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THIS iS CONSISTENT WITH THE BLM HANDBOOK <br />The BLM's own handbook on the NEPA process is rife with statements concerning the <br />importance of alternatives and critical of the limiting of alternative choices that is being <br />attempted in this project. A sampling: <br />• "The NEPA directs the BLM to `study, develop, and describe appropriate <br />alternatives to recommended courses of action in any proposal that involves <br />unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of available resources;...' {NEPA <br />Sec102(2)4E)).- BLM NEPA Handbook at §5.6.1; <br />• "You must analyze those alternatives necessary to permit a reasoned choice...." <br />id. <br />• "The EIS must consider a range of reasonable alternatives, including the <br />Proposed Action and No Action alternative, and provide a description of <br />alternatives eliminated from further analysis (if any exist) with the rationale for <br />elimination...." Id. at §9.2.7; <br />• "The CEQ regulations direct that an EIS `rigorously explore and objectively <br />evaluate all reasonable alternatives, and for alternatives that were eliminated <br />from detailed study, briefly discuss the reasons for their having been eliminated' <br />(40 CFR 1502.14(x): see also NEPA Sec. 102(2)(C){iii))." Id. at § 9.2.7.1. <br />THIS PROCESS NEEDS TO RESULT IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT <br />RATHER THAN AN EA <br />Mr. Strid's report makes it clear that, considering the range of alternatives that must be <br />considered for this project, an EA is inadequate and an EIS is required. <br />"it is likely that the EA document, which is forthcoming, will be changed to on EIS <br />because there appeal' to be significant impacts resulting from the Icing II Mitre and its <br />proposed lease modifications." Report at S. <br />This opinion is shared by the BLM's NEPA Handbook: <br />"Actions whose effects are expected to be significant and are not fully covered in an <br />existing EIS must be analyzed in a new orsupplemental EIS." BLM NEPA Handbook at <br />§7.2. <br />4 <br />