Notice of Availability of Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Report for Vegetation Treatments on Public Lands Administered by the Bureau of Land Management in the Western United States, Including Alaska, 35718-35719 [E7-12533]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 125 / Friday, June 29, 2007 / Notices
commercially guided wildlife viewing,
photography, environmental education,
and interpretation; and (10) beneficial
use of dredge material.
Alternatives: The Service developed
three alternatives for management of the
refuge (alternatives A, B, and C), with
Alternative B as the proposed
alternative. We believe this alternative
will be the most effective one to
contribute to the purpose for which the
refuge was established and to the
mission of the National Wildlife Refuge
System.
Alternative A, also called the ‘‘No
Action’’ alternative, is the baseline or
status quo of refuge programs and is
usually a continuation of current
planning unit objectives and
management strategies, with no changes
or changes that would have occurred
without the CCP. Sabine Refuge, which
was severely affected by Hurricane Rita
in September 2005, is currently closed
to most activities other than essential
operations, and hurricane clean-up and
restoration activities.
Non-essential programs, such as
public use, would cease. Research
monitoring activities and the fire
program, including both prescribed fire
as well as extinguishing wildfires,
would continue. Hazardous debris
removal and Coastal Wetlands Planning,
Protection and Restoration Act projects
would continue. Oil and gas operations
would continue. Law enforcement
operations would increase to ensure that
the more than 300,000 annual visitors
who normally use the refuge comply
with the closure. Sabine Refuge staff
would function at an office located offsite. Cultural resources would continue
to be protected. As hurricane recovery is
accomplished, the refuge would
essentially be managed as it was prior
to the devastation from the historic
storm. The East Cove Unit would
continue to be managed under an interagency management agreement.
Alternative B, our proposed
alternative, would continue to keep the
refuge operational with minimal public
use programs functional but at a
reduced cost (near-term). It would
increase marsh restoration, enhance fish
and wildlife management, and expand
public use (long-term).
Over the near-term, programs would
continue throughout the refuge
commensurate with the levels of
hazardous material clean-up and
restoration. Over time, public use areas
would be re-opened as repairs to
infrastructure and restoration of habitat
occur. Fire and research programs
would remain active. Existing oil and
gas operations would continue at the
normal level, but new operations would
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16:20 Jun 28, 2007
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be closely assessed under Service
regulations and Federal laws. Staff
assigned to the refuge would function
out of a hurricane-resistant building to
be located at the original headquarters
site.
Over the long-term, under Alternative
B, Sabine Refuge would increase marsh
restoration and enhance wildlife
management, stepping up these efforts
from current levels. Like Alternative A,
Alternative B would maintain salinity
monitoring throughout the refuge at
established discrete salinity stations.
Improving water quality would be a
major thrust for the refuge. The refuge
would provide additional opportunities
for friends, volunteers, partners, and
interns to assist the refuge.
Management of the East Cove Unit
under Alternative B would be identical
to Alternative A. Gates at the water
control structures would be operated to
restore preferred vegetated plant
communities associated with
intermediate or possibly slightly
brackish environments. Staff would
evaluate the use of terraces to improve
vegetation of open-water areas. During
the life of the CCP, an assessment would
be conducted to determine the need for
sanctuary in the East Cove Unit, which
would minimize detrimental waterfowl
disturbances. The invasion of exotic
plant species, with special emphasis on
giant salvinia, would be monitored.
Public fishing access to the East Cove
Unit would be improved.
Alternative C would hold the refuge
in custodial form. Major restoration and
recovery efforts from devastation caused
by Hurricane Rita would be curtailed.
The fire and research programs would
remain active throughout the refuge. Oil
and gas operations would continue at
the current level. No active habitat
management would occur. Instead,
refuge and complex staff would serve as
good caretakers or custodians of the
refuge, observing and monitoring the
natural forces and ecological succession
that would shape its habitats and
effectively determine their suitability for
wildlife. The Service would conduct no
prescribed fire and would limit fire
management to hazardous fuel
reduction and suppression of wildfires.
