Greater Sage-Grouse Rangewide Planning

Records of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendments for Greater Sage-Grouse Rangewide Planning

The BLM's Principal Deputy Director signed Records of Decision approving Resource Management Plan Amendments for Greater Sage-Grouse Rangewide Planning in Colorado and Oregon. The amendments update management direction in RMPs across those two states, refining Priority Habitat Management Area designations and other conservation measures for Greater Sage-Grouse and more than 350 other wildlife species. The decisions are part of a broader rangewide effort developed with 10 states, tribes, and local communities. Sixty unique protest letters were received and resolved. The RODs are effective upon signature and are available at the BLM ePlanning portal.

Notice of Availability of the Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement for Greater Sage-Grouse Rangewide Planning

The Bureau of Land Management has released a Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and Final Environmental Impact Statement for Greater Sage-Grouse Rangewide Planning, covering nearly 121 million acres of BLM-administered lands across 10 western states. The RMPA amends 77 land use plans to strengthen conservation of Greater sage-grouse habitat, responding to updated science and continued population declines. Six alternatives were analyzed, including a No Action Alternative. The Proposed RMPA designates priority habitat management areas as exclusion zones for solar and wind energy and imposes stricter limits on rights-of-way and fluid mineral development. A 30-day protest period to the BLM Director begins upon EPA publication of its Notice of Availability.