United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Buffalo Horn Land Exchange DOI-BLM-CO-N05-2017-0009 Scoping Comments April 2017 U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Northwest District White River Field Office 220 East Market St Meeker, CO 81641 SCOPING PROCESS The BLM uses a scoping process (40 CFR 1500-1508) to identify potential significant issues in preparation for impact analysis. The principal goals of scoping are to identify issues, concerns, and potential impacts that require detailed analysis. Scoping is both an internal and external process. Internal scoping was initiated when the project was presented to the White River Field Office (WRFO) interdisciplinary team on 1/10/11. External scoping was initiated when the public was formally notified of the proposed land exchange through a Notice of Exchange Proposal (NOEP) which was published in the Rio Blanco Herald Times on 12/8/16, 12/15/16, 12/29/16, 1/5/17, 1/12/17, 1/19/17 and in the Craig Daily Press on 12/9/16, 12/16/16, 12/23/16, and 12/30/16. The BLM also issued a press release soliciting scoping comments from the public on 12/8/16 and presented an overview of the exchange to the Northwest Resource Advisory Council. The BLM sent letters directly to potentially affected individuals and organizations (including livestock grazing permittees, oil and gas lessees and operators, rights-of-way holders, special recreation permit holders, and adjacent landowners) and elected officials (Senator Bennet, Senator Gardner, Representative Tipton, Moffat County Commissioners, and Rio Blanco County Commissioners) to inform them of the scoping period. A public meeting was held on 1/5/17 at the Meeker Public Library to discuss the proposal. COMMENTERS The BLM received scoping comments from the following individuals, businesses, non- governmental entities, and other public agencies: Albert and Mary Krueger Dale Haskins Pattie Terp Andrew Rice Davon Smith Rick Dodds Augustus Energy Partners II, LLC Dean Gent Rick Tingle Billy Tingle Douglas Pfau Rockies Express Pipeline LLC Bobby Gutierrez Earl Stout Sierra Nelson Boyd Richardson Edward O'Malley Steve and Kim Jordan Bradley Bauer Freddy Sanchez Steve LaBau Bradley Benton Gary Davies Strawberry Creek Outfitters Brandon Sanders Gloria Jones Sullivan Bros Outfitting Brennan Jensen Greg Hanberg The Wilderness Society Brett Bauer Hawk and Shelley Greenway Toby Garcia Candace Collins Jason Powell Todd Lewis Charles Slack Jimmy Jackson Tom Alley Chris White Joe Gutierrez Unknown Individual Clay Springer Kristi Wilson Vannoy Ranch LLC Colorado Parks and Wildlife Leslie Sorensen W. Ray Barnes Colorado Wild Public Lands Melanie McKee White River Conservation District Conservation Colorado Michael Munch William Loftus DOI-BLM-CO-N05-2017-0009-EA_Scoping Comments 1 ISSUES The BLM identified the following issues and questions from the scoping comments submitted by the public which will be addressed in the environmental assessment. (The public will have the opportunity to review and comment on the preliminary environmental assessment in the fall of 2017.) Land Exchange Process Is it appropriate for private landowners to benefit from a trade involving public lands? Why does the BLM consider isolated Federal parcels difficult to manage? Will the BLM consider non-monetary values (such as recreational experiences and wildlife habitat) when evaluating the values of the parcels included in the exchange? Does the exchange proposal include a conservation easement to protect wildlife habitat on the Federal parcels that may become private property? Will the appraisals be made available for public review before the exchange is finalized? Has the BLM been able to contact all potential affected interests (mineral estate owners and lessees)? Lands and Realty How would the exchange affect the Vannoy Ranch’s use of a road across public land to access other portions of their private property? How would adjacent landowners be affected by existing fences that follow topographic features (such as ridgelines) rather than property boundaries? (See also Livestock Grazing) How would the exchange affect land status within Rio Blanco and Moffat counties? Would the BLM consider selling the isolated parcels (either to Buffalo Horn or other adjacent landowners) rather than including them in the exchange? Will the BLM honor all the terms, conditions, and access rights granted by existing pipeline easements and document the existence of the easements on the BLM’s Master Title Plat and Historical Index? Recreation Would disposal of the Federal parcels to Buffalo Horn facilitate the ranch being able to retain elk on private property? Would disposal of the Federal parcels to Buffalo Horn result in crowding public land hunters into a