PAPO seeks public comments on 2015 Pronghorn Annual Report
by Pinedale Anticline Project Office
November 20, 2015
The Pinedale Anticline Project Office (PAPO) is seeking public comments on the Pinedale Anticline Project Area (PAPA) 2015 "Pronghorn Monitoring in the Pinedale Anticline Project Area – 2015 Annual Report." The report has been posted on the PAPO web page at http://www.wy.blm.gov/jio-papo/index.htm.
This report was prepared in fulfillment of requirements in the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Pinedale Anticline Project Area, which is located just outside of Pinedale, Wyoming.
A key component of the ROD is a Wildlife Monitoring and Mitigation Matrix (Mitigation Matrix) that specifies required mitigation for a variety of species (e.g., pronghorn, mule deer, sage-grouse, pygmy rabbit and white-tailed prairie dog). Under the Mitigation Matrix, requirements are triggered when a species-specific "change requiring mitigation" is reached. For pronghorn (Antilocapra Americana), the Mitigation Matrix specifies that mitigation measures are required if there is a 15 percent decline in pronghorn abundance in the PAPA detected in any year, or a cumulative change over all years beginning in the winter of 2009-2010, relative to changes to a reference area which is the larger Sublette pronghorn herd.
A summary of monitoring results in the report for the winter of 2014-2015 compared to the winter of 2009-2010 indicates an increase in average abundance of pronghorn numbers in the PAPA from 1,533 to 5,347. However, the report also indicates that the proportion of time pronghorn spend on the PAPA has decreased over time. The monitoring methods utilized and other information are described in the report.
Public comments on the report will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2015. Mail or deliver written comments to: Pinedale Field Office, 1625 W. Pine St., P.O. Box 768, Pinedale, WY 82941. Comments can also be emailed to egdecker@blm.gov or faxed to 307-367-5329. It should be noted that while all public comments will potentially be considered as the basis for inclusion into a revised report, the PAPO will not be responding to individual comments.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
For more information, please contact PAPO Coordinator Eric Decker at 307-367-5386.
|
