Transcript BLM Policy - WACOUNTIES

Cooperating Agency and Coordination Training
Washington State Association of Counties
Friday, November 22, 2013
Victoria Barr, Oregon/Washington State Office, Branch
Chief, Planning, Science and Resource Information
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The National Environmental Policy Act:
 Established the environmental policy of the nation (section 101)
 Provided a process to ensure policies are carried forward (section 102)
 Requires consideration of the impact to the human environment
 Requires an Environmental Impact Statement for major federal actions
 Requires alternatives be developed & analyzed
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The Planning Process:
Unites FLPMA & NEPA
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 Identifies competing resource uses
 Develops & analyzes alternatives
 Meets multiple use & sustained yield requirements
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Preliminary Planning Issues May Include
1.
Development of Energy & Minerals
2.
Urban Development
3.
Land Tenure Adjustments
4.
Climate Change
5.
Rangeland Health & Vegetation Management
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Invasive and/or Noxious Species
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Riparian Areas/Wetlands/Watershed & Ecosystem Planning
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Cultural, Historical & Paleontological Resources
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Wild Horses
10. Wild & Scenic Rivers
11. Special Designations
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Four lessons important to success
1. Recognize that the cooperating agency relationship is a forum
for sharing information & expertise
2. Acknowledge that the cooperating agency relationship requires
new ways of doing business
3. Emphasize mutual, rather than individual, gains & seek
solutions that meet others’ needs as well as their own
4. Engage as early as possible in the planning process with
cooperating agencies
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For the planning process, the BLM recognizes that:
 Nowhere is the need for cooperation more critical than in the
management of public land and resources.
 Partnering with state, tribal, and local government, should be standard
practice at the BLM before, during, and after plans are prepared.
 These efforts will produce plans that:
 Gain early and consistent involvement of CA partners
 Incorporate local knowledge of economic, social, and
environmental conditions, as well as state and local land use
requirements
 Avoid duplication of efforts
 Enhance local credibility of the planning process
 Encourage CA support for planning decisions; and
 Build relationships of trust and cooperation
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In Fact:
 The BLM is required to invite eligible governmental entities to
participate as CA’s when the bureau is developing an EIS
 The BLM is required to consider any requests by governmental entities
to participate as a CA with respect to a particular EIS
 Establish uniform eligibility criteria for federal, tribal, state, and local
governments: and
 Ensure that throughout the development of an EIS, the BLM will
collaborate with all CAs, to the fullest extent practicable.
 Also:
 The BLM encourages the partnership of CAs at the Environmental
Assessment level to produce the same benefits as when CAs are
engaged at the EIS level.
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BLM Oregon/Washington:
Highly values establishing positive working relationships with
County commissioners.
Encourages all counties to become Cooperating Agencies in our
planning processes
Recognizes the value of the information provided by our
cooperators
Maintains transparency through the planning process
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The Role of Cooperating Agencies
The role is defined by:
The
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
regulations govern for all federal agencies
The
BLM’s regulations & policies supplement
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The Role of BLM and Cooperating Agencies
The CEQ regulations call for early & significant involvement by
cooperating agencies
 As the lead agency, the BLM is expected to
 use the analyses & proposals of a cooperating agency “to the
maximum extent possible consistent with its responsibility”
 Cooperating agencies accept obligations to
 contribute staff to the EIS team
 develop analyses for which they have particular expertise
 fund their own participation
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Eligibility for Cooperating Agency Status
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State agencies
Local governments
Tribal governments
Other Federal agencies
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Eligibility for Cooperating Agency Status
Government entities or agencies with:
1.Jurisdiction by law; or
2.Special expertise
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Regulatory Definitions
40 CFR 1508.5 (CEQ)
Defining eligibility.
“Cooperating agency” means any Federal agency other than a lead agency
which has “jurisdiction by law” or “special expertise” with respect to any
environmental impact….A State or local agency of similar qualifications or,
when the effects are on a reservation, an Indian Tribe, may by agreement
with the lead agency become a cooperating agency.
40 CFR 1508.15 (CEQ)
Jurisdiction by law
“Jurisdiction by law” means
agency authority to approve, veto,
or finance all or part of the
proposal
40 CFR 1508.26 (CEQ)
Special expertise.
“Special expertise” means statutory
responsibility, agency mission, or related
program experience.
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Cooperating Agency Work Contributions
Scoping Outreach to
constituents
Assemble Inventory Data &
Review Analysis of
Management Situation
Impact Analysis
Formulate Alternatives
Suggest methods for resolving
constituents concerns
Public Comment Period- Obtain constituent feedback,
summarize & describe alternatives
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Opportunities for Engagement
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There are currently two EIS level planning efforts in
Washington on BLM administered lands.
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The Spokane District Resource Management Plan
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The Vantage to Pomona 500kV Transmission line
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The RMP planning effort began in 2010
The plan will provide direction for the next two
decades for approximately 445,000 acres of
BLM- administered lands in Eastern
Washington and the San Juan Archipelago
The demands and types of uses on the BLM
administered public lands have evolved as
have the resources they contain.
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The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is a CA
for the Spokane District RMP effort
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230kV transmission line proposed by Pacific
Power
Proposed to be situated in south-central
Washington, extending from Bonneville Power
Administration Vantage substation to Pacific
Power’s Pomona Heights substation located
just east of Selah, WA
BLM is the lead federal agency
The Draft EIS was released for public comment
on 1/4/13 and the comment period closed on
3/8/13
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For the Vantage to Pomona Heights Transmission Line,
The Cooperating Agencies include:
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US Department of Army
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Bonneville Power Administration
Bureau of Reclamation
Kittitas County
Yakima County
Washington State Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
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Additionally, there is a Coordinating Team. Their function
is to:
- Coordinate, where appropriate, the state, federal
and county environmental review and siting
process
- Minimize and resolve conflicts
- Ensure adequate integration of the most current
and appropriate scientific, technical and policy
information needed to evaluate the project
- Track and monitor NEPA major milestones to
ensure critical timelines are being met
- Ensure that adequate funding and support are
provided to the Interagency Interdisciplinary
Team, CA’s, and BLM
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The Coordinating Team consists of:
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US Department of Army
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Bureau of Reclamation
Kittitas County
Grant County
Yakima County
Washington State Department of Transportation
Power Engineers (EIS contractor)
Pacific Power (Proponent)
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Other opportunities?
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Future RMP planning efforts
Various EA actions such as:
Recreation
Grazing
Rights of Ways
Or, one of the many uses that the BLM
authorizes on public land through a decision
making process.
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