small area? DOI-BLM-CO-N05-2017-0009-EA_Scoping Comments 2 Do the exchange parcels provide unique big game hunting opportunities within Game Management Units 11 and 211 (including opportunities for back-country hunting)? Would the exchange result in an increase in trespass hunting on private land southeast of parcel B? Is this area proposed to be included as part of the Wagon Wheel OHV Trail System? Wilderness Study Areas Would additional public access to the Windy Gulch and Black Mountain Wilderness Study Areas affect the naturalness and solitude of these areas? Would the acquisition of parcel B result in the expansion of either the Windy Gulch or Black Mountain WSAs? Access and Transportation How would the exchange affect access (by foot, bike, horse, and motorized vehicles) to public lands? Wildlife Do the exchange parcels provide unique or important habitat for wildlife (such as elk migration corridors)? Lands with Wilderness Characteristics How would the exchange affect inventory and management of lands with wilderness characteristics? Surface and Ground Water Quality How would the exchange affect distribution of water available for livestock and wildlife on public and private lands? Geology and Minerals How would the exchange affect the Master Surface Use Agreement between Augustus Energy Partners II, LLC regarding surface operations needed to develop leased Federal minerals? What affect would the exchange have on future leasing of fluid minerals (oil and gas)? How would the exchange affect reclamation requirements for mineral development (both abandoned wells and current/future development)? Livestock Grazing How would the exchange affect management of BLM grazing allotments? DOI-BLM-CO-N05-2017-0009-EA_Scoping Comments 3 How would adjacent landowners be affected by existing fences that follow topographic features (such as ridgelines) rather than property boundaries? (See also Lands and Realty) Socioeconomics How would the property values of adjacent landowners be affected by the exchange? How would an increase in public access affect private hunting leases? What economic impacts associated with hunting and other recreation might be expected from the exchange? DOI-BLM-CO-N05-2017-0009-EA_Scoping Comments 4 Appendix A – Copies of Scoping Comment Letters (Note: Mailing addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers have been redacted.) Heather I am concerned about the proposed land exchange F-8. This land sets close behind my house and it splits about equal half on my side of the fence and half on Buffalo Horn side. The fence was put on the ridge from my field all the way back to the top of the ridge in the back (about 4 miles or so), not following the property lines because of the terrain being difficult to navigate. I am wondering how this will take place, will Buffalo Horn fence this, if so who will survey this parcel, as of now there are no markers on any of the corners, either side of the fence. There are two deep draws that the fence will have to cross making this task very difficult with a dozer disturbing a lot of area causing erosion that will drain down to my field. The only road access I have to check my fence that separates Buffalo Horn and me goes through this f-8 parcel so how will I be able to check and repair my fence, if I have to have a dozer build me a road around this who will pay for it, not only that but maintaining the road on the side of the hill with erosion being a problem instead of staying on the ridge where the road will last with almost no maintenance. I have been involved with the working of this place for 40 years, the fences and roads are in and look the same now as they did then. I don't think I should have to pay for any of this because Buffalo Horn is the one wanting this not me. Buffalo Horn will have very limited use of the land on my side of the fence because of the two draws they will have to cross with no other access. There are multiple places on the thousands of acres of land that Buffalo Horn borders the B L M where there is not a third party involved. Thanks Roy Vannoy Vannoy Ranch LLC 2/27/2017 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Mail - Proposed Buffalo Horn Land Exchange WRFO_BHLEX, BLM_CO <[email protected]> Proposed Buffalo Horn Land Exchange 1 message Joy Boyd Tue, Jan 17, 2017 at 5:34 AM To: [email protected] My name is Chris White, from West Virginia. I have been hunting in Colorow Mountain Area of Colorado for nine years now. I think this land exchange would not benefit the public but would benefit the Buffalo Horn Ranch. I have notices the ranch controlling the elk so that they remain on the ranch, so with more land joining their land now would make it easier for them to do that. I do not agree with this land exchange.