Notice of Availability of Draft John Day Basin Resource Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Oregon, 64980-64981 [E8-25926]
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64980
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 212 / Friday, October 31, 2008 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR–5186–N–44]
Federal Property Suitable as Facilities
To Assist the Homeless
Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Community Planning and
Development, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This Notice identifies
unutilized, underutilized, excess, and
surplus Federal property reviewed by
HUD for suitability for possible use to
assist the homeless.
DATES: Effective Date: October 31, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kathy Ezzell, Department of Housing
and Urban Development, 451 Seventh
Street, SW., Room 7262, Washington,
DC 20410; telephone (202) 708–1234;
TTY number for the hearing- and
speech-impaired (202) 708–2565, (these
telephone numbers are not toll-free), or
call the toll-free Title V information line
at 800–927–7588.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
accordance with the December 12, 1988
court order in National Coalition for the
Homeless v. Veterans Administration,
No. 88–2503–OG (D.D.C.), HUD
publishes a Notice, on a weekly basis,
identifying unutilized, underutilized,
excess and surplus Federal buildings
and real property that HUD has
reviewed for suitability for use to assist
the homeless. Today’s Notice is for the
purpose of announcing that no
additional properties have been
determined suitable or unsuitable this
week.
Dated: October 23, 2008.
Mark R. Johnston,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Needs.
[FR Doc. E8–25737 Filed 10–30–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[OR–050–08–1610–DP; HAG 08–0051]
Notice of Availability of Draft John Day
Basin Resource Management Plan and
Draft Environmental Impact Statement,
Oregon
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
ebenthall on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 and the Federal Land Policy and
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:31 Oct 30, 2008
Jkt 217001
Management Act of 1976, the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) has prepared
a Draft Resource Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/
EIS) for the John Day Basin planning
area and by this notice is announcing
the opening of the comment period.
DATES: To ensure that they will be
considered, BLM must receive written
comments on the Draft RMP/EIS within
90 days following the date the
Environmental Protection Agency
publishes their Notice of Availability in
the Federal Register. The BLM will
announce future meetings or hearings
and any other public involvement
activities at least 15 days in advance
through public notices, media news
releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by any of the following methods:
• Mail: John Day Basin RMP, BLM
Prineville Field Office, 3050 NE 3rd
Street, Prineville, OR 97754.
• Web Site: https://www.blm.gov/or/
districts/prineville/plans/johndayrmp/
index.php.
• E-mail:
John_Day_Basin_RMP@blm.gov.
• Fax: (541) 416–6798.
Copies of the John Day Basin Draft
RMP/EIS are available in the Prineville
Field Office and on our project Web site
(see ADDRESSES above), in addition to
copies sent to individuals,
organizations, and agencies on the John
Day Basin RMP mailing list.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ayn
Shlisky, John Day Basin RMP Project
Leader, BLM Prineville Field Office,
3050 NE 3rd Street, Prineville, OR
97754, phone (541) 416–6700, e-mail
John_Day_Basin_RMP@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
planning area is located in parts of
Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla,
Grant, Wheeler, Jefferson, and Wasco
Counties in the State of Oregon,
covering 456,000 acres of BLM-managed
public land. The existing RMPs for the
area were completed in the 1980s: John
Day RMP (Record of Decision signed
1985), Two Rivers RMP (1986), and
Baker RMP (1989). The John Day RMP
was amended in 1995, and in 2001, the
John Day River Plan amended portions
of all three of the RMPs. New
information and changed circumstances
are cause for the BLM to update these
plans. Changed circumstances include,
but are not limited to: Acquisition of
44,000 acres along North Fork John Day
River, heightened public interest in
BLM management actions, increasing
demand for recreation activities on
public lands, and expanded scientific
knowledge and information pertaining
to the conservation of aquatic species.
