Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Rangeland Reform '94 and Request for Public Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-221-94-4410-02-241A]

Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Rangeland Reform '94 and

Request for Public Comment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior

ACTION: Notice; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The public comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) for Rangeland Reform '94 is hereby extended to

September 9, 1994. The draft EIS has been prepared in accordance with

Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 by

the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), with

the cooperation of the Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

DATES: Written comments on the draft EIS must be postmarked no later

than September 9, 1994. Comments received after this date may not be

considered in preparation of the final EIS.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the draft EIS should be sent to: Rangeland

Reform '94, P.O. Box 66300, Washington, D.C. 20035-6300.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Write to the above address or call Jim

Fox, Bureau of Land Management, (202) 452-7740, or Jerry McCormick,

Forest Service, (202) 205-1457. To obtain a copy of the draft EIS,

please call or visit your nearest BLM Resource Area office or Forest

Service National Forest Supervisor's office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau of Land Management and the Forest

Service are proposing to change policies and regulations within their

Federal rangeland management programs. These actions are intended to

improve and restore a significant portion of rangeland ecosystems and

to improve and maintain biodiversity, while providing for sustainable

development on lands administered by the two agencies. The two agencies

are also proposing to revise the formula used to determine fees charged

for grazing livestock on Federal lands in the 17 western states.

The Bureau of Land Management, with the cooperation of the Forest

Service, has prepared a draft EIS analyzing the environmental effects

of the proposed changes in their rangeland management programs. The

draft EIS is a national-level, programmatic analysis. It documents the

ecological, economic, and social impacts that would result from

alternative fee formulas and from reforming, or not reforming, other

elements of the Federal rangeland management program. Five management

alternatives are considered in detail: Current Management (No Action);

BLM-Forest Service Proposed Action; Livestock Production; Environmental

Enhancement; and No Grazing. Seven grazing fee formula alternatives are

also analyzed: Current Public Rangeland Improvement Act (PRIA) (No

Action); Modified PRIA; BLM-Forest Service Proposed Action; Regional

Fees; Federal Forage Fee; PRIA with Surcharges; and Competitive

Bidding.

Dated: August 1, 1994.

Jonathan P. Deason,

Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance.

[FR Doc. 94-19075 Filed 8-3-94; 8:45 am]

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