There would be no need to replace and
upgrade equipment and facilities, such
as pumps, tractors, and water control
structures. This alternative would result
in very little effective high-quality
waterfowl sanctuary. That is, high
ground would succeed to a mix of
Chinese tallow, willow, and hackberry,
while lower ground reverted to dense
stands of maidencane. There would be
few open areas.
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With regard to public use, each of the
six priority public uses would be
strongly encouraged but facilities would
be limited. Management of cultural
resources and the East Cove Unit under
Alternative C would be identical to
Alternatives A and B.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judy
McClendon, Natural Resource Planner,
Telephone: 870/347–2074, Extension
43; Fax: 870/347–2908; or electronically
at: Judy_McClendon@fws.gov.
Authority: This notice is published under
the authority of the National Wildlife Refuge
System Improvement Act of 1997, Public
Law 105–57.
Dated: April 30, 2007.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. E7–12628 Filed 6–28–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO–220–07–1020–JA–VEIS]
Notice of Availability of Final
Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement and Environmental Report
for Vegetation Treatments on Public
Lands Administered by the Bureau of
Land Management in the Western
United States, Including Alaska
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C)
of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) hereby gives notice
that the Final Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement and
Final Environmental Report on
vegetation treatments involving the use
of chemical herbicides and other
methods on the public lands
administered by 11 BLM State offices in
17 western States, including Alaska, is
available for public review and
comment. The BLM is the lead Federal
agency for the preparation of this Final
Programmatic EIS in compliance with
the requirements of NEPA. If it is
approved, the BLM would:
1. Approve the use of four new
herbicide formulations on public lands.
2. Decide which of 20 currently
approved herbicides will continue to be
used on public lands.
3. Decide on a protocol to follow that
adds new EPA-registered chemical
formulations to the BLM list of
approved herbicides.
4. Identify which best management
practices should be used with all
E:\FR\FM\29JNN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 125 / Friday, June 29, 2007 / Notices
applications of herbicide and other
types of vegetation treatment methods
(mechanical, fire, biological, etc).
DATES: The document will be available
for July 30, 2007.
ADDRESSES: The Final Programmatic EIS
and associated documents will be
available for review in either hard copy
or on compact disks (CDs) at all BLM
State, District, and Field Office public
rooms. The entire document can also be
reviewed or downloaded at the BLM
National Web site https://www.blm.gov.
Written comments should be sent to
Project Manager, National Vegetation
EIS, BLM Nevada State Office, P.O. Box
12000, Reno, NV 89520–0006. Before
including your address, phone number,
e-mail 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brian Amme, Project Manager at (775)
861–6645 or e-mail:
brian_amme@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Final
Programmatic EIS provides a
comprehensive analysis of the BLM’s
use of chemical herbicides in its various
vegetation treatment programs related to
hazardous fuels reduction, invasive
terrestrial and aquatic plant species
management, noxious weeds, and
resource rehabilitation following
catastrophic fires, and other
disturbances.
In addition, an accompanying
environmental report for vegetation
provides an assessment of the expected
effects of the use of herbicides, in
addition to other vegetation treatment
methods (fire, mechanical, manual, and
biological) on up to approximately
5,030,000 acres of public lands per year.
Together, these documents:
• Consider reasonably foreseeable
activities, particularly hazardous fuels
reduction treatments, emergency
stabilization and rehabilitation efforts,
noxious weeds, and invasive terrestrial
plant species management.
• Address human health and
ecological risk for proposed use of
chemical herbicides on public lands.
• Provide a cumulative impact
analysis for the use of chemical
herbicides in conjunction with other
treatment methods.
