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<br />Vegetation Treatments Programmatic EIS
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<br />EIS Development Process
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<br />Q. Why is the BLM developing this ElS?
<br />A. The BLM is preparing a programmatic EIS to evaluate the impacts of treatments for the
<br />conservation and restoration of vegetation, watershed, and fish and wildlife habitat on surface'
<br />lands administered by the BLM in the western U.S., including Alaska, the BLNl is
<br />developing the EIS to update and replace analyses contained in four existing vegetatil;m
<br />treatmen.t EISs that were completed between 1986 and 1992. These documents are becoming"
<br />less useful because new information is now available, and conditions and circumstances
<br />influencing treatment requirements have changed. For example, several new fire initiatives,
<br />including the National Fire Plan, Integrated Weed Management Plan, and Great Basin
<br />Restoration Initiative, have identified a need to do more vegetative treaiments across the
<br />landscape to reduce the risks of wildfires and to control noxious weeds. The EISis also being
<br />developed to analyze similar activities onBLM-administered lands in Alaska, which. were not
<br />included in the earlier EISs.
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<br />Q. What is the purpose of the EIS?
<br />A. The ElS will: (I) provide a comprehensive analysis of BLM conservation and restorlltion
<br />activities involving the treatment, modification, or restoration of vegetation, fish and wilaIife
<br />habitat, and watersheds; (2) provide a comprehensive programmatic NEPA docul11ent for use
<br />by local BLM field offices for local land-use planning; (3) serve as a baseline cumulative
<br />. impact assessment; (4) assess human and environmental health risks from proposed new
<br />herbicides and prescribed burning activities; and (5) consider state-specific activities, .
<br />including hazardous fuels treatments, to protect communities and restore desired natural fire
<br />regimes.
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<br />Q. Is the EISa land-use plan?
<br />A. No, the EIS is neither a land-use plan nor an amendment to a land-use plan. As a
<br />programmatic EIS, it will not detennine land use on the public lands and wiH not address
<br />specific agency management decisions developed under local land use plans. .
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<br />Q. What is the difference between a programmatic EIS and project-specific EIS~ .
<br />A. A programmatic EIS is designed to look at the broad, generic impacts.associa1ed With a
<br />decision to fully implement a program. Because this EIS covers vegetation treatment activities.
<br />on 15 states, it is not realistically possible to assess site-specific impacts associated with the
<br />program. A programmatic EIS also allows for the tiering of more site-specific NEP A .
<br />documents, such as land-use plans, eliminating the need fOr repetitive discussions Of the same
<br />issues. A project-specific EIS looks at impacts associated with a site-specific project, such as
<br />vegetation treatment activities on 1,000 acres of BLM-administered lands.
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<br />Q. How will this EIS affect current and future local land-use plans?
<br />A. There should be little effect on current land-use plans. However, the programIi1atic EIS
<br />should minimize the need for cumulative impact documentation in future individual land-use
<br />plans, revisions, amendments, and EISs. The EIS will act as an umbrella document under
<br />which the local field offices can develop local land-use plans by providing comprehensive
<br />general guidelines, and will serve as a baseline cumulative impact assessment
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<br />Q. Who is developing the EIS?
<br />A. The BLM Office of Rangelands, Soils, Water and Air in Washington, D.C., is leading the
<br />project, supported by BLM technical resource specialists in BLM offices throughout the
<br />western U.S. and Alaska. ENSR International, a third-party contractor, will conduct the public
<br />meetings and prepare the EIS in accordance with BLM guidelines and oversight.
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