Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area Resource Management Plan, Idaho, 74518 [E8-28967]

Agencies

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

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 236 (Monday, December 8, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 74518]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28967]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[ID-111-1610-DR-049D]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Snake 
River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area Resource Management 
Plan, Idaho

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Snake River Birds of Prey 
National Conservation Area (NCA) Resource Management Plan (RMP) located 
in Southwestern Idaho.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are available upon request from Boise 
District, Bureau of Land Management, 3948 Development Ave., Boise, 
Idaho 83705, phone 208-384-3300. Copies can also be downloaded in their 
entirety at https://www.blm.gov/id/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Sullivan, NCA Manager, BLM Four 
Rivers Field Office, 3948 Development Ave., Boise, Idaho 83705; phone 
208-384-3300; e-mail John_Sullivan@blm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Federal Land Policy 
and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the BLM 
prepared the NCA RMP to address management of approximately 484,000 
acres of public land along 81 miles of the Snake River. The NCA was 
established on August 4, 1993, by Public Law 103-64 for the 
conservation, protection, and enhancement of the natural and 
environmental resources and values associated with the area, including 
raptor populations and habitats. The NCA RMP replaces portions of the 
1983 Kuna Management Framework Plan (MFP), 1983 Bruneau MFP, 1987 
Jarbidge RMP, 1988 Cascade RMP, and 1999 Owyhee RMP that affect the 
NCA, and replaces the 1996 Snake River Birds of Prey NCA Management 
Plan.
    The NCA RMP enhances the protection of remaining shrub communities 
through aggressive wildfire suppression; the restoration of up to 
130,000 acres of shrub habitat; the completion of up to 100,000 acres 
of fuels management projects; the modification of Idaho Army National 
Guard training activities by limiting vehicle maneuver training to non-
shrub communities, and providing 4,100 acres of additional maneuver 
training area; and the identification of area designations (i.e., 
livestock grazing, vehicle use, right-of-way avoidance, and utility 
corridors). The approved RMP is the same as Alternative D displayed in 
the Proposed RMP/Final EIS published in February 2008 with minor 
modifications and clarifications resulting from changes in the status 
of federally listed threatened and endangered species. In addition, the 
area known as Pasture 8B of the Battle Creek Allotment is no longer 
listed as closed to grazing, but may be grazed at BLM's discretion, 
under contract or as temporary non-renewable forage, for the purpose of 
meeting specific NCA resource management objectives, including weed 
reduction, hazardous fuels management, and ecological improvement. 
These minor modifications and clarifications did not result in 
substantial changes to the proposed action.
    All protests received by the BLM regarding the RMP have been 
addressed. No inconsistencies with State or local plans, policies, or 
programs were identified during the Governor's consistency review of 
the proposed RMP.

Thomas H. Dyer,
Idaho State Director, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. E8-28967 Filed 12-5-08; 8:45 am]
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