The Final Programmatic EIS is neither
a land-use plan nor a land-use plan
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:20 Jun 28, 2007
Jkt 211001
amendment. The Final Programmatic
EIS and Environmental Report will
provide a comprehensive, programmatic
NEPA document and environmental
report that allows effective tiering and
incorporation by reference,
environmental effects and baseline
cumulative impact assessments for other
new, revised, or existing land use and
activity level plans and implementation
projects that involve vegetation
modification or maintenance. This Final
Programmatic EIS does not affect the
status of the herbicide court injunction
in Oregon. The analysis area includes
only surface estate public lands
administered by 11 BLM State offices:
Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado,
Idaho, Montana (North Dakota/South
Dakota), New Mexico (Oklahoma/Texas/
Nebraska), Nevada, Oregon
(Washington), Utah, and Wyoming.
The BLM issued a Notice of
Availability of the Draft Vegetation
Treatments Using Herbicides
Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement and Draft Programmatic
Environmental Report on November 10,
2005. The BLM held ten public hearings
in late 2005, and extended the public
comment period an additional 30 days
to February 10, 2006.
The BLM responded to over 3,000
individual public comments during the
Draft Programmatic EIS public review
period. Comment responses and
resultant changes in the impact analysis
are documented in this Final
Programmatic EIS and Environmental
Report per requirements under 40 CFR
1503.4. Additional information and
analysis is included in the Final
Programmatic EIS addressing comments
related to chemical degradates, use of
surfactants and risks associated with
endocrine disrupting chemicals. In
addition, the Final Programmatic EIS
contains subsistence analysis required
under Section 801(a) of the Alaska
National Interest Lands Conservation
Act (ANILCA). The BLM will prepare a
Record of Decision (ROD) for the EIS
after July 30, 2007.
Bud Cribley,
Deputy Assistant Director, Renewable
Resources and Planning.
[FR Doc. E7–12533 Filed 6–28–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–84–P
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35719
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Eastern
Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Proposed Oil
and Gas Lease Sale 224, March 2008
Minerals Management Service
(MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of
the Draft Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement and Public Hearings.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The MMS has prepared a
draft supplemental environmental
impact statement (SEIS) on a tentatively
scheduled 2008 oil and gas leasing
proposal (Sale 224) in the Eastern GOM,
off the States of Louisiana, Mississippi,
Alabama, and Florida. As mandated in
the recently enacted Gulf of Mexico
Energy Security Act (GOMESA) of 2006
(Pub. L. 109–432, December 20, 2006),
the MMS shall offer a portion of the
‘‘181 Area,’’ located in the Eastern
Planning Area, more than 125 miles
from Florida for oil and gas leasing. The
proposed action involves 130 tracts.
Authority: The NOA and notice of public
hearings is published pursuant to the
regulations (40 CFR 1503) under the
authority of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA); the Environmental
Quality Improvement Act of 1970, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.); Section
309 of the Clean Air Act, as amended (42
U.S.C. 7609); and Executive Order 11514
(March 5, 1970, as amended by Executive
Order 11991 (May 24, 1977).
The
recently enacted GOMESA of 2006 (Pub.
L. 109–432, December 20, 2006)
mandated MMS to offer a portion of the
‘‘181 Area’’ located in the newly defined
Eastern Planning Area, more than 125
miles from Florida and west of the
Military Mission Line (86 degrees, 41
minutes 30 seconds West longitude) for
oil and gas leasing ‘‘as soon as
practicable, but not later than 1 year,
after the date of enactment of this Act.’’
The Act mandates offering this area
‘‘notwithstanding the omission of the
181 Area * * * from any OCS leasing
program under section 18 of the Outer
Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C.
1344).’’ However, this action is not
exempted from other legal requirements,
such as NEPA or the Coastal Zone
Management Act (CZMA). The MMS
has prepared an SEIS to the original
Sale 181 EIS published in 2001 (which
encompassed the lands now being
considered for Sale 224) in order to
address these requirements. To meet the
1-year requirements of GOMESA, this
sale should be held no later than
December 2007. However, to comply
fully with all pertinent laws, rules, and
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\29JNN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 125 (Friday, June 29, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35718-35719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12533]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO-220-07-1020-JA-VEIS]
Notice of Availability of Final Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement and Environmental Report for Vegetation Treatments on Public
Lands Administered by the Bureau of Land Management in the Western
United States, Including Alaska
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby
gives notice that the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
and Final Environmental Report on vegetation treatments involving the
use of chemical herbicides and other methods on the public lands
administered by 11 BLM State offices in 17 western States, including
Alaska, is available for public review and comment. The BLM is the lead
Federal agency for the preparation of this Final Programmatic EIS in
compliance with the requirements of NEPA. If it is approved, the BLM
would:
1. Approve the use of four new herbicide formulations on public
lands.
