Notice of Intent To Prepare an Amendment and Associated Environmental Assessment to the Carlsbad Field Office Resource Management Plan, New Mexico, 46512-46513 [E7-16342]

Download as PDF pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES 46512 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 160 / Monday, August 20, 2007 / Notices The BLM has identified the following preliminary issues: • Management of the Fort Creek Area. Should the BLM recommend the area, or a portion of the area, as an ACEC, or should it establish a management area (MA) with specific goals and objectives? • Resource Values and Limitations. If the BLM concludes that some or all of the Fort Creek planning area merit establishment of an ACEC, what resource values and what measures would be appropriate to manage the area and its resources? If the BLM decides that the Fort Creek planning area does not merit ACEC status, the BLM will determine what resources should be evaluated for activities and use limitations within the area: 1. Uses. Appropriate use and occupancy of the public lands in the Fort Creek area for energy resources. 2. Management Activities. Continue management activities for resource values currently identified in the RMP, or generate new goals and objectives and use limitations for the protection of steep slopes, erosive soils, elk habitat, cultural resources and visual resources. 3. Landownership Adjustments. Identify opportunities, if any, to exchange lands with other landowners including the State of Wyoming for the purpose of consolidating public lands and maintaining continuous wildlife habitat. The preliminary land use planning criteria are: 1. The amendment will be in compliance with FLPMA and applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The land use plan amendment process will be governed by the planning regulations at 43 CFR 1610 and BLM Land Use Planning Handbook H–1601–1. 2. The proposed action and alternatives will be analyzed in accordance with NEPA. 3. Lands affected by the proposed plan amendment include public surface and mineral estate managed by the BLM. No decisions will be made relative to non-BLM administered lands or nonfederal minerals. 4. Broad-based public participation will be an integral part of the planning process. 5. The plan amendment will recognize all valid existing rights. 6. The BLM will work with cooperating agencies and all other interested groups, agencies, and individuals. The amended RMP will be consistent with existing non-Federal plans and policies, provided the decisions in the existing plans are consistent with the purposes, policies, VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:53 Aug 17, 2007 Jkt 211001 and programs of Federal law and regulations for public lands. 7. The WSA will continue to be managed under the BLM’s Interim Management Policy for Lands under Wilderness Review until Congress either designates all or portions of the WSA as wilderness or releases the lands from further wilderness consideration. 8. The planning process will involve consultation with American Indian tribal governments to provide strategies for the protection of recognized traditional uses. 9. The RMP amendment may include adaptive environmental management (AEM) principles and protocol to deal with future issues and outcomes. All comment submittals must include the commenter’s name and street address. Comments, including the names and street addresses of respondent, will be available for public review at the Buffalo Field Office listed above during its business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. 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 may 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. Alan Rabinoff, Acting State Director. [FR Doc. E7–16332 Filed 8–17–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–22–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [NM–520–1430–FM; NMNM 106766] Notice of Intent To Prepare an Amendment and Associated Environmental Assessment to the Carlsbad Field Office Resource Management Plan, New Mexico AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. Notice of intent. ACTION: SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Carlsbad Field Office intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and associated Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze the possible disposal, by either exchange and/or sale, of up to 3,566.88 acres of BLM- PO 00000 Frm 00076 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 administered public land in Eddy and Lea Counties in southeastern New Mexico. DATES: Written comments will be accepted for 30 days after the date this Notice is published in the Federal Register. ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through any of the following methods: • Mail: Field Manager, BLM, Carlsbad Field Office, 620 East Greene, Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220. • Fax: (505) 885–9264. • Personal delivery to the Carlsbad Field Office: see address above. Additional information on the project is also available at the Field Office’s above address. The 1988 Carlsbad RMP is also available at the Carlsbad Field Office and posted on the following BLM Web site: https://www.nm.blm.gov/cfo/ index.htm. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Owen W. Lofton, Realty Specialist, BLM, Carlsbad Field Office, 620 East Greene, Carlsbad, New Mexico, (505) 234–5923. