[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 17 (Friday, January 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5486-5488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01400]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCON03000 L16100000.DP0000]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan and
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Grand Junction Field
Office in Colorado
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a
Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the Grand Junction Field Office (GJFO) and by this
notice is announcing the opening of the public comment period.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Draft RMP/Draft EIS within 90 days following
the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes this notice of
the Draft RMP/Draft EIS in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce
future meetings or hearings and any other public participation
activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media
releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the GJFO Draft RMP/Draft
EIS by any of the following methods:
email: [email protected].
fax: 970-244-3083.
mail: BLM--GJFO RMP, 2815 H Road, Grand Junction, CO
81506. Copies of the GJFO Draft RMP/Draft EIS are available in the GJFO
at the above address or on the Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gjfo/rmp.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Collin Ewing, Planning and
Environmental Coordinator, telephone 970-244-3027; see address above;
email [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at
1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business
hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a
message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply
during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM prepared the GJFO Draft RMP/Draft
EIS to analyze and revise the current management decisions for public
lands and resources within the GJFO planning area. The current
management decisions for resources are described in the Grand Junction
Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP)
(approved January, 1987), as amended (1987 GJFO RMP).
The GJFO planning area includes approximately 2.2 million acres of
BLM, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation, state, local, and private lands located in northwestern
Colorado, primarily in Mesa and Garfield counties, with additional
small tracts located in Montrose and Rio Blanco counties. Within the
GJFO planning area, the BLM administers approximately 1.1 million
surface acres and 1.2 million acres of Federal oil and gas mineral
(subsurface) estate. Surface management decisions made as a result of
this Draft RMP/Draft EIS will apply only to the BLM-administered lands
in the GJFO planning area.
The formal public scoping process for the GJFO RMP/EIS began on
October 15, 2008, with the publication of a Notice of Intent in the
Federal Register, and ended on January 9, 2009. The BLM held three
scoping open houses in December 2008. The BLM held an additional six
public workshops in February 2009 for travel management data collection
to give the public the opportunity to review its route inventory for
completeness and accuracy, as well as offer suggestions for possible
reroutes or new routes that
[[Page 5487]]
would complement the existing system. Following the travel management
workshops, the BLM held an additional public comment period was held
from July 17 through August 21, 2009, to help the BLM evaluate the
quantity and quality of the experiences and desired recreation setting
available in the planning area. The BLM used public scoping comments to
identify planning issues that led to the formulation of alternatives
and framed the scope of analysis in the Draft RMP/Draft EIS. The
scoping process was also used to introduce the public to preliminary
planning criteria, which set limits on the scope of the Draft RMP/Draft
EIS.
Major issues considered in the Draft RMP/Draft EIS include travel
management; energy development; recreation management; lands and
realty/community growth and expansion; wildlife and fish; special
designation areas; lands with wilderness characteristics; water, soil,
and riparian areas; special status species management; and vegetation
management, among others.
The Draft RMP/Draft EIS evaluates in detail four alternatives,
including the No Action Alternative (Alternative A) and three action
alternatives (Alternatives B, C, and D). The BLM has identified
Alternative B as the preferred alternative. Identification of this
alternative, however, does not represent the final agency direction,
and the Proposed RMP may reflect changes or adjustments based on
information received during public comment, from new information, or
from changes in BLM policies or priorities. The Proposed RMP may
include objectives and actions described in the other analyzed
alternatives.
Alternative A would retain the current management goals, objectives
and direction specified in the 1987 GJFO RMP. Alternative B seeks to
balance resources among competing human interests and land uses with
the conservation of natural and cultural resource values, while
sustaining the ecological integrity of certain key habitats for plant,
wildlife and fish species. It incorporates a balanced level of
protection, restoration, enhancement, and use of resources and services
to meet ongoing programs and land uses. Goals and objectives focus on
environmental, economic and social outcomes achieved by strategically
addressing demands across the landscape. Alternative C emphasizes non-
consumptive use and management of resources through protection,
restoration and enhancement, while also providing for multiple uses,
including livestock grazing and mineral development. This alternative
would establish the greatest number of special designation areas with
specific measures to protect or enhance resource values within these
areas. Goals and objectives focus on environmental and social outcomes
achieved by sustaining relatively unmodified physical landscapes and
natural and cultural resource values for current and future
generations. Alternative D emphasizes active management for natural
resources, commodity production, and public use opportunities. Resource
uses, such as recreation, livestock grazing, mineral leasing and
development, would be emphasized. Existing uses would continue and new
uses would be accommodated to the greatest extent possible while
maintaining resource conditions.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b), this notice announces a concurrent
public comment period on proposed Areas of Critical Environmental
Concern (ACECs). Proposed ACECs and the resource use limitations which
would occur if formally designated are as follows:
Atwell Gulch, up to 6,100 acres, Alternatives B, and C: No
surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; Visual Resource
Management (VRM) Class II; right-of-way (ROW) exclusion area; close to
motorized travel including over-snow motorized travel; close to
mechanized travel; issue no special recreation permits for competitive
events; close 2,900 acres to livestock grazing; close to fossil
collection; only allow vegetation treatments for the benefit of the
identified relevance and importance values.
Badger Wash, up to 2,200 acres, Alternatives A, B, C and
D: No surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; limit travel
to designated routes; VRM Class II; ROW exclusion area; issue no
special recreation permits for competitive events.
