5.1-1 5.0 CONSULTATION and COORDINATION 5.0 CONSULTATION and COORDINATION 5.1 Description of Specific Actions Taken to Consult
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5.0 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION 5.0 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION 5.1 Description of Specific Actions Taken to Consult and Coordinate From the initiation of work on the RMP/EIS, the Ely Field Office has set consultation and coordination with affected or interested parties as a key priority. There have been seven primary elements of consultation through preparation of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS: • RMP/EIS scoping process • Planning bulletin mailings • RMP/EIS web page • Informal presentations to interested groups • Cooperating agency involvement • Public comment period on the Draft RMP/EIS • Public meetings on the Draft RMP/EIS Each of these activities is summarized below. 5.1.1 RMP/EIS Scoping Process On February 10, 2003, with the publication in the Federal Register of the Notice of Intent (60[27]:6770-6771) to begin the planning process, the BLM Ely Field Office initiated public scoping for issues pertaining to the RMP/EIS. Scoping is the process required in the early stages of developing an EIS to encourage public participation and solicit public input on the scope and significance of the proposed action (Council on Environmental Quality Regulations, Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Subpart 1501.7). Scoping helps identify issues important to the management of the area and assists in determining the extent of the analysis as well as specific issues to be examined in the planning process. A 60-day scoping period formally began with the publication of the Notice of Intent in the Federal Register on February 10, 2003, documenting BLM’s intent to prepare an EIS. Individuals and organizations were invited to submit comments in writing to the BLM. The notice also published information on the web site address where public scoping meeting dates would be posted and described how the scoping meetings would be publicized in local media before the meetings were to take place. On February 24, 2003, a Planning Bulletin was sent to over 3,000 homes and organizations. The bulletin again provided information on how the public could obtain information about the upcoming public scoping meetings. Additionally, the bulletin provided an overview of the EIS process and timeline and general information about the RMP/EIS scope and issues to be addressed. Once scoping meetings were scheduled, public notice of the meetings was published in local newspapers (see Table 5.1-1). 5.1-1 5.0 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION Table 5.1-1 List of Paid Newspaper Advertisements Announcing Scoping Meetings Location Periodical Ely, Nevada Ely Times Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas Review Journal Las Vegas Sun Mesquite, Nevada Desert Valley Times Pioche, Nevada Lincoln County Record Tonopah, Nevada Tonopah Times-Bonanza St. George, Utah The Spectrum Additional press releases noting meeting dates and providing an explanation of the planning process were sent to numerous media outlets. See Table 5.1-2 for a list of print and radio media that received various press releases. Table 5.1-2 List of Media Outlets Receiving Various Press Releases Location Print Radio Alamo, Nevada Our Valley Voice -- Elko, Nevada Elko Daily Free Press KELK 1240 AM KLKO 93.7 Ely, Nevada Ely Times KCLS 101.7 FM KELY 1230 AM KDSS 92.7 FM Eureka, Nevada The Eureka Sentinel -- Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas Review Journal KNPR Las Vegas Sun Los Angeles Times Mesquite, Nevada Desert Valley Times -- Pioche, Nevada Lincoln County Record -- Reno, Nevada Associated Press KOH Reno-Gazette Journal KUNR Tonopah, Nevada Tonopah Times-Bonanza -- Wendover, Nevada High Desert Advocate -- Cedar City, Utah The Spectrum Star 98 KREC, KSNN, KZHK, KUNF, KDXU, KSUB St. George, Utah The Spectrum -- Six public meetings were held in March/April, 2003. During the meetings, the BLM took notes as the public provided oral comments. Written comments also were received throughout the 60-day comment period, ending April 10, 2003. Both written comments and those received at scoping meetings are in the administrative record. Summaries of these comments are contained in the scoping report for the RMP/EIS. Table 5.1-3 provides the date, location, and attendance for the six scoping meetings. The Scoping Report has been incorporated into the administrative record and is available for review at the Ely Field Office. 