PO 00000
Frm 00074
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
In February 2006, the BLM published
a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS and
initiate revision/amendment of the
existing RMPs. This was followed in
March 2006 by five public open houses
across the planning area and in
Portland, Oregon to solicit public input
on the issues to be addressed. The BLM
published results of public input and an
Analysis of the Management Situation
in December 2006, followed by four
public open houses across the planning
area to solicit input on criteria to be
used in development of alternatives.
The BLM also met regularly with the
John Day/Snake Resource Advisory
Council and with representatives of
local, state, and other Federal
government agencies, as well as tribal
governments. Additionally, the BLM
maintained a public Web site and
mailed periodic newsletters with
information on the plan’s status.
The Draft RMP/EIS analyzes five
alternatives. Alternative 1 (no action)
would continue the current
management goals, objectives, and
direction specified in the existing RMPs.
Alternative 2 (BLM preferred
alternative) would provide a mix of
recreational opportunities, economic
opportunities, and resource protection.
Changes from Alternative 1 to 2 include:
(a) Development of an interim road
system and a process for developing a
final transportation plan; (b) a reduction
in areas ‘‘open’’ for motorized use off of
roads; (c) synthesized management
direction to achieve forest and upland
health goals while providing for timber
and forage production and wildfire
prevention; (d) management direction
for the North Fork John Day River lands
that, in accordance with the land
acquisition legislation, protects native
fish, wildlife habitat, and public
recreation; (e) addition of an integrated
strategy to address fish, water quality,
and water quantity together; (f)
management direction for 11,929 acres
containing wilderness characteristics
not already protected by Wilderness or
Wilderness Study Area (WSA)
provisions; (g) use of ‘‘appropriate
management response’’ rather than full
suppression of all wildfires; and (h) a
process for identifying and addressing
management concerns in grazing
allotments. Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 are
similar to Alternative 2 in most
instances, but provide variation in the
amount of roadway open for motorized
travel, the number of areas open to offroad motorized use, the number and
classifications of river segments deemed
suitable for inclusion in the National
Wild and Scenic River System, and the
E:\FR\FM\31OCN1.SGM
31OCN1
ebenthall on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 212 / Friday, October 31, 2008 / Notices
number of acres where livestock grazing
is permitted.
The BLM preferred alternative
(Alternative 2) and Alternatives 3, 4,
and 5 (the action alternatives) propose
immediate designation of five new
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern
(ACEC), totaling 61,254 acres. This total
does not include expansion of the
existing Horn Butte ACEC from 5,999 to
7,152 acres, nor the 6,639-acre Black
Canyon Research Natural Area (RNA)/
ACEC, which overlaps a portion of the
John Day Paleontological ACEC. The
largest of the newly proposed ACECs is
the 38,168-acre John Day
Paleontological ACEC that would
complement the adjacent John Day
Fossil Beds National Monument and
partially overlap with the existing
Sutton Mountain WSA. Resource use
limitations associated with designation
of this ACEC where it overlaps the WSA
would include closure to salable,
locatable and leaseable minerals, a No
Surface Occupancy (NSO) stipulation
for energy and communication site
development, exclusion from rights-ofway, management to Visual Resource
Management Class II (VRM II)
standards, and limiting vehicle use to
designated roads and trails (OHV
Limited). Use limitations associated
with this ACEC where it does not
overlap with the Sutton Mountain WSA
would be similar except for a No
Surface Occupancy (NSO) stipulation
for mineral leasing, and avoidance of
developments for energy,
communication sites, and rights-of-way.
