MUIRNet-News

News Release
May 7, 2008

Agencies Release Sage-Steppe Restoration EIS

A final environmental impact statement (FEIS) evaluating strategies for restoration of sagebrush steppe ecosystems in a wide area of northeast California and far northwest Nevada is now available.

The FEIS for the Sage Steppe Ecosystem Restoration Strategy was developed by the Modoc National Forest (MNF), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Modoc County. It focuses on restoring the diversity of vegetation on sagebrush-steppe ecosystems that have been impacted by expanding stands of Western juniper trees. The management strategy applies to more than six million acres of public and private lands in parts of Modoc, Lassen, eastern Shasta and eastern Siskiyou counties in California and extreme northwest Washoe County in Nevada.

Copies of the document have been mailed to requesters. It is also available online at the Modoc National Forest website, www.fs.fed.us/r5/modoc; and at the BLM Alturas Field Office website, www.blm.gov/ca/alturas.

Printed and compact disc copies are available by contacting the Modoc National Forest, 800 W. 12th St., Alturas, CA 96101, or by contacting Project Lead Rob Jeffers (530) 233-8816, email: rgjeffers@fs.fed.us

The BLM plans to issue a record of decision (ROD) this summer. The MNF will either issue a ROD or incorporate the analysis into an upcoming Forest Plan revision. The FEIS provides broad environmental analysis for restoration projects. Site specific impacts of each project would be analyzed under provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The FEIS analyzes a preferred alternative and several alternatives, all designed to restore sage-steppe areas.

Many of these landscapes, once consisting of mosaics of grass, brush and juniper, have become dominated by juniper trees. In some areas the trees have crowded out all other plants, leaving bare ground in the areas beneath the trees. Proposed treatments would remove young junipers to allow the return of a more diverse mix of grass and brush species. Some juniper removed during the projects may be made available for renewable energy production.

The restoration strategy would guide decision making by the Modoc National Forest and the BLM over the next 50 years. The proposal would not direct activities on private land, but would provide conservation measures that could be adopted by interested landowners.

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Technorati Tags: modoc national forest, national environmental policy act, Public-Lands, restoration strategy, sagebrush steppe

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Lands Legislation Signed Into Law

May 8th, 2008

“Today is a great day for public lands across America.  This new law encompasses lands and activities in more than 30 states and the District of Columbia, and I’m pleased that President Bush has signed it into law.” — Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM).

The President today signed the Consolidated Natural Resources Act (S. 2739), a bipartisan bundle of 62 individual bills which includes new protections for outstanding wilderness, historic sites, national parks and precious water resources. The legislation contains roughly an equal mix of Democratic bills, Republican bills and bills with bipartisan sponsorship that is illustrative of the Senate Energy Committee’s long-standing record of moving bills out of committee and to final enactment.

That successful pattern was in view again yesterday when the Senate Energy Committee favorably reported 45 more bills that deal with public land, national forest, national parks and water issues.  Reflecting the balanced, bipartisan approach that is a typical of our committee, nearly all of those bills were reported with a unanimous vote.  These new bills will be part of a second package of resources legislation that the Committee is preparing for floor consideration later this session.

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Technorati Tags: forest national, legislation, national parks, Public-Lands, senate energy committee, water issues, Wilderness

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Committee Moves 45 Bills, 2 Nominees

May 7th, 2008

In a mark up today, Senate Energy Committee reported 45 public lands, forests, parks and water bills.  Of those, 31 had amendments which were adopted en bloc after being worked out and cleared by staff on both sides.  The committee also reported the nominations of Jeffrey Kupfer to be Deputy Secretary of Energy and Kameran Onley to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

S. 27 – To authorize the implementation of the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement.

S. 570 – To designate additional National Forest System lands in the State of Virginia as wilderness or a wilderness study area, to designate the Kimberling Creek Potential Wilderness Area for eventual incorporation in the Kimberling Creek Wilderness, to establish the Seng Mountain and Bear Creek Scenic Areas, to provide for the development of trail plans for the wilderness areas and scenic areas, and for other purposes.

S. 617 – To make the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass available at a discount to certain veterans.
Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: national heritage area, Public-Lands, scenic rivers system, senate energy committee, wilderness area, wilderness study area

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Proposal to Protect Two Rare Species on Public Lands in Southeastern New Mexico Approved

May 2, 2008

The Bureau of Land Management has approved a plan to protect two rare species of wildlife in southeastern New Mexico, the lesser prairie-chicken and sand dune lizard, and enhance their habitat on public lands. The BLM adopted major elements of a conservation strategy for the two species developed by a stakeholder group during the planning process, and added measures to increase habitat protection for the species.

