Belnap and Big Spring Pipeline Allotments Grazing Permit Renewal Public Scoping DOI-BLM-AZ-A030-2023-0002-EA/ PEPC-111150

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SCOPING
Big Spring Pipeline and Belnap Grazing Permit Renewal Environmental Assessment
An Environmental Assessment (EA) is being prepared (DOI-BLM-AZ-A030-2023-0002-EA/ PEPC-111150) for the Big Spring Pipeline and Belnap Grazing Permit Renewal. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public and interested parties of the project. Comments received in response to this notice will be used to identify potential environmental issues related to the proposed action and to identify potential alternatives to the proposed action that meet the purpose of and need for the project.
The proposed project would take place on the Belnap and Big Spring Pipeline allotments, Mojave County, Arizona within Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument (GCPNM). The grazing permittee for the two subject allotments submitted an application to renew the ten-year grazing permit with proposed changes. The interdisciplinary team explored and evaluated several different alternatives to determine whether the underlying need for the proposed action, providing for livestock grazing opportunities on public lands while ensuring that the allotments are achieving (or progressing toward meeting) rangeland health standards, would be met. This EA analyzes three alternatives:

Alternative A (Proposed Action) - Combine Belnap and Big Spring Pipeline Allotments, extend the Season of Use for the Belnap Pastures, implement a nine-pasture rotation system, and rename and renew permit for the new combined Big Spring Pipeline Allotment.

Alternative B (No Action) - Renew Permit for Belnap and Big Springs Pipeline Allotments with No Changes in Season of Use or Combination of Allotments.

Alternative C (No Grazing) - Reissue a Ten-Year Term Permit for the Belnap and Big Spring Pipeline Allotments with Zero Authorized AUMs

The public scoping period is for 15 days, beginning on February 27, 2023 and ending March 14, 2023. Please submit any scoping comments and/or express interest in receiving notice when the EA is available for public review to Michael Cutler, Rangeland Management Specialist, via email (mcutler@blm.gov, include in the subject line "Big Spring Pipeline and Belnap Grazing Permit Renewal ") or by post (Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, 345 E Riverside Dr., St. George, UT 84790, Attn: Michael Cutler). If you have any project related questions, please call Michael Cutler at 435-688-3277.
By law, the names and addresses of those commenting are available for public review during regular business hours. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment - including your personal identifying information - may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All comments from organizations or businesses will be available for public inspection in their entirety.

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