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Belnap and Big Spring Pipeline Allotment Grazing Permit Renewal
Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument » Belnap and Big Spring Pipeline Allotment Grazing Permit Renewal » Document List
This environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared to disclose and analyze the environmental consequences of the proposed grazing permit renewal, as well as alternative livestock management, for the Belnap and Big Spring Pipeline allotments. The grazing permittee submitted an application to renew the ten-year grazing permit with proposed changes.
Livestock grazing on public lands is managed according to grazing regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 43 CFR Part 4100. This analysis provides information as required by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and National Park Service (NPS) implementing regulations for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Taylor Grazing Act (TGA), and the Federal Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA) to determine whether to authorize grazing within these allotments and whether changes to current management are necessary.
The action culminates an evaluation conducted on the allotments under the BLM Standards for Rangeland Health (RLH). Eleven key areas used for RLH are monitored on the BLM lands within the allotments. Rangeland Ecosystem Conditions (REC) is a monitoring methodology employed on NPS managed lands. Twenty-seven REC plots were established in 2012 and 2013 on NPS managed lands within the Big Spring Pipeline Allotment. These plots establish a baseline for future trend analysis. The baseline data collected included vegetation composition, plant and soil cover, and soil stability. This EA determines if current grazing management practices would maintain desirable conditions and continue to allow improvement of public land resources, or if changes in grazing management for the allotments are necessary.
This EA will consider three alternatives, as developed during initial internal scoping:
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
Livestock grazing on public lands is managed according to grazing regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 43 CFR Part 4100. This analysis provides information as required by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and National Park Service (NPS) implementing regulations for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Taylor Grazing Act (TGA), and the Federal Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA) to determine whether to authorize grazing within these allotments and whether changes to current management are necessary.
The action culminates an evaluation conducted on the allotments under the BLM Standards for Rangeland Health (RLH). Eleven key areas used for RLH are monitored on the BLM lands within the allotments. Rangeland Ecosystem Conditions (REC) is a monitoring methodology employed on NPS managed lands. Twenty-seven REC plots were established in 2012 and 2013 on NPS managed lands within the Big Spring Pipeline Allotment. These plots establish a baseline for future trend analysis. The baseline data collected included vegetation composition, plant and soil cover, and soil stability. This EA determines if current grazing management practices would maintain desirable conditions and continue to allow improvement of public land resources, or if changes in grazing management for the allotments are necessary.
This EA will consider three alternatives, as developed during initial internal scoping:
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