[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 228 (Monday, November 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 85632]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28519]
[[Page 85632]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCON04000 L16100000.DT0000-17X]
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Roan
Plateau Planning Area Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Colorado
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability
of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Approved Resource Management
Plan (RMP) Amendment for the Roan Plateau planning area in Garfield and
Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado. The BLM Director signed the ROD on
November 16, 2016, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and
makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD/Approved RMP Amendment are available upon
request at the BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office, 2300 River
Frontage Road, Silt, CO 81652; at the BLM White River Field Office, 220
East Market Street, Meeker, CO 81641; or via the Internet at https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/nepa/nepa_register.do.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Larson, Project Manager, at 970-
876-9000; Colorado River Valley Field Office (see address above), or
[email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 to
contact the above individual during normal business hours. The Service
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 planning area, which is in west-central
Colorado, includes approximately 73,602 acres of land (Federal surface,
Federal mineral estate, or both). It is located primarily in Garfield
County with a small portion in southern Rio Blanco County. The Roan
Plateau RMP Amendment amends the Glenwood Springs and White River RMPs
to address resource management decisions within the planning area. The
BLM prepared the Roan Plateau Proposed RMP Amendment/Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate a range of management
decisions for resources, resource uses, and special designations within
the planning area, and to respond to a June 22, 2012, ruling by the
United States District Court for the District of Colorado remanding the
2007 Roan Plateau RMP Amendment. The Court set aside the 2007 Roan
Plateau RMP Amendment and remanded the matter to the BLM for further
action in accordance with the Court's decision.
In particular, the Court found that the Final EIS supporting the
2007 Roan Plateau RMP Amendment was deficient insofar as it: (i) Failed
to sufficiently address the ``Community Alternative'' that various
local governments, environmental organizations and individual members
of the public recommended; (ii) Failed to sufficiently address the
cumulative air quality impacts of the 2007 RMP Amendment in conjunction
with anticipated oil and gas development on private lands outside the
Roan Plateau planning area; and (iii) Failed to adequately address the
issue of potential ozone impacts from proposed oil and gas development.
Based on the Court's ruling and new information available since the BLM
developed the 2007 Final EIS, the BLM determined that a new RMP
Amendment and supplemental analysis under NEPA were warranted.
Additionally, the parties involved in the litigation reached a
settlement agreement in November 2014. In the settlement agreement, the
BLM agreed to consider an alternative that included closing certain
lands on top of the Roan Plateau to new oil and gas leasing while
keeping other lands in the planning area open for leasing, exploration,
and development subject to certain conditions. As part of the
settlement agreement, the BLM cancelled 17 leases held by Bill Barrett
Corporation.
The Roan Plateau Approved RMP Amendment adopts the Settlement
Alternative that was identified in the November 2014 settlement
agreement. The Approved RMP Amendment contains management actions to
meet desired resource conditions for fluid minerals management; social
and economic impacts; riparian habitat; recreation; and air, water and
ecological resources. The Approved RMP Amendment also addresses
decisions regarding Wild and Scenic Rivers, Areas of Critical
Environmental Concern, and lands with wilderness characteristics.
Greater Sage-Grouse decisions in the Approved RMP Amendment are
consistent with the Northwest Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse RMP
Amendment ROD.
The BLM's Preferred Alternative (the Settlement Alternative) for
the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft Supplemental EIS was carried forward into
the Proposed RMP Amendment/Final Supplemental EIS published on July 1,
2016. The BLM did not receive any protests on the Proposed RMP
Amendment/Final Supplemental EIS and the Govenor did not identify any
inconsistencies with State or local plans, policies or programs during
the Governor's consistency review.
As a result, the BLM made only minor editorial modifications in
preparing the Approved RMP Amendment. These modifications provide
further clarification of some of the decisions, and are discussed in
Section 1.3 of the Approved RMP Amendment/ROD. The Approved RMP
Amendment/ROD also includes certain implementation decisions that are
immediately appealable under 43 CFR part 4. These decisions involve the
desgination of the following individual travel routes--TRR-IMP-01, TRR-
IMP-02, and TRR-IMP-03.
Any party adversely affected by these route designation decisions
may appeal within 30 days of publication of this Notice of Availability
pursuant to 43 CFR, part 4, subpart E. The appeal should state the
specific route(s), as identified in Chapter 2 of the Approved RMP
Amendment/ROD, on which the decision is being appealed. The appeal must
be filed with the Colorado River Valley Field Manager at the above
listed address. Please consult the appropriate regulations (43 CFR,
part 4, subpart E) for further appeal requirements.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6.
Ruth Welch,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-28519 Filed 11-25-16; 8:45 am]
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