Notice of Intent To Prepare an Amendment to the 1985 Wells Resource Management Plan for Recreation in the Spruce Mountain Area and Associated Environmental Assessment, Nevada, 41814 [2011-17787]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 136 (Friday, July 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 41814]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17787]



[[Page 41814]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVE03000 L12200000.DU0000.241A; 11-08807; MO 4500018892; 
TAS:14X1109]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Amendment to the 1985 Wells 
Resource Management Plan for Recreation in the Spruce Mountain Area and 
Associated Environmental Assessment, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wells Field 
Office, Elko, Nevada, is proposing to amend the 1985 Wells Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) for recreation in the Spruce Mountain Area and 
prepare an associated Environmental Assessment (EA). By this notice, 
the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit 
public comments and identify issues associated with this proposed 
action.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the 
amendment to the Wells RMP and associated EA. Comments on issues may be 
submitted until August 29, 2011. The date(s) and location(s) of any 
scoping meeting(s) to be held within the 45-day scoping period, will be 
announced at least 30 days in advance through local news media outlets, 
mailings to interested individuals, and on the BLM Elko Web site at: 
https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/elko_field_office.html. The BLM will 
provide additional opportunities for public participation and comment 
upon publication of the EA. Comments may be submitted in writing to the 
address listed below. Associated planning documents may be viewed on 
the BLM Elko Web site, or may be requested in a printed or electronic 
copy format by contacting the Wells Field Office at the address and 
phone number listed below.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to the proposed amendment to the Wells RMP and associated EA by 
any of the following methods:
     E-mail: spruce_wells_EA@blm.gov.
     Fax: (775) 753-0255.
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Spruce Mountain Area 
Planning, Wells Field Office, 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, Nevada 89801.

Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Elko 
District Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to a mailing list contact Tamara Hawthorne, Outdoor 
Recreation Planner, BLM, 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801, phone 
(775) 753-0356, or e-mail tamara_hawthorne@blm.gov. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above 
individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours 
a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above 
individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This plan amendment and associated EA will 
address recreation management in the Spruce Mountain Area, which 
encompasses 464,217 acres of public land that is within the Nevada 
Department of Wildlife Hunt Unit 105. The BLM proposes to change the 
off-highway vehicle (OHV) designation within the Spruce Mountain Area 
from the existing ``open'' designation of unrestricted cross-country 
travel for OHV use to a ``limited'' OHV designation. A total of 1,799 
miles of roads have been inventoried within the Spruce Mountain Area. A 
designation for OHV use in the area would be limited to only those 
routes that are designated through this process, but could include the 
following types of limitations: Mode of travel, time or season of use, 
vehicle type, and administrative use. A Notice of Travel Restriction to 
Off Road Vehicles is in effect for this area until new land use 
planning is completed and a record of decision is issued (71 FR 
77:20725, April 21, 2006). The BLM is also proposing to designate the 
Spruce Mountain Area as an Extensive Recreation Management Area (ERMA), 
which will also be evaluated in the EA. Management actions in an ERMA 
would allow for motorized and non-motorized recreation opportunities, 
while also interpreting and protecting valuable cultural sites; 
protecting crucial mule deer and sage grouse habitat; and providing for 
visitor health and safety. The environmental analysis will include 
other recreation management issues that relate to cultural, historic, 
and wildlife resources.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, 
including alternatives, and guide the process for developing the EA. At 
present, the BLM has identified the following issues: Recreation; 
historic mining sites; wildlife habitat fragmentation; abandoned mine 
lands; public safety; and existing grazing uses.
    The BLM will use and coordinate the NEPA process with the public 
involvement process under Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) as provided for in 36 CFR 
800.2(d)(3). Native American Tribal consultations will be conducted in 
accordance with policy, and Tribal concerns will be given due 
consideration, including impacts on Indian trust assets. Federal, 
state, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that may be 
interested or affected by the BLM's decision on this project are 
invited to participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may 
request or be requested by the BLM to participate as a cooperating 
agency.
    The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan 
in order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns 
identified. Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines 
will be involved in the planning process: Rangeland management, 
minerals and geology, forestry, outdoor recreation, archaeology, 
paleontology, wildlife and fisheries, lands and realty, hydrology, 
soils, sociology and economics.
    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.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2

Bryan K. Fuell,
Manager, Wells Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2011-17787 Filed 7-14-11; 8:45 am]
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