Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendments for Geothermal Leasing in the Western United States, 79900-79902 [E8-30883]
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79900
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices
Closure Order is necessary to protect
people, public and private property, and
public land resources due to an increase
in documented cases of stray bullets
fired by indiscriminate shooters.
The following persons are exempt
from this closure order:
(1) Federal, State, or local law
enforcement officers, while acting
within the scope of their official duties.
(2) BLM personnel or their
representatives while acting within the
scope of their official duties.
(3) Any member of an organized
rescue, fire-fighting force, or emergency
medical services organization while in
the performance of their official duties.
(4) Any person in receipt of a written
authorization of exemption obtained
from the authorized officer.
(5) Any person with a current legal
California hunting license in his/her
possession and hunting in accordance
with state law.
This Notice and maps of the restricted
area will be clearly posted at main entry
points to the Knoxville Recreation Area
and at the area affected by this Order
and will also be available at the BLM
Ukiah Field Office.
This Closure Order is effective on the
date published in the Federal Register
and will remain in effect until revoked.
Failure to comply with this order is
punishable by a fine not to exceed
$1,000 and/or imprisonment not to
exceed 12 months pursuant to 43 CFR
8360.0–7. A failure to comply may also
be subject to the enhanced fines
provided for by 18 U.S.C. 3571.
This Shooting closure is supported by
NEPA document number CA–340–08–
020. The NEPA document and its
associated decision record are available
upon request at the BLM Ukiah Field
Office.
Rich Burns,
Ukiah Field Manager.
[FR Doc. E8–30960 Filed 12–29–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–40–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWO300000.L91310000.PP000]
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
Notice of Availability of the Record of
Decision and Approved Resource
Management Plan Amendments for
Geothermal Leasing in the Western
United States
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
SUMMARY: In accordance with Section
202 of the National Environmental
VerDate Aug<31>2005
22:55 Dec 29, 2008
Jkt 217001
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.), the Council on
Environmental Quality’s regulations
implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500–
1508), and applicable agency guidance,
the Department of the Interior, Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) announces
the availability of the Record of
Decision (ROD) and Approved Resource
Management Plan (RMP) Amendments
for geothermal leasing in the western
United States (U.S.). The decision is
hereby made to amend 114 BLM land
use plans covering public lands
managed by the BLM under the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 (FLPMA) in order to allocate about
111 million acres of BLM-administered
lands as open to geothermal leasing and
to adopt a reasonably foreseeable
development scenario, stipulations, best
management practices (BMPs), and
leasing procedures for geothermal
resources within the 11 western states
and Alaska. The Assistant Secretary,
Land and Minerals Management, in the
Department of the Interior signed the
ROD on December 17, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack
G. Peterson, BLM Project Manager at
(208) 373–4048
(Jack_G_Peterson@blm.gov), BLM, 1387
S. Vinnell Way, Boise, Idaho 83706 or
visit the PEIS Web site at https://
www.blm.gov/Geothermal_EIS.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the ROD and
Approved RMP Amendments are
available for review via the Internet
from a link at https://www.blm.gov/
Geothermal_EIS, as well as at BLM State
Offices and Field Offices. Copies may
also be obtained by contacting Jack G.
Peterson at the address and phone
number listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ROD
and Approved RMP Amendments for
geothermal leasing in the western U.S.
was developed through preparation of
the Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement (PEIS) on Geothermal
Leasing in the Western United States.
The NOA of the Final PEIS was
published in the Federal Register on
October 24, 2008 (73 FR 63430). The
elements of the ROD and Approved
RMP Amendments were evaluated
through this PEIS, which was prepared
in accordance with NEPA and FLPMA.
