Prepared by:
Charles Baun
Conservation Branch Manager
IDARNG Environmental Management Office
Objectives

OCTC Summary

Background on Climate Change and NEPA

NEPA and Climate Change- Practical Application

Sikes Act and INRMPs- A Work in Progress

Conclusion
OCTCState of Idaho
OCTC

Military Training Since 1953
(Over 70 years)

One of the Largest NG Training
Facilities in the US (143,300 ac)

One of the Most Sophisticated
Training Facilities in the World

13 miles south of Boise
(Largest Metropolitan Area in
Idaho)

SBOP-National Conservation
Area 1993 (PL 103-64)
Area Managed Under: PL 103-64
and 111-11 (NLCS); 2010 MOU;
2008 NCA RMP; and 2013
INRMP/ICRMP
OCTC

143,300 acres (NCA)

BLM- 135,500 acres

State Lands- 7,500 acres

State Lands Outside
OCTC-640 acres (MATES)

Impact Area-53,500 acres
(20 Ranges)

Core Impact Area-3,300
acres

22 Maneuver Areas
(A 1-8, B 1-7, C 1-4, D 1-2,
and E-1)
IDARNG Resource Management
Programs

(EMO) Conservation (Resources & NEPA)

(Range) Integrated Training Area Management
(ITAM)

(FMO) Facilities and Wildland Fire Program
Note: IDARNG can not directly manage impacts
associated with public recreation or livestock
grazing.
OCTC Management Summary

BLM-Federal Owner
IDFG-State Wildlife
IDL-State Land Owner
FWS- T&E Species
IDARNG-EMO
IDARNG-CFMO
IDARNG-Range

And NLCS-Federal Enforcement of NCA






Training
Raptors
Habitat
The Law
Training
Our Mission
Raptors
The Resources
Habitat
So Many Managers:
Problems or Possibilities?
Objectives

OCTC Summary

Background on Climate Change and NEPA

NEPA and Climate Change- Practical Application

Sikes Act and INRMPs- A Work in Progress

Conclusion
Climate Change and NEPA
(Know Your Enemy)

Blame it on the Polar Bear:
 Listed by FWS in 2008 then the 4(d) Rule
 2011 U.S. District Court Judge Emmett
Sullivan upheld the 4(d) rule but found that
FWS did not comply fully with NEPA

EO 13514 (2009)-Federal Leadership in
Environmental, Energy, and Economic
Performance (Interagency Climate
Change Adaptation Task Force )

2010 Initial CEQ Guidance – Poorly
Addressed Land/Resource Management
Actions (No Use by Agencies)

2014 Revised Draft Guidance. Final not
expected to come out anytime soon.
What Does This Mean To Us?
1st: As federal agencies, or proponents with nexus
actions, we are required by law to integrate the
effects of climate change into our NEPA and
Management Documents (INRMP, RMP, Forest
Plans…).
What Does This Mean To Us?
1st: As federal agencies, or proponents with nexus
actions, we are required by law to integrate the
effects of climate change into our NEPA and
Management Documents (INRMP, RMP, Forest
Plans…).
2nd: We are required to do so without a
standardized process or useable guidance, and
there is none coming out in the near future.
The Reason Behind this Mess?
This is in fact a diabolical
plot by the Polar Bears to
make the lives of resource
professionals hell because
of the 4(d) Rule.
Note: The 4(d) Rule was made by then Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne.
Mr. Kempthorne was Governor of Idaho for seven years.
Objectives

OCTC Summary

Background on Climate Change and NEPA

NEPA and Climate Change- Practical Application

Sikes Act and INRMPs- A Work in Progress

Conclusion
NEPA - CEQ Guidance
Per CEQ Guidelines (2014)- Agencies should
consider the following when addressing GHG
emissions and GCC in NEPA:
(1) the potential effects of the proposed action on
GCC as indicated by its GHG emissions; and
(2) the implications of GCC for the environmental
effects of the proposed action.
Standard Process: Did you Take the Hard Look and
Record you Findings (Admin Record)?
Direct and Indirect Impacts
A typical individual project does not generate enough GHG emissions to
influence GCC significantly on its own; the issue of GHG emissions and the
effects to GCC is by definition a cumulative environmental impact.

