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The Resource Management Planning Process officially started with the
publication of the Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register on
July 12, 2002. The NOI announced the Jackson Field Office's intent to
prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the states of Alabama and
Mississippi as well as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as
required under NEPA.
Public Scoping was conducted from June through September 2002. The objective
of scoping is to involve the public in the planning process, and comply with
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA). The purpose of scoping
is to obtain input, concerns and comments on the management of BLM-administered surface tracts and minerals.
The process for soliciting public input and any comments that were submitted
during the scoping period are summarized in a Scoping Report.
The BLM Jackson Field Office is continuing the process of developing a
RMP-EIS for Alabama and Mississippi. Four alternatives were developed, based on issues
identified in the scoping process:
- Alternative 1 (No Action) represents the No Action Alternative (i.e., continuation of current management). The BLM would continue the current management approach by retaining all BLM-administered surface tracts and employing custodial management. There would be 760,570 acres open to oil and gas leasing subject to standard terms and conditions and 71,183 acres closed to leasing.
- Alternative 2 proposes that the BLM would retain specific BLM-administered surface tracts, but would investigate opportunities to manage the tracts in partnership with other agencies or organizations and more proactive management would occur on specific tracts to protect important natural resources. There would be 760,452 acres open to oil and gas leasing and 71,301 acres closed to leasing, which includes 365 acres to protect habitat of the Federally listed Alabama beach mouse. In addition to standard terms and conditions, conservation measures would be applied as stipulations to oil and gas leases and Best Management Practices (BMP) would be used to reduce adverse effects caused by surface-disturbing or disruptive activities associated with oil and gas operations.
- Alternative 3 (Proposed RMP) allows for all of the BLM-administered surface tracts to be available for transfer or disposal (except the Hancock County tract in Mississippi) with conditions that development and use of the tract would be consistent with resource management objectives and allowable uses established for the tract. There would be 760,570 acres open to oil and gas leasing and 71,183 acres closed to leasing. Similar to Alternative 2, Alternative 3 uses conservation measures that would be applied as lease stipulations and BMPs to reduce adverse effects caused by surface-disturbing or disruptive activities associated with oil and gas operations. The stipulations in Alternative 3 are different from Alternative 2 in two ways. First, Alabama beach mouse habitat would be available for lease, but subject to an NSO stipulation. Second, the buffer from aquatic habitats would be reduced to 250 feet.
- Alternative 4 would allow all BLM-administered surface tracts would be made available for disposal from Federal ownership with no specific condition on use after disposal. Management of Federal mineral ownership would be the same as Alternative 3.
After alternatives development, BLM evaluated the potential impacts on various resources from
each of the alternatives. Based on this evaluation, Alternative 3 was selected as the
Preferred Alternative in the Draft RMP-EIS. The alternatives and impacts analysis were made available to the public
through the publication of a Draft RMP-EIS and a Notice of Availability (NOA) published
in the Federal Register on August 31, 2007. Comments on the Draft RMP-EIS were accepted during a 90-day comment period.
After considering the public and agency comments received on the Draft RMP-EIS, the BLM
chose Alternative 3 as the Proposed RMP in the Final EIS. The Proposed RMP-FEIS
contains the Proposed Plan, a summary of changes made between the Draft RMP-EIS and Proposed
RMP-FEIS, predictable impacts of the Proposed Plan, a summary of the written and verbal
comments received during the public review period for the Draft RMP-EIS, and responses to the
comments. The Proposed RMP-FEIS is now available for public review.
The Governor's Consistency Review will also occur during this time.
Pursuant to BLM’s planning regulations at 43 CFR 1610.5-2, any person who participated in the planning process
for the Proposed RMP and has an interest which is or may be adversely affected by the planning decisions may
protest approval of the planning decisions within 30 days from date the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. For further information on filing a protest,
please see the Public Involvement page.
The last step in the process will be to resolve any protests to the Proposed Plan and sign a
Record of Decision.
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