Alternative B was identified as the
Proposed Action in the Draft PEIS. As
a result of public comment, internal
review, and agency coordination,
Alternative B was clarified and slightly
modified to become the preferred
alternative and proposed to amend 122
plans in the Final PEIS. The Approved
RMP Amendments are identical to the
proposed plan amendments presented
PO 00000
Frm 00112
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
in the Final PEIS except that the East
San Diego County RMP has been
removed from the list of plans for
amendment because in October 2008 the
BLM issued a ROD revising the RMP to
include allocations and management for
geothermal resources. In addition, the
BLM is deferring the decision to amend
the Box Elder RMP, House Range
Resource Area RMP, Iso-tract
Management Framework Plan (MFP),
Park City RMP, Pony Express RMP,
Randolph RMP, and Warm Springs
Resource Area RMP in accordance with
the provisions of the National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA § 2815 [a and
d], 113 Stat. 512, 852 [1999]). Based on
these changes, the decision is to amend
114 BLM land use plans to adopt the
allocations, reasonably foreseeable
development scenario, stipulations,
BMPs, and leasing procedures provided
in Alternative B of the PEIS.
In accordance with the Energy Policy
Act of 2005, the ROD/Approved RMP
Amendments facilitates geothermal
leasing of the Federal mineral estate that
has geothermal potential in the 11
western states and Alaska. In the ROD
and Approved RMP Amendments, the
BLM: (1) Identifies public lands with
geothermal potential as being legally
and administratively open or closed to
leasing, and under what conditions; (2)
provides a reasonably foreseeable
development scenario; (3) develops a
comprehensive list of stipulations,
BMPs, and procedures to serve as
consistent guidance for future
geothermal leasing; and (4) provides
information that the Forest Service (FS)
can use to facilitate making consent
determinations for any lease decisions
on National Forest System lands. The
Final PEIS also provided analysis on 19
specific pending lease applications
located in seven geographic areas. This
ROD/Approved RMP Amendments does
not issue a decision for these
applications. Separate RODs will be
issued for the applications as the
environmental review process is
complete.
Over 530 million acres of the western
U.S. and Alaska have been identified as
potentially containing geothermal
resources suitable for commercial
electrical generation and other direct
uses, such as heating. Much of the
resource base is held in the Federal
mineral estate, for which the BLM has
the delegated authority for processing
and issuing geothermal leases. The BLM
is prohibited from issuing leases on
statutorily closed lands (see 43 CFR
3201.11), including Wilderness Areas,
Wilderness Study Areas, lands
contained in a unit of the National Park
System, National Recreation Areas,
E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM
30DEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
Indian trust or restricted lands, and the
Island Park Geothermal Areas (around
the border of Yellowstone National
Park). Other areas closed to leasing by
existing laws, regulations, and
Executive Orders include National
Monuments and designated wild rivers
under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
Under the ROD/Approved RMP
Amendments, the BLM also applies
discretionary closures to: (1) Areas of
Critical Environmental Concern where
the BLM determines that geothermal
leasing and development would be
incompatible with the purposes for
which the ACEC was designated, or that
have management plans that expressly
preclude new leasing; (2) National
Conservation Areas, except the
California Desert Conservation Area;
and (3) other lands in the BLM’s
National Landscape Conservation
System, such as historic and scenic
trails.
Approximately 143 million acres of
public (BLM) lands and 104 million
acres of National Forest System lands
have geothermal potential. The ROD/
Approved RMP Amendments identifies
approximately 111 million acres of
public lands as available to potential
geothermal leasing subject to existing
laws, regulations, formal orders,
stipulations attached to the lease form,
and terms and conditions of the
standard lease form. To protect special
resource values, the BLM has developed
a comprehensive list of stipulations,
conditions of approval, and BMPs.
As noted above, the BLM manages the
public lands pursuant to FLPMA. Under
FLPMA, in order for geothermal
resource leasing and development to
take place on the public lands that BLM
manages, such activities must be
provided for in the land use plan (also
termed RMP) for the affected
administrative unit. Under the ROD/
Approved RMP Amendments, the BLM
amends 114 RMPs to adopt the
allocations, reasonably foreseeable
development scenario, stipulations,
BMPs, and procedures analyzed in the
PEIS. In most cases, the BLM will be
able to issue geothermal leases on the
basis of the analysis contained in this
document. The FS will use the PEIS to
facilitate subsequent consent decisions
for leasing on National Forest System
lands. The following BLM RMPs and
MFPs are amended with this ROD:
TABLE 1—BLM LAND USE PLANS
PROPOSED FOR AMENDMENT UNDER
THE PEIS—Continued
State
State
California ............
