Frequently Asked Questions
What does the BLM hope to accomplish with the RMP revision?
The new RMP will provide goals, objectives and management direction for approximately 651,200 acres of surface BLM-managed lands and approximately 1.2 million acres of sub-surface BLM-managed minerals in central Montana. Goals include:
-Providing for economic opportunities (from administering activities such as grazing, tiImproved access for public use and resource management;
-Maintaining and restoring ecological sustainability;
-Providing for recreation opportunities;
-Providing for economic opportunities (from administering activities such as grazing, timber, mining, and recreation); and support for local infrastructure needs and Managing for social and scientific values on the land.
Why now?
Over the past 30 years many changes have occurred across the landscape, causing a need for a revision. There have been shifts in the health of forest ecosystems, changes in the condition of wildlife habitats or legal status of various wildlife species, and changes in the way people recreate on public lands. Regional strategies that address special status, threatened and endangered species including the grizzly bear and bull trout need to be incorporated. New information, inventories, and trends related to resources such as recreation and lands with wilderness characteristics need to be considered based on new or updated BLM policy.
Why hasn’t the RMP been revised during the past 30 years?
The 1984 and 1994 plans were very cutting-edge for their time and remained relevant for most of the last 25-35 years. They were kept current where possible through plan amendments; however, enough has changed after a 30-year period to warrant a plan revision.
Why has the RMP revision taken so long?
The current planning process was developed to enhance public participation and reduce time necessary to complete a plan revision. Over the past several years, the Lewistown BLM has provided multiple opportunities for the agency to hear from our stakeholders, partners, and other members of the public. This input has proved to be invaluable for our public land managers as they prepare the RMP. As you can imagine, the Lewistown Field Office received a number of comments on the plan, and so we’ve allowed our staff time to collect and analyze that input.
Once the RMP is published, will that be the end of it?
Once the Record of Decision has been signed, activity-level planning and implementation will begin. The BLM will prepare periodic reports on the implementation of the Approved RMP. The BLM will use land use plan evaluations to determine if the decisions in this Approved RMP, supported by the accompanying NEPA analysis, are still valid.
Cooperating agencies greatly aid in the efficiency of planning by engaging officials and staff of other agencies in a working partnership. Over the years, staff from the Lewistown Field Office has met several times with our partners and has received good input and insights from these various groups and agencies. By establishing these partnerships and maintaining a constant dialogue, the planning team is better informed of connected efforts.
How has the public been involved in the process?
Public involvement has been vital to the process from Day One. Here is a snapshot of the ways the public has provided input, in various forms and through a variety of public forums, over the years: The following is a summary of public involvement:
Public Scoping (2014)
In the winter of 2014, the field office moved forward with public scoping. The Lewistown Field Office hosted multiple public meetings as part of the scoping process. Scoping, part of NEPA, is the process by which the BLM formally solicits internal and external input on issues, preliminary purpose and need, potential impacts, and potential alternatives that will be addressed in the Environmental Impact Statement as well as the extent to which those issues will be analyzed. Public scoping was triggered by publication of a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register on October 3, 2016. The scoping period ran for 30 days and included five public meetings.
Alternative Development (2014-2015)
The Lewistown BLM and cooperating agencies formulated preliminary alternatives in order to ensure a full range of options and issues were addressed, and to ensure rationale was consistent with the best available science and information.
Draft Plan/EIS (2019)
Publication of the draft RMP and EIS initiated the formal 90-day comment period required during all EIS-level planning efforts under the National Environmental Policy Act. Members of the public, stakeholders, and cooperating agencies were asked to provide comments on detailed alternatives including plan components, implementations strategies, and land use allocations which will inform final revisions and analysis in the next stage of planning.
Final Plan/EIS (2020)
The 30-day protest period begins upon release of the final RMP and EIS. A 60-day Governor’s consistency review will also take place during this time period. Final revisions will be made based on the feedback received from these to processes.
What if I missed the chance to comment on the RMP? Is it too late for me to give my input?
