Participating in the NEPA Process WFB NEPA Symposium Casper, Wyoming May 30, 2008

 Harriet M. Hageman  Kara Brighton Introductions and Background

Recent Headlines  Environmentalists Fight Wolf State Management  Polar Bear listed as “Threatened” Species  BLM recommends Federal Land for Energy Independence  Gas Prices Soar  BLM Imposes Restrictions for Sage Grouse

Today’s Presentation  Legislative Process vs. Regulatory Process  Wyoming Conservation Alliance Mission and Role  Wyoming Farm Bureau and WCA  Regulatory Issues Facing Wyoming Endangered Species Energy Development

Legislative vs. Regulatory Process  Federal Senators Representatives  State Senators Representatives  Lobbyists

Lobbyists: An Integral Piece to the Puzzle  Ensure an organization’s voice is heard at the policy making level  Paid to represent the organizations for its best interests  Vital to ensuring an opinion or voice is heard by officials and lawmakers  Work towards key policy changes, directions, and legislation on behalf of their interest and group

Successful Lobbying Leads to Policy or Legislative Goals Lobbying  Wyoming Legislature More than 500 Registered Lobbyists Protecting Industry Interests  Congress Most Organizations affiliate with National Organizations for Federal Representation (American Farm Bureau – Agricultural Contact Team)

Regulatory Agencies: The Government’s Workhorse Delegated duties and responsibilities to implement and enforce the law  Create Rules and Regulations  Develop Terminology, Definitions  Interpret Law, Set Agency Priorities

Federal and State Regulatory Authority  Implement Statutes  Enforce Regulations  Examples Endangered Species Act National Environmental Policy Act

When Legislation Becomes Regulation: Endangered Species Act  Actual Statute - 34 Pages  Dept. of Interior ESA Regulations 1660 Pages  Agency Findings  Agency Determinations  Final Rules and Regulations

National Environmental Policy Act  Actual Statute -18 Pages  Agency Regulations - 70 Pages

Legislative vs. Regulatory Process  Political Process has Limited Role in Regulatory Agencies  “Lobbying” Role = Comments  Appointed vs. Career Agency Employees

Federal Agency Perspectives  Dept. of Interior 72,000 Employees  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 7,500 Employees  Dept. of Agriculture 110,000 Employees  U.S. Forest Service 20,000 Employees

Wyoming Conservation Alliance Mission and Role  Inform and Educate Individuals about the State and Federal Regulatory Process  Assist Individuals to Participate in the Regulatory Process

WCA Mission Statement  Organize, educate, encourage and facilitate participation of Wyoming businesses, ranchers, industry groups and local government entities in the Federal regulatory process.

Federal Register Process  Federal Agency publishes notice of proposed rulemaking  Comment period (30, 60 or 90 days)  Publish final regulations

Wyoming Agencies Regulatory Process  No Clearinghouse  Each Agency Announces Differently Department of Environmental Quality  Websites not Frequently Updated  WCA is Wyoming Agencies’ “Federal Register”

WCA Monitoring  Federal Monitoring Proposed Rules Final Rules Nominations/Meetings Notices  Grant Programs  Oil & Gas Leases  Wyoming Interests  State Monitoring Rulemaking Agency/Committee Meetings Comment Periods Legislative Interim Committees

Federal Agencies  Department of Energy FERC  Department of Transportation Federal Highway Safety Administration  Department of Agriculture Forest Service  Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Reclamation Fish and Wildlife Service  Environmental Protection Agency

Wyoming State Agencies  Oil & Gas Commission  Game and Fish Department  Department of Environmental Quality Air Quality Water Quality Environmental Quality Council  State Engineer’s Office  Water Development Commission  Dept of Agriculture  Livestock Board  Interim Committees

Consistent Oversight Leads to Consistent Participation

WCA and Wyoming Farm Bureau  Daily Watch  Newsletter and Comment Calendar  Comment Letters

Regulatory Issues Facing Wyoming  Endangered Species Wolves Polar Bear Preble’s Jumping Mouse Sage Grouse  Energy Development BLM Energy Plan ESA Issues

Wolves Background March 28, 2008 – State Mgt Begins  Wyoming’s Management Plan April 28, 2008 – Defenders of Wildlife et al sue in Montana Federal Court May 29, Hearing

Polar Bear  May 14 th listed as “Threatened”  Population at all time high 20,000-25,000  Habitat Melting Sea Ice 39% below long-term average between 1979 to 2000  No Current Recovery Plan  Energy Producers Concerned

Bureau of Land Management Proposal  Want to Open up Federal Land  BLM found out of the federal land that held potential for resources 62% oil and 41% natural gas is currently inaccessible for development  Potentially 31 billion barrels of oil and 231 trillion cubic feet of natural gas  Untied States imports about 10 million barrels of oil per day  Enough underground oil was found to sustain US for 8.5 years

Preble’s Jumping Mouse  History Originally Listed in 1999 Habitat Designated in Colorado and Wyoming  Four Counties (Albany, Platte, Laramie and Converse) 2005 Proposed Rule = Delist 2007 Decision  Good News and Bad News

2007 FWS Findings  Good News Delist in Wyoming  Mouse populations  Ag Operations not Impacting  Threat of Human Population  Bad News Determined Separate Sub-Species

Sage Grouse  Background  CBM Develop possibly on hold for up to two years  Need of Connectivity in Habitat  Jobs in Danger  June 27 th Comments

Conclusion  Regulatory Actions Have Greater Impact on Agriculture than Ever  WCA and WFB Are Addressing Compiling and Distributing Information Assist with Comments

Wyoming Conservation Alliance Promoting Wyoming’s Participation in the Regulatory Process Cheyenne, WY