Colorado .............
Idaho ..................
Montana .............
Land use plan(s)
Alaska .................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
Central Yukon RMP
22:55 Dec 29, 2008
Jkt 217001
PO 00000
Frm 00113
TABLE 1—BLM LAND USE PLANS
PROPOSED FOR AMENDMENT UNDER
THE PEIS—Continued
Land use plan(s)
Arizona ...............
TABLE 1—BLM LAND USE PLANS
PROPOSED FOR AMENDMENT UNDER
THE PEIS
79901
State
Land use plan(s)
Kobuk-Seward RMP
Ring of Fire RMP
Arizona Strip RMP
Kingman RMP
Lake Havasu RMP
Lower Gila North MFP
Lower Gila South RMP
Phoenix RMP
Safford RMP
Yuma RMP
Alturas RMP
Arcata RMP
Bishop RMP
Caliente RMP
Cedar Creek/Tule Mountain Integrated RMP
Eagle Lake RMP
Headwaters RMP
Hollister RMP
Redding RMP
S. Diablo Mountain
Range and Central
Coast RMP
South Coast RMP
Surprise RMP
West Mojave RMP
Glenwood Springs RMP
Grand Junction RMP
Gunnison RMP
Kremmling RMP
Little Snake RMP
Northeast RMP
Royal Gorge RMP
San Juan/San Miguel
RMP
Uncompahgre Basin RMP
White River RMP
Bennett Hills/Timmerman
Hills MFP
Big Desert MFP
Big Lost MFP
Bruneau MFP
Cascade RMP
Cassia RMP
Challis RMP
Chief Joseph MFP
Jarbidge RMP
Kuna MFP
Lemhi RMP
Little Lost-Birch MFP
Magic MFP
Malad MFP
Medicine Lodge RMP
Monument RMP
Owyhee RMP
Pocatello RMP
Sun Valley MFP
Twin Falls MFP
Big Dry RMP
Billings Resource Area
RMP
Dillon RMP
Garnet Resource Area
RMP
Judith Valley Phillips RMP
North Headwaters RMP
Powder River Resource
Area RMP
West HiLine RMP
Nevada ...............
Carson City Consolidated
RMP
Elko RMP
Las Vegas RMP
Paradise-Denio MFP
Shoshone-Eureka RMP
Sonoma-Gerlach MFP
Tonopah RMP
Wells RMP
Carlsbad RMP
Farmington RMP
MacGregor Range RMP
Mimbres RMP
Rio Puerco RMP
Roswell RMP
Socorro RMP
Taos RMP
White Sands RMP
Brothers/LaPine RMP
Eugene District RMP
John Day River RMP
John Day RMP
Lower Deschutes RMP
Medford RMP
Roseburg RMP
Salem RMP
Three Rivers RMP
Two Rivers RMP
Book Cliffs MFP
Cedar Beaver Garfield
Antimony RMP
Diamond Mountain RMP
Henry Mountain MFP
Mountain Valley MFP
Paria MFP
Parker Mountain MFP
Pinyon MFP
St. George (formerly
Dixie) RMP
Vermilion MFP
Zion MFP
Spokane RMP
Big Horn Basin RMP
Buffalo RMP
Cody RMP
Grass Creek RMP
Great Divide RMP
Green River RMP
Kemmerer RMP
Lander RMP
Newcastle RMP
Pinedale RMP
Platte River RMP
Snake River RMP
Waskakie RMP
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
New Mexico ........
Oregon ...............
Utah ....................
Washington ........
Wyoming ............
