BLM Nevada initiates environmental assessment process for targeted grazing in Great Basin Ecoregion of Nevada
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RENO, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management Nevada State Office has begun the process of writing an environmental assessment (EA) titled “Targeted Grazing of Annual Grasses in the Great Basin Ecoregions in Nevada.” This EA will fulfill the National Environmental Policy Act requirements associated with implementing Secretarial Order 3372, “Reducing Wildfire Risks through Active Management,” and the Executive Order issued December 21, 2018, titled “Promoting Active Management of America’s Forests, and Other Federal Land to Improve Conditions and Reduce Wildfire Risk.”
This EA would analyze the environmental effects of targeted grazing treatments for reduction of annual invasive grasses on various BLM Nevada-managed lands throughout the Great Basin Ecoregion. The project area includes lands in the Carson City, Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, Elko, and Ely BLM Districts. The project aims to manage invasive annual grasses by using a variety of livestock grazing practices in the Great Basin ecoregions of Nevada.
“We are taking this action because of the threat annual invasive grasses, specifically cheatgrass, play in altering fire regime conditions that intensify wildland fire frequency, duration and size,” Jon Raby, Nevada State Director, said. “The EA is intended to expedite implementation of projects across much of Nevada while complying with the law.”
The EA will provide BLM with sufficient information to evaluate applications for targeted grazing treatments that meet project objectives, to manage invasive annual grasses that intensify wildland fire behavior and diminish ecological integrity using a variety of livestock grazing practices.
As part of the EA process, the BLM issued a Targeted Grazing Scoping Letter on July 3, 2019, to provide interested parties an opportunity to participate in the development of the EA. The public scoping period will open July 22. The public is invited to submit comments between July 22 and Aug. 21, 2019. The EA is expected to be completed in late January or early February 2020.
The BLM will be conducting four public scoping meetings throughout Nevada:
July 22, 2019 Winnemucca, 5-7 p.m., University of Nevada Cooperative Extension 4-H Meeting Room, 1085 Fairgrounds Road, Winnemucca, NV 89445
July 23, 2019 – Elko, 5-7 p.m., Great Basin College, Room GT-130, 1500 College Parkway, Elko, NV 89801
July 24, 2019 – Ely, 5-7 pm, Bristlecone Convention Center, 150 W 6th St. Ely, NV 89301
July 25, 2019 Reno, 5-7 p.m., The Nugget Casino Resort, Meeting Location: Redwood 6, 1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks, NV 89431
Any individuals, groups, or organizations wishing to comment on this process should attend the public scoping meetings or submit written comments to:
Nevada State Office Attention
NVSO Targeted Grazing 1340
Financial Boulevard Reno,
NV 89502-7147
For additional information, please contact Kathryn Dyer by email at kdyer@blm.gov with “NVSO Targeted Grazing” in the subject line.
-BLM-
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.