Tracking and Reporting Surface Disturbance and Reclamation

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, DC 20240-0036
http://www.blm.gov
September 1, 2016

In Reply Refer To:
3000 (300), 2000 (210, 250) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 09/08/2016

Instruction Memorandum No. 2016-145
Expires: 09/30/2019

To:                     State Directors (California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana/Dakotas, Nevada, Oregon/Washington, Utah, and Wyoming), and Center Directors

From:                Deputy Director

Subject:            Tracking and Reporting Surface Disturbance and Reclamation

Program Area: Fluid Minerals, Solid Minerals, Lands and Realty, Renewable Energy, Recreation, and Land Use Planning and NEPA.

Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) provides the policy on tracking and reporting surface disturbance and reclamation within and outside of Greater Sage-grouse (GRSG) Priority Habitat Management Areas (PHMA).  The Approved Resource Management Plan Amendments for the Rocky Mountain and Great Basin GRSG Regions and Nine Approved Resource Management Plans in the Rocky Mountain GRSG Region (collectively referred to as the GRSG Plans) require the BLM to track disturbance and reclamation in designated GRSG Priority Habitat Management Areas (PHMA).^[1]  The Surface Disturbance Analysis and Reclamation Tracking Tool (SDARTT) will be used to fulfill this requirement.  Authorized Officers outside of GRSG PHMA may choose to use SDARTT to track disturbance and reclamation.  This IM explains the capabilities of the national web-based SDARTT, user support options, and guidance for field offices (FOs) use an existing disturbance and reclamation tracking tool.  Additionally, the IM provides information and policy about the annual all-land disturbance estimates on PHMA in GRSG Biologically Significant Units (BSUs)[2], which are defined in the GRSG Plans, finalized in September 2015.^[3]  This policy will be implemented in conjunction with the protocols in the GRSG Plans’ disturbance cap calculation method appendix, GRSG Monitoring Framework, and GRSG Implementation Guide.

Policy/Action:

The GRSG Plans require that the BLM track surface disturbance and reclamation in PHMA.  Surface disturbance and reclamation will be tracked at two scales: project and BSU.  Proposed development in PHMA will be entered into SDARTT to determine whether disturbance and density percentages will exceed thresholds.  Of the 19 degradation threats identified in the FWS’ 2010 listing decision, 12 were identified for tracking at the broad and mid-scale (BSU scale) in PHMA, with an additional 7 site scale disturbances to be tracked when authorizing proposed actions (project scale, e.g., proposed well location).  Refer to Attachment 1 in this IM, which is copied from a Disturbance Cap Calculation Method Appendix included in each GRSG Plan.  If a threat is not listed in Attachment 1, it will not be included in the PHMA disturbance calculation, unless a respective GRSG Plan includes additional threats or exceptions.  Existing disturbance at the project scale will be calculated using existing disturbance data layers that can be input in SDARTT or digitizing on-the-ground disturbance using high resolution imagery, e.g. NAIP and uploading these data into SDARTT.  BLM FOs should refer to their respective Appendix of the GRSG plan for the project scale disturbance cap details.

BSU estimates will use the data sets and estimated footprints outlined in the GRSG Monitoring Framework and will be calculated annually by the National Operations Center for all-lands in priority habitat.  This information will be available via the BLM Geospatial Gateway.  This all-lands estimate will be used to inform the cumulative effects National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis, the appropriate disturbance objective(s), and, in some plans, the disturbance cap at the BSU scale.  Please refer to the appropriate land use plan for details regarding disturbance calculations at the BSU scale.  At both the project and BSU scales, co-located disturbances are encouraged and overlapping disturbance footprints are not additive in the calculations.

Use of SDARTT at the Project Scale:

BLM field offices with GRSG PHMA will use SDARTT to plan, calculate, track, and analyze project scale disturbances and reclamation in PHMAs, using the following website: https://blm.sciencebase.gov.  Some offices (as described in the background section) have existing geodatabases and tools that comply with portions of this policy.[4]  It is appropriate for these FOs to continue using existing tools with the understanding that all disturbance and reclamation data will ultimately be consolidated into a national database.  Efforts are underway to integrate existing systems with SDARTT.

The BLM, in conjunction with the project proponents, will use SDARTT or an existing disturbance quantification tool to upload surface disturbance proposals, compare and track siting alternatives, document the authorized disturbance footprints, record as-built footprints, generate maps and reports, and track interim and final reclamation.  BLM staff will first be trained to use SDARTT; thereafter, operators and their third-party contractors will be trained.  See Attachment 2 for a summary of SDARTT training plan and capabilities.  In addition, when undertaking internally generated BLM projects that pertain to the 19 threats of surface disturbing activities in PHMA (see Attachment 1), the BLM will upload the proposed and final as-built spatial data of the disturbance into SDARTT for tracking and calculation purposes.

The BLM has also committed to track and calculate the density of energy and mining facilities at the project scale (except in NV), which will also be performed in SDARTT or other existing system.  The density is limited to 1 facility for each 640 acres, on average, within the project analysis area.  If a project that would exceed the degradation cap or density cap (for energy or mining facilities) cannot be deferred due to valid existing rights or other existing laws and regulations, fully disclose the local and regional impacts of the proposed action in the associated NEPA.  Please refer to the density cap calculation methods in the appropriate land use plan, GRSG Monitoring Framework (p.28), Implementation Guide, and SDARTT User Guide.

