The BLM identified the need, or requirement, to revise the existing plans through formal evaluations, considering the Analysis of the Management Situation (AMS) (BLM 2009b), examining issues identified during the public involvement process known as scoping, and collaborating with cooperating local, state, and federal agencies. Since the RODs for the existing plans were issued, new data have become available, and laws, regulations, and policies regarding management of these public lands have changed. In addition, decisions in existing plans do not satisfactorily address all new and emerging issues in the Planning Area. These changes and potential deficiencies created the need to revise the existing plans.
New Data
Monitoring, the availability of new information, and advances in science and technology provide new data to consider in the Bighorn Basin RMP Revision Project. The following documents and sources provide new data:
Assessing the Potential for Renewable Energy on Public Lands (BLM and DOE 2003).
Bighorn Basin Resource Management Plan Revision Project Summary of the Analysis of the Management Situation (BLM 2009b).
Solid Mineral Occurrence and Development Potential Report for the Bighorn Basin Resource Management Plan Revision Project (BLM 2009c).
BLM Wyoming Statewide Biological Assessments for Species Regulated by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (published between 2004 and 2005). • Cultural Class I Regional Overview (BLM 2009d).
Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 2000 Scientific Inventory of Onshore Federal Lands Oil and Gas Resources and Reserves and the Extent and Nature of Restrictions or Impediments to their Development (DOI 2006a).
Preliminary Reasonable Foreseeable Development Scenario for Oil and Gas (BLM 2009e).
Oil Shale and Tar Sands Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (BLM 2009f).
National Assessment of Oil and Gas Fact Sheet – Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana, 2008 (USGS 2008a).
Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Geothermal Leasing in the Western United States (BLM and USFS 2008a).
Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Wind Energy Development on BLM-Administered Lands in the Western United States (BLM 2005a).
Visual Resource Inventory for the Cody Field Office (BLM 2009g).
Wyoming Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan (Wyoming Sage-grouse Working Group 2003), Conservation Assessment of Greater Sage-Grouse and Sagebrush Habitats (Connelly et al. 2004), and Sage-grouse Conservation Plan for the Big Horn Basin, Wyoming (BHBLWG 2007).
Vegetation Treatments Using Herbicides on BLM lands in 17 Western States Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (BLM 2007a).
New and Revised Policies
Numerous policies have been either revised or developed since the RODs for the existing plans. Appendix B identifies relevant policies, including new and revised policies, and their effective dates.
Emerging Issues and Changing Circumstances
Emerging issues and changes in local, regional, and national circumstances to consider when revising the existing plans include the following:
Increasing and conflicting demands on Planning Area resources.
Increasing complexity of resource management issues.
Changes in the legal status of plants and wildlife occurring or potentially occurring in the Planning Area.
Increasing conflicts between resource uses and protection of specific wildlife and wildlife habitat.
Maintaining public access to public lands.
The spread of invasive plant and animal species on public lands.
Changing demand for energy and minerals development.
Management of riparian areas and water quality concerns.
Fire and fuels management practices.
Changes in livestock grazing practices and rangeland conditions.
Changes in recreation and visitor use levels and locations.
Management and protection of recently discovered cultural and paleontological resources.
Addressing travel management, including increases in off-highway vehicle (OHV) use.
The appropriateness of certain withdrawals, tenure adjustments, realty leases, and utility corridor rights-of-way (ROW).
Increased interest in renewable energy development across the Nation.
Identifying unique or sensitive areas that meet the criteria for special designation.
Increasing air quality issues affecting human health and regulatory compliance.
Cumulative increase in surface disturbance.
Interest in the management of wild horses and herd levels.
Increased interest in wind-energy proposals.
Changes to visual resource classifications.
Changes in resource- and resource-condition monitoring tasks and the entities performing the monitoring.