Report Sample 1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Appendix M Draft EIS Comment Responses Appendix Table M-1 – General Comment Responses Appendix Table M-2 – Volume I Comment Responses Appendix Table M-3 – Volume II Comment Responses Volume II June 2012 Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Final EIS Appendix M M.1-1 Appendix Table M-1 General Comment Responses GCR Number Category General Comment General Comment Response We believe that the VRM amendment was meant to be done at the Field According to the BLM Land Use Planning Handbook (H-1601-1, pp. 42), in those instances when activity-level or project-specific EISs (or EAs) are being used to Office level instead of at the Project level. The draft VRM Plan analyze an action that may not conform to the current land use plan, the BLM has several options: adjust the actions or condition the authorization to conform to Amendment needs to visually address the Field Office as a whole. We the plan or achieve consistency with the terms, conditions, and decisions in the approved RMP; or prepare the EIS (or EA) as a RMP amendment, as described do not support the "piecemeal" process. in Section VII. If the BLM determines that a plan amendment may be necessary, preparation of the EIS (or EA) and the analysis necessary for the amendment may occur simultaneously (43 CFR 1610.5). As discussed in Volume I Section 1.2.1, land use plan decisions are made according to the procedures of BLM’s planning regulations in 43 CFR 1600. Plan amendments (see 43 CFR 1610.5-5) change one or more of the terms, conditions, or decisions of an approved land use plan. These decisions may include those relating to desired outcomes; measures to achieve desired outcomes, including resource restrictions; or land tenure decisions. Plan amendments are most often prompted by the need to: 1. Consider a proposal or action that does not conform to the plan; 2. Implement new or revised policy that changes land use plan decisions; 3. Respond to new, intensified, or changed uses on public land; and 4. Consider significant new information from resource assessments, monitoring, or scientific studies that change land use plan decisions. GCR-1 Project Level PA A land use plan amendment may be necessary to consider monitoring and evaluation findings, substantive new data, new or revised policy, changes in circumstances, or a proposed action that may result in a change in the scope of resource uses or a change in the terms, conditions, and decisions of the approved RMP. BLM’s land use planning regulations allow for a plan amendment to be completed simultaneously with a project NEPA analysis if a proposed project does not conform to the RMP. As a result of the remanded VRM decisions in the 2008 RMP, substantive new data is available following completion of the 2011 visual resource inventory (VRI) that could be used in this effort as well. In a separate effort, the BLM is initiating a plan amendment to address VRM decisions for the remainder of the Rawlins Field Office, outside the Decision Area that is addressed in the CCSM Plan Amendment. Both efforts are using the same baseline information from the 2011 VRI and the same approach to managing visual resources as outlined in BLM’s guidance (H-1601-1, M-8400, and M-8410). Therefore, while a plan amendment is associated with the CCSM project, BLM will ensure consistency by applying the same guidance and direction to both efforts. The CCSM Plan Amendment contains sufficient data necessary to meet the requirements of both NEPA and FLPMA, and internal BLM guidance for a land use plan level document. As indicated in Chapter 1 of Volume I, the purpose of land use plan decisions are to provide a broad comprehensive framework for managing and allocating public resources. The impacts of these decisions are disclosed in the NEPA document and made available for public comment. Lights on turbines will have night time visibility; 1,000 turbines and 1,000 Comment noted. Volume I, Sections 1.4 and 1.5 disclose the rationale behind BLM's delineation of the Planning Area and Decision Area. Section 1.4 clearly red lights that flash. This is a major impact on the night time viewscape indicates that "at 30 miles, the motion of a WTG is generally not discernible although project facilities and night lighting are generally still identifiable” and and should be considered in the EIS. The Project only considers a 30 "However, nighttime lighting contrasts appear to continue to attract attention up to 30 miles." Delineation of the Planning Area also considered the following mile radius for visual. In Carbon County you can usually see over 30 factors: "consistency with BLM VRM class management objectives; literature review of comparable wind energy visual assessments; and field observations of miles on a clear day. This needs to be considered when developing the CCSM physiographic region and physiographically similar locations of other wind farms." The Decision Area was delineated based on "those areas that were GCR-2 Turbine