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM is currently considering a proposal from Intrepid Potash, Inc. (formerly Mississippi Potash Inc.), to complete a land exchange and/or sale. Intrepid Potash, Inc. proposes that BLM dispose of public lands around its mine sites in exchange for private lands around the Pecos River. In addition, Intrepid Potash, Inc. proposes to purchase additional BLM lands in order to continue its mining operations and hazardous material mitigation. The public lands proposed for disposal contain mine tailings and other industrial waste. The private lands offered for exchange consist of riparian habitat and native rangeland. The public land proposed for disposal is currently identified for retention in Federal ownership in the 1988 Carlsbad RMP. The RMP must therefore be amended to identify these public lands as suitable for exchange and/or sale. The lands proposed for disposal are described as follows: New Mexico Principal Meridian T. 21 S., R. 29 E., sec. 01, N1⁄2SW1⁄4, SE1⁄4SW1⁄4, SE1⁄4; 280.00 acres. sec. 12, E1⁄2, E1⁄2NW1⁄4, SW1⁄4; 560.00 acres. sec. 13, N1⁄2NE1⁄4, SE1⁄4NE1⁄4; 120.00 acres. sec. 14, SW1⁄4NE1⁄4; 40.00 acres. T. 20 S., R. 30 E., sec. 04, W1⁄2SW1⁄4, NE1⁄4SE1⁄4; 120.00 acres. sec. 05, N1⁄2SW1⁄4, SE1⁄4SW1⁄4, S1⁄2SE1⁄4; 200.00 acres. sec. 09, N1⁄2N1⁄2; 160.00 acres. T. 21 S., R. 31 E., E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM 20AUN1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 160 / Monday, August 20, 2007 / Notices pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES sec. 03, S1⁄2SW1⁄4; 80.00 acres. sec. 04, Lots 1–16, inclusive; 648.96 acres. sec. 05, S1⁄2SE1⁄4; 80.00 acres. sec. 09, N1⁄2; 320.00 acres. sec. 10, NW1⁄4; 160.00 acres. T., 20 S., R. 32 E., sec. 07, Lot 4, SE1⁄4SW1⁄4, S1⁄2SE1⁄4; 159.43 acres. sec. 08, S1⁄2SW1⁄4; 80.00 acres. sec. 17, W1⁄2; 320.00 acres. sec. 18, Lots 1, 2, 4, and SE1⁄4SW1⁄4, S1⁄2SE1⁄4; 238.49 acres. Total: 3,566.88 acres A Notice of Intent (NOI) regarding a similar proposal was originally published in the Federal Register on September 11, 2002. The purpose of this earlier proposal was to provide notice of the BLM’s intent to prepare a plan amendment to change the classification of lands previously identified for retention to suitable for disposal solely by exchange. However, a recent appraisal necessitated acreage adjustments to reach equal land values, and consequently, Intrepid Potash, Inc. had to eliminate lands that they would still like to acquire. Without any more lands to offer the BLM for exchange, Intrepid Potash, Inc. has proposed to purchase some BLM lands to continue mining operations and hazardous material mitigation. Therefore, the current proposed amendment is to consider land disposal by either exchange and/or sale in the plan amendment process. Preliminary issues include, but are not limited to: Wildlife and riparian habitat, rangeland resources, recreation, hazardous materials, and cultural resources. In addition to the No Action Alternative (existing management situation), a range of alternatives will be considered that will address a combination of land sale and exchange, as well as mitigation. The preliminary land use planning criteria are: 1. The amendment will be in compliance with FLPMA and applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The land use plan amendment process will be governed by the planning regulations at 43 CFR part 1610 and BLM Land Use Planning Handbook H–1601–1. 2. The proposed action and alternatives will be analyzed in accordance with NEPA. 3. Lands affected by the proposed plan amendment include public surface and mineral estate managed by BLM. No decisions will be made relative to nonBLM administered lands or non-federal minerals. 4. Public participation will be an integral part of the planning process. 5. The plan amendment will recognize all valid existing rights. VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:53 Aug 17, 2007 Jkt 211001 6. The BLM will work with cooperating agencies and all other interested groups, agencies, and individuals. The amended RMP will be consistent with existing non-Federal plans and policies, provided the decisions in the existing plans are consistent with the purposes, policies, and programs of Federal law and regulations for public lands. The RMPA/EA will be prepared by an interdisciplinary team of BLM resource specialists including realty, recreation, cultural, minerals, and hazardous materials specialists. Additional technical support will be provided by other specialists as needed. 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. Dated: July 20, 2007. Jim Stovall, Carlsbad Field Manager. [FR Doc. E7–16342 Filed 8–17–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–OX–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [AZ–310–7122–ES–5793; AZA 32905] Notice of Intent To Prepare an Amendment to the Kingman Resource Management Plan; Arizona Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of intent. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Field Office, Kingman, Arizona intends to prepare an amendment to the Kingman Resource Management Plan (RMP) to determine if a parcel of public lands (identified below) should be classified under Section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act (43 U.S.C. 315f) and Executive Order No. 6910, for actions under the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.). DATES: In order to ensure consideration in the Environmental Analysis (EA) of the proposed plan amendment, comments must be received by September 19, 2007. ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Wayne King, Field PO 00000 Frm 00077 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 46513 Manager, BLM Kingman Field Office, 2755 Mission Boulevard, Kingman, Arizona 86401. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Kingman BLM Field Office. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andy Whitefield, Land Law Examiner, BLM Kingman Field Office, telephone 928–718–3746. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM Field Office, Kingman, Arizona, intends to prepare an environmental analysis to determine whether or not it should amend its RMP and initiates scoping for the proposed amendment. The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis concerning whether or not the BLM should be allowed to classify the following described public lands for actions under the R&PP Act: Gila and Salt River Meridian, Arizona T. 20 N., R. 16 W., Sec. 1, lot 5. The area described contains 1.31 acres, more or less. These lands were acquired along with other lands pursuant to an exchange executed under the authority of section 206 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), as amended, 43 U.S.C. 1716. When acquired, these lands became ‘‘public lands,’’ pursuant to section 205(c) of FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1715(c), and thus made subject to BLM classification and planning requirements. One parcel was acquired subject to a lease made with the Pinion Pine Fire District for a fire station. The lease subsequently expired, prior to which the Fire District applied to the BLM for the conveyance of the same parcel, together with additional adjacent public land, pursuant to the R&PP Act. This parcel and the adjacent public lands are those described above and are included in the Fire District’s R&PP Act application. Since it is the policy of the BLM not to convey lands under the authority of the R&PP Act that have been acquired by exchange under the authority of Section 206 of FLPMA, the BLM will only consider leasing the surface of the above described lands under the authority of the R&PP Act. 43 CFR 2740.0–6(e). The BLM Kingman RMP limits the public lands under its purview that may be leased or conveyed pursuant to the R&PP Act to those parcels specifically identified in the RMP for that use or that are designated for disposal. The above described lands are not so identified in the Kingman RMP. Therefore, the BLM E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM 20AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 160 (Monday, August 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46512-46513]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16342]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM-520-1430-FM; NMNM 106766]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Amendment and Associated 
Environmental Assessment to the Carlsbad Field Office Resource 
Management Plan, New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Carlsbad Field Office 
intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and 
associated Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze the possible 
disposal, by either exchange and/or sale, of up to 3,566.88 acres of 
BLM-administered public land in Eddy and Lea Counties in southeastern 
New Mexico.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted for 30 days after the date 
this Notice is published in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through any of the 
following methods:
     Mail: Field Manager, BLM, Carlsbad Field Office, 620 East 
Greene, Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220.
     Fax: (505) 885-9264.
     Personal delivery to the Carlsbad Field Office: see 
address above.
    Additional information on the project is also available at the 
Field Office's above address. The 1988 Carlsbad RMP is also available 
at the Carlsbad Field Office and posted on the following BLM Web site: 
https://www.nm.blm.gov/cfo/index.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Owen W. Lofton, Realty Specialist, 
BLM, Carlsbad Field Office, 620 East Greene, Carlsbad, New Mexico, 
(505) 234-5923.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM is currently considering a proposal 
from Intrepid Potash, Inc. (formerly Mississippi Potash Inc.), to 
complete a land exchange and/or sale. Intrepid Potash, Inc. proposes 
that BLM dispose of public lands around its mine sites in exchange for 
private lands around the Pecos River. In addition, Intrepid Potash, 
Inc. proposes to purchase additional BLM lands in order to continue its 
mining operations and hazardous material mitigation. The public lands 
proposed for disposal contain mine tailings and other industrial waste. 
The private lands offered for exchange consist of riparian habitat and 
native rangeland. The public land proposed for disposal is currently 
identified for retention in Federal ownership in the 1988 Carlsbad RMP. 
The RMP must therefore be amended to identify these public lands as 
suitable for exchange and/or sale. The lands proposed for disposal are 
described as follows:

