Notice of Availability of the Draft Buffalo Resource Management Plan Amendment and Fortification Creek Management Area Environmental Assessment, Wyoming, 46031-46032 [E8-18200]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 153 / Thursday, August 7, 2008 / Notices T. 20 N., R. 18 W., Secs. 1 and 2; Secs. 31 to 36, inclusive. Containing 4,933.23 acres. T. 21 N., R. 18 W., Secs. 3 and 6. Containing 1,256.18 acres. T. 22 N., R. 18 W., Secs. 1 and 2; Secs. 11 to 15, inclusive; Secs. 22, 23, 26, and 27. Containing approximately 6,200 acres. T. 11 N., R. 24 W., Sec. 6. Containing approximately 372 acres. T. 12 N., R. 24 W., Secs. 3 to 10, inclusive; Secs. 15, 16, 20, and 21; Secs. 29, 30, and 31. Containing approximately 6,810 acres. T. 13 N., R. 24 W., Secs. 7 to 11, inclusive; Secs. 14 to 36, inclusive. Containing approximately 16,141 acres. T. 13 N., R. 25 W., Secs. 1, 12, 13, and 14; Secs. 22 to 27, inclusive; Sec. 36. Containing approximately 6,145 acres. Aggregating approximately 76,816 acres. ak.blm.conveyance@ak.blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunication device (TTD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877– 8330, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to contact the Bureau of Land Management. Michael Bilancione, Land Transfer Resolution Specialist, Land Transfer Adjudication I. [FR Doc. E8–18209 Filed 8–6–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–JA–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [WY–100–08–1610-DU] Notice of Availability of the Draft Buffalo Resource Management Plan Amendment and Fortification Creek Management Area Environmental Assessment, Wyoming Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: The subsurface estate in these lands will be conveyed to NANA Regional Corporation, Inc. when the surface estate is conveyed to Kikiktagruk Inupiat Corporation. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Arctic Sounder. DATES: The time limits for filing an appeal are: 1. Any party claiming a property interest which is adversely affected by the decision shall have until September 8, 2008 to file an appeal. 2. Parties receiving service of the decision by certified mail shall have 30 days from the date of receipt to file an appeal. Parties who do not file an appeal in accordance with the requirements of 43 CFR Part 4, Subpart E, shall be deemed to have waived their rights. ADDRESSES: A copy of the decision may be obtained from: Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State Office, 222 West Seventh Avenue, #13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513–7504. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Bureau of Land Management by phone at 907–271–5960, or by e-mail at SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment and Environmental Assessment (RMPA/EA) for the Buffalo Field Office (BFO) and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period for the Draft Buffalo RMPA and Fortification Creek Management Area EA. The BLM also announces the availability of information regarding a proposed Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) designation considered in the Draft RMPA/EA. DATES: To assure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the Draft RMPA/ EA within 60 days following the date that this notice appears in the Federal Register. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods: • Web site: https://www.blm.gov/wy/ st/en/info/NEPA/bfodocs/ fortification_creek.html • E-mail: Fort_Crk_WYMail@blm.gov; • Fax: (307) 684–1122; • Mail: Buffalo RMP Amendment/ Fortification Creek EA, BLM Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo, WY 82834; or • By personal delivery to the Buffalo Field Office or at a BLM-hosted public meeting. Copies of the Draft RMPA/EA were sent to affected Federal, State, and local government agencies and interested parties. There are a limited number of hard copies available upon request. Copies of the Draft RMPA/EA are available in the Buffalo Field Office at the above address and at the following location: • Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Bills, Buffalo RMPA Team Leader, BLM Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo, WY 82834; or by telephone at 307–684–1133. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following descriptions of alternatives considered in the Draft Buffalo RMPA and Fortification Creek EA have been included to provide context for reviewing the proposed ACECs. The Draft RMPA/EA documents the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts of three alternatives for management of BLM-administered public lands within the Fortification Creek Management Area of the BFO. Three alternatives are analyzed in detail: 1. Alternative 1 (No Action Alternative): Continues the existing management direction; no ACECs; 2. Alternative 2: Establishes an ACEC based on crucial elk habitats (52,069 acres; over 55 percent public surface); and 3. Alternative 3: Establishes an ACEC based on a citizen proposal (33,757 acres; mostly public surface). There are no ACECs in the existing BFO land use plan. As proposed in the Draft RMPA/EA, there is potential for designation of a Fortification Creek ACEC in both Alternative 2 and 3. Values of concern include steep slopes, erosive soils, elk habitat, cultural resources, and visual resource management. sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES PROPOSED ACEC RESOURCE—USE LIMITATIONS Alternative 2: Crucial Elk Habitat ACEC 52,069 Acres Alternative 3: Citizen Proposed ACEC 33,757 Acres Performance-based, phased coalbed natural gas (CBNG) development occurs by geographic area. Surface disturbance is not allowed on areas of highly erosive soils and/ or slopes of 25 percent or more. VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:49 Aug 06, 2008 Jkt 214001 PO 00000 Frm 00095 Fmt 4703 Same as Alternative 2. Same as Alternative 2. Sfmt 4703 46031 E:\FR\FM\07AUN1.SGM 07AUN1 46032 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 153 / Thursday, August 7, 2008 / Notices PROPOSED ACEC RESOURCE—USE LIMITATIONS—Continued Alternative 2: Crucial Elk Habitat ACEC 52,069 