Notice of Availability of the Proposed John Day Basin Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement, Oregon., 23747-23749 [2012-9502]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 77 / Friday, April 20, 2012 / Notices
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
protection of serpentine habitat.
General minimization measures will
include:
• Limiting staging and work areas to
the project site only, or to existing
paved roads,
• Removal of all food-related trash
every 3 days,
• Prohibiting pets from the project
site during construction,
• Restricting ground disturbance to
the period of July 1 through
November 30 (generally the dry
season), unless we authorize
otherwise, and
• Maintenance of all equipment to
avoid fluid leaks.
The applicant proposes to build a
0.60-acre residential home, which
includes the single-family residence,
detached garage, landscaped area,
underground water line, and driveway.
This development will be at the top of
the property. There will be an
additional septic system and septic
leach field area of approximately 0.80
acre slightly west and downslope from
the residence. Neither the residence nor
the leach field area will directly affect
serpentine species, but could result in
indirect effects.
Alternatives
Our proposed action is approving the
applicant’s Plan and issuance of an
incidental take permit for the
applicant’s covered activities. As
required by the Act, the applicant’s Plan
considers alternatives to the take under
the proposed action. The Plan considers
the environmental consequences of one
alternative to the proposed action, the
No Action Alternative. Under the No
Action Alternative, we would not issue
a permit; the applicant would not build
the proposed single-family residence;
the project area would continue to
experience illegal off-road vehicle use,
illegal trash dumping, and trespassing;
and no take would occur for the
construction of the residence and its
associated structures. For these reasons,
the No-Action Alternative has been
rejected.
Under the Proposed Action
Alternative, we would issue an
incidental take permit for the
applicant’s proposed project, which
includes the activities described above.
The Proposed Action Alternative would
result in permanent loss of 1.40 acres of
grassland habitat for the Bay
checkerspot butterfly, Santa Clara
Valley dudleya, and most beautiful
jewelflower. To mitigate for these
effects, the applicant proposes to
protect, enhance, and manage in
perpetuity 2.5 acres of on-site
serpentine grassland.
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National Environmental Policy Act
As described in our EAS, we have
made the preliminary determination
that approval of the proposed Plan and
issuance of the permit would qualify as
a categorical exclusion under NEPA (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), as provided by
Federal regulations (40 CFR part 1500,
5(k), 1507.3(b)(2), 1508.4) and the
Department of the Interior Manual (516
DM 2 and 516 DM 8). Our EAS found
that the proposed plan qualifies as a
‘‘low-effect’’ habitat conservation plan,
as defined by our Habitat Conservation
Planning Handbook (November 1996).
Determination of low-effect habitat
conservation plans is based on the
following three criteria: (1)
Implementation of the proposed plan
would result in minor or negligible
effects on federally-listed, proposed,
and candidate species and their
habitats; (2) implementation of the
proposed plan would result in minor or
negligible effects on other
environmental values or resources; and
(3) impacts of the plan, considered
together with the impacts of other past,
present, and reasonably foreseeable
similarly situated projects, would not
result, over time, in cumulative effects
to environmental values or resources
that would be considered significant.
Based upon the preliminary
determinations in the EAS, we do not
intend to prepare further NEPA
documentation. We will consider public
comments when making the final
determination on whether to prepare an
additional NEPA document on the
proposed action.
Public Comments
We request data, comments, new
information, or suggestions from the
public, other concerned governmental
agencies, the scientific community,
Tribes, industry, or any other interested
party on this notice. We particularly
seek comments on the following:
1. Biological information concerning
the species;
2. Relevant data concerning the
species;
3. Additional information concerning
the range, distribution, population size,
and population trends of the species;
4. Current or planned activities in the
subject area and their possible impacts
on the species;
5. The presence of archeological sites,
buildings and structures, historic
events, sacred and traditional areas, and
other historic preservation concerns,
which are required to be considered in
project planning by the National
Historic Preservation Act; and
6. Identification of any other
environmental issues that should be
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23747
considered with regard to the proposed
development and permit action.
Authority
We provide this notice pursuant to
section 10(c) of the Act and the NEPA
public-involvement regulations (40 CFR
1500.1(b), 1500.2(d), and 1506.6). We
will evaluate the permit application,
including the Plan, and comments we
receive to determine whether the
application meets the requirements of
section 10(a) of the Act. If the
requirements are met, we will issue a
permit to the applicant for the
incidental take of the Bay checkerspot
butterfly, Santa Clara Valley dudleya,
and most beautiful jewelflower from the
implementation of the covered activities
described in the Low-Effect Habitat
Conservation Plan for the Bay
Checkerspot Butterfly and Serpentine
Grasslands, City of San Jose, Santa Clara
County, California. We will make the
final permit decision no sooner than 30
days after the date of this notice.