While it is past the time to make comments on the alternatives in this RMP, there will be multiple projects and plans prepared in the years to come where public comment will be solicited. Public comment is an iterative process, and comments can always be submitted to the Lewistown Field Office. As resource management trends change, new laws are passed. This plan can be updated through plan maintenance and plan amendment, as we did with the previous one.
I’m an avid hunter and angler who has enjoyed public access to BLM lands in Central Montana over the years. How will the RMP impact my enjoyment and use of my favorite hunting and fishing spots?
Over the past 25-35 years of implementing the Judith and Headwaters RMPs, the Lewistown Field Office staff and managers have seen, heard and experienced first-hand the fact that hunting and fishing are critical means for people to connect with their public land. This RMP proceeds based on that understanding, and further responds to recent Secretarial Orders on hunting, fishing and access. Based on public comment, this plan includes more than 106,000 acres of designated Backcountry Conservation Areas, a new designation available for the first time during this planning cycle. This designation will preserve the “best of the best” of the backcountry hunting opportunities in this planning area.
Will the RMP change the scope or emphasis of the Lewistown Field Office’s mission in any way?
This RMP continues to refine the management approaches prescribed by the previous RMPs. There are no whole-sale changes proposed; rather, it builds on and refines the management practices and approaches found to be successful over the last 30 years, while updating management in response to new issues.
Does the RMP add any significant acreage to the Lewistown Field Office’s territory it manages? Likewise, does it “lock up” any existing acreage which is currently open to the public?
The RMP sets broad categories for retention and disposal of public lands. Under the proposed plan, no public lands are identified for disposal through sales. The Lewistown Field Office has been working closely with a team of collaborative partners to increase and protect public access in areas that the public has long enjoyed in the planning area. This proposed plan allows and encourages that to continue.
How does the project address the Secretary of the Interior’s priorities?
Lewistown’s RMP (Proposed Plan) would address the Secretary’s priorities by: allowing the resolution of a long-standing protest settlement, thereby allowing leasing of oil and gas resources supporting Energy Independence; Job Creation through the changes in allocations of resources and resource uses; Shared Conservation Stewardship by promoting multiple use on public lands; and, Serving America by supporting grazing, recreation, and hunting and fishing. The Proposed Plan Alternative is the mix of resources and resource uses that best meets these above goals.
What are Backcountry Conservation Areas (BCAs)?
Backcountry Conservation Areas (BCAs) are largely intact areas managed to support wildlife habitat, wildlife populations, and wildlife-dependant recreation and hunting opportunities, while also permitting other activities consistent with the BLM’s multiple, use, sustained yield mission. The proposed Lewistown RMP has two BCAs, the Arrow Creek BCA which is 12,800 acres and the Crooked Creek BCA which covers 93,400 acres.
Why do we need BCAs?
BCAs are an important tool to implement direction contained in Secretarial Orders for Improving Big Game Habitat and Public Access and several new Secretarial Orders for developing and increasing recreational opportunities Particularly important for Montana is to expand big-game hunting opportunities. The proposed plan demonstrates how we can best to implement these policies, BLM received substantial public and cooperating agency support during the comment period for managing backcountry opportunities.
What is the plan doing to improve public access?
The proposed plan specifies that maintaining and improving public access is a primary goal.Actions to acquire access occur at the site-specific level and will include improving public access through methods such as easements, reciprocal ROWs; land exchanges; fee title purchase; cooperative agreements; covenant language in patents or deeds; and long-term land use agreements.
How did BLM consider public input?
The comment period for the Lewistown Draft RMP/Draft Environmental Impact Statement ended on August 15, 2019. The BLM received over 800 comment letter submissions on the Draft RMP/EIS. Many comments focused on Backcountry Conservation Areas (BCAs), Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs), lands with wilderness characteristics management and the overall need for a balanced plan.
In developing the Proposed RMP, the BLM made modifications based on input from the public, cooperating agencies, consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, new information and best available science, and internal BLM reviews.
The complete list of comment submissions may be viewed in the Documents Tab. Official responses to those comments and an explanation about how they have been incorporated are available as part of Appendix X (Vol IV) of the Proposed Plan/Final EIS.