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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 15, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3915-3916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00840]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[PO #4820000251]

Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan for the 
North Dakota Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, 
North Dakota

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Record of Decision (ROD) and Approved Resource Management Plan 
(RMP) for North Dakota. The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Land and Minerals Management signed the ROD on January 8, 2025, which 
constitutes the decision of the BLM and makes the Approved RMP 
effective immediately.

DATES: The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals 
Management signed the ROD/Approved RMP on January 8, 2025.

ADDRESSES: The ROD/Approved RMP is available online at the BLM National 
Environmental Policy Act Register at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/1505069/570. A printed copy of the ROD/Approved 
RMP will also be

[[Page 3916]]

available for public inspection within weeks of publication of this 
notice at the following location: BLM North Dakota Field Office, 99 
23rd Ave. West, Dickinson, ND 58601, telephone: (701) 227-7725. A 
limited number of printed copies will also be available upon request by 
contacting the BLM North Dakota Field Office listed above.
    A copy of the Protest Resolution Report is available at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristine Braun, North Dakota Field 
Office; telephone: (701) 227-7725, email: [email protected]. 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-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Approved RMP replaces the 1988 North 
Dakota RMP as amended. The Approved RMP provides guidance for managing 
approximately 58,500 acres of BLM-administered surface and 4.1 million 
acres of BLM-administered mineral estate, mostly split estate, across 
North Dakota.
    The Approved RMP will guide management of these public lands for 
the next 15 to 20 years for the benefit of current and future 
generations as part of the BLM's multiple-use mission. This planning 
effort is updating management decisions for public land uses and 
resources, including mineral leasing and development.
    The North Dakota Proposed RMP/Final EIS evaluated four full 
alternatives and one sub-alternative for managing the planning area. 
Alternatives B (preferred alternative from the Draft RMP/EIS), B.1, C, 
and D were developed using input from the public, Tribes, stakeholders, 
and cooperating agencies. Alternative D is the BLM's Approved RMP. This 
alternative was developed after considering public comments on the 
Draft RMP/EIS, internal BLM discussions, government-to-government 
consultation, and cooperating agency input.
    The Approved RMP designates one Area of Critical Environmental 
Concern, encompassing approximately 960 acres (see Appendix A of the 
Approved RMP). The BLM provided the Proposed RMP/Final EIS for a 30-day 
public protest period starting on August 9, 2024, and received six 
letters containing valid protest issues. The BLM addressed the protests 
and issued a Protest Resolution Report (see ADDRESSES); no changes to 
the North Dakota Proposed RMP/Final EIS were necessary.
    The BLM provided the Proposed RMP/Final EIS to the Governor of 
North Dakota for a 60-day Governor's consistency review on August 9, 
2024. The Governor's Office identified concerns and potential 
inconsistencies between the Proposed RMP/Final EIS and State and local 
plans, policies, and programs. The BLM considered the concerns and 
potential inconsistencies and responded to the Governor's Office on 
November 8, 2024. The BLM concluded that the Proposed RMP does not 
conflict with existing State plans. On December 12, 2024, the Governor 
of North Dakota appealed the State Director's decision not to accept 
the State's recommendations to the BLM Director. After careful review 
and consideration, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land 
and Minerals Management determined that the State Director properly 
considered all applicable State and local plans, policies, and programs 
in the North Dakota planning effort, and that no changes are necessary 
to provide for a reasonable balance between the national interest and 
the State's interest. The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land 
and Minerals Management response to the State of North Dakota's Appeal 
was signed on January 7, 2025, and transmitted to State Officials on 
January 8, 2025, prior to approval of the ROD. Consistent with the BLM 
regulations at 43 CFR 1610.3-2 the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary 
for Land and Minerals Management Response will also be published in the 
Federal Register.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 43 CFR 1610.2)

Sonya Germann,
State Director, Montana/Dakotas.
[FR Doc. 2025-00840 Filed 1-14-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-20-P
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