Resource Management Plan Maintenance Action: Incorporation of the BLM's Programmatic Biological Assessment for the Colorado Butterfly Plant (Gaura neomexicana ssp. coloradensis) and the US FWS Biological Opinion for Field Office Resource Management Plans

United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Wyoming State Office
P.O. Box 1828
IN REPLY REFER TO: Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-1828
6840 (930) P
April 11, 2011
EMS TRANSMISSION: April 27, 2011
Instruction Memorandum No. WY-2011-029
Expires: 9/30/2012
To: District Managers
From: State Director
Subject: Resource Management Plan (RMP) Maintenance Action: Incorporation of the
Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Programmatic Biological Assessment
(BA) for the Colorado Butterfly Plant (Gaura neomexicana ssp. coloradensis)
and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Biological Opinion
(BO) for Field Office (FO) Resource Management Plans (RMPs) by
Maintenance Action
The attached document transmits the FWS BO issued on December 13, 2010, based on a review
of potential activities and conservation measures described under current Casper and Rawlins
Field Office (FO) RMPs; the Wyoming Statewide Programmatic Colorado butterfly plant BA
updated on September 16, 2010; and the potential effects of these activities on the Colorado
butterfly plant and designated critical habitat in accordance with BLM’s 6840 manual. The
FWS reviewed the Casper and Rawlins FO activity-specific determinations and was in
agreement with our analysis and conservation measures, which should serve to better protect
this species from further decline.
The Wyoming BLM Statewide Programmatic BA for the Colorado butterfly plant and the BO
covering the FWS review can be found on the internet at:
http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/pcp/species/t-e/gaura.html
The preliminary determination is that this action is an RMP Maintenance Action as defined in
43 CFR 1610.5-4. The Casper and Rawlins BLM FOs should review their existing RMPs, the
programmatic BA, and the FWS BO. If you agree with this determination, please maintain the
official hard copy of your RMP within 30 days of the date of this Instruction Memorandum (IM).
2
Please also maintain the web-based copy of your RMP during the same timeframe. If you
believe this action may require an RMP amendment, please contact Ken Peacock, Wyoming
State Office, at (307) 775-6329.
If you have questions regarding this IM please contact Tyler Abbott at (307) 775-6090.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Larry Claypool Sherry Dixon
Acting State Director Secretary
2 Attachments:
1 - Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion (ES-61411/WY10F0442b) (40 pp.)
2 - BLM Wyoming Programmatic Biological Assessment of the Colorado Butterfly Plant
(September 2005, with final edits on September 16, 2010) (78 pp.)
Director (230), Room 204, 2nd Floor 1 (w/o atch.)
Distribution
CF 1 (w/atch.)
FMs, Casper and Rawlins 1 (w/atch.)