National grassland plan to be amended

According to a press release issued last week, the U.S. Forest Service, Thunder Basin National Grassland, is in the initial stages of undertaking a Grassland Land and Resource Management Plan Amendment under the 2012 Planning Rule. Need for the amendment was collaboratively developed over the last few years, most recently by a stakeholder group convened by Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA).
“The amendment will address concerns regarding plan direction associated with the management of black-tailed prairie dog colonies on National Forest System lands. This includes changes to management area boundaries and changes to grassland-wide plan components that pertain to prairie dogs, short-stature vegetation habitat, and associated species management,” the release stated.
According to the Forest Service, the WDA-convened collaborative met six times in the latter half of 2018 concerning the existing Grassland Plan. 
“The group was successful in focusing dialogue and highlighting areas where there was substantial agreement and disagreement. The results of the collaborative effort are helping to inform development of the proposed action for the amendment,” according to the USFS.
The release states that in January of 2019, an interdisciplinary team (IDT) was convened and preparation for starting the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process began.  Individuals from WDA, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and the Tri-County Coalition (Campbell, Converse, and Weston County Commissioners) were invited as full participants on the IDT and accepted.
The agency said an aggressive NEPA timeline has been developed, with a Proposed Action to be presented for public comment this spring. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is expected to be released in fall of 2019 and a Final EIS and Project Decision by fall of 2020.
“Concurrently, Forest and Regional Staff are actively engaged in on-the-ground restoration and control projects, and continued participation in collaborative discussions. A working group, comprised of interested stakeholders and convened by Wyoming County Commissioners Association, is currently scheduling project coordination meetings for 2019,” the announcement said.
For more information, individuals may contact Douglas District Ranger Rob Robertson at (307) 358-7101 or visit fs.usda.gov/mbr.