NEPA and Public Involvement

 

NEPA and Public Involvement

NEPA requires that federal agencies engage the public during preparation of an EIS. The BLM formally began this process on July 28, 2020, by publishing the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare this EIS in the Federal Register, announcing the beginning of a public scoping period to solicit public comments and to identify issues. With publication of the Notice of Availability (NOA) for the North Dakota Draft RMP/EIS in the Federal Register on January 20, 2023, the BLM has provided the Draft RMP/EIS for review and will accept input from the public, Tribes, and agencies during a 90-day comment period. Comments will be accepted through May 22, 2023.

Engaging the Public

During the Draft RMP/EIS public comment period, the BLM will hold a total of three public meetings. One meeting will be held virtually and two meetings will be held in person.

The in-person public meetings will be open house format, with BLM specialists available to answer questions. The BLM will also provide a brief overview presentation of the Draft RMP/EIS. The in-person meetings will be held on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, February 28, 2023 from 5:30-7:00pm at Dickinson City Hall

  • Wednesday, March 1, 2023 from 5:30-7:00pm at Bowman City Hall

The virtual public meeting will include a presentation on the Draft RMP/EIS, an opportunity to ask questions of BLM staff, and an opportunity to provide oral public comment. Attendees can join by computer or phone to learn about the North Dakota Draft RMP/EIS and the NEPA process. The virtual public meeting teleconference will be recorded and made available on the BLM’s ePlanning website. The virtual public meeting will be held on the following date:

The virtual public meeting requires pre-registration and the instructions are provided below.

Instructions for Attending the Virtual Public Meeting:

For Participants Joining by Zoom Web Platform or Zoom App:

  1. Please pre-register using the link provided below.

    https://empsi.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BjFHY5EgSga_hMmZM3lv7g

  2. After registration, participants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

  3. On the day of the meeting, please join using the information contained in your confirmation email.

For Participants Joining by Phone:

  1. Register for the meeting (see above). On the day of your meeting, call in using one of the toll-free phone numbers listed below. You will be prompted to enter your Webinar ID. Enter your Webinar ID from your confirmation email and press the # key.

  2. You will then be prompted: “Enter your Participant ID followed by #. Otherwise just press #.” Phone-only participants will not receive an individualized Participant ID, so just press the # key.

  3. You will then be prompted: “Enter your Password followed by #. Otherwise just press #.” Enter the Passcode from your confirmation email and press the # key.

  4. You will be directly joined to the meeting. If the meeting has not started, you will be on hold until the meeting begins.

Call-in Numbers (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

Next Station: Questions and Answers

 

For more information on the North Dakota RMP/EIS, please visit the project’s BLM ePlanning website or contact Kristine Braun, Eastern Montana/Dakotas Planning and Environmental Coordinator, at 701-227-7725.

To be added or removed from the mailing list, please send an email to blm_mt_north_dakota_rmp@blm.gov.