Public involvement in preparation of
the Geothermal Leasing PEIS was
extensive, as documented in the PEIS
and the ROD. Results of the 60-day
Governors’ Consistency Review of the
PEIS, as required by BLM planning
regulations, were favorable in that none
E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM
30DEN1
79902
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices
of the Governors objected to the
proposed plan amendments.
Michael D. Nedd,
Assistant Director, Minerals and Realty
Management, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. E8–30883 Filed 12–29–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–84–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WY–100–2008–1110–PI]
Notice of Seasonal Closures of Public
Lands to Human Presence and/or
Motorized Vehicle Use
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Seasonal Closures of
Public Lands to Human Presence
and/or Motorized Vehicle Use.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to 43 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) subpart(s)
8341, 8364, and 9268, the Bureau of
Land management (BLM) announces the
seasonal closure of certain BLMadministered public lands under the
jurisdiction of the Pinedale, Wyoming
Field Office to all types of motor vehicle
use (i.e., snowmobiles, all-terrain
vehicles, and any other motorized
vehicles including trucks, sport-utility
vehicles, cars, motorcycles, etc.) each
year during the period of January 1
through April 30. Elk feedground areas
will be closed each year to any human
presence from November 15 through
April 30. This seasonal closure is
needed to protect public lands and
resources and to minimize stress to
wintering elk, moose, pronghorn
antelope, and mule deer. This seasonal
closure affects public lands located
within the Mesa, Ryegrass, Bench
Corral, Deer Hills, Calpet, and Miller
Mountain winter ranges as well as the
Franz, Finnegan, Bench Corral, Scab
Creek, Fall Creek, Black Butte, and
North Piney elk feedgrounds as more
particularly described in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section
below. Except for travel on highways or
county roads, motorized vehicle travel
within these areas will only be allowed
with written authorization from the
Pinedale Field Manager. Personnel of
the BLM, Wyoming Game and Fish
Department, U.S. Department of
Agriculture-APHIS and Forest Service,
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and law
enforcement personnel are exempt from
this closure only when performing
official duties. Operators of existing oil
and gas facilities may perform
maintenance and pumping, as
VerDate Aug<31>2005
22:55 Dec 29, 2008
Jkt 217001
approved, and livestock operators may
perform permitted activities.
DATES: The seasonal motorized vehicle
closure will be effective annually from
January 1 through April 30. The no
human presence closure will be
effective annually from November 15
through April 30.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Chuck Otto, Field Manager or Rusty
Kaiser, Wildlife Biologist, telephone:
(307) 367–5300, Bureau of Land
Management, P.O. Box 768, Pinedale,
Wyoming 82941.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These
crucial winter range habitat areas and
the management thereof are addressed
in the Pinedale Resource Management
Plan (RMP) Record of Decision which
was approved on December 12, 1988.
The RMP identifies areas of crucial
winter range and states that seasonal
closures for motorized vehicles may be
used to protect big game winter range.
Losses of wintering habitat from
development activity can reduce the
area available to the wintering animals.
These impacts to wintering wildlife are
compounded by significant human
activity, such as day and night wildlife
observation, still and video
photography, snowmobiling, and antler
gathering.
The following BLM administered
lands are closed to motorized vehicles
each year from January 1 through April
30: the Ryegrass, Bench Corral, Deer
Hills, Calpet, and Miller Mountain
winter ranges including all BLM
administered lands north of Fontenelle
Creek, east of the U.S. Forest Service
Boundary, west of Highway 189, and
south of Horse Creek, which contains
approximately 444,000 acres; and the
Mesa winter range including all BLM
administered lands east of County Road
110 (East Green River Road), north of
County Road 136 (Paradise Valley
Road), west of the New Fork River, and
south of State Highway 191, which
contains approximately 76,000 acres;
the Franz elk winter feedground (T36N,
R112W) containing 680 acres. The
following feedgrounds are closed to
human presence each year from
November 15 through April 30: the
Finnegan elk winter feedground (T30N,
R114W) containing approximately 1920
acres; the Bench Corral elk winter
feedground (T31–32N, R112W)
containing approximately 2560 acres;
the Fall Creek elk winter feedground
(T33N, R108W) containing
approximately 160 acres; the Scab Creek
elk winter feedground (T33N, R106–
107W) containing approximately 2,240
acres; the North Piney elk winter
feedground (T31N, R114W) containing
PO 00000
Frm 00114
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
approximately 1,080 acres; and the
Black Butte elk winter feedground (T36–
37N, R114W) containing approximately
320 acres.