Other proposed ACECs include the
6,639-acre Black Canyon RNA/ACEC,
which would protect several sensitive
plants and unique plant communities;
use limitations include exclusion of
livestock grazing, closure to off-highway
motorized and non-motorized vehicle
use (OHV Closed), an NSO stipulation
for mineral leasing, closure to salable
mineral, energy and communication site
development, and exclusion of rights-ofway. The action alternatives also
propose to add 1,152 acres to the
existing 5,999-acre Horn Butte ACEC to
protect Washington ground squirrel
habitat. Use limitations for the
expanded Horn Butte ACEC also
include management to VRM II
standards, prohibition of mechanical
noxious weed control in Fourmile
Canyon, NSO stipulation for mineral
leasing, closure to salable minerals and
energy and communication site
development, and exclusion of rights-ofway. Also proposed is the addition of
the North Fork John Day River (16,837
acres), Armstrong Canyon (3,885 acres)
and Ferry Canyon (2,364 acres) ACECs
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:31 Oct 30, 2008
Jkt 217001
to protect visual resource values; use
limitations include management to VRM
II standards, NSO stipulation for
mineral leasing, closure to
communication site development, and
exclusion of rights-of-way. The action
alternatives also eliminate the existing
Spanish Gulch ACEC (333 acres). In the
event that Congress releases any of the
three WSAs along the lower John Day
River (Lower John Day, North Pole
Ridge, and Thirtymile) from WSA
status, the released lands would be
designated as ACECs to preserve scenic
and other values. Use limitations would
include management to VRM II
standards, NSO stipulation for mineral
leasing and closure to salable minerals,
closure to energy and communication
site development, and exclusion of
rights-of-way (except for the existing
PGE pipeline right-of-way). For more
detailed information on each ACEC
proposal, see the Special Designations
section in the Draft RMP/EIS.
Please note that public comments and
information submitted including names,
street addresses, and e-mail 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
written comments, you should be aware
that your entire letter, including your
personal identifying information, may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your letter to
withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 43 CFR 1610.2.
Edward W. Shepard,
State Director, Oregon/Washington.
[FR Doc. E8–25926 Filed 10–29–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–33–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CO–921–07–1320–EL; COC–72980]
Notice of Federal Competitive Coal
Lease Sale Offer, Colorado
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Competitive Coal
Lease Sale, Lease Application COC–
72980.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
the United States Department of the
PO 00000
Frm 00075
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
64981
Interior, Bureau of Land Management
(BLM), Colorado State Office, will offer
certain coal resources describe below as
Federal coal lease application (LBA)
COC–72980 in Routt County, Colorado,
for competitive sale by sealed bid, in
accordance with the provisions for
competitive lease sales in 43 CFR
3422.2(a), and the Mineral Leasing Act
of 1920, as amended (30 U.S.C. 181 et
seq.).
DATES: The lease sale will be held at 10
a.m., Wednesday, January 14, 2008.
Sealed bid must be sent by certified
mail, return receipt requested, or be
hand delivered to the address indicated
below, and must be received on or
before 10 a.m., Wednesday, January 14,
2008. The BLM cashier will issue a
receipt for each hand delivered sealed
bid. Any bid received after the time
specified will not be considered and
will be returned. The outside of the
sealed envelope containing the bid must
clearly state that the envelope contains
a bid for Coal Lease Sale COC–72980,
and is not to be opened before the date
and hour of the sale.
ADDRESSES: The lease sale will be held
in the BLM Colorado State Office,
Conference Room, Fourth Floor, 2850
Youngfield Street, Lakewood, Colorado.
Sealed bids must be submitted, hand
delivered or mailed to BLM Colorado
State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street,
Lakewood, Colorado 80215.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kurt
Barton at BLM Colorado State Office,
2850 Youngfield Street, Lakewood,
Colorado 80215, or by telephone 303–
239–3714.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This coal
lease sale is being held in response to
a LBA filed by Twentymile Coal
Company, April 8, 2008. The coal
resource to be offered consists of
recoverable coal reserves in the TCC
Wadge seam mined by underground
mining methods in the following lands:
T. 5 N., R. 87 W., 6th P.M.
Sec. 22, E1⁄2SW1⁄4, SE1⁄4;
Sec. 27, W1⁄2NE1⁄4, E1⁄2 NW1⁄4,
N1⁄2NE1⁄4SW1⁄4, W1⁄2SE1⁄4;
Containing approximately 500 acres in
Routt County, Colorado.
