In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Canyon Country District Office, in coordination with the United States Forest Service (USFS), Manti-La Sal National Forest, has prepared Draft Monument Management Plans (MMPs) and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Bears Ears National Monument (BENM) Indian Creek and Shash Jáa Units. By this Notice, the BLM is announcing the opening of the public comment period.

On December 4, 2017, President Donald Trump signed Proclamation 9681 modifying the Bears Ears National Monument designated by Proclamation 9558 to exclude from its designation and reservation approximately 1,150,860 acres of land. The revised BENM boundary includes two units—Shash Jáa and Indian Creek Units—that are reserved for the care and management of the objects of historic and scientific interest within their boundaries. The planning area is located entirely in San Juan County, Utah and encompasses 169,289 acres of BLM-managed lands and 32,587 acres of National Forest System Lands. All of the National Forest System Lands are within the Shash Jáa Unit.

The BLM is the lead agency for the preparation of the EIS, and the Forest Service is participating as a cooperating agency.

This planning effort is needed to identify goals, objectives, and management actions necessary for the conservation, protection, restoration, or enhancement of the resources, objects, and values identified in Proclamation 9558, as modified by Proclamation 9681. The BENM is jointly managed by the BLM and USFS under the Monticello Resource Management Plan (BLM 2008), as amended, and the Manti La-Sal Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP), as amended (USFS 1986). The MMPs would replace the existing Monticello RMP for the BLM-administered lands within the BENM, and would amend the existing Manti La-Sal LRMP for USFS-administered lands within the BENM.

Each agency will continue to manage their lands within the monument pursuant to their respective applicable legal authorities. The responsible official for the BLM is the Utah State Director; the responsible official for the USFS is the Manti-La Sal Forest Supervisor. The USFS intends to use the BLM's EIS to make its decision for the part of the Shash Jáa Unit MMP it administers. The USFS will use the BLM's administrative review procedures, as provided by the USFS 2012 Planning Rule, at 36 CFR 219.59(b).

The BLM and USFS have reviewed public scoping comments to identify planning issues that directed the formulation of alternatives and framed the scope of analysis in the Draft MMPs/Draft EIS. Issues identified include management of cultural resources, including protection of American Indian sacred sites, traditional cultural properties, and access by members of Indian tribes for traditional cultural and customary uses; recreation and access; livestock grazing; and wildlife, water, vegetation, and soil resources. This planning effort also considers management of lands with wilderness characteristics.

The Draft MMPs/Draft EIS evaluate four alternatives in detail. Alternative A is the No Action alternative, which is a continuation of existing decisions in the Monticello RMP and in the Manti-La Sal Forest Plan, to the extent that those decisions are compatible with the proclamations. Alternative B emphasizes resource protection and conservation. It is the alternative which imposes the greatest restrictions on recreation and other uses. The BLM and USFS would take a more active management approach to ensure that objects and values are conserved, protected and restored. Alternative C represents a balance among levels of restriction on recreation and other uses and emphasizes adaptive management to protect the long-term sustainability of Monument objects and values while providing for other multiple uses. Alternative D is the alternative with the least restrictive management prescriptions and utilizes a more passive management strategy, with the aim of minimizing the number of changes in the BENM. The agencies would focus on management actions that preserve objects and values but do not alter the existing character of the landscape or limit future agency discretion.