Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement, Colorado, 4410-4411 [2017-00772]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4410-4411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00772]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCOS09000 L16100000.DR0000 17X]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the 
Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area Resource Management Plan 
and Final Environmental Impact Statement, Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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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) and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Dominguez-
Escalante National Conservation Area (NCA) located in Mesa, Delta and 
Montrose counties, Colorado. The Colorado State Director signed the ROD 
on January 9, 2017, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and 
makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD/Approved RMP are available upon request 
from the National Conservation Area Manager, Dominguez-Escalante 
National Conservation Area, Bureau of Land Management, 2815 H Road, 
Grand Junction, CO 81506; or online at https://1.usa.gov/1qKkMVi. Copies 
of the ROD/Approved RMP are also available for public inspection at the 
Grand Junction Field Office (see address above); Uncompahgre Field 
Office, 2465 South Townsend Avenue, Montrose, CO 81401; Mesa County 
Public Library Central Branch; Delta County Library Delta Branch; and 
Montrose Regional Library.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Collin Ewing, National Conservation 
Area Manager; telephone 970-244-3049; see Grand Junction address above; 
email cewing@blm.gov. 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 Dominguez-Escalante NCA has worked 
cooperatively with the public, interest groups, stakeholders, 
cooperating agencies, tribes, the Dominguez-Escalante NCA Resource 
Advisory Council, the Environmental Protection

[[Page 4411]]

Agency, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and 
neighboring BLM offices to develop the Approved RMP. The Approved RMP 
seeks to provide for the long-term conservation and protection of the 
``unique and important values'' of the Dominguez-Escalante NCA 
identified in the area's enabling legislation: The Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of 2009, Public Law 111-11 (Omnibus Act). These values 
include the ``geological, cultural, archaeological, paleontological, 
natural, scientific, recreational, wilderness, wildlife, riparian, 
historical, educational, and scenic resources of the public lands, as 
well as the water resources of area streams, based on seasonally 
available flows, that are necessary to support aquatic, riparian, and 
terrestrial species and communities.'' The Omnibus Act specified that 
these values be conserved and protected ``for the benefit and enjoyment 
of present and future generations.'' Furthermore, in recognition of the 
historic and current traditional use of the NCA for livestock grazing, 
the Omnibus Act specifically stated that the BLM ``shall issue and 
administer any grazing leases or permits in the Conservation Area in 
accordance with the laws (including regulations) applicable to the 
issuance and administration of such leases and permits on other land 
under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management.'' This RMP 
continues livestock grazing to meet land health standards in 
consideration of the other purposes of the NCA.
    Management decisions outlined in the Approved RMP apply only to 
BLM-managed lands in the Dominguez-Escalante NCA (approximately 210,172 
acres). The Approved RMP will replace management direction contained in 
the 1987 Grand Junction Resource Area RMP and 1989 Uncompahgre Basin 
RMP. The Approved RMP establishes goals, objectives, management actions 
and allowable uses for resources and land uses including, but not 
limited to: Air, soil, water, Wild and Scenic Rivers, upland and 
riparian vegetation, fish and wildlife, cultural and paleontological 
resources, visual resources, National Historic Trails, recreation, 
lands with wilderness characteristics, livestock grazing, forestry and 
realty.
    The BLM initiated scoping for the RMP revision in 2010 and 
collected information and public input via public meetings in order to 
develop the Draft RMP/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) released in 
May 2013. The BLM developed the Proposed Plan Alternative based upon 
the Draft Preferred Alternative and public comments on the Draft RMP/
EIS.
    The BLM published the Proposed RMP/Final EIS on July 1, 2016, and 
made it available for a 30-day public protest period. During the 
protest period for the Proposed RMP/Final EIS, the BLM received seven 
protests on a variety of issues. All protests were dismissed; however, 
the BLM made minor editorial modifications to the Approved RMP to 
provide further clarification of some of the decisions.
    The BLM regulations also require a 60-day Governor's Consistency 
Review period for the Proposed RMP/Final EIS to ensure consistency with 
State government plans or policies. The Governor did not identify any 
inconsistencies with State government plans or policies.
    The Approved RMP includes decisions that implement components of 
the land use plan. These implementation decisions are displayed and 
numbered in the Approved RMP. Implementation decisions are generally 
appealable to the Interior Board of Land Appeals under 43 CFR 4.410.
    For example, the decisions identifying designated routes of travel 
are implementation decisions and are appealable under 43 CFR part 4. 
The route decisions are displayed as an attachment to Appendix N of the 
Approved RMP. Any party adversely affected by the proposed route 
identifications 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 Appendix N of the 
Approved RMP, on which the decision is being appealed. The appeal must 
be filed with the NCA 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. 2017-00772 Filed 1-12-17; 8:45 am]
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