Acres Alternative 3: Citizen Proposed ACEC 33,757 Acres After interim CBNG reclamation, there is an up to two-year rest period from livestock grazing. Direct discharge of water to drainages is permissible, with subsequent monitoring and mitigation of downstream impacts on lease. Reservoirs and ancillary CBNG facilities, including compressors, are located outside of yearlong elk range. There is a winter timing limitation for surface-disturbing and disruptive activities from November 15 through April 30 in elk crucial winter range as well as a timing limitation for surface-disturbing and disrupting activities from May 1 through June 30 in elk calving ranges. CBNG well metering and monitoring/maintenance activities are restricted to weekly visitation in 1) elk crucial winter range from November 15 through April 30 and 2) elk calving areas from May 1 through June 30. Allow for no net road density change from BLM base data to conserve elk security habitat. Overhead power on BLM surface along existing corridors is allowed .... After interim CBNG reclamation, there is a one-year rest period from livestock grazing. No direct discharge of water is allowed into ephemeral or intermittent drainages. Reservoirs and ancillary CBNG facilities, including compressors, are located outside of elk crucial winter range and elk calving areas. There is no winter timing limitation in elk crucial winter range but there is a timing limitation from May 1 through June 30 in elk calving ranges. When commenting, please include reference to either the page or section in the Draft RMPA/EA to which the comment applies. To facilitate analysis of comments and information submitted, BLM encourages commenters to submit comments in an electronic format. Please note that public comments and information submitted including names, street addresses, and email addresses of respondents will be available for public review and disclosure at the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except 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 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. Donald A. Simpson, Acting State Director. [FR Doc. E8–18200 Filed 8–6–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–22–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES [MT–060–01–1020–PG] Notice of Public Meeting; Central Montana Resource Advisory Council Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. AGENCY: VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:49 Aug 06, 2008 Jkt 214001 CBNG well metering and monitoring/maintenance activities are prohibited in 1) elk crucial elk winter range from November 15 through April 30 and 2) elk calving areas from May 1 through June 30. Allow road density change from BLM base data to conserve 80 percent elk security habitat. Same as Alternative 2. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Central Montana Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below. DATES: The meeting will be held September 2 and 3, 2008. ADDRESSES: The September 2 meeting will be at the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center, 701 7th Street, in Fort Benton, Montana. This meeting will begin at 1 p.m. with a 30-minute public comment period. This meeting will adjourn at 3:30 p.m. The September 3 meeting will be at the Hampton Inn, 2301 14th Street SW., in Great Falls, Montana. This meeting will begin at 8 a.m. with a 30-minute public comment period. This meeting is scheduled to adjourn at 3 p.m. FOR FURTHER INFORMATON CONTACT: Gary L. ‘‘Stan’’ Benes, Lewistown Field Manager, Lewistown Field Office, P.O. Box 1160, Lewistown, Montana 59457, 406–538–1900. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 15member council advises the Secretary of the Interior on a variety of management issues associated with public land management in Montana. During these meetings the council will participate in/ discuss/act upon: A field trip through the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center; A Missouri River recreation use update; A Malta Resource Management Plan (RMP) briefing; Field manager updates; Discussions about the alternatives for the Malta RMP; A briefing about U.S. Forest Service fee proposals; and PO 00000 Frm 00096 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Administrative details (next meeting agenda, location, etc.) All RAC meetings are open to the public. The public may present written comments to the RAC. Each formal RAC meeting will also have time allocated for hearing public comments. Depending on the number of persons wishing to comment and time available, the time for individual oral comments may be limited. Dated: August 1, 2008. Gary L. ‘‘Stan’’ Benes, Lewistown Field Manager. [FR Doc. E8–18226 Filed 8–6–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–$$–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [OR–030–1020–PN; HAG 08–0097] Meeting Notice for the John Day/Snake Resource Advisory Council Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Vale District. ACTION: Meeting Notice for the John Day/Snake Resource Advisory Council. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The John Day/Snake Resource Advisory Council meeting is scheduled for September 16, 2008, in John Day, Oregon. The John Day/Snake Resource Advisory Council meeting is scheduled for September 16, 2008. The meeting will take place at the Malheur National Forest Supervisor Office, 431 Patterson Bridge Road, John Day, OR, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The meeting may include such topics as the Baker Resource Management Planning, Transportation Planning, Wallowa-Whitman Weed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), E:\FR\FM\07AUN1.SGM 07AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 153 (Thursday, August 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46031-46032]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18200]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-100-08-1610-DU]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Buffalo Resource Management 
Plan Amendment and Fortification Creek Management Area Environmental 
Assessment, Wyoming

