[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 108 (Thursday, June 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30878-30879]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14670]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[UT-080-100-1150-00]


Notice of Intent To Amend the Book Cliffs Resource Management 
Plan and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment (EA); Utah

SUMMARY: This notice is to advise the public that the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) is proposing to amend the Book Cliffs Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) for the re-introduction of black-footed ferrets 
into the Book Cliffs Resource Area (BCRA). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (Service) is proposing to reintroduce black-footed ferrets as a 
non-essential experimental population, into the Book Cliffs Resource 
Area. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), in conjunction 
with affected stakeholders, has prepared a reintroduction and 
management plan to determine what measures would be necessary for the 
reintroduction and what impacts and mitigation may result. As a part of 
the amendment process, the BLM will determine if the management plan 
will result in a change in the scope of the resource uses or a change 
in the terms, conditions, or decisions of the Book Cliffs RMP. The BLM 
is seeking public input on this RMP amendment.

EFFECTIVE DATES: The public scoping period is initiated with 
publication of this notice of intent and ends June 27, 1997. Scoping 
meetings will be held on Monday, June 9, 1997, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 
p.m., in the auditorium of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources 
Building, 1594 West North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah, and 
Tuesday, June 10, 1997, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., in Room 2 of the 
Western Park Conference Center, 300 East 200 South, Vernal, Utah. The 
purpose of the meetings are to (1) identify issues and concerns 
regarding potential reintroduction of black-footed ferrets into Uintah 
and Duchesne Counties and (2) to provide the general public an 
opportunity to participate in the amendment process. Representatives 
from the UDWR, BLM, and the Service will be available to answer 
questions about the project and amendment. Written comments on the 
scope of the amendment must be postmarked by June 27,1997.
    The EA for the amendment is scheduled to be completed in the summer 
of 1997, and made available for public review and comment. Notice of 
availability of the EA will be published in local newspapers and 
parties who have requested to be on the mailing list for this amendment 
will be notified by mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Stroh, Wildlife Biologist, Bureau 
of Land Management, 170 South 500 East, Vernal, Utah, 84078, or 
telephone (801) 781-4481. Existing planning documents and information 
are available for review at the above address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BCRA comprises 1,455,880 acres in the 
northeastern corner of Utah. It is roughly triangular in shape, bounded 
by the Utah-Colorado state line on the east, the Book Cliffs Divide to 
the south, and the Green River to the north and west.
    Administratively, the BCRA includes public lands and mineral 
resources that are within portions of Uintah and Grand Counties, Utah. 
Of the total area, 73% or 1,062,669 acres, are public lands 
administered by the BLM.
    Of the remaining acreage, 15% is administered by the State of Utah, 
8.5% is private, and 3.5% is public lands which are either within naval 
oil shale or federal power site reserves.
    The primary area proposed for black-footed ferret reintroduction is 
located within Coyote Basin in east central Uintah County. The general 
issues which will be addressed by the planning amendment include: 
access to public lands, economic and social conditions, recreation 
uses, sensitive species, rangeland uses, mineral exploration and 
development, and public rights-of-way as they relate to

[[Page 30879]]

potential black-footed ferret re-introduction.
    An interdisciplinary approach will be used to prepare the EA. The 
following disciplines will be included: economics, minerals, realty, 
vegetation, wildlife, range, cultural resources, and recreation.
    The planning criteria for amending the Book Cliffs RMP is to 
establish a management objective which provides for black-footed ferret 
reintroduction with minimal impacts to other resources or uses. A range 
of alternatives associated with the proposed reintroduction of black-
footed ferrets, including the No Action Alternative, will be 
considered. Federal, State, and local agencies and other individuals or 
organizations who may be interested in or affected by the BLM's 
decision on the amendment to the Book Cliffs RMP are invited to 
participate in the scoping process for the EA. To be most helpful, 
comments should be as specific as possible.
    The scoping process for the RMP amendment/EA will include: (1) 
Identification of issues to be addressed; (2) identification of viable 
alternatives; and (3) notification of interested groups, individuals, 
and agencies so that information on these issues or other issues can be 
addressed.

    Dated: May 30, 1997.
G. William Lamb,
Utah State Director.
[FR Doc. 97-14670 Filed 6-4-97; 8:45 am]
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