Dated: April 13, 2012.
Susan Moore,
Field Supervisor, Sacramento Fish and
Wildlife Office, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2012–9543 Filed 4–19–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLORP0000.16100000.DQ0000
LXSS053H0000 HAG10–0234]
Notice of Availability of the Proposed
John Day Basin Resource
Management Plan and Final
Environmental Impact Statement,
Oregon.
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
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 Proposed Resource Management Plan
(RMP)/Final Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the John Day Basin
planning area and by this notice is
announcing its availability.
DATES: The BLM planning regulations
state that any person who meets the
conditions as described in the
regulations may protest the BLM’s
Proposed RMP/Final EIS. A person who
meets the conditions and files a protest
must file the protest within 30 days of
the date that the Environmental
SUMMARY:
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tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
23748
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 77 / Friday, April 20, 2012 / Notices
Protection Agency publishes its notice
in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the John Day
Basin Proposed RMP/Final EIS have
been sent to affected Federal, State, and
local government agencies and to other
stakeholders, organizations, agencies
and interested parties on the John Day
Basin Resource Management Plan (RMP)
mailing list. Copies of the Proposed
RMP/Final EIS are available for public
inspection at the Prineville Field Office
during regular business hours (7:45 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except holidays) at 3050 NE 3rd Street,
Prineville, Oregon 97754. Interested
persons may also review the Proposed
RMP/Final EIS on the Internet at https://
www.blm.gov/or/districts/prineville/
plans/johndayrmp/jdbdocuments.php.
All protests must be in writing and
mailed to one of the following
addresses:
Regular Mail: Director (210), Attn:
Brenda Hudgens-Williamsm, P.O. Box
71383, Washington, DC 20024–1383.
Overnight Mail: Director (210), Attn:
Brenda Hudgens-Williams, 20 M Street
SE., Room 2134LM, Washington, DC
20003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information, contact Monte Kuk,
John Day Basin RMP Project Leader,
BLM Prineville Field Office, 3050 NE
3rd Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754;
telephone (541) 416–6700; email
John_Day_Basin_RMP@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: 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. Prior to this plan, the
public land in this area was managed
under three RMPs, which 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. In 2001, the John Day
River Plan amended portions of all three
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,
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Jkt 226001
congressional designation of the Spring
Basin Wilderness, 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. In March 2006, the BLM
hosted 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.
Throughout the planning process the
BLM maintained updated wilderness
characteristics inventories for all lands
outside of areas designated as
Wilderness or Wilderness Study Areas
(WSA) to determine lands with
wilderness characteristics (LWCs) in the
planning area. After publication of the
Draft RMP in October 2008, the BLM
hosted a series of open houses
throughout Oregon to present proposed
actions in the Draft RMP and gather
public comment. Public comments were
accepted from October 30, 2008, to
January 29, 2009. Comments were
submitted via U.S. mail, direct email,
email generated from the planning Web
page, orally at open houses, and via
telephone.
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.
Comments on the Draft RMP/Draft EIS
received from the public, John Day/
Snake Resource Advisory Council, John
Day Basin RMP Cooperating Agencies,
and internal BLM review were
considered and incorporated as
appropriate into the proposed plan.
Public comments resulted in the
addition of clarifying text, but did not
significantly change proposed land use
plan decisions.
The Proposed RMP/Final EIS analyzes
five alternatives. Alternative 1 (no
action) would continue the current
management goals, objectives, and
direction specified in the existing RMPs.
Alternative 2 (Proposed Resource
Management Plan) would provide a mix
of recreational opportunities, economic
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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) Provides management protection of
wilderness characteristics on 19,442 of
the 35,457 acres identified as Lands
with Wilderness Characteristics, and a
determination that management for
other resource considerations is more
appropriate on the remaining 16,015
acres;
(g) Use of ‘‘appropriate response’’
rather than full suppression of all
wildfires;
(h) A process for addressing permit/
lease relinquishment for grazing
allotments; and
(i) Wild and Scenic River suitability
recommendation for 37 miles of the
North Fork River.
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 amount of LWC
protected, the number and
classifications of river segments deemed
suitable for inclusion in the National
Wild and Scenic River System, and the
number of acres where livestock grazing
is permitted.
The BLM Proposed RMP (Alternative
2) and Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 (the
Action Alternatives) propose immediate
designation of five new Areas of Critical
Environmental Concern (ACEC), totaling
62,407 acres. This total includes the
1,153-acre expansion of the existing
Horn Butte ACEC.
