WSP10030

• File Number: 8273.400
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Federal Agencies - Bureau of Land Management
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/1/2002
• Author: BLM
• Title: Bureau of Land Management - Vegetation Treatments -- Watersheds - and Wildlife Habitats Programmatic EIS for the Western US including Alaska
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Project Overview

.

c-st-, \/'cCf;>c.

w
o
00
,.j:;;.

V BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
VEGETATION TREATMENTS, WATERSHEDS,AND WILDLIFE.
HABITATS PROGRAMMATIC EIS FOR THE WESTERN U.S.;
INCLUDING ALASKA

..,....,'
{ .~
.......>-,..'

Frequently
Asked

Project Description

Questions

Q. What is the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposing to do? .
A. The. BLM is proposing to treat soil and vegetation on an estimated 6 million acres
ann\lally in the western U.S., including Alaska. The p\lrpose of these trel!tments would be to
conserve and restore vegetation; fish and wildlife habitat,.and watershed !iinctionsusing
several treatment methods. Mechanical, manual, chemical, biological, and cultural (use of
goats and other animals) treatment methods, and prescribed fIre, would be used,

Over half of the acres would be treated to restore historic fIre regimes and reduce the risk .of.
wildfire on BLM-administered lands. An estimated one million acres damaged bywildfIres
would be treated annually under the Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitatiol) PFogram. The
remaining acreage would be managed under several BLM programs, and management would.
primarily involve the control of noxious weeds and invasive plants, and the restoration of
damaged lands by seeding and rep lanting.

In addition, the BLM may be allowed to use several proposed herbicides that will be evaluated
in the EIS, as well as new chemicals that may be developed in the future.

Q. Where would the proposed actions occur?
A. The vegetation treatment actions would occur on public lands administered by thegLM in
the western U.S. and Alaska. The majority of these lands are in Alaska, Arizona, <;:alifornia,
Colorado, Idaho, Montal)a, Nevilda, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. .

Q. Will the EIS include National Monuments and National Conservation Areas? ... ......
A Yes, since they are included in the project area. These units will be analyzed as part of the
broad programmatic treatment area to the extent that conservatinn and restoration project
work. including. invasive and noxious weed treatments, are allowed by the individual National
Landscape Conservation System proclamations.

Q. How is this project different from what the BLM is alfeady doing?
A. The BLM is currently authorized under earlier National Environmental Policy Act
(NEP A) programmatic ElSs to treat vegetation on approximately 500,000 acres in the western
U.S.; however, Alaska was not included in the analyses in these EISs. Under the proposed
program, the BLM would be able to treat several million more acres annually, and treatment.
activities in Alaska would also be covered under this EIS. .

Q. Why does the BLM need to treat several million more acres annually?
A. Numerous large wildfIres in the west in recent years have made it imperative that wildfIre
fuels be reduced to decrease the potential for future catastrophic wildfIres. Over half of the
acres would be treated to restore historic fIre regimes and to reduce risk of wildfIre on BLM-
administered lands, especially those near urban areas. Over a million acres of lands burned by
wildfires would be restored annually by seeding and planting. The remaining acres would be
treated under several BLM programs, and management would primarily involve the conttol of
noxious weeds and invasive plants.

L

..