Signs will be posted at key locations
that provide access into the closure
areas. Additional information and maps
will be available at the Pinedale Field
Office, 1625 West Pine, Pinedale,
Wyoming 82941.
Seasonal closure orders may be
implemented as provided in 43 CFR,
subparts 8341.2 and 8364.1. Violations
of this closure are punishable by a fine
not to exceed $1000.00, and/or
imprisonment not to exceed 12 months.
Chuck Otto,
Pinedale Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. E8–30952 Filed 12–29–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural
Items: Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of
Anthropology, University of California,
Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice is here given in accordance
with the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act,
(NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3005, of the intent
to repatriate cultural items in the
possession of the Phoebe A. Hearst
Museum of Anthropology, University of
California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, that
meet the definition of ‘‘sacred objects’’
under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service’s administrative
responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25
U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). The determinations
in this notice are the sole responsibility
of the museum, institution, or Federal
agency that has control of the cultural
items. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in
this notice.
In April 1952, seven cultural items
were removed by Gordon L. Grosscup
from a cave described in museum
documents as ‘‘Prayer Cave, NV–Ly–3.’’
Mr. Grosscup donated the cultural items
to the museum later that same year. The
seven cultural items are four ‘‘Prayer
Sticks’’ (catalog number 2–28953); one
‘‘For-shaft of dart’’ (catalog number 2–
28954); one lot of fragments described
as ‘‘White paint?’’ (catalog number 2–
28955); and one item described as a
‘‘Stick, charred at one end’’ (catalog
number 2–28956).
E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM
30DEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 250 (Tuesday, December 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79900-79902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30883]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWO300000.L91310000.PP000]
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision and Approved
Resource Management Plan Amendments for Geothermal Leasing in the
Western United States
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 202 of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on
Environmental Quality's regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500-
1508), and applicable agency guidance, the Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the
Record of Decision (ROD) and Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP)
Amendments for geothermal leasing in the western United States (U.S.).
The decision is hereby made to amend 114 BLM land use plans covering
public lands managed by the BLM under the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) in order to allocate about 111 million
acres of BLM-administered lands as open to geothermal leasing and to
adopt a reasonably foreseeable development scenario, stipulations, best
management practices (BMPs), and leasing procedures for geothermal
resources within the 11 western states and Alaska. The Assistant
Secretary, Land and Minerals Management, in the Department of the
Interior signed the ROD on December 17, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack G. Peterson, BLM Project Manager
at (208) 373-4048 (Jack_G_Peterson@blm.gov), BLM, 1387 S. Vinnell
Way, Boise, Idaho 83706 or visit the PEIS Web site at https://
www.blm.gov/Geothermal_EIS.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the ROD and Approved RMP Amendments are available
for review via the Internet from a link at https://www.blm.gov/
Geothermal_EIS, as well as at BLM State Offices and Field Offices.
