[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 37 (Thursday, February 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8739-8740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3846]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCOS05000 2009]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan for the
Uncompahgre Field Office and Associated Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management
Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Uncompahgre Field Office (UFO), Montrose, Colorado intends to prepare a
Resource Management Plan (RMP) with an associated Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the UFO and by this notice is announcing the
beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and
identify issues. The RMP will replace the existing 1985 San Juan/San
Miguel RMP and the 1989 Uncompahgre Basin RMP.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the RMP and
the associated EIS. Comments on issues and planning criteria may be
submitted in writing until March 29, 2010
Scoping meetings were held recently in the following locations:
Hotchkiss, CO, January 12, 2010.
Delta, CO, January 13, 2010.
Montrose, CO, January 14, 2010.
Ridgway, CO, January 19, 2010.
Norwood, CO, January 20, 2010.
Naturita, CO, January 21, 2010.
Telluride, CO, February 3, 2010.
The dates and locations of all scoping meetings were announced 15 days
in advance through local media, a newsletter and the BLM Web site at:
http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ufo/uncompahgre_rmp.html. Comments
received during scoping meetings held in January and February, 2010
will be incorporated in the record and considered by the BLM. In order
to be included in the Draft EIS, all comments must be received prior to
the close of the 30-day scoping period. The BLM will provide additional
opportunities for public participation upon publication of the Draft
EIS.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria by
any of the following methods:
Web site: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ufo/uncompahgre_rmp.html.
E-mail: [email protected].
Fax: (970) 240-5367.
Mail: BLM Uncompahgre Field Office, RMP Project Manager,
2465 S. Townsend Ave., Montrose, Colorado 81401.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the UFO during
regular business hours (from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday,
except holidays).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to our mailing list, contact Bruce Krickbaum, RMP
Project Manager, telephone (970) 240-5300; address BLM Uncompahgre
Field Office 2465 South Townsend Ave, Montrose, Colorado 81401; e-mail
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document: provides notice that the BLM
UFO, Montrose, Colorado, intends to prepare an RMP with an associated
EIS for the UFO; announces the beginning of the scoping process; and
seeks public input on issues and planning criteria. The planning area
is located in Delta, Gunnison, Mesa, Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel
counties, Colorado, encompasses approximately 675,677 acres of public
land, and excludes the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area and
the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, which are managed
under separate RMPs.
The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis,
including alternatives, and guide the planning process. Preliminary
issues for the planning area have been identified by BLM personnel,
Federal, State, and local agencies, and other stakeholders. The issues
include:
Managing vegetative and water resources, terrestrial and
aquatic habitat and special management areas, while sustaining
biological diversity and native species populations;
Managing mineral, renewable and nonrenewable energy
resources;
Managing increasing numbers and types of human activities
and uses;
Managing land tenure adjustments, withdrawals and utility/
energy corridors;
Managing and protecting cultural, historical and
paleontological resources and Native American religious concerns; and
Managing public lands and resources, including authorized
and permitted land uses, for a growing population and expanding urban
interface, with consideration for community values and needs.
Preliminary planning criteria include:
Compliance with the FLPMA, the NEPA and other applicable
laws and regulations.
Incorporation of the Colorado BLM Standards for Public
Land Health.
Continued management of Wilderness Study Areas under the
Interim Management Policy for Lands under Wilderness Review until
Congress acts on a designation or releases lands from consideration.
Decisions will be made that affect all BLM lands,
including the subsurface mineral estate, within the planning area.
Recognition of valid existing rights.
[[Page 8740]]
Inclusion of adaptive management criteria to deal with
future issues.
Public participation will be encouraged throughout the process. The BLM
will collaborate and build relationships with tribes, State and local
governments, Federal agencies, local stakeholders and others within the
community of interest for the RMP.
You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing
to the BLM at any public scoping meeting, or you may submit them to the
BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. To
be most helpful, you should submit comments within the 30-day scoping
period. 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 you 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. The BLM will evaluate identified issues to be addressed
in the plan and place them into one of three categories:
1. Issues to be resolved in the plan;
2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action;
or
3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan.
The BLM will provide an explanation in the Draft RMP/EIS regarding why
an issue was placed in category two or three. The public is also
encouraged to help identify any management questions and concerns that
should be addressed in the plan. The BLM will work collaboratively with
the interested parties to identify the management decisions that are
best suited to local, regional, and national needs and concerns.
The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan
in order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns
identified. Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines
will be involved in the planning process: Wildlife; Threatened and
Endangered Species; Vegetation; Riparian and Wetlands; Soils; Invasive
and Noxious Weeds; Rangeland Management; Fire Ecology and Management;
Cultural Resources and Native American Concerns; Hydrology; Geology and
Minerals; Lands and Realty; Recreation; Visual Resource Management;
Public Safety; Law Enforcement; and Geographic Information Systems.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.
Dave Hunsaker,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-3846 Filed 2-24-10; 8:45 am]
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