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Home My WebLink About20222265.tiffUnited States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Colorado State Office 2850 Youngfield Street Lakewood, Colorado 80215-7210 In Reply Refer To: 1610 (LLCO000000) 1610 (CO -930) July 19, 2022 RECEIVED AUG 0 3 2022 WELD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS To: Potential Cooperators Interested in Big Game Habitat, Movement Route, and Migration Corridor Conservation Related to Oil and Gas within the BLM Colorado Field Offices. BIG GAME HABITAT AND MIGRATION CORRIDOR AMENDMENT In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is initiating a Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) with an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider an amendment to BLM Colorado land use plans for the preliminary purpose of evaluating alternative management approaches for BLM planning decisions to maintain, conserve, and protect big game corridors and other important big game habitat areas on BLM-managed public lands and minerals in Colorado. The BLM is opening a 45 -day public scoping period, expected to begin July 19, 20221. PROJECT WEBSITE: More information can be found on the project website: https://go.usa.gov/xzXxY. PUBLIC SCOPING:'The BLM plans to provide two virtual public scoping meetings and three in -person public scoping meetings in Colorado. The BLM will post exact dates and times on the above project website. Please check this website for public meeting registration information. The BLM will accept comments for 45 days, commencing with the first day of scoping. The BLM will consider information we receive during scoping to help develop the RMPAfEIS. Please submit your comments by September 2, 2022. You may provide comments online through the project website commenting function, through US Mail, or by attending a meeting. Online: https://go.usa.gov/xzXxY Mail: BLM Colorado State Office Attn: Big Game RMPA/EIS 2850 Youngfield Street Lakewood, CO 80215 The planning area includes all 64 counties in Colorado and encompasses approximately 8.3 million acres of BLM-managed surface land and approximately 27 million acres of Federal 1 Please check the BLM website at https://go.usa.gov/xzXxY to verify the date the scoping period begins, which will be the date of the Notice of Intent publication in the Federal Register. INTERIOR REGION 7 •UPPER COLORADO BASIN COLORADO. NEW MEXICO, UTAH WYOMING OffitleVelo nIc a -1i 0 ns cc:PL( TPIMn), EN( OS) /22 fi/29 /22 aoaa-asc1,s mineral estate. This acreage includes Federal minerals on Federal lands and "split estate" Federal minerals located under surface lands with non -Federal ownership. The decision area includes all BLM public lands and approximately 4.6 million acres of split -estate private, local government, and state lands. The BLM will consider whether to incorporate new or changed oil and gas management decisions in existing BLM land use plans, such as limits on high -density development, including facility and route density limitations, and other lease stipulations that would incorporate conservation measures for important big game habitat. The BLM will analyze planning -scale oil and gas management prescriptions for consistency with other federal, state, and local requirements and BLM's mandate under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The RPMPA/EIS will follow the public participation requirements in BLM's land use planning regulations (43 CFR Part 1600). The proposed schedule for the RMPA/EIS is: Draft RMPA/EIS public comment (90 days) Final EIS/Public protest period (30 days) Governor's Consistency Review (60 days) April 2023 January 2024 January 2024 COOPERATING AGENCY INVITE: As a reminder, the BLM invited you to become a cooperating agency for this effort and we have not yet heard a response from you. Cooperating agency participation provides the opportunity for us to work together and to enhance the BLM's planning efforts. If you decide to become a cooperating agency, we will seek your input, review, and signature of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that describes the roles and responsibilities of the BLM and your agency. You will receive a draft MOU for review following acceptance of becoming a cooperating agency. Cooperating agencies will need to assign a representative, and staff if needed, to assist with reviews or analysis for which they have expertise or jurisdiction. If you are interested in becoming a cooperating agency, please notify the BLM Colorado State Office via email at BLM_CO_Corridors_Planning@blm.gov as soon as possible. Please be assured that, whether or not you elect to participate as a cooperating agency, you may still participate in the public scoping process and other opportunities during this planning effort. QUESTIONS: Please contact Alan Bittner, Deputy State Director —Resources, telephone 303- 239-3768; at the mailing.address