The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced it is seeking public comments and holding meetings for changes to the Resource Management Plan (RMP) covering North Dakota public lands.
The RMP will replace the existing North Dakota RMP, dated April 1988, which covers approximately 58,900 acres of BLM-managed surface lands and approximately 4.6 million acres of administered sub-surface mineral rights across the state.
“Development of the new North Dakota RMP will be a collaborative, community-based effort encompassing a wide range of public participation. We plan to give the public and stakeholders multiple opportunities to weigh in on the plan’s development and will report back to the people of North Dakota how public involvement has been solicited, considered, and incorporated into the RMP and environmental impact statement,” said BLM Montana/Dakotas State Director John Melhoff.
The BLM states in the Federal Register, “Preliminary issues, management concerns, and planning criteria have been identified by BLM personnel and other agencies.” The preliminary issues that will be addressed in this planning effort include mineral and energy development, vegetation management; recreation and visitor services; livestock grazing; and special management area designations.
“Significant changes have taken place over the last 32 years affecting the use and users of public lands across North Dakota. In that time, issues have emerged relating to potential threatened and endangered species, special status wildlife and habitat, and the significant amount of oil and gas exploration and development throughout the planning area. Specifically, in the past decade, the Bakken oil boom has dramatically changed the landscape in North Dakota, especially in the southwestern part of the state,” the BLM states in their announcement.
The BLM will host three public scoping meetings to identify planning issues and criteria further:
• August 18: Bowman Lodge and Convention Center at 502 Hwy 12 in Bowman, 4-7 p.m. MST;
• August 19: West River Ice Center at 1865 Empire Road in Dickinson, 4-7 p.m. MST; and
• August 20: Moderated live question and answer video teleconference session, 4-6 p.m. MST. Attendees may join via computer or phone to participate. Information on how to attend will be available on the BLM e-Planning website.
Public meetings may be subject to sudden changes—from in-person to virtual meetings—due to COVID-19 precautions. The BLM 30-day public comment period will end on August 28.
Hard copy comments can be mailed or hand-delivered to the North Dakota Field Office, Attn: North Dakota RMP, 99 23rd Ave. West, Suite A, Dickinson, ND 58601. For more information, to submit comments, or obtain relevant documents, please visit eplanning.blm.gov. — WLJ