Copies may also be obtained by contacting Jack G. Peterson at the
address and phone number listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ROD and Approved RMP Amendments for
geothermal leasing in the western U.S. was developed through
preparation of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
(PEIS) on Geothermal Leasing in the Western United States. The NOA of
the Final PEIS was published in the Federal Register on October 24,
2008 (73 FR 63430). The elements of the ROD and Approved RMP Amendments
were evaluated through this PEIS, which was prepared in accordance with
NEPA and FLPMA. Alternative B was identified as the Proposed Action in
the Draft PEIS. As a result of public comment, internal review, and
agency coordination, Alternative B was clarified and slightly modified
to become the preferred alternative and proposed to amend 122 plans in
the Final PEIS. The Approved RMP Amendments are identical to the
proposed plan amendments presented in the Final PEIS except that the
East San Diego County RMP has been removed from the list of plans for
amendment because in October 2008 the BLM issued a ROD revising the RMP
to include allocations and management for geothermal resources. In
addition, the BLM is deferring the decision to amend the Box Elder RMP,
House Range Resource Area RMP, Iso-tract Management Framework Plan
(MFP), Park City RMP, Pony Express RMP, Randolph RMP, and Warm Springs
Resource Area RMP in accordance with the provisions of the National
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA Sec. 2815 [a and d], 113 Stat. 512,
852 [1999]). Based on these changes, the decision is to amend 114 BLM
land use plans to adopt the allocations, reasonably foreseeable
development scenario, stipulations, BMPs, and leasing procedures
provided in Alternative B of the PEIS.
In accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the ROD/Approved
RMP Amendments facilitates geothermal leasing of the Federal mineral
estate that has geothermal potential in the 11 western states and
Alaska. In the ROD and Approved RMP Amendments, the BLM: (1) Identifies
public lands with geothermal potential as being legally and
administratively open or closed to leasing, and under what conditions;
(2) provides a reasonably foreseeable development scenario; (3)
develops a comprehensive list of stipulations, BMPs, and procedures to
serve as consistent guidance for future geothermal leasing; and (4)
provides information that the Forest Service (FS) can use to facilitate
making consent determinations for any lease decisions on National
Forest System lands. The Final PEIS also provided analysis on 19
specific pending lease applications located in seven geographic areas.
This ROD/Approved RMP Amendments does not issue a decision for these
applications. Separate RODs will be issued for the applications as the
environmental review process is complete.
Over 530 million acres of the western U.S. and Alaska have been
identified as potentially containing geothermal resources suitable for
commercial electrical generation and other direct uses, such as
heating. Much of the resource base is held in the Federal mineral
estate, for which the BLM has the delegated authority for processing
and issuing geothermal leases. The BLM is prohibited from issuing
leases on statutorily closed lands (see 43 CFR 3201.11), including
Wilderness Areas, Wilderness Study Areas, lands contained in a unit of
the National Park System, National Recreation Areas,
[[Page 79901]]
Indian trust or restricted lands, and the Island Park Geothermal Areas
(around the border of Yellowstone National Park). Other areas closed to
leasing by existing laws, regulations, and Executive Orders include
National Monuments and designated wild rivers under the Wild and Scenic
Rivers Act.
Under the ROD/Approved RMP Amendments, the BLM also applies
discretionary closures to: (1) Areas of Critical Environmental Concern
where the BLM determines that geothermal leasing and development would
be incompatible with the purposes for which the ACEC was designated, or
that have management plans that expressly preclude new leasing; (2)
National Conservation Areas, except the California Desert Conservation
Area; and (3) other lands in the BLM's National Landscape Conservation
System, such as historic and scenic trails.
Approximately 143 million acres of public (BLM) lands and 104
million acres of National Forest System lands have geothermal
potential. The ROD/Approved RMP Amendments identifies approximately 111
million acres of public lands as available to potential geothermal
leasing subject to existing laws, regulations, formal orders,
stipulations attached to the lease form, and terms and conditions of
the standard lease form. To protect special resource values, the BLM
has developed a comprehensive list of stipulations, conditions of
approval, and BMPs.
As noted above, the BLM manages the public lands pursuant to FLPMA.