above; or email BLM CO corridors planning(a,blm.gov. Thank you for your interest. Sincerely, Digitally signed by ALAN BITTNER Date:2022.07.1418:01:55 -06'00' Alan Bittner, Deputy State Director —Resources BLM Colorado Mariah Higgins From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Attachments: Esther Gesick Tuesday, July 19, 2022 3:09 PM Mariah Higgins Chloe White FW: BLM Invitation to Weld for Cooperating Agency Status - Big Game Amendment BLM Scoping Letter_7.19.22_Potential Cooperator.pdf Importance: High Follow Up Flag: Flag Status: See Also 2022-1923 Follow up Flagged Esther E. Gesick Clerk to the Board 1150 O Street/ P.O. Box 7581 Greeley, CO 80632 tel: (970) 400-4226 Confidentiality Notice: This electronic transmission and any attached documents or other writings are intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify sender by return e-mail and destroy the communication. Any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action concerning the contents of this communication or any attachments by anyone other than the named recipient is strictly prohibited. From: Karla Ford <kford@weldgov.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2022 1:37 PM To: Bruce Barker <bbarker@weldgov.com>; Don Warden <dwarden@weldgov.com> Cc: Esther Gesick <egesick@weldgov.com> Subject: FW: BLM Invitation to Weld for Cooperating Agency Status - Big Game Amendment Importance: High FYI... Esther — do you know if this was put on an agenda as Communications before? Karla Ford R Executive Assistant & Office Manager, Board of Weld County Commissioners 1150 O Street, P.O. Box 758, Greeley, Colorado 80632 :: 970.336-7204 :: kford anweldtov.com :: www.weldgov.com **Please note my working hours are Monday -Thursday 7:00a.m.-5:00p.m.** coMMUA:Ga-Hons 872 cc: NM -P/1.11.1% ENO's) g/N/22 2022-2265 Confidentiality Notice: This electronic transmission and any attached documents or other writings are intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify sender by return e-mail and destroy the communication. Any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action concerning the contents of this communication or any attachments by anyone other than the named recipient is strictly prohibited. From: BLM_CO_Corridors_Planning <BLM CO Corridors Planning@blm.gov> Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2022 1:25 PM To: Mike Freeman <mfreeman@weldgov.com>; Scott James <siames@weldgov.com>; Lori Saine <Isaine@weldgov.com>; Steve Moreno <smoreno@weldgov.com>; Perry Buck <pbuck@weldgov.com> Cc: Karla Ford <kford@weldgov.com> Subject: Re: BLM Invitation to Weld for Cooperating Agency Status - Big Game Amendment Hello, Just a reminder the BLM does not have a response documented for Weld county for this project. We anticipate our first meeting with cooperating agencies this August. If you are interested, please let us know asap and we will send a draft agreement/memorandum of understanding. You should receive a notice today that the NOI for BLM Colorado's statewide big game amendment and associated EIS published today beginning a 45 -day public scoping period through September 2, 2022 (Press Release). Project information, how to comment or attend a public meeting is now available for the public on BLM's project website: https://go.usa.gov/xzXxY. Attached is the BLM's scoping letter for you. During this scoping period, whether or not the County is a cooperator, you are still welcome to review the information and provide a comment for the record. Please reach out for anything. Thank you, Ashley Phillips Planning and Environmental Coordinator BLM Colorado State Office (303) 239-3948 From: BLM_CO_Corridors_Planning Sent: Monday, June 27, 2022 5:58 PM To: mfreeman@weldgov.com <mfreeman@weldgov.com>; siames@weldgov.com <siames@weldgov.com>; Isaine@weldgov.com <Isaine@weldgov.com>; smoreno@weldgov.com <smoreno@weldgov.com>; pbuck@weldgov.com <pbuck@weldgov.com> 2 Cc: kford@weldgov.com <kford@weldgov.com> Subject: BLM Invitation to Weld for Cooperating Agency Status - Big Game Amendment Dear County Commissioners, The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Colorado State Office is initiating a resource management plan amendment (RMPA) with an associated environmental impact statement (EIS) to consider an amendment to land use plans for the conservation of big game corridor and important habitat areas. A Notice of Intent is anticipated this June. Based on your expertise and/or jurisdiction, the BLM Colorado State Office is inviting you to become a cooperating agency for this effort. Please see the attached letter for additional information and how to respond by July 10, 2022 to this invitation for the County to become a cooperating agency. The County may also become a cooperating agency after July 10, 2022 during the planning process. We look forward to working with you as we proceed with this effort. Thank you, Planning Team Bureau of Land Management I Colorado State