landscape-scale mitigation to facilitate economic development in the american west jim lyons deputy...
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LANDSCAPE-SCALE MITIGATION TO FACILITATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTIN THE AMERICAN WESTJim Lyons
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Land and Minerals Management
Department of the Interior
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR WASHINGTON
Subject: Improving Mitigation Policies and Practices of the Department of the Interior
Sec. 1 Purpose. The Department of the Interior is entrusted with overseeing Federal lands for the benefit of current and future generations. This includes advancing safe and responsible development of our abundant energy resources which bolsters our energy security, and promoting the conservation of our Federal lands and natural resources for generations to come. Development and conservation are both essential to support a vibrant and sustainable economy. The purpose of this Order is to establish a Department-wide mitigation strategy that will ensure consistency and efficiency in the review and permitting of infrastructure development projects and in conserving our Nation's valuable natural and cultural resources.
Central to this strategy will be (1) the use of a landscape-scale approach to identify and facilitate investment in key conservation priorities in a region; (2) early integration of mitigation considerations in project planning and design; (3) ensuring the durability of mitigation measures over time; (4) ensuring transparency and consistency in mitigation decisions; and (5) a focus on mitigation efforts that improve the resilience of our Nation's resources in the face of climate change.
ORDER NO. 3330
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR WASHINGTON
Landscape Mitigation Examples
•Western solar energy program/ solar energy zones
•Sage grouse conservation strategy•Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP)
•Barrick Gold Mitigation Agreement
WESTERN SOLAR ENERGY ZONES
• Identified 21 SEZs on 280K acres
• Permitted solar on 19 mill. acres of variance lands
• 79 mill. acres off limits• Expedited permitting
- FS - U
SFW
S
Planning Area Structure2 Regions
Great Basin Rocky Mountain
15 Sub-regions/EISs
Great Basin (All Amendments)Oregon, Nevada/NE California,Idaho/SW Montana, and Utah
Rocky Mountain (Revisions & Amendments)NW Colorado, WY 9 Plan, Lander Revision (WY), Bighorn Basin Revision (WY), Buffalo Revision (WY), Billings/Pompey’s Pillar NM Revision (MT), Lewistown Amendment (MT), HiLine Revision (MT), Miles City Revision (MT), South Dakota Revision, North Dakota Amendment
98 LUPs Being Amended (includes BLM and FS)Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) Management Zones outlined in Blue 11
The Wall Street Journal - March 10, 2014REVIEW & OUTLOOKSage Grouse RebellionWill Obama use two small birds to limit oil drilling in the West?March 10, 2014 6:52 p.m. ET
Almost half the land west of the Mississippi belongs to the federal government, including 48% of California, 62% of Idaho and 81% of Nevada. No surprise that the Obama Administration wants to control more. But the result could be to suppress the country's booming oil and gas development.
In partnership with green activists, the Department of Interior may attempt one of the largest federal land grabs in modern times, using a familiar vehicle—the Endangered Species Act (ESA). A record 757 new species could be added to the protected list by 2018. The two species with the greatest impact on private development are range birds—the greater sage grouse and the lesser prairie chicken, both about the size of a barnyard chicken. The economic stakes are high because of the birds' vast habitat.
Interior is expected to decide sometime this month whether to list the lesser prairie chicken, which inhabits five western prairie states, as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. Meantime, the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service are considering land-use amendments to protect the greater sage grouse, which would lay the groundwork for an ESA listing next year.
The sage grouse is found in 11 western states—California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Most of the areas affected are federal lands routinely used for farming, ranching, mining, road building, water projects and oil and gas drilling.
Oil & Gas LeasesUtah
In Production - Non-Habitat
Leased - Non-Habitat
PAC & Priority Habitat
General HabitatIn Production - Priority Habitat
Leased - Priority Habitat
In Production - General Habitat
Leased - General Habitat
In Production - Non-Habitat
Leased - Non-Habitat
PAC & Priority Habitat
General Habitat
Idaho
Nevada
Wyoming
ArizonaCA
Col
orad
o
Kan
sas
Oil & Gas PotentialNon-Habitat
In Production - Non-Habitat
Leased - Non-Habitat
PAC & Priority Habitat
General Habitat
Utah
Colorado
PAC & Priority Habitat
<all other values>
PAC & Priority Habitat Potential
High
Medium
Low
<all other values>
General Habitat Potential
High
Medium
Low
<all other values>
Non-Habitat Potential
High
Medium
Low
Utah
Idaho
Nevada
Wyoming
ArizonaCA
Col
orad
o
905603718%
13748447
28%
26664104
54%
PAC/Priority HabitatGeneral HabitatNon-Habitat
642019812%
7718441
14%
39924215
74%
427283459%
323862277%
39490478684%
Low O&G PotentialMedium O&G Potential
High O&G PotentialOil and Gas (O&G)
Production Potential in the
Western U.S.(# of acres by habitat
type)Copeland et al, 2010
DRAFT
ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE LANDSCAPE-SCALE MITIGATION
1. LANDSCAPE-SCALE RESOURCE ASSESSMENTS ARE COMPLETED IN ADVANCE of project design and development to…
2. IDENTIFY potential conservation and development CONFLICTS in order to …
3. AVOID, MINIMIZE, AND COMPENSATE FOR UNAVOIDABLE PROJECT IMPACTS through proper project siting and design