BLM Sage-grouse plans

In 2015 the BLM adopted more than 70 management plans to safeguard the landscapes on which greater sage-grouse and more than 350 other species rely for survival and which also sustain the West's rural economies. We worked with partners to revise these plans in 2019 to build flexibility in coordinating various states' wildlife management laws and policies. Since then, the numbers of sage-grouse have continued to decline, and recent science shows that we need to update our plans. 

A wildlife biologist gently holds a sage-grouse hen



We have proposed alternatives for strengthening these plans, informed by the best-available science and input from local, state, federal and Tribal partners. 

The proposed alternatives build on the most successful components of the 2015 and 2019 plans, incorporate new sage-grouse conservation science and lessons learned, account for changing resource conditions, and balance consistent management across the range with flexibility to address on-the-ground conditions and policies specific to individual states. 
 

The draft environmental impact statement and proposed plan amendments were published on March 15, 2024. We are now considering comments received during the 90-day public comment period that closed on June 13, 2024.

 

 


Conservation Topics

a close-up image of sagebrush seedheads
Sagebrush flower in late summer and go to seed in the fall. Wind pollinates the flowers and spreads seeds, which sage-grouse and other animals also eat. As native grasses and forbs fade, sagebrush seeds and leaves will feed the grouse through the winter. 

2015 Plans

View the 2015 plans for each state, the amendments adopted in 2019, additional environmental analysis completed in 2020 and current planning documents. 

screenshot of web app splash screen for sage grouse plans

Open the map tool and select year(s) in the upper-right. Click on a state or planning area and then on "View" in the lower-right corner of the pop-up. 

Changes made in 2019 and 2020 have been enjoined by court order, and until legal issues are resolved, the BLM is using the 2015 plans to guide its management actions on behalf of greater sage-grouse in Oregon | Idaho | Nevada/ Northeastern California | Utah | Wyoming | Colorado 

These plans were not amended by decisions in 2019 or 2020: N. Dakota | S. Dakota || Montana :: Miles City | HiLine | Billings | Lewistown 2020 RMP : 2015 RMPA | Southwest MT 

Proposed
Mineral Withdrawal  

The 2015 management plans include a recommendation that the Secretary of the Interior withdraw habitats designated as sagebrush focal areas (SFAs) from eligibility under the Mining Law of 1872 (subject to valid existing rights).  
The BLM will issue a new draft EIS evaluating the proposed withdrawal for public review by the end of 2024. This analysis is separate from the EIS analyzing proposed amendments to the 2015 plans.