The largest of the new 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 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 leasable minerals, a No
Surface Occupancy (NSO) stipulation
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 77 / Friday, April 20, 2012 / Notices
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. Use
limitations associated with this ACEC
where it does not overlap with the
Sutton Mountain WSA would be similar
except for an NSO stipulation for
mineral leasing, and other special
stipulations for developments for
energy, communication sites, and rightsof-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 for this
proposed ACEC include exclusion of
livestock grazing, closure to off-highway
motorized vehicles, an NSO stipulation
for mineral leasing, closure to salable
mineral, energy and communication site
development, and exclusion of rights-ofway. The proposed plan would also add
1,153 acres to the existing 5,999-acre
Horn Butte ACEC to protect Washington
ground squirrel habitat. Use limitations
for the expanded Horn Butte ACEC
include management to VRM II
standards, prohibition of mechanical
noxious weed control in Fourmile
Canyon, an 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
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
proposed plan also eliminates 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 Proposed RMP/Final EIS.
Instructions for filing a protest with
the Director of the BLM regarding the
Proposed RMP/Final EIS may be found
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Jkt 226001
in the ‘‘Dear Reader’’ letter of the John
Day Basin Proposed RMP/Final EIS and
at 43 CFR 1610.5–2. Emailed and faxed
protests will not be accepted as valid
protests unless the protesting party also
provides the original letter by either
regular or overnight mail postmarked by
the close of the protest period. Under
these conditions, the BLM will consider
the emailed or faxed protest as an
advanced copy and it will receive full
consideration. If you wish to provide
the BLM with such advance
notification, please direct faxed protests
to the attention of the BLM protest
coordinator at 202–912–7212, and
emails to
Brenda_Hudgens_Williams@blm.gov.
All protests, including the follow-up
letter to emails or faxes, must be in
writing and mailed to the appropriate
address as set forth in the ADDRESSES
section above.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
protest, you should be aware that your
entire protest—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 and 1506.10 43
CFR 1610.2 and 1610.5.
Edward W. Shepard,
State Director, Oregon/Washington.
[FR Doc. 2012–9502 Filed 4–19–12; 8:45 am]
23749
A copy of the plats may be
obtained from the Land Office at the
Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/
Washington State Office, 333 SW. 1st
Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204, upon
required payment. A person or party
who wishes to protest against a survey
must file a notice that they wish to
protest (at the above address) with the
Oregon/Washington State Director,
Bureau of Land Management, Portland,
Oregon.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kyle
Hensley, (503) 808–6124, Branch of
Geographic Sciences, Bureau of Land
Management, 333 SW. 1st Avenue,
Portland, Oregon 97204. 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: Before
including your address, phone number,
email 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.
ADDRESSES:
BILLING CODE 4310–33–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[FR Doc. 2012–9570 Filed 4–19–12; 8:45 am]
Bureau of Land Management
BILLING CODE 4310–33–P
[LLOR957000–L63100000–HD0000: HAG12–
0168]
Filing of Plats of Survey: Oregon/
Washington
AGENCY:
Timothy J. Moore,
Acting Chief, Cadastral Surveyor of Oregon/
Washington.
Bureau of Land Management,
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWO620000.L18200000.XH0000]
Interior.
Notice.
Call for Nominations for Resource
Advisory Councils
The plats of survey of the
following described lands are scheduled
to be officially filed in the Bureau of
Land Management Oregon/Washington
State Office, Portland, Oregon, 30 days
from the date of this publication.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY:
WILLAMETTE MERIDIAN
Oregon
T. 12 S., R. 2 E., accepted April 6, 2012
T. 27 S., R. 12 W., accepted April 12, 2012
T. 39 S., R. 3 E., accepted April 12, 2012
T. 28 S., R. 11 W., accepted April 12, 2012
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Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
The purpose of this notice is
to reopen the request for public
nominations for certain Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) Resource Advisory
Councils (RAC) that have member terms
expiring this year. These RACs provide
advice and recommendations to the
BLM on land use planning and
management of the National System of
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 77 (Friday, April 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23747-23749]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9502]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLORP0000.16100000.DQ0000 LXSS053H0000 HAG10-0234]
Notice of Availability of the Proposed John Day Basin Resource
Management Plan and Final 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 Proposed Resource Management
Plan (RMP)/Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the John Day
Basin planning area and by this notice is announcing its availability.
DATES: The BLM planning regulations state that any person who meets the
conditions as described in the regulations may protest the BLM's
Proposed RMP/Final EIS. A person who meets the conditions and files a
protest must file the protest within 30 days of the date that the
Environmental
[[Page 23748]]
Protection Agency publishes its notice in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the John Day Basin Proposed RMP/Final EIS have
been sent to affected Federal, State, and local government agencies and
to other stakeholders, organizations, agencies and interested parties
on the John Day Basin Resource Management Plan (RMP) mailing list.
