Notice of Intent To Amend Uncompahgre Basin and San Juan/San Miguel Resource Management Plans and Prepare the Dry Creek Comprehensive Travel Management Plan, Colorado, 10243 [E7-4089]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management
• Land Management Bureau

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 10243]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4089]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-150-1610-DU]


Notice of Intent To Amend Uncompahgre Basin and San Juan/San 
Miguel Resource Management Plans and Prepare the Dry Creek 
Comprehensive Travel Management Plan, Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) Uncompahgre Field Office, Montrose, Colorado proposes 
to initiate a comprehensive planning effort that would amend the 
Uncompahgre Basin and San Juan/San Miguel Resource Management Plans 
(RMPs) to address travel management within the Field Office until a 
Resource Management Plan Revision can be completed.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. Comments and 
resource information should be submitted to the BLM within 45 days of 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Public meetings 
will be held during the plan scoping period. All public meetings will 
be announced through the local news media and notices will be provided 
at least two weeks prior to the event.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Uncompahgre Field Office, 
ATTN: Travel Management, 2465 S. Townsend Ave., Montrose, Colorado 
81401.
     Fax: 970-240-5368.
     E-mail: cotmpufo@blm.gov.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the 
Uncompahgre Field Office (UFO) or on the Field Office Web site (https://
www.co.blm.gov/ubra/). Comments, including names and street 
addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the 
UFO during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through 
Friday, except holidays, and may be published as part of the 
Environmental Assessment. Before including your address, phone number, 
e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your 
comment, be advised 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 from public review 
your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will 
be able to do so. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and 
from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials 
of organizations or businesses, will be available for public inspection 
in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Julie Stotler, Uncompahgre 
Field Office, at (970) 240-5310. Comments may be sent electronically to 
cotmpufo@blm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In response to recommendations made by the 
Southwest Resource Advisory Council and other concerned individuals, 
clubs, and organizations, the BLM proposes to change the existing 
``Open'' designation to ``Limited to Existing'' for all public lands 
administered by the field office. In addition, the BLM is proposing a 
comprehensive travel management plan establishing a transportation 
system of designated roads and trails within the Dry Creek area.
    The proposed action does not affect:
     Travel decisions in the Gunnison Gorge National 
Conservation Area.
     North Delta OHV Play Area, which will be addressed in 
subsequent travel management planning.
     Gunnison Travel Interim Restrictions Plan Amendment area, 
which will be addressed in subsequent travel management planning.
     Other designations such as ``Limited to Existing'' and 
``Limited to Designated'' areas in the RMPs. These areas will be 
addressed in subsequent travel management planning.
    Preliminary issues and management concerns have been identified by 
BLM personnel, other agencies, and in meetings with individuals and 
user groups. They represent the BLM's knowledge to date on the existing 
issues and concerns with current management. Some of these issues and 
concerns include:
     Impacts to other public land users and adjacent private 
landowners;
     Impacts to wildlife habitat;
     Impacts to water quality, cultural sites, vegetation, 
including riparian and wetland areas, and soils; and
     Identification of recreational opportunities.
    These issues, along with others that may be identified through 
public participation, will be considered in the planning process. The 
public is encouraged to help identify issues and concerns during the 
scoping phase. The purpose of the public scoping process is to 
determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the 
environmental analysis and management alternatives. These issues will 
also guide the planning process. You may submit comments on issues and 
planning criteria in writing to the BLM at any public scoping meeting, 
or by using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. 
The minutes and list of attendees for each scoping meeting will be 
available to the public and open for 30 days after the meeting to any 
participant who wishes to clarify the views he or she expressed.
    An interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the plan 
amendment in order to consider the variety of resource issues and 
concerns identified. Disciplines involved in the planning process will 
include specialists with expertise in rangeland management, outdoor 
recreation, law enforcement, archaeology, wildlife and fisheries, lands 
and realty, hydrology, soils, and vegetation. Notification of the 
planning process will be made to the Governor of Colorado, County 
Commissioners, local tribes, and potentially affected members of the 
public.

Barbara Sharrow,
Field Manager, Uncompahgre Field Office.
 [FR Doc. E7-4089 Filed 3-6-07; 8:45 am]
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