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POCATELLO, Idaho -- The Bureau of Land Management Pocatello Field Office has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement to address the J.R. Simplot Company’s request to exchange 719 acres of federal land adjacent to Simplot’s Don Plant, for 667 acres of non-federal land near the Chinese Peak-Blackrock Canyon area.  

The BLM’s role as lead federal agency is to evaluate the land exchange proposal. If approved, the proposed land exchange would result in improved resource management in an area containing crucial mule deer winter range and would secure permanent public access within a popular, high-use recreation area. Key resource issues identified during scoping include: air quality, cultural resources, fish and wildlife, hazardous and solid wastes, lands and realty, recreation, socioeconomics and environmental justice, tribal treaty rights, visual resources and water resources.

Acquisition of this acreage, if approved, would accord with Secretary’s Order 3373, Evaluating Public Access in BLM Public Land Disposals and Exchanges, which directs that recreation opportunities for all Americans be ensured by continued access to public land and waters that are managed by the Department. Acquiring these parcels would also be consistent with SO 3366, Increasing Recreation Opportunities on Lands and Waters Managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior, and SO 3362, Improving Habitat Quality in Western Big-Game Winter Range and Migration Corridors.

Based on feedback from cooperating agencies, stakeholders and public scoping, the BLM has developed alternatives to the Proposed Action, including a No Action Alternative, which are analyzed in the Draft EIS.

In compliance with the Secretary’s Order 3373 issued in March 2019, the BLM has analyzed the impact of the proposed project on the public’s ability to access federal lands for recreation. The agency has determined it would increase the public’s ability to access federal lands for recreation because it would provide permanent public access to portions of the Chinese Peak-Blackrock Canyon trail system.

“The phosphate industry and recreation are both important to southeast Idaho,” said BLM Idaho Falls District Manager Mary D’Aversa. “We encourage the public to take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about how this proposed land exchange will impact both by reading the documents, attending public meetings, and providing input.”

The 45-day public comment period for the Draft EIS begins when the Notice of Availability is published in the Federal Register on Dec. 20 and concludes on Feb. 4. During the comment period the BLM has two public meetings scheduled for the following dates:

Jan. 7, 2020
4-6 p.m.
Fort Hall Hotel and Event Center
777 Bannock Trail, Fort Hall

Jan. 8, 2019
5-7 p.m.
Bureau of Land Management—Pocatello Field Office
4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello

The public is encouraged to submit comments on the Draft EIS by Feb. 4 for consideration in the Final EIS. Comments can only be submitted in the following ways:

• Submit your written comments directly at the public scoping meetings;
• Submit your comments electronically via the ePlanning site: https://go.usa.gov/xEUuc 
• Mail comments to BLM Pocatello Field Office at the address listed above with Attention: Blackrock Land Exchange

For more information contact Bryce Anderson, BLM Pocatello Project Manager, at 208-478-6353 or bdanderson@blm.gov or see the Blackrock Land Exchange BLM ePlanning site above.