There are variations and exceptions in the GRSG Plans, therefore refer to your respective GRSG plan, and the corresponding Disturbance Appendix for further information on how to calculate disturbance and reclamation.  Some variations, where appropriate, are being incorporated into SDARTT functionality, such as Oregon’s decadal calculations.

In the GRSG Plans, locatable minerals were considered one of the threats; therefore, disturbances and associated reclamation will need to be entered into SDARTT.  Consistent with the mining laws, operations and post-mining land use must comply with the applicable BLM land-use plans and activity plans. 

Template of Deficiencies and Condition of Approval (COA) /Stipulation Language to Include in Authorizations:

When writing deficiency letters or responses to proponents, the BLM may need to request that spatial data be submitted for all planned surface disturbance associated with that proposal, if they are located in PHMA or if a field office has chosen to use SDARTT outside of PHMA, or if the proponent did not provide these with their first submittal.

When approving surface disturbing authorizations, the BLM will apply COAs or Stipulations, to the extent consistent with applicable law, so the actual disturbance footprint, modification to the approval, and reclamation can be tracked.  Refer to Attachment 3 for template COA/Stipulation language that can be included in authorizations, leases, permits, and grants.

Disturbance in GRSG BSUs:

The National Operations Center:

The National Operations Center (NOC) will calculate an all-lands estimate of disturbance levels of the 12 threats for the PHMA in each BSU on an annual basis.  The first disturbance estimates, which used buffered datasets in Table 6 of the GRSG Monitoring Framework, are approximations and are available to all FOs through the BLM Geospatial Gateway.  Moving forward, the NOC will produce the annual estimate and a 5-year trend estimate for all lands in PHMA by BSU.  This information will be incorporated into a report produced by the Washington Office and posted to the BLM Landscape Data Portal (http://www.landscape.blm.gov/geoportal/catalog/main/home.page). 

State, District, and Field Offices:

The NOC calculation of the disturbance on PHMA in a BSU is only an estimate, which can be more precisely calculated using existing data, by digitizing disturbance, and/or conducting field inventories.  State offices may perform BSU level disturbance calculations using locally available data to conform to additional requirements.  More precise local calculations will be part of the land use plan conformance process and will be incorporated into the NEPA analysis for a proposed surface disturbing activity, when necessary, to ensure that BSU disturbance caps are not exceeded.  Existing disturbance on private, state and other lands can be calculated using existing data or via digitization with aerial NAIP/other imagery and should include the threats listed in Attachment 1.  This can be done in coordination with local partners.  Data standards and templates for digitizing can be found in the SDARTT online Instructional User Guide.

Timeframe: This IM is effective immediately.

Budget Impact: The BLM received additional funding in Fiscal Year 2016 for geospatial data management including disturbance-related data.  The workload associated with this policy includes development of and participation in WebEx training; working with and training local partners (e.g., states, counties, and other government and quasi-governmental entities), proponents and their third party contractors; assigning SDARTT verification roles; verifying proponent submitted spatial data (through aerial imagery, field inspections, or local knowledge); and incorporating SDARTT results into NEPA analysis.  Data entry into SDARRT will occur in several levels of the agency at field/district offices, state offices, and the NOC, and the workload associated with data entry will vary by unit.  Where cost-recovery is authorized, BLM will incorporate the costs of tracking disturbance and reclamation into the cost-recovery estimate.  In the long-term, SDARTT should enable the BLM and proponents to save time and funds by providing consistent tools and simple calculations when processing activities causing disturbance as defined in each GRSG Plan.  SDARTT will enable land managers to effectively implement planning decisions in site specific applications, and to detect unauthorized disturbances and unreclaimed lands; thereby reducing financial risk.

Background: The SDARTT tool was developed to fulfill the commitments made in the GRSG Plans to manage the amount of disturbance in GRSG PHMA.  The USGS worked with several BLM FOs (Pinedale, Vernal, and White River) beginning in 2006, to develop disturbance and reclamation tracking databases which evolved into this national web-based tool.  For example, the State of Wyoming and its partners (including BLM Wyoming) have been using the Density Disturbance Calculation Tool (DDCT) since 2010 and the web-based application since 2012. 

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: Multiple program Manuals and Handbooks are likely to be affected. 

Coordination: WO-300, WO-200, NOC, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, and Office of the Solicitor.

Contacts: If you have any questions regarding this IM, please contact Gordon Toevs, National Sage Grouse Coordinator (202) 567-1589, Janna Simonsen, Senior Natural Resource Specialist Fluid Minerals (202) 912-7154, and Anthony Titolo, Natural Resource Specialist at the NOC (303) 236-0446.  SDARTT user support is provided through the Help Desk, and via email: sdartt@usgs.gov or phone: (970) 226-9116.

Signed by:                                                                   Authenticated by:

Steven A. Ellis                                                            Robert M. Williams

Deputy Director                                                          Division of IT Policy and Planning,WO-870

3 Attachments

1-The 19 GRSG Disturbance Threats (1 p)

            2- SDARTT Training, User Support, Capabilities, Authentication (2 pp)

            3- Template for Deficiency Letters and Conditions of Approval or Stipulations (2 pp)