BLM Proposes New Plans to Protect Greater Sage Grouse in the West

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced a draft plan to strengthen greater sage-grouse conservation and management on public lands.

However, livestock organizations like the NCBA and PLC say, if the plan goes through, it would amend 77 separate land use plans currently in place across 10 Western states, and some of the alternatives in the draft EIS include new Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) designations totaling as many as 11.1 million acres.

BLM stated that efforts are needed to restore sagebrush habitat across BLM-managed lands in western states. The states affected include California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

The BLM will hold 13 public meetings to answer questions and take further comments on the draft alternatives and analysis. Information on public meetings will be posted in the events column on the main page of the BLM website.

The draft environmental impact statement and plan amendments will open for public comment on March 15, 2024. The comment period will end on June 13, 2024.

More information on how to comment on this draft will be posted at https://www.blm.gov/sagegrouse. .

A final environmental impact statement is expected this fall, followed by Records of Decision in each state.