. Other wildlife management 
tools, such as those used to manage other wildlife species (e.g., 
habitat enhancement), could be implemented. Public and treaty hunting 
would occur outside of the park. No brucellosis disease suppression 
actions for wildlife would be implemented, but research would be 
conducted to investigate future disease suppression tools for cattle 
and wildlife.
    <bullet> Alternative 6 (Balance Bison Conservation and Brucellosis 
Transmission Risk) would allow for the total bison population to vary 
over time within a defined range (Objective = 2,500-4,500 bison) and 
would also establish specific tolerance thresholds north and west of 
the park in the State of Montana. Habitat enhancement, longer tolerance 
in spring, or year-round tolerance for some bison in Montana could be 
implemented under this alternative. Tools such as hazing, public and 
treaty hunting and culling near the park boundary would be used to 
regulate population size and distribution, minimize brucellosis 
transmission from bison to cattle and protect property and human 
safety. No brucellosis disease suppression actions for wildlife would 
be implemented, but research would be conducted to investigate future 
disease suppression tools for cattle and wildlife.
    Under any proposed action alternative, the following would be 
implemented: (1) Yellowstone bison would be managed as wildlife in the 
park and within defined management areas in Montana, (2) public and 
treaty hunting of bison would occur outside of the park in Montana, (3) 
bison management actions would be implemented to protect private 
property and human safety, (4) a public engagement program would be 
implemented to facilitate the exchange of information between bison 
managers, scientists, and the public.
    If you wish to comment during the 90-day public comment period, you 
may use any one of several methods. The preferred method for submitting 
comments to the NPS and State of Montana is on the NPS PEPC Web site at 
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/YellBisonPlan. You may also mail or hand-
deliver your comments to the Superintendent, Yellowstone National Park, 
Bison Management Plan, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 
82190. Comments will also be accepted during public meetings. Comments 
will not be accepted by fax, email, or any other way than those 
specified above. Bulk comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) 
submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted. Before including 
your address, phone number, email address, or other personal 
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your 
entire comment--including your personal 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Al Nash, Chief of Public Affairs, 
Yellowstone National Park, Bison Management Plan, P.O. Box 168, 
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190, or by telephone at (307) 344-
2015.

    Dated: January 22, 2015.
Sue E. Masica,
Regional Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-05962 Filed 3-13-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-CB-P