Questions & Answers

Environmental Impact Statement
for
Vegetation Treatments, Watersheds and Wildlife Habitats on Public Lands Administered by the BLM in the Western United States, Including Alaska.

What is BLM's intention in developing this EIS?

The BLM is undertaking this EIS to consolidate, update and evaluate vegetation treatments and methods of treatments on BLM public lands in the western states, including Alaska. It is not intended to address specific agency management decisions developed under local land use plans.

This EIS will identify and analyze alternatives on public lands for treating more than 6 million acres of public land a year by using Integrated Weed Management along with prescribed and managed natural fire and hazardous fuels reduction as part of the National Fire Management Plan and the Department of the Interior's Cohesive Strategy.

Treatment methods could include, but are not limited to, mechanical, chemical, biological, cultural (such as goats or other animals, hand-pulling, etc.), and prescribed fire/fuels reduction.

Why is BLM developing this EIS?

The BLM is developing this EIS to:

• update and replace analyses contained in four existing BLM vegetation treatment EISs the agency completed from 1986 to 1992. These documents are becoming less useful because new information is now available, and conditions and circumstances have changed.
  
  
• analyze vegetation treatments on BLM-managed public lands in Alaska that were not included in the existing EISs.

What is the purpose of the EIS?

This environmental impact statement will:

• provide a comprehensive cumulative analysis of the variety of vegetation treatments BLM employs for the conservation and restoration of vegetation communities, watersheds and wildlife habitats that are designed to protect people, sustain natural resources and provide for long-term multiple uses as specified in locally developed land use plans.
  
  
• provide a comprehensive programmatic NEPA document with general guidelines that can be used by BLM staffs at the field level for local land-use planning.
  
  
• serve as a baseline cumulative impact assessment for new, revised or existing land-use and activity plans that involve treatment, modification or maintenance of vegetation, watershed or wildlife habitat, meeting NEPA requirements.
  
  
• assess human health risks for proposed chemical herbicides and review new information on chemicals developed since the existing EISs were completed. This would include binding agents and inert ingredients used in combination with chemical treatment activities. These assessments may allow the use of new chemicals.
  
  
• consider state-specific, reasonably foreseeable activities, including hazardous fuels reduction treatments, to protect communities and restore desired natural fire regimes.

Is this EIS a land-use plan?

No, it is neither a land-use plan nor an amendment to a land-use plan. As a programmatic EIS, it will not determine land uses on the public lands.

How will this EIS affect current and future local land-use plans?
There should be little effect to current land-use plans; however, it should minimize the need for cumulative impact documentation in future individual land-use plans, revisions and amendments/environmental impact statements. Specifically it will:

• act as an umbrella document under which local field offices can develop local land-use plans by providing comprehensive general guidelines.
  
  
• serve as a baseline cumulative impact assessment for new, revised or existing land-use and activity plans that involve treatment, modification or maintenance of vegetation, watershed or wildlife habitat.

Who is developing this EIS?

• The BLM Office of Rangelands, Soils, Water and Air in Washington, D.C., is leading the project. Project co-leads are Gina Ramos, BLM Senior Weeds Specialist, Washington Office (tel: 202-452-5084); and Brian Amme, Planning and Environmental Coordinator, Nevada State Office (tel: 775-861-6645).
  
  
• Members of the public are invited to identify additional issues and concerns that should be addressed, participate in public meetings and hearings, and submit verbal and/or written comments.
  
  
• Staffs in BLM offices in the western states and Alaska will be involved at every step in the process, from identifying issues and concerns during the scoping process to developing the final EIS and Record of Decision.
  
  
• A third-party contractor, ENSR International, will conduct the public meetings and prepare the EIS in accordance with BLM guidelines and oversight.

Are there any other federal agencies involved in the effort? There are no other federal agencies involved as cooperating agencies; however, the project is being closely coordinated with US Fish & Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and EPA as well as National Association of Counties (NACo) and Western Governors Association. The USDA Forest Service prefers to develop regional or forest plans, rather than a nationwide EIS, but coordination will continue throughout the process. No other federal agencies at the national level have indicated a need to participate as a cooperating agency.