Under FLPMA, in order for geothermal resource leasing and development
to take place on the public lands that BLM manages, such activities
must be provided for in the land use plan (also termed RMP) for the
affected administrative unit. Under the ROD/Approved RMP Amendments,
the BLM amends 114 RMPs to adopt the allocations, reasonably
foreseeable development scenario, stipulations, BMPs, and procedures
analyzed in the PEIS. In most cases, the BLM will be able to issue
geothermal leases on the basis of the analysis contained in this
document. The FS will use the PEIS to facilitate subsequent consent
decisions for leasing on National Forest System lands. The following
BLM RMPs and MFPs are amended with this ROD:
Table 1--BLM Land Use Plans Proposed for Amendment Under the PEIS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Land use plan(s)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska................................ Central Yukon RMP
Kobuk-Seward RMP
Ring of Fire RMP
Arizona............................... Arizona Strip RMP
Kingman RMP
Lake Havasu RMP
Lower Gila North MFP
Lower Gila South RMP
Phoenix RMP
Safford RMP
Yuma RMP
California............................ Alturas RMP
Arcata RMP
Bishop RMP
Caliente RMP
Cedar Creek/Tule Mountain
Integrated RMP
Eagle Lake RMP
Headwaters RMP
Hollister RMP
Redding RMP
S. Diablo Mountain Range and
Central Coast RMP
South Coast RMP
Surprise RMP
West Mojave RMP
Colorado.............................. Glenwood Springs RMP
Grand Junction RMP
Gunnison RMP
Kremmling RMP
Little Snake RMP
Northeast RMP
Royal Gorge RMP
San Juan/San Miguel RMP
Uncompahgre Basin RMP
White River RMP
Idaho................................. Bennett Hills/Timmerman Hills
MFP
Big Desert MFP
Big Lost MFP
Bruneau MFP
Cascade RMP
Cassia RMP
Challis RMP
Chief Joseph MFP
Jarbidge RMP
Kuna MFP
Lemhi RMP
Little Lost-Birch MFP
Magic MFP
Malad MFP
Medicine Lodge RMP
Monument RMP
Owyhee RMP
Pocatello RMP
Sun Valley MFP
Twin Falls MFP
Montana............................... Big Dry RMP
Billings Resource Area RMP
Dillon RMP
Garnet Resource Area RMP
Judith Valley Phillips RMP
North Headwaters RMP
Powder River Resource Area RMP
West HiLine RMP
Nevada................................ Carson City Consolidated RMP
Elko RMP
Las Vegas RMP
Paradise-Denio MFP
Shoshone-Eureka RMP
Sonoma-Gerlach MFP
Tonopah RMP
Wells RMP
New Mexico............................ Carlsbad RMP
Farmington RMP
MacGregor Range RMP
Mimbres RMP
Rio Puerco RMP
Roswell RMP
Socorro RMP
Taos RMP
White Sands RMP
Oregon................................ Brothers/LaPine RMP
Eugene District RMP
John Day River RMP
John Day RMP
Lower Deschutes RMP
Medford RMP
Roseburg RMP
Salem RMP
Three Rivers RMP
Two Rivers RMP
Utah.................................. Book Cliffs MFP
Cedar Beaver Garfield Antimony
RMP
Diamond Mountain RMP
Henry Mountain MFP
Mountain Valley MFP
Paria MFP
Parker Mountain MFP
Pinyon MFP
St. George (formerly Dixie) RMP
Vermilion MFP
Zion MFP
Washington............................ Spokane RMP
Wyoming............................... Big Horn Basin RMP
Buffalo RMP
Cody RMP
Grass Creek RMP
Great Divide RMP
Green River RMP
Kemmerer RMP
Lander RMP
Newcastle RMP
Pinedale RMP
Platte River RMP
Snake River RMP
Waskakie RMP
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public involvement in preparation of the Geothermal Leasing PEIS
was extensive, as documented in the PEIS and the ROD. Results of the
60-day Governors' Consistency Review of the PEIS, as required by BLM
planning regulations, were favorable in that none
[[Page 79902]]
of the Governors objected to the proposed plan amendments.
Michael D. Nedd,
Assistant Director, Minerals and Realty Management, Bureau of Land
Management.
[FR Doc. E8-30883 Filed 12-29-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P