5.1-2 5.0 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION Table 5.1-3 Public Scoping Meeting Locations and Dates City, State Location Date Attendance Ely, Nevada Bristlecone Convention Center Monday, March 24, 2003 33 Caliente, Nevada Caliente Elementary School Gymnasium Tuesday, March 25, 2003 12 Mesquite, Nevada City Hall Wednesday, March 26, 2003 10 Las Vegas, Nevada BLM Las Vegas Field Office Thursday, March 27, 2003 12 Reno, Nevada Airport Plaza Hotel Monday, March 31, 2003 14 Tonopah, Nevada Tonopah Convention Center Tuesday, April 1, 2003 4 Total 85 Written comments also were solicited during the scoping process. Ninety-three (93) letters were received via mail, fax, e-mail, an on-line web comment form, or handed in during the scoping meetings. These letters from individuals and organizations contained 798 unique comments for consideration in the planning process. Comment letters were received primarily from Nevada, but a few comments also were received from the states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. Comments from Nevada were distributed by county as shown in Table 5.1-4. Table 5.1-4 Comment Letters Received by County in Nevada County Letters Percent Carson 11 13 Clark 35 42 Elko 2 2 Eureka 1 1 Lincoln 9 11 Nye 1 1 Washoe 17 19 White Pine 8 10 Total 84 100 5.1.2 Planning Bulletins A total of four planning bulletins have been sent to all parties who had previously indicated their desire to be included on the project mailing list. These bulletins were distributed to a mailing list of over 3,000 interested parties. The planning bulletins provide updates on the project progress, schedule, and information on important milestones and events. Planning Bulletin #1 became available in late February 2003 and Planning Bulletin #2 in late August 2003. These planning bulletins have discussed topics such as: • The purpose of and schedule for the RMP/EIS; • The need for ecological restoration within the planning area; • Opportunities for public involvement; • Results of the scoping process; 5.1-3 5.0 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION • Nomination of ACECs; • The involvement of cooperating agencies; • Progress on developing alternatives to be analyzed in the RMP/EIS; • Interesting information about the planning area and the activities of the Ely Field Office; and • Short biographies of team members that are preparing the RMP/EIS. Planning Bulletin #3, sent in September of 2005, provided a summary of the content of the Draft RMP/EIS, notified the recipients that public meetings on the Draft were scheduled to be held in six locations in Nevada, and outlined the schedule and steps for completion of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS. In addition, a mailer was included to allow the planning bulletin recipients to indicate their preference for receiving a copy of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS. Planning Bulletin #4 was sent to the public in January of 2007 to update the public on the status of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS. This bulletin informed the readers of planning activities during the past year and the approximate schedule for mailing of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS. 5.1.3 RMP/EIS Web Page During the preparation of the Draft RMP/EIS, a web page was available to the public to access background information on the planning area as well as information on the ongoing planning and EIS process. In August 2005, it was necessary to close the RMP/EIS web site (as well as most Department of the Interior web sites) in response to a court order that was unrelated to the Ely RMP/EIS. 5.1.4 Informal Presentations The Ely Field Office has strived to make the EIS process as inclusive as possible. In addition to input from the general public, BLM staff has encouraged participation and collaboration from multiple governmental entities and public organizations. BLM staff has attended numerous meetings in addition to the six official public scoping meetings and provided presentations to organizations and commissions as invited (see Table 5.1-5). 5.1-4 5.0 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION Table 5.1-5 Presentations Provided to Organizations Approximate Meeting/Organization Date Attendance White Pine County Public Land Users Advisory Committee 10/08/02 8 Ely Shoshone Tribe 10/17/02 6 Northeastern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council 12/06/02 20 Nevada Department of Wildlife (Northern Division) 03/06/03 10 Nevada Department of Wildlife (Southern Division) 03/13/03 10 Ely Rotary Club 03/20/03 25 Mojave Southern Resource Advisory Council 04/04/03 20 Mount Wheeler Power Board of Directors 04/08/03 10 Duckwater Shoshone Tribe 04/10/03 5 Tri-County (White Pine, Lincoln, Nye) Meeting 04/30/03 20 White Pine Economic Development Committee 05/07/03 15 Coyotes Motorcycle Club 05/15/03 15 Goshute Tribal Council 09/12/03 10 Mojave Southern Resources Advisory Council 10/17/03 20 Utility Organizations 10/23/03 6 Total 200 5.1.5 Cooperating Agencies Letters inviting various agencies and organizations to participate in the RMP/EIS planning process as formal cooperating agencies were sent to over 30 groups. Cooperating agencies are requested to assist in developing management direction and alternatives, reviewing environmental effects, and selecting a preferred alternative. They also are invited to participate on RMP/EIS-related conference calls and attend RMP/EIS-related meetings.