Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-Utah Lands with Wilderness Characteristics Guidance

IM No UT-2016-027
Instruction Memorandum

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov

September 30, 2016

In Reply Refer To:
6310 & 6320 (UT-934) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 10/04/2016
Instruction Memorandum No. UT 2016-027
Expires: 09/30/2019

To: Recreation and Wilderness Staff, Planning and Environmental Coordinators, Field Managers, and District Managers

From: Utah State Director

Subject: Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-Utah Guidance for the Lands with Wilderness Characteristics Resource

Program Area: Lands with wilderness characteristics resource

Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum provides additional guidance to BLM Utah in considering external information, updating, and maintaining an inventory of lands with wilderness characteristics. This guidance outlines the process by which BLM Utah will analyze potential impacts to lands with wilderness characteristics through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and consider potential management options for the lands with wilderness characteristics resource outside of the land use planning process.

Policy/Action: This instruction memorandum (IM) serves as BLM-Utah’s additional guidance to:

• Prepare and maintain on a continuing basis an inventory of wilderness characteristics on BLM-administered public lands that reflects changes in conditions;
• Communicate with the public regarding the wilderness characteristics inventory process; and
• Consider the wilderness characteristics resource through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and/or land use planning process

Timeframe: This policy is effective immediately.

Budget Impact: This guidance may require additional staff time during the development of a NEPA document. The additional time needed to comply with this guidance is nominal and should not represent an adverse budget impact.

Background: Lands with wilderness characteristics have been recognized as a distinct resource since the passage of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), and should be considered equally along with all other resources present in a planning area. Section 201 of FLPMA requires the BLM to maintain, on a continuing basis, an inventory of all public lands and their resources and other values, including wilderness characteristics. BLM field offices must maintain and update resource inventory information to ensure that adequate data is available to support decision making.

BLM Manual 6310 states that, “State Directors will implement policy and provide statewide program coordination and guidance for conducting wilderness characteristics inventories.” BLM Manual 6320 states that, “State Directors will implement policy and provide statewide program coordination and guidance for the consideration of lands with wilderness characteristics inventories and, as warranted, the protection of lands with wilderness characteristics in land use plans.” The topics addressed in this IM respond to BLM-Utah’s need for additional wilderness characteristics guidance identified by the BLM-Utah Executive Leadership Team in 2014 and are intended to ensure consistency in the application of policy.
Manual/Handbook

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: This IM supplements national policies in BLM Manual 6310 - Conducting Wilderness Characteristics Inventory on BLM Lands and BLM Manual 6320 - Considering Lands with Wilderness Characteristics in the BLM Land Use Planning Process, while integrating national guidance in Washington Office (WO) IM 2013-106: Bureau of Land Management Manual No. 6310 and 6320 — Additional Guidance Regarding Public and Cooperating Agency Involvement in and Access to Wilderness Characteristics Inventory Information and the Land Use Planning Process.

These national documents continue to serve as BLM-Utah’s primary and foundational policies for inventorying, planning and managing for wilderness characteristics, which are not repeated in this Utah IM. Readers should consult these sources prior to interpreting or implementing this additional guidance.
Coordination: BLM-Utah Outdoor and Heritage Resources and Planning and Environmental Coordination program staff developed this guidance in coordination with the BLM-Utah Leadership Team; the BLM Washington Office National Landscape Conservation System staff; and the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Intermountain Region Office of the Solicitor staff.

Contact: Allison Ginn, National Conservation Lands Program Lead, BLM Utah State Office at (801) 539-4053, or via email aginn@blm.gov.

Signed by:                                                                Authenticated by:
Jenna Whitlock                                                        Doug York
Acting Utah State Director                                      Utah State Records Manager

2 Attachments:
1- BLM-Utah Additional Guidance For Manual 6310 – Conducting Wilderness Inventory On BLM Lands (7pp)
2- BLM-Utah Additional Guidance For Manual 6320 – Considering Lands With Wilderness Characteristics In The BLM Land Use Planning Process (11pp)