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan 
Amendment and Environmental Assessment (RMPA/EA) for the Buffalo Field 
Office (BFO) and by this notice is announcing the opening of the 
comment period for the Draft Buffalo RMPA and Fortification Creek 
Management Area EA. The BLM also announces the availability of 
information regarding a proposed Area of Critical Environmental Concern 
(ACEC) designation considered in the Draft RMPA/EA.

DATES: To assure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Draft RMPA/EA within 60 days following the date 
that this notice appears in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Web site: https://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/bfodocs/
fortification_creek.html
     E-mail: Fort_Crk_WYMail@blm.gov;
     Fax: (307) 684-1122;
     Mail: Buffalo RMP Amendment/Fortification Creek EA, BLM 
Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo, WY 82834; or
     By personal delivery to the Buffalo Field Office or at a 
BLM-hosted public meeting.
    Copies of the Draft RMPA/EA were sent to affected Federal, State, 
and local government agencies and interested parties. There are a 
limited number of hard copies available upon request. Copies of the 
Draft RMPA/EA are available in the Buffalo Field Office at the above 
address and at the following location:
     Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353 
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Bills, Buffalo RMPA Team 
Leader, BLM Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo, WY 82834; 
or by telephone at 307-684-1133.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following descriptions of alternatives 
considered in the Draft Buffalo RMPA and Fortification Creek EA have 
been included to provide context for reviewing the proposed ACECs. The 
Draft RMPA/EA documents the direct, indirect, and cumulative 
environmental impacts of three alternatives for management of BLM-
administered public lands within the Fortification Creek Management 
Area of the BFO. Three alternatives are analyzed in detail:
    1. Alternative 1 (No Action Alternative): Continues the existing 
management direction; no ACECs;
    2. Alternative 2: Establishes an ACEC based on crucial elk habitats 
(52,069 acres; over 55 percent public surface); and
    3. Alternative 3: Establishes an ACEC based on a citizen proposal 
(33,757 acres; mostly public surface).
    There are no ACECs in the existing BFO land use plan. As proposed 
in the Draft RMPA/EA, there is potential for designation of a 
Fortification Creek ACEC in both Alternative 2 and 3. Values of concern 
include steep slopes, erosive soils, elk habitat, cultural resources, 
and visual resource management.

                 Proposed ACEC Resource--Use Limitations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternative 2: Crucial Elk Habitat ACEC  Alternative 3: Citizen Proposed
              52,069 Acres                      ACEC  33,757 Acres
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Performance-based, phased coalbed        Same as Alternative 2.
 natural gas (CBNG) development occurs
 by geographic area.
Surface disturbance is not allowed on    Same as Alternative 2.
 areas of highly erosive soils and/or
 slopes of 25 percent or more.

[[Page 46032]]

 
After interim CBNG reclamation, there    After interim CBNG reclamation,
 is an up to two-year rest period from    there is a one-year rest
 livestock grazing.                       period from livestock grazing.
Direct discharge of water to drainages   No direct discharge of water is
 is permissible, with subsequent          allowed into ephemeral or
 monitoring and mitigation of             intermittent drainages.
 downstream impacts on lease.
Reservoirs and ancillary CBNG            Reservoirs and ancillary CBNG
 facilities, including compressors, are   facilities, including
 located outside of yearlong elk range.   compressors, are located
                                          outside of elk crucial winter
                                          range and elk calving areas.
There is a winter timing limitation for  There is no winter timing
 surface-disturbing and disruptive        limitation in elk crucial
 activities from November 15 through      winter range but there is a
 April 30 in elk crucial winter range     timing limitation from May 1
 as well as a timing limitation for       through June 30 in elk calving
 surface-disturbing and disrupting        ranges.
 activities from May 1 through June 30
 in elk calving ranges.
CBNG well metering and monitoring/       CBNG well metering and
 maintenance activities are restricted    monitoring/maintenance
 to weekly visitation in 1) elk crucial   activities are prohibited in
 winter range from November 15 through    1) elk crucial elk winter
 April 30 and 2) elk calving areas from   range from November 15 through
 May 1 through June 30.                   April 30 and 2) elk calving
                                          areas from May 1 through June
                                          30.
Allow for no net road density change     Allow road density change from
 from BLM base data to conserve elk       BLM base data to conserve 80
 security habitat.                        percent elk security habitat.
Overhead power on BLM surface along      Same as Alternative 2.
 existing corridors is allowed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    When commenting, please include reference to either the page or 
section in the Draft RMPA/EA to which the comment applies. To 
facilitate analysis of comments and information submitted, BLM 
encourages commenters to submit comments in an electronic format.
    Please note that public comments and information submitted 
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of respondents 
will be available for public review and disclosure at the above address 
during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday through 
Friday, except 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 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.

Donald A. Simpson,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. E8-18200 Filed 8-6-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.