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0001;;37 Planned Actions 1. Livestock grazing utilizing federal preference (166,895 AUMs) will be allowed until rangeland monitoring studies are completed. 2. BLM will immediately begin rangeland monitoring studies on M and I category allotments, including 13 connict allotments (allotment numbers 4203, 4206, 4207,4209,4210,4219,4225,4302,4431,4332,4520, 4521, and 4522), to yield information needed to make decisions on livestock stocking rates. Priorities for rangeland monitoring studies will be detennined by the wo"'t forage conditions established from the 1981- ] 983 surveys. The level of monitoring will depend on funding and staff. 3. Surveys done during 1981-1983 for 73 percent of the area and earlier surveys for the rest of the area, which estimated forage available to support a grazing level of 148,821 AUMs, will be used as baseline inventory data. 4. Livestock use adjustments will be implemented in accordance with 43 CFR 4110.3-3 after acquiring a minimum of 2 yea", of rangeland monitoring data, in combination with baseline data. Decisions imple- menting changes in livestock use will be issued as soon as data are available to support that change. In no case will more than 5 yea", of rangeland monitoring data be required for adjustments. Any adjustments would result in consultation/coordination with the livestock operator. 5. BLM policy is to issue decisions or enter into agreements within 5 yea", of publication of a rangeland program summary (RPS) following completion of a Grazing Environmental Impact Statement Resource Manage- ment Plan (EIS/RMP). An RPS is issued within 5 months after the RMP is signed. A five year implementation period will be used. Decisions will be issued in the third and fifth yea", to modify the adjustments as necessary to reach estimated grazing capacity. These decisions will be contained in the RPS updates. Mutual agreements may be entered into at any time during the five year period. These will also be documented in the RPS updates. 6. Grazing will be temporarily suspended in areas where key forage plants have been critically overutilized. 7. Vegetation land treatments will be implemented on 68 allotments. Treatments will involve interseeding, burning and reseeding, spraying, and plowing and reseeding. In conducting these treatments, BLM will adhere to established procedures and design specifi- cations to protect all resource uses and values. A RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS benefit/cost analysis and environmental analysis will be completed before any treatments are implemented. 8. Range improvement projects will be constructed on 69 allotments to control livestock use, improve distribu- tion, and improve riparian/wetland habitat. A benefit! cost analysis and environmental analysis will be completed before any projects are implemented. 9. Management categorization (M, I, or C) for allotments will be updated as the result of rangeland condition change or as data that support changes becomes available through the monitoring program. (See rangeland program summary.) 10. Allotment management plans will be developed for all allotments within the Little Snake Resource Area. Level of detail of each plan will be determined from the management category (M, I, or C) for that allotment. Resource Condition and Rationale The goal of the livestock management program is to improve the rangeland forage resource by managing toward a desired plant community. This goal may be reached through proper livestock management, proper utilization of key forage plants, and selected range improvement practices. Domestic livestock is one of the most effective, controllable means of managing rangelands for a variety of uses. Concentrating monitoring efforts on conllict allotments and those where forage condition is in need of improvement will result in the most efficient use of range bettennent funds. Allotment management plans will implement more intensive management systems which will result in managing towards a more desirable plant community. Implementation Priorities The following management actions must be implemented during the fi"'t five yea", following approval of this plan. These actions are not listed according to an order of implementation. · Publish a langeland program summary within 5 months of approval of this plan. · Initiate monitoring on M and I category allotments, including 13 conllict allotments. · Prioritize monitoring on allotments according to those exhibiting wo"'t forage conditions. · Suspend grazing where key forage plants have been critically overutilized. · Issue livestock use decisions or enter into agreements within 5 yea", of publication of a rangeland program summary. II