Landscape Considerations in BLM Resource Management Planning

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Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, New Mexico 1 Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, NM

Overview • “Landscape” and relevant policy • BLM’s land use planning process • What is Planning 2.0? • New Mexico planning update

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“Landscape”

…an interacting mosaic of ecosystems and human systems characterized by a set of common management concerns….not

defined by the size of the area, but…by the interacting elements that are relevant and meaningful in a management context.

…ultimate objective …is to integrate the management of resources

across spatial and temporal scales and, where appropriate, multiple jurisdictions, to enable effective management.

From the proposed Dept. Manual Chapter on “Implementing Landscape-level Approaches to Resource Management,” October 2016

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Relevant Policy Secretarial Order 3330, 2013 • “…use of a landscape-scale approach to identify and facilitate

investment in key conservation priorities in a region”

Presidential Memo, 2015 • Large-scale plans and analysis….to inform where development

is appropriate, where resources values should be protected

Proposed DOI Manual Chapter, “Implementing Landscape-level Approaches to Resource Management,” October 2016

BLM National Mitigation Policy, est. January 2017

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BLM Land Use Planning Land Use Plans / Resource Management Plans (RMPs) • Long-range • Comprehensive • Make resource and use decisions • Identify desired future conditions, actions to achieve • Landscape-level (versus specific proposed projects) BLM Mission Sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

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What is “Planning 2.0?” • Update to BLM’s land use planning regulations (43 CFR §1600) • Incremental improvements, not wholesale changes • Final Rule now available at blm.gov/plan2 • Federal Register December 12; effective mid-January 2017

6 Elk in the Rio Grande Valley, NM

Why Planning 2.0? • Existing planning regulations

>30 years old • New rule makes incremental

improvements to address concerns:

– process efficiency, – stakeholder involvement, – modern challenges and

demands on public lands and resources

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La Ventana Arch, El Malpais NCA, NM

Goals of Planning 2.0 1. Improve BLM’s ability to

respond to change 2. Provide meaningful

opportunities for collaboration

3. Improve BLM’s ability to implement a landscape approach

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Bisti De-na-zin Wilderness, NM

Planning 2.0 Update Final Rule Highlights • New opportunities for early public involvement

– Plan Assessment – public information and data gathering phase – Draft Alternatives Review

• Longer minimum comment periods for RMPs – RMPs - Current: 90 days, Proposed: 60 days, Final: 100 days – Amendments – Current: 90 days, Proposed: 45 days, Final: 60 days

• Planning area – Existing: Field Office boundary is the default planning area – Proposed: BLM Director determines planning area for all RMPs – Final: No default; rule provides criteria for developing planning area

as well as an opportunity for public review

Planning 2.0 Update Final Rule Highlights, continued • High-quality information

– Required to use “high quality information”

– “…any representation of knowledge such as facts or data, including the best available scientific information, which is accurate, reliable, and unbiased, is not compromised through corruption or falsification, and is useful to its intended users”

• Coordination and Consistency

Landscape Considerations in RMPs 1. Plan assessment phase 2. Planning area boundary 3. Regional mitigation principles embedded into plans*

11 Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave NCA, NM

Planning 2.0 – Next Steps 1. Federal Register December 12, 30-day waiting period 2. Revised BLM Land Use Planning Handbook 3. Partner and stakeholder presentations and trainings

12 Presilla Wilderness Study Area, NM

New Mexico Land Use Planning Update

Rio Puerco RMP Revision (1986)

Proposed RMP/FEIS January 2017

Tri-County RMP Revision Combines White Sands (1986) and portions of Mimbres RMPs

(1993) Supplemental EIS in 2017

Mancos-Gallup RMP-A Farmington RMP (2003)

Draft RMPA/EIS in 2018

Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks NM RMP

Public scoping February 2017 Carlsbad RMP

(1986) Draft RMP/EIS January 2017

“OKT” RMP Combines

Oklahoma (1994), Texas (1996), and

Kansas RMPs (1991) Draft RMP/EIS in 2017

Río Grande del Norte NM RMP-A Taos RMP (2012)

Public review of Alternatives, spring 2017

Sabinoso RMP-A Taos RMP (2012)

Proposed RMP-A/EA December 2016

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Verde RMP-A Taos RMP (2012) Draft in late 2017

For More Information • New National BLM Website

• New Mexico RMPs and current NEPA documents are available on the national NEPA Register, “ePlanning”

https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/eplanning

(Or, Google “BLM ePlanning” and click “FrontOffice” link)

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BLM New Mexico Contacts Molly Cobbs Zoe Davidson

Land Use Planning/NEPA Lead Mitigation, Monitoring and Botany Lead (505) 954-2170 (505) 954-2054

mcobbs@blm.gov zdavidson@blm.gov

15 Dripping Springs, Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks NM, NM

Upcoming Public Involvement Opportunities

Plan Milestone When?

Mancos-Gallup RMP-A Public scoping period (additional)

Open now! (til February 20, 2017)

Verde Transmission RMP-A Public Scoping period Open now! (til January 5, 2017)

Sabinoso Wilderness RMP-A Proposed RMP-A available for 30-day protest period

December 2016

Carlsbad RMP Draft RMP/EIS review and comment period

January 2017

Rio Puerco RMP Proposed RMP-A available for 30-day protest period

January 2017

Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks RMP

Public information gathering period

February 2017

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