Office 2850 Youngfield St, Lakewood, CO 80215 3 United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Colorado State Office 2850 Youngfield Street Lakewood, Colorado 80215-7210 In Reply Refer To: 1610 (LLCO000000) 1610 (CO -930) July 19, 2022 To: Potential Cooperators Interested in Big Game Habitat, Movement Route, and Migration Corridor Conservation Related to Oil and Gas within the BLM Colorado Field Offices. BIG GAME HABITAT AND MIGRATION CORRIDOR AMENDMENT In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is initiating a Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) with an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider an amendment to BLM Colorado land use plans for the preliminary purpose of evaluating alternative management approaches for BLM planning decisions to maintain, conserve, and protect big game corridors and other important big game habitat areas on BLM-managed public lands and minerals in Colorado. The BLM is opening a 45 -day public scoping period, expected to begin July 19, 20221. PROJECT WEBSITE: More information can be found on the project website: https://go.usa.gov/xzXxY. PUBLIC SCOPING: The BLM plans to provide two virtual public scoping meetings and three in -person public scoping meetings in Colorado. The BLM will post exact dates and times on the above project website. Please check this website for public meeting registration information. The BLM will accept comments for 45 days, commencing with the first day of scoping. The BLM will consider information we receive during scoping to help develop the RMPA/EIS. Please submit your comments by September 2, 2022. You may provide comments online through the project website commenting function, through US Mail, or by attending a meeting. Online: https://go.usa.gov/xzXxY Mail: BLM Colorado State Office Attn: Big Game RMPA/EIS 2850 Youngfield Street Lakewood, CO 80215 The planning area includes all 64 counties in Colorado and encompasses approximately 8.3 million acres of BLM-managed surface land and approximately 27 million acres of Federal Please check the BLM website at https://eo.usa.Rov/xzXxY to verify the date the scoping period begins, which will be the date of the Notice of Intent publication in the Federal Register. INTERIOR REGION 7 • UPPER COLORADO BASIN COLORADO, NEW MEXICO, UTAH. WYOMING mineral estate. This acreage includes Federal minerals on Federal lands and "split estate" Federal minerals located under surface lands with non -Federal ownership. The decision area includes all BLM public lands and approximately 4.6 million acres of split -estate private, local government, and state lands. The BLM will consider whether to incorporate new or changed oil and gas management decisions in existing BLM land use plans, such as limits on high -density development, including facility and route density limitations, and other lease stipulations that would incorporate conservation measures for important big game habitat. The BLM will analyze planning -scale oil and gas management prescriptions for consistency with other federal, state, and local requirements and BLM's mandate under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The RPMPA/EIS will follow the public participation requirements in BLM's land use planning regulations (43 CFR Part 1600). The proposed schedule for the RMPA/EIS is: Draft RMPA/EIS public comment (90 days) Final EIS/Public protest period (30 days) Governor's Consistency Review (60 days) April 2023 January 2024 January 2024 COOPERATING AGENCY INVITE: As a reminder, the BLM invited you to become a cooperating agency for this effort and we have not yet heard a response from you. Cooperating agency participation provides the opportunity for us to work together and to enhance the BLM's planning efforts. If you decide to become a cooperating agency, we will seek your input, review, and signature of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that describes the roles and responsibilities of the BLM and your agency. You will receive a draft MOU for review following acceptance of becoming a cooperating agency. Cooperating agencies will need to assign a representative, and staff if needed, to assist with reviews or analysis for which they have expertise or jurisdiction. If you are interested in becoming a cooperating agency, please notify the BLM Colorado State Office via email at BLM_CO_Corridors_Planning@blm.gov as soon as possible. Please be assured that, whether or not you elect to participate as a cooperating agency, you may still participate in the public scoping process and other opportunities during this planning effort. QUESTIONS: Please contact Alan Bittner, Deputy State Director -Resources, telephone 303- 239-3768; at the mailing address above; or email BLM CO corridors planning(alblm.gov. Thank you for your interest. Sincerely, Digitally signed by ALAN BITTNER Date:20 -06'00' Alan Bittner, Deputy State Director —Resources BLM Colorado Hello