Total recoverable reserves are
estimated to be 1.4 million tons. The
underground minable coal is ranked as
sub bituminous B coal. The estimated
coal quality on an as-received basis for
the seams are as follows:
TCC WADGE SEAM
BTU/lb ...............................
Volatile Matter ...................
Moisture ............................
Fixed Carbon ....................
E:\FR\FM\31OCN1.SGM
31OCN1
12,561
33.52%
8.55%
44.92%
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 212 (Friday, October 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64980-64981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25926]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[OR-050-08-1610-DP; HAG 08-0051]
Notice of Availability of Draft John Day Basin Resource
Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Oregon
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/
Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS) for the John Day Basin
planning area and by this notice is announcing the opening of the
comment period.
DATES: To ensure that they will be considered, BLM must receive written
comments on the Draft RMP/EIS within 90 days following the date the
Environmental Protection Agency publishes their Notice of Availability
in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or
hearings and any other public involvement activities at least 15 days
in advance through public notices, media news releases, and/or
mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Mail: John Day Basin RMP, BLM Prineville Field Office,
3050 NE 3rd Street, Prineville, OR 97754.
Web Site: https://www.blm.gov/or/districts/prineville/
plans/johndayrmp/index.php.
E-mail: John_Day_Basin_RMP@blm.gov.
Fax: (541) 416-6798.
Copies of the John Day Basin Draft RMP/EIS are available in the
Prineville Field Office and on our project Web site (see addresses
above), in addition to copies sent to individuals, organizations, and
agencies on the John Day Basin RMP mailing list.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ayn Shlisky, John Day Basin RMP
Project Leader, BLM Prineville Field Office, 3050 NE 3rd Street,
Prineville, OR 97754, phone (541) 416-6700, e-mail John_Day_Basin_
RMP@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area is located in parts of
Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla, Grant, Wheeler, Jefferson, and
Wasco Counties in the State of Oregon, covering 456,000 acres of BLM-
managed public land. The existing RMPs for the area were completed in
the 1980s: John Day RMP (Record of Decision signed 1985), Two Rivers
RMP (1986), and Baker RMP (1989). The John Day RMP was amended in 1995,
and in 2001, the John Day River Plan amended portions of all three of
the RMPs. New information and changed circumstances are cause for the
BLM to update these plans. Changed circumstances include, but are not
limited to: Acquisition of 44,000 acres along North Fork John Day
River, heightened public interest in BLM management actions, increasing
demand for recreation activities on public lands, and expanded
scientific knowledge and information pertaining to the conservation of
aquatic species.
In February 2006, the BLM published a Notice of Intent to prepare
an EIS and initiate revision/amendment of the existing RMPs. This was
followed in March 2006 by five public open houses across the planning
area and in Portland, Oregon to solicit public input on the issues to
be addressed. The BLM published results of public input and an Analysis
of the Management Situation in December 2006, followed by four public
open houses across the planning area to solicit input on criteria to be
used in development of alternatives. The BLM also met regularly with
the John Day/Snake Resource Advisory Council and with representatives
of local, state, and other Federal government agencies, as well as
tribal governments. Additionally, the BLM maintained a public Web site
and mailed periodic newsletters with information on the plan's status.
The Draft RMP/EIS analyzes five alternatives. Alternative 1 (no
action) would continue the current management goals, objectives, and
direction specified in the existing RMPs. Alternative 2 (BLM preferred
alternative) would provide a mix of recreational opportunities,
economic opportunities, and resource protection. Changes from
Alternative 1 to 2 include: (a) Development of an interim road system
and a process for developing a final transportation plan; (b) a
reduction in areas ``open'' for motorized use off of roads; (c)
synthesized management direction to achieve forest and upland health
goals while providing for timber and forage production and wildfire
prevention; (d) management direction for the North Fork John Day River
lands that, in accordance with the land acquisition legislation,
protects native fish, wildlife habitat, and public recreation; (e)
addition of an integrated strategy to address fish, water quality, and
water quantity together; (f) management direction for 11,929 acres
containing wilderness characteristics not already protected by
Wilderness or Wilderness Study Area (WSA) provisions; (g) use of
``appropriate management response'' rather than full suppression of all
wildfires; and (h) a process for identifying and addressing management
concerns in grazing allotments. Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 are similar to
Alternative 2 in most instances, but provide variation in the amount of
roadway open for motorized travel, the number of areas open to off-road
motorized use, the number and classifications of river segments deemed
suitable for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River System,
and the
[[Page 64981]]
number of acres where livestock grazing is permitted.