The BLM also established a Lesser Prairie-Chicken Habitat Preservation Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) to protect and enhance 58,000 acres of habitat for the species. This measure modifies and adds to a proposal submitted by environmental interests.

The BLM issued a formal ‘Record of Decision’ (ROD) on May 2, 2008, to amend Resource Management Plans in its Roswell and Carlsbad Field Offices. The decision allows oil and gas development and other uses to continue on public lands with modifications and restrictions to protect habitat for the two species.

A Notice of Availability of the ROD was published in the Federal Register on May 2 as well. Copies of the ROD and the amended Resource Management Plans (RMPs) are available on the internet at www.blm.gov/nm or from the BLM’s Pecos District Office at 2902 W. Second St. in Roswell. Further information about this effort is available from Howard Parman, the BLM’s planning team leader, at the Pecos District Office (575.627.0212) or via email at howard_parman@blm.com.

“This effort was much more than completing a document. It involved working together with a variety of interests to develop a vision: a plan that will conserve an important part of our natural heritage while preserving the traditions and cultures of southeastern New Mexico,” said Linda Rundell, New Mexico State Director for the BLM.

“Twenty-five years ago, I was a biologist surveying prairie-chickens and sand dune lizards in our Roswell Field Office,” Rundell added. “I’m thrilled to see that we now have a plan in place that will ensure their long-term protection.”

The BLM is also working with partners under the “Restore New Mexico” initiative to restore the species’ sand dune/shinnery oak habitat and reclaim abandoned oil fields (e.g., well pads and roads) in the area covered by the plan amendment – almost 850,000 acres of public lands plus an additional 298,000 acres of federal mineral estate in Roosevelt, Chaves, Eddy and Lea Counties.

The Lesser Prairie-Chicken Habitat Preservation ACEC comprises 37,000 acres of public lands, 11,000 acres of State land and 10,000 acres of private land. The BLM will consider acquiring non-federal lands within the ACEC if and when the opportunity arises from willing sellers of private lands. Acquisitions of State lands within the ACEC boundary is underway through a land exchange being processed by BLM and the New Mexico State Land Office.

The BLM’s decision to select the preferred alternative from the proposed RMP amendments, establishes four management areas for the two species: a core area, primary population area, sparse and scattered population area, and an isolated population area.

Federal oil and gas leasing will be closed within the core area, plus occupied and suitable habitat within the primary population area. New oil and gas leasing will also be closed on occupied habitat within the sparse and scattered and isolated population areas.

Lands in the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Habitat Preservation ACEC will be closed to future oil and gas leasing. The ACEC is also closed to locatable, leasable and salable mineral entry. Existing oil and gas leases will be developed with the same prescriptions and restrictions that will apply to the core area and sand dune lizard habitat.

The prairie-chicken’s habitat covers portions of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Habitat for the sand dune lizard is found only in southeastern New Mexico and a small portion of west Texas.

Special Status Species Proposed RMPA/FEIS Website

Technorati Tags: habitat protection, lesser prairie chicken, natural heritage, New Mexico, resource management plans, sand dune, Special Status Species

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Report: Biofuels Impacting Land-Use, Biodiversity

May 7, 2008

Minneapolis, MN – A new study by a Minnesota-based agricultural think tank finds the growing use of crops for fuel is having unexpected consequences. Ben Lilliston, with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, explains food production around the world is being expanded to meet the demand for biofuels, which has serious implications.

“The feedstock that’s used to produce biofuels is having a very serious and adverse effect on biodiversity in some of the more fragile and rare ecosystems in the world. It’s clearing off land that was not in production, expanding into areas protected previously, and this is what’s causing some of the concern.”"

For example, he notes, greater sugar cane production in Brazil contributes to destruction of the Amazon rainforest. The United States is not immune from harmful effects, either. Increased corn planting in this country is reducing the diversity of crop rotations and threatening wetlands.

The report attributes the rapid expansion of the biofuel industry to increased crude oil prices and national policies that encourage the production and use of food for energy.

Lilleston emphasizes the report doesn’t call for a halt in biofuel development, but rather for trying to avoid some of its negative side effects and protect ecosystems.

“What we need to do is take a step back here, and really build sustainability into the biofuels sector. In other words, we need to make protecting rainforests and native ecosystems part of the priority. ”

The institute’s full report is available online at iatp.org.

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Jim Wishner/Eric Mack, Public News Service - MN

Technorati Tags: biodiversity, crude oil prices, ecosystems, national policies, rainforest, wetlands

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