2. Decide which of 20 currently approved herbicides will continue
to be used on public lands.
3. Decide on a protocol to follow that adds new EPA-registered
chemical formulations to the BLM list of approved herbicides.
4. Identify which best management practices should be used with all
[[Page 35719]]
applications of herbicide and other types of vegetation treatment
methods (mechanical, fire, biological, etc).
DATES: The document will be available for July 30, 2007.
ADDRESSES: The Final Programmatic EIS and associated documents will be
available for review in either hard copy or on compact disks (CDs) at
all BLM State, District, and Field Office public rooms. The entire
document can also be reviewed or downloaded at the BLM National Web
site https://www.blm.gov. Written comments should be sent to Project
Manager, National Vegetation EIS, BLM Nevada State Office, P.O. Box
12000, Reno, NV 89520-0006. Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Amme, Project Manager at (775)
861-6645 or e-mail: brian_amme@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Final Programmatic EIS provides a
comprehensive analysis of the BLM's use of chemical herbicides in its
various vegetation treatment programs related to hazardous fuels
reduction, invasive terrestrial and aquatic plant species management,
noxious weeds, and resource rehabilitation following catastrophic
fires, and other disturbances.
In addition, an accompanying environmental report for vegetation
provides an assessment of the expected effects of the use of
herbicides, in addition to other vegetation treatment methods (fire,
mechanical, manual, and biological) on up to approximately 5,030,000
acres of public lands per year. Together, these documents:
Consider reasonably foreseeable activities, particularly
hazardous fuels reduction treatments, emergency stabilization and
rehabilitation efforts, noxious weeds, and invasive terrestrial plant
species management.
Address human health and ecological risk for proposed use
of chemical herbicides on public lands.
Provide a cumulative impact analysis for the use of
chemical herbicides in conjunction with other treatment methods.
The Final Programmatic EIS is neither a land-use plan nor a land-
use plan amendment. The Final Programmatic EIS and Environmental Report
will provide a comprehensive, programmatic NEPA document and
environmental report that allows effective tiering and incorporation by
reference, environmental effects and baseline cumulative impact
assessments for other new, revised, or existing land use and activity
level plans and implementation projects that involve vegetation
modification or maintenance. This Final Programmatic EIS does not
affect the status of the herbicide court injunction in Oregon. The
analysis area includes only surface estate public lands administered by
11 BLM State offices: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho,
Montana (North Dakota/South Dakota), New Mexico (Oklahoma/Texas/
Nebraska), Nevada, Oregon (Washington), Utah, and Wyoming.
The BLM issued a Notice of Availability of the Draft Vegetation
Treatments Using Herbicides Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
and Draft Programmatic Environmental Report on November 10, 2005. The
BLM held ten public hearings in late 2005, and extended the public
comment period an additional 30 days to February 10, 2006.
The BLM responded to over 3,000 individual public comments during
the Draft Programmatic EIS public review period. Comment responses and
resultant changes in the impact analysis are documented in this Final
Programmatic EIS and Environmental Report per requirements under 40 CFR
1503.4. Additional information and analysis is included in the Final
Programmatic EIS addressing comments related to chemical degradates,
use of surfactants and risks associated with endocrine disrupting
chemicals. In addition, the Final Programmatic EIS contains subsistence
analysis required under Section 801(a) of the Alaska National Interest
Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). The BLM will prepare a Record of
Decision (ROD) for the EIS after July 30, 2007.
Bud Cribley,
Deputy Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning.
[FR Doc. E7-12533 Filed 6-28-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P
