97-14483. Notice of Availability for the Montana/Dakotas Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management Final Environmental Impact Statement

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 107 (Wednesday, June 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 30612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14483]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[MT-962-1020-00]


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

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The final environmental impact statement (EIS) describes the 
environmental impacts of adopting regional standards for rangeland 
health and guidelines for livestock grazing management (standards and 
guidelines) on BLM-administered lands in Montana, North Dakota, and 
South Dakota. The proposed standards and guidelines would be 
incorporated into 10 BLM land use plans that cover about 8.4 million 
acres of BLM-administered land in Montana and the Dakotas. 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 coordination with four Resource 
Advisory Councils and other public input.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Preferred Alternative described in the 
final EIS is the Proposed Action (Alternative Two) analyzed in the 
draft and supplement to the draft EIS, with changes set forth in the 
final EIS. Modifications to the Preferred Alternative were based on 
public comment, Resource Advisory Council (RAC) input, and internal 
agency review. The modifications included in the Preferred Alternative 
neither change the scope of the final EIS nor alter the analysis of the 
environmental impacts. The final EIS incorporates by reference the 
draft EIS and the supplement to the draft EIS, except as noted.
    Three alternatives were considered in detail in the final EIS for 
standards and guidelines. The no action alternative (continuation of 
current management direction) provides a baseline for comparison with 
other alternatives. The preferred alternative (which was the proposed 
action in the draft) analyzes the impacts of incorporating regional 
standards and guidelines into affected land use plans. The third 
alternative analyzes the impacts of implementing the fallback standards 
and guidelines defined in BLM's grazing regulations. Several 
alternatives were considered, but dismissed from detailed analysis. 
These included a no grazing alternative; designating areas of critical 
environmental concern (ACECs) and research natural areas (RNAs); 
reintroduction of bison on public rangelands to achieve standards and 
guidelines; and developing guidelines for uses other than livestock 
grazing.

    Dated: May 28, 1997.
Thomas P. Lonnie,
Deputy State Director, Division of Resources.
[FR Doc. 97-14483 Filed 6-3-97; 8:45 am]
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