Standardized Language (Canned Statement):
 Direct and Indirect Effects – In general these actions are not considered
Significant if they do not exceed the 25,000 metric ton reporting standard used by
the EPA (CEQ-indicator not a threshold)
 Direct: Number and type of vehicles, equipment, and facilities associated with
project.
 Indirect: Number and type of support vehicles, equipment, and facilities
associated with the project.
 Installations should already have this data defined under reporting baseline
requirements associated with EOs 13423 and 13514 (Scope 1, 2, and 3 emission
sources)
Cumulative Effects

Impacts from Proposed Action to GCC:
 Define Area of Affect- Local Air shed (EPA and DEQ)
 In general not considered Significant- Unmeasurable
Relative to National or Worldwide Emissions and GCC

Impact from GCC to the Proposed Action:
 Climate Change Models
 Ecosystem Based Climate Models
 Climate Based Species Distribution Models
 Site and Species Vulnerability Models
Objectives

OCTC Summary

Background on Climate Change and NEPA

NEPA and Climate Change- Practical Application

Sikes Act and INRMPs- A Work in Progress

Conclusion
OCTC Management Summary

BLM-Federal Owner
IDFG-State Wildlife
IDL-State Land Owner
FWS- T&E Species
IDARNG-EMO
IDARNG-CFMO
IDARNG-Range

And NLCS-Federal Enforcement of NCA






Annual Sikes Act Meeting
Annual Sikes Act Meeting:
 Conducted Every Year Between March-June
 BLM (NLCS), FWS, IDFG, IDL, and IDARNG
 Review Previous Year (IDARNG Summary Report)
 Look at 3-5 year Work Plan (INRMP)
 Develop Annual Work Plan
Annual Work Plan
 Identify Issues/Concerns and New Regulations
 Develop Task/Project List for Annual Plan
 Make Changes to 3-5 year Plan if Needed, Must be In
Accordance with- RMP and State Wildlife Strategy
 Other Issues and Projects as Needed (Adaptive Management)
 Group Implementation
2014 Climate Change and the OCTC
Used the annual meeting as the basis for discussing Climate
Change:

Process (On Going):
 All Agencies Present (Who Else?)- Mnt. Home Air Force Base
 Reviewed Individual Requirements
 Identified What Was Done to Date

Products:
 Standardized Language and Process for NEPA and Review
 Collaboratively Defined Climate Models (Ecosystem, Species
Distribution, Vulnerability…)
 Concepts for Adaptive Management and Streamlined Implementation
/Review
 Integration into RMP and INRMP (State Wildlife Strategy at a Later
Date)
Examples of Existing Models

Ecosystem Based Climate Models

Climate Envelope and Species Distribution
Models

Site and Species Vulnerability Models

Others…
Ecosystem Based Models
How could vegetation communities change under different
climate change models?
How could carbon storage (above and below ground biomass)
and soil structure change?
How could fuel types, amount, connectivity, and burn
frequency change?
How could precipitation patterns change (Type, amount, and
timing)?
What are the most sensitive areas and species?
How could different management actions address climate
change scenarios? Use of Adaptive Management.
Climate Envelope and Species
Distribution Models
 Species Climate relationships.
 Data about the geographic distribution of a species.
 Corresponding data about current climate variables
for the same area.
 A statistical method to create a relationship between
the distribution and the climate.
 Prediction(s) about the future climate.
Assessing Vulnerability –
Site and Species

A System for Assessing Vulnerability of
Species (SAVS) to Climate Change-USDA

Legacy Projects:
 Project 09-433: A Tool to Assess the Vulnerability of
Terrestrial Vertebrate Species to Climate Change.
 Project 10-466: Climate Change: Adaptive
Management Tools and Strategies
Climate Change Sites

CImpactshttps://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/nepa/ghg-guidance

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: http://www.ipcc.ch

EPA Climate Change Science: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science

Rocky Mountain Research Center Climate Change: http://www.fs.fed.us/rmrs/climate-change

USDA Climate Change Research center: http://www.fs.usda.gov/ccrc

The National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy:
http://www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov/

DENIX (Climate Change):
http://denix.osd.mil/nr/OtherConservationTopicsAH/ClimateChange.cfm

Department of Defense 2014 Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap:
http://www.acq.osd.mil/ie/download/CCARprint_wForeword_c.pdf
Questions/Comments?