Updates

Publication of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Notice of Availability of the Proposed Butte Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement was published on September 26, 2008, and marked the beginning of the 30-day protest period for the Proposed RMP/Final EIS. The protest period ends October 27, 2008. The Dear Reader letter on the Proposed RMP/Final EIS Contents page describes protest procedures.

Note that land use planning decisions are subject to protest. However, decisions on travel route-specific management for the Helena Travel Planning Area (TPA), East Helena TPA, Lewis and Clark County NW TPA, Boulder/Jefferson City TPA, and Upper Big Hole River TPA are not protestable. These implementation decisions are subject to the appeals process once the BLM resolves protests to land use planning decisions and issues an Approved RMP and Record of Decision (ROD). The Approved RMP and ROD will therefore identify the implementation decisions made in the plan that may be appealed to the Office of Hearings and Appeals.