Visibility alternatives. At a minimum, the Planning Area and Decision Areas most likely to be influenced by the CCSM Wind Energy Project proposal as well as other features that influence the visual setting including landownership should be the same. patterns and major transportation and utility corridors in the area" and "the remaining area outside the Decision Area boundary (but within the Planning Area boundary) will be addressed in the upcoming VRM Plan Amendment for the RFO area." Project-specific impacts from nighttime lighting are discussed in Volume II Chapter 4. Volume II June 2012 Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Final EIS Appendix M M.1-2 Appendix Table M-1 General Comment Responses GCR Number Category General Comment General Comment Response The VRM Plan Amendment references a Visual Resource Inventory The VRI completed by OTAK, Inc in February 2011 was conducted for the entire Rawlins Field Office area and served as the baseline information for this plan (VRI) which serves as a baseline for developing a reasonable range of amendment. Relevant VRI baseline information is included in Volume I Section 3.13 and referenced throughout the EIS. The VRI has been publicly available on alternatives for VRM classes. Some commenters noted that the VRI the BLM Rawlins website since it's completion in February 2011 at http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/Planning/rmps/rawlins/vri.html. Since the VRI was not was not presented in the DEIS for public review or agency completed as part of this project, it is not subject to revision as a result of public comments on the CCSM plan amendment process. Revisions to the VRI are GCR-3 VRI Information consideration. Other commenters disagreed with baseline information outside the scope of this NEPA process. presented in the VRI and requested adjustments to scenic quality rating unit boundaries, distance zones, and classifications for sensitivity levels and VRI classes. The alternatives presented in the Draft VRM Plan Amendment are not As discussed in Volume I Section 2.2.1, the VRI serves as a baseline to develop a reasonable range of VRM class alternatives and analysis of impacts consistent with and do not reflect the VRI Sensitivity level Ratings from associated with the various alternatives in this project-specific plan amendment. BLM considers scenic quality, sensitivity levels and distance zones during the the Visual Resource Inventory ("VRI") for the Rawlins Field Office VRI process. According to BLM Manual 8410, the VRI serves as an inventory tool that portrays the relative value of the visual resources. The VRI provides a prepared by Otak, Inc. which serves as a baseline for developing a snapshot in time of the current scenic values of an area without consideration of jurisdiction, manageability, existing leases, pending or approved projects, or reasonable range of alternatives for VRM classes. other resource opportunities or constraints (i.e., wildlife habitats, mineral and energy potential, etc.). VRI Ratings GCR-4 Consistency VRI classes are informational in nature and provide the basis for developing alternatives during the RMP process. They do not establish management direction and should not be used as a basis for constraining or limiting surface disturbing activities. VRM class designations are based on a VRI and consideration of: 1) managing the public lands and their various resources so that they are used in the combination that will best meet the present and future needs of the American people in accordance with FLPMA 103(c); 2) managing public lands in a manner that will protect the quality of scenic values in accordance with FLPMA 102(b); 3) the impacts resource uses may have on scenic values; and 4) the impacts VRM class designations may have on other resources and uses. Both support and opposition were expressed regarding the treatment of Landownership in the Decision Area includes a mixture of public, state, and private land, each with different laws and regulations. Whereas BLM-administered VRM class in the checkerboard land pattern. Some commenters noted lands are managed for multiple uses, in accordance with FLPMA, intermingled private and state lands are protected by their own property rights. The that the ownership pattern should not serve as an excuse to protect checkerboard land ownership pattern in the Decision Area leads to conflicts in managing resources. The checkerboard pattern of alternating public and private visual resources in the checkerboard areas, and land values could in land is a remnant of the public land grants necessary to finance the transcontinental railroad under the Union Pacific Act of 1862. Congress granted every other return be affected by these decisions. Other commenters support the section (one square mile) of land within 20 miles on either side of the railroad right-of-way to the Union Pacific, which then tried to sell the grant lands to raise decision to not apply restrictive VRM classes that can affect surrounding capital for the venture.