How much has been done so far, and what is the next step?

• The Notice of Intent to develop the EIS was published in the Federal Register October 12, 2001, and a news release was distributed to the media, interested groups and state agencies by the BLM at the same time.
• A notice of the extension of the public comment period and the schedule of the scoping meetings was published in the Federal Register January 2 and a news release and Questions & Answers information sheet was distributed the same date.
• Due to language in the Federal Register notice that caused some confusion in the public arena, the first four meetings were cancelled and rescheduled, the scope of the EIS was refined, and the notice rewrittten.
• The final notice and schedule of meetings was published in the Federal Register January 22, 2002; stakeholder letters and press release distributed Jan. 17-18.
• Nineteen public scoping meetings in 12 states and Washington, D.C., were held from January 22 through March 12. Through the scoping period, the BLM hopes to receive comments on issues and concerns already identified, as well as have the public identify any other issues and concerns they may have.

What is the scope of the EIS?

• It is national in scope. It will cover surface estate public lands administered by the BLM in: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, North and South Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
  
  
• It will analyze restoration activities that may include but are not limited to: prescribed fire, understory thinning, forest health treatments, or other activities related to restoring fire-adapted ecosystems; riparian restoration, native plant community restoration, and invasive plants/noxious weeds treatments.

Does this EIS involve controversial issues?

Several facets of the analyses will draw attention and scrutiny from different stakeholders throughout the United States. In developing the EIS, the BLM will:

• review and analyze treatment alternatives, including use of chemicals in the noxious weeds and invasive species integrated pest management program.
  
  
• address the cumulative impact assessment of these projects, as well as the use and effects of natural wildfire, prescribed fire, understory thinning, forest health treatments and other activities related to restoring fire-adapted ecosystems on a national basis.

How will the EIS be implemented after it is completed?

The EIS will be implemented through Records of Decision (RODs) that will outline the general guidelines for the vegetation management program selected, standard operating procedures, best management practices, and other terms and conditions that may be required to protect and conserve sensitive species and habitats. More specific guidelines can be incorporated into current land use plans through amendments or in future land use plan revisions if needed.

Will the EIS include alternatives or mitigation to chemical herbicides, such as preventive measures or best management practices? (For example, weed-free hay, washing of equipment and vehicles, reseeding of treatment areas, etc.)

Yes, the EIS will include alternatives for treating vegetation, including preventive measures, mitigating measures, standard operating procedures, and best management practices.

Will Tribal, state and local governments be involved with the process?

Yes, the BLM staff will maintain regular coordination over the next two years with each partner mentioned, as well as other groups, by:

• briefing Tribal, local, and state governments in close association with the public scoping meeting(s).
• briefing the National Association of Counties, the Western Governors Association, and others.
• continued coordination throughout the development of the draft EIS and alternatives with Tribal, state and local governments by the BLM state offices and the interdisciplinary BLM team working with the project contractor.

Will the EIS affect National Monuments or National Conservation Areas?

Yes, since they are included in the project area. These units will be analyzed as part of the broad programmatic treatment area to the extent conservation and restoration project work, including invasive and noxious weed treatments, are allowed by the individual National Landscape Conservation System proclamations.

Is there a map showing areas that will be affected?

Local, regional or statewide maps of public lands affected will be shown at the public meetings and can be viewed at BLM state and field office locations.

When will the public be able to make comments on the project? The public will have several opportunities to discuss this project with the BLM and to make comments, such as:

• at public scoping meetings held throughout the western states and in Washington, D.C., from Jan. 22 through March 12, 2002, as shown in the attached schedule.
  
  
• by submitting comments on issues identified in the scoping process and additional issues they think need to be addressed, through March 29, 2002.
  
  
• by submitting comments through additional public comment periods associated with the draft EIS, and the Final EIS.

Where can the public send their comments?

The public can mail comments to: Brian Amme, Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, P.O. Box 12000, Reno, NV 89520-0006; or fax to (775) 861-6712.

When will the final EIS be published?

The BLM plans to complete this EIS by summer 2003.