Colorado River Riparian, 880 acres, Alternative C: No
surface occupancy; classify as unsuitable for coal leasing; limit
travel to designated routes; VRM Class II; ROW avoidance area; and only
allow vegetation treatments for the benefit of the identified relevance
and importance values.
Coon Creek, 110 acres, Alternative C: No surface
occupancy; limit travel to designated routes; VRM Class III; ROW
avoidance area; and close to livestock grazing.
Dolores River Riparian, 7,400 acres, Alternatives B and C:
No surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; limit travel to
designated routes; VRM Class II; ROW avoidance area; issue no special
recreation permits for competitive events; only allow vegetation
treatments for the benefit of the identified relevance and importance
values; only allow camping in designated sites; and close to
recreational placer mining.
Glade Park-Pinyon Mesa, 27,200 acres, Alternative C: No
surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; limit travel to
designated routes; VRM Class II; ROW avoidance area; only allow
vegetation treatments for the benefit of the identified relevance and
importance values; and open to livestock grazing outside of occupied
sage-grouse habitat.
Gunnison River Riparian, 460 acres, Alternative C: No
surface occupancy; limit travel to designated routes; VRM Class II; ROW
avoidance area; and only allow camping in designated sites.
Hawxhurst Creek, 860 acres, Alternative C: No surface
occupancy; limit travel to designated routes; VRM Class II; and ROW
avoidance area.
Indian Creek, 1,700 acres, Alternatives B and C: No
surface occupancy; limit travel to designated routes; VRM Class II; and
ROW exclusion area.
John Brown Canyon, 1,400 acres, Alternative C: No surface
occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; limit travel to designated
routes; and VRM Class II.
Juanita Arch, 1,600 acres, Alternatives B and C: No
surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; close to motorized
and mechanized travel; VRM Class II; ROW exclusion area.
Mt. Garfield, up to 5,700 acres, Alternatives B and C: No
surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; close to motorized
travel including over-snow travel; VRM Class I; ROW exclusion area;
close to fossil collection; classify as unsuitable for coal leasing;
close to recreational target shooting; close to livestock grazing.
Nine-mile Hill Boulders, 90 acres, Alternative C: Close to
motorized travel including over-snow travel; close to mechanized
travel; VRM Class II; ROW exclusion area; issue no special recreation
permits for competitive events.
The Palisade, up to 32,200 acres, Alternatives A, B, C and
D: No surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; close to
motorized travel; VRM Class I; ROW exclusion area; issue no special
recreation permits for competitive events; limit forestry cutting units
to 20 acres or less in the pinyon-juniper woodlands; close to mineral
material disposal.
[[Page 5488]]
Plateau Creek, 220 acres, Alternative C: No surface
occupancy; VRM Class II; limit travel to designated routes; close to
recreational target shooting; only allow camping in designated sites;
ROW avoidance area; close to all types of collection (e.g., fossil,
vegetation, rocks, etc.); only allow vegetation treatments and wildlife
habitat improvements for the benefit of the identified relevance and
importance values; classify as unsuitable for coal leasing; issue only
Class I and II special recreation permits; and close to livestock
grazing.
Prairie Canyon, 6,900 acres, Alternative C: No surface
occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; VRM Class II; limit travel
to designated routes; close to recreational target shooting; ROW
exclusion area; close to vegetative materials sales; and only allow
vegetation treatments and wildlife habitat improvements for the benefit
of the identified relevance and importance values.
Pyramid Rock, up to 1,300 acres, Alternatives A, B, C and
D: No surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; VRM Class II;
close to all modes of travel; close to recreational target shooting;
close to camping; ROW exclusion area; close to all types of collection
(e.g., fossil, vegetation, rocks, etc.); classify as unsuitable for
coal leasing; issue no special recreation permits for competitive
events; close to livestock grazing.
Reeder Mesa, 470 acres, Alternative C: No surface
occupancy; VRM Class III; limit travel to designated routes; ROW
exclusion area.
Roan and Carr Creeks, up to 33,600 acres, Alternatives B
and C: No surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; VRM Class
II; close to motorized travel including over-snow travel; close to
mechanized travel; ROW avoidance area; and classify as unsuitable for
coal leasing.
Rough Canyon, up to 2,800 acres, Alternatives A, B, C and
D: No surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; VRM Class II;
limit travel to designated routes; ROW exclusion area; close to mineral
material disposal.
Sinbad Valley, 6,400 acres, Alternatives B and C: No
surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; VRM Class II; close
to motorized travel, except for Tabeguache Trail; ROW avoidance area.
South Shale Ridge, 28,200 acres, Alternatives B and C: No
surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; VRM Class II; limit
travel to designated routes; and ROW exclusion area.
Unaweep Seep, up to 85 acres, Alternatives A, B, C and D:
No surface occupancy; close to fluid mineral leasing; close to
motorized travel including over-snow travel; close to mechanized
travel; VRM Class II; ROW exclusion area; close to camping; issue no
special recreation permits for competitive events; close to fossil
collection; and close to mineral material disposal.
Please note that public comments and information submitted
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who
submit comments will be available for public review and disclosure at
the above address during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays.
Before including your address, phone number, email 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.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2.
Helen M. Hankins,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-01400 Filed 1-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P