The BLM preferred alternative (Alternative 2) and Alternatives 3,
4, and 5 (the action alternatives) propose immediate designation of
five new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), totaling
61,254 acres. This total does not include expansion of the existing
Horn Butte ACEC from 5,999 to 7,152 acres, nor the 6,639-acre Black
Canyon Research Natural Area (RNA)/ACEC, which overlaps a portion of
the John Day Paleontological ACEC. The largest of the newly proposed
ACECs is the 38,168-acre John Day Paleontological ACEC that would
complement the adjacent John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and
partially overlap with the existing Sutton Mountain WSA. Resource use
limitations associated with designation of this ACEC where it overlaps
the WSA would include closure to salable, locatable and leaseable
minerals, a No Surface Occupancy (NSO) stipulation for energy and
communication site development, exclusion from rights-of-way,
management to Visual Resource Management Class II (VRM II) standards,
and limiting vehicle use to designated roads and trails (OHV Limited).
Use limitations associated with this ACEC where it does not overlap
with the Sutton Mountain WSA would be similar except for a No Surface
Occupancy (NSO) stipulation for mineral leasing, and avoidance of
developments for energy, communication sites, and rights-of-way. Other
proposed ACECs include the 6,639-acre Black Canyon RNA/ACEC, which
would protect several sensitive plants and unique plant communities;
use limitations include exclusion of livestock grazing, closure to off-
highway motorized and non-motorized vehicle use (OHV Closed), an NSO
stipulation for mineral leasing, closure to salable mineral, energy and
communication site development, and exclusion of rights-of-way. The
action alternatives also propose to add 1,152 acres to the existing
5,999-acre Horn Butte ACEC to protect Washington ground squirrel
habitat. Use limitations for the expanded Horn Butte ACEC also include
management to VRM II standards, prohibition of mechanical noxious weed
control in Fourmile Canyon, NSO stipulation for mineral leasing,
closure to salable minerals and energy and communication site
development, and exclusion of rights-of-way. Also proposed is the
addition of the North Fork John Day River (16,837 acres), Armstrong
Canyon (3,885 acres) and Ferry Canyon (2,364 acres) ACECs to protect
visual resource values; use limitations include management to VRM II
standards, NSO stipulation for mineral leasing, closure to
communication site development, and exclusion of rights-of-way. The
action alternatives also eliminate the existing Spanish Gulch ACEC (333
acres). In the event that Congress releases any of the three WSAs along
the lower John Day River (Lower John Day, North Pole Ridge, and
Thirtymile) from WSA status, the released lands would be designated as
ACECs to preserve scenic and other values. Use limitations would
include management to VRM II standards, NSO stipulation for mineral
leasing and closure to salable minerals, closure to energy and
communication site development, and exclusion of rights-of-way (except
for the existing PGE pipeline right-of-way). For more detailed
information on each ACEC proposal, see the Special Designations section
in the Draft RMP/EIS.
Please note that public comments and information submitted
including names, street addresses, and e-mail 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 written comments, you
should be aware that your entire letter, including your personal
identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your letter to withhold your personal
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we
will be able to do so.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 43 CFR 1610.2.
Edward W. Shepard,
State Director, Oregon/Washington.
[FR Doc. E8-25926 Filed 10-29-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-P