Allotment management plans or other activity plans intended to serve as the functional equivalent of allotment management plans may be developed by permittees or lessees, other Federal or State resource management agencies, interested citizens, and the Bureau of Land Management. When such plans affecting the administration of grazing allotments are developed, the following provisions apply:

(a) An allotment management plan or other activity plans intended to serve as the functional equivalent of allotment management plans shall be prepared in careful and considered consultation, cooperation, and coordination with affected permittees or lessees, landowners involved, the resource advisory council, any State having lands or responsible for managing resources within the area to be covered by such a plan, and the interested public. The plan shall become effective upon approval by the authorized officer. The plans shall—

(1) Include terms and conditions under §§4130.3, 4130.3-1, 4130.3-2 4130.3-3, and subpart 4180 of this part;

(2) Prescribe the livestock grazing practices necessary to meet specific resource objectives;

(3) Specify the limits of flexibility, to be determined and granted on the basis of the operator's demonstrated stewardship, within which the permittee(s) or lessee(s) may adjust operations without prior approval of the authorized officer; and

(4) Provide for monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness of management actions in achieving the specific resource objectives of the plan.

(b) Private and State lands may be included in allotment management plans or other activity plans intended to serve as the functional equivalent of allotment management plans dealing with rangeland management with the consent or at the request of the parties who own or control those lands.

(c) The authorized officer shall provide opportunity for public participation in the planning and environmental analysis of proposed plans affecting the administration of grazing and shall give public notice concerning the availability of environmental documents prepared as a part of the development of such plans, prior to implementing the plans. The decision document following the environmental analysis will be issued in accordance with §4160.1.

(d) A requirement to conform with completed allotment management plans or other applicable activity plans intended to serve as the functional equivalent of allotment management plans shall be incorporated into the terms and conditions of the grazing permit or lease for the allotment.

(e) Allotment management plans or other applicable activity plans intended to serve as the functional equivalent of allotment management plans may be revised or terminated by the authorized officer after consultation, cooperation, and coordination with the affected permittees or lessees, landowners involved, the resource advisory council, any State having lands or responsible for managing resources within the area to be covered by the plan, and the interested public.

[60 FR 9964, Feb. 22, 1995, as amended at 61 FR 4227, Feb. 5, 1996; 71 FR 39505, July 12, 2006]