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BLM approves NEPA shortcuts for oil, gas, logging projects

The Bureau of Land Management installed new categorical exclusions today for oil, gas and geothermal exploration, salvage logging and grazing permits on public lands.

In a Federal Register notice, BLM announced changes to Interior Department rules allowing the expanded use of categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act, meaning the agency won't have to conduct a full environmental analysis or impact statement if a project is deemed not to have a significant environmental impact.

Industry groups and the Bush administration like categorical exclusions because they technically fulfill NEPA statutory requirements for environmental analysis but can dramatically cut the approval time for projects or permit requests.

The changes would allow BLM to more quickly approve salvage logging proposals up to 250 acres, renew grazing permits if grazing is not believed to be harming the ranchland, and accelerate geophysical exploration when no new roadbuilding is involved. Geophysical plans of operations are not covered by the categorical exclusions, according to a BLM spokesman.

Categorical exclusions under NEPA were historically used for small projects such as expanding a campground or administrative building, but the Bush administration has expanded the practice to oil and gas drilling permits, salvage logging projects and forest plans. Environmentalists and lawmakers such as House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) have been fighting the expanded use of the practice, most recently as part of the House energy bill approved earlier this month.

The changes that take effect today were first proposed in January 2006 and final approval comes shortly after the Senate confirmed Jim Caswell to be the new BLM director.

"This is the Bush administration -- through its new BLM director -- silencing public input and turning the stewardship of the government into a rubber stamp for industry," said Bobby McEnaney of the Natural Resources Defense Council. "It leaves the American people totally out of the conversation."

For forests, BLM's new rule essentially copies the Forest Service's categorical exclusion policy for damaged trees that was part of President Bush's Healthy Forests Initiative.

The categorical exclusions are designed to apply to small clearing projects of insect- or disease-ridden trees, dead or dying trees, and live trees if their removal is for the overall benefit of the forest. The exclusions allow for the salvage removal of up to 250 acres of commercially valuable trees harmed by fire, wind, ice, insects or disease. The trees must have been "severely damaged" and either dead or dying to qualify for the NEPA exemption (Greenwire, Jan. 26, 2006).

Click here to view today's Federal Register notice.

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