New Mexico Principal Meridian

T. 21 S., R. 29 E.,
    sec. 01, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\; 280.00 acres.
    sec. 12, E\1/2\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\; 560.00 acres.
    sec. 13, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\; 120.00 acres.
    sec. 14, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\; 40.00 acres.
T. 20 S., R. 30 E.,
    sec. 04, W\1/2\SW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\; 120.00 acres.
    sec. 05, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\; 200.00 
acres.
    sec. 09, N\1/2\N\1/2\; 160.00 acres.
T. 21 S., R. 31 E.,

[[Page 46513]]

    sec. 03, S\1/2\SW\1/4\; 80.00 acres.
    sec. 04, Lots 1-16, inclusive; 648.96 acres.
    sec. 05, S\1/2\SE\1/4\; 80.00 acres.
    sec. 09, N\1/2\; 320.00 acres.
    sec. 10, NW\1/4\; 160.00 acres.
T., 20 S., R. 32 E.,
    sec. 07, Lot 4, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\; 159.43 acres.
    sec. 08, S\1/2\SW\1/4\; 80.00 acres.
    sec. 17, W\1/2\; 320.00 acres.
    sec. 18, Lots 1, 2, 4, and SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\; 238.49 
acres.
    Total: 3,566.88 acres

    A Notice of Intent (NOI) regarding a similar proposal was 
originally published in the Federal Register on September 11, 2002. The 
purpose of this earlier proposal was to provide notice of the BLM's 
intent to prepare a plan amendment to change the classification of 
lands previously identified for retention to suitable for disposal 
solely by exchange. However, a recent appraisal necessitated acreage 
adjustments to reach equal land values, and consequently, Intrepid 
Potash, Inc. had to eliminate lands that they would still like to 
acquire. Without any more lands to offer the BLM for exchange, Intrepid 
Potash, Inc. has proposed to purchase some BLM lands to continue mining 
operations and hazardous material mitigation. Therefore, the current 
proposed amendment is to consider land disposal by either exchange and/
or sale in the plan amendment process.
    Preliminary issues include, but are not limited to: Wildlife and 
riparian habitat, rangeland resources, recreation, hazardous materials, 
and cultural resources. In addition to the No Action Alternative 
(existing management situation), a range of alternatives will be 
considered that will address a combination of land sale and exchange, 
as well as mitigation.
    The preliminary land use planning criteria are:
    1. The amendment will be in compliance with FLPMA and applicable 
laws, regulations, and policies. The land use plan amendment process 
will be governed by the planning regulations at 43 CFR part 1610 and 
BLM Land Use Planning Handbook H-1601-1.
    2. The proposed action and alternatives will be analyzed in 
accordance with NEPA.
    3. Lands affected by the proposed plan amendment include public 
surface and mineral estate managed by BLM. No decisions will be made 
relative to non-BLM administered lands or non-federal minerals.
    4. Public participation will be an integral part of the planning 
process.
    5. The plan amendment will recognize all valid existing rights.
    6. The BLM will work with cooperating agencies and all other 
interested groups, agencies, and individuals. The amended RMP will be 
consistent with existing non-Federal plans and policies, provided the 
decisions in the existing plans are consistent with the purposes, 
policies, and programs of Federal law and regulations for public lands.
    The RMPA/EA will be prepared by an interdisciplinary team of BLM 
resource specialists including realty, recreation, cultural, minerals, 
and hazardous materials specialists. Additional technical support will 
be provided by other specialists as needed. 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.

    Dated: July 20, 2007.
Jim Stovall,
Carlsbad Field Manager.
 [FR Doc. E7-16342 Filed 8-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-OX-P
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