Copies of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS are available for public
inspection at the Prineville Field Office during regular business hours
(7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays) at
3050 NE 3rd Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754. Interested persons may
also review the Proposed RMP/Final EIS on the Internet at https://www.blm.gov/or/districts/prineville/plans/johndayrmp/jdbdocuments.php.
All protests must be in writing and mailed to one of the following
addresses:
Regular Mail: Director (210), Attn: Brenda Hudgens-Williamsm, P.O.
Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024-1383.
Overnight Mail: Director (210), Attn: Brenda Hudgens-Williams, 20 M
Street SE., Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, contact Monte
Kuk, John Day Basin RMP Project Leader, BLM Prineville Field Office,
3050 NE 3rd Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754; telephone (541) 416-6700;
email John_Day_Basin_RMP@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: 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. Prior to this plan, the public land in this area
was managed under three RMPs, which 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. In 2001, the
John Day River Plan amended portions of all three 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, congressional designation
of the Spring Basin Wilderness, 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. In March
2006, the BLM hosted 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. Throughout the planning process the BLM
maintained updated wilderness characteristics inventories for all lands
outside of areas designated as Wilderness or Wilderness Study Areas
(WSA) to determine lands with wilderness characteristics (LWCs) in the
planning area. After publication of the Draft RMP in October 2008, the
BLM hosted a series of open houses throughout Oregon to present
proposed actions in the Draft RMP and gather public comment. Public
comments were accepted from October 30, 2008, to January 29, 2009.
Comments were submitted via U.S. mail, direct email, email generated
from the planning Web page, orally at open houses, and via telephone.
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.
Comments on the Draft RMP/Draft EIS received from the public, John
Day/Snake Resource Advisory Council, John Day Basin RMP Cooperating
Agencies, and internal BLM review were considered and incorporated as
appropriate into the proposed plan. Public comments resulted in the
addition of clarifying text, but did not significantly change proposed
land use plan decisions.
The Proposed RMP/Final EIS analyzes five alternatives. Alternative
1 (no action) would continue the current management goals, objectives,
and direction specified in the existing RMPs. Alternative 2 (Proposed
Resource Management Plan) 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) Provides management protection of wilderness characteristics on
19,442 of the 35,457 acres identified as Lands with Wilderness
Characteristics, and a determination that management for other resource
considerations is more appropriate on the remaining 16,015 acres;
(g) Use of ``appropriate response'' rather than full suppression of
all wildfires;
(h) A process for addressing permit/lease relinquishment for
grazing allotments; and
(i) Wild and Scenic River suitability recommendation for 37 miles
of the North Fork River.
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 amount of LWC protected, the number and classifications of river
segments deemed suitable for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic
River System, and the number of acres where livestock grazing is
permitted.
The BLM Proposed RMP (Alternative 2) and Alternatives 3, 4, and 5
(the Action Alternatives) propose immediate designation of five new
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), totaling 62,407 acres.
This total includes the 1,153-acre expansion of the existing Horn Butte
ACEC.
The largest of the new 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 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 leasable minerals, a No Surface Occupancy (NSO)
stipulation
[[Page 23749]]
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. Use
limitations associated with this ACEC where it does not overlap with
the Sutton Mountain WSA would be similar except for an NSO stipulation
for mineral leasing, and other special stipulations for 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
for this proposed ACEC include exclusion of livestock grazing, closure
to off-highway motorized vehicles, an NSO stipulation for mineral
leasing, closure to salable mineral, energy and communication site
development, and exclusion of rights-of-way. The proposed plan would
also add 1,153 acres to the existing 5,999-acre Horn Butte ACEC to
protect Washington ground squirrel habitat. Use limitations for the
expanded Horn Butte ACEC include management to VRM II standards,
prohibition of mechanical noxious weed control in Fourmile Canyon, an
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 proposed plan also eliminates 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 Proposed RMP/Final EIS.
Instructions for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM
regarding the Proposed RMP/Final EIS may be found in the ``Dear
Reader'' letter of the John Day Basin Proposed RMP/Final EIS and at 43
CFR 1610.5-2. Emailed and faxed protests will not be accepted as valid
protests unless the protesting party also provides the original letter
by either regular or overnight mail postmarked by the close of the
protest period. Under these conditions, the BLM will consider the
emailed or faxed protest as an advanced copy and it will receive full
consideration. If you wish to provide the BLM with such advance
notification, please direct faxed protests to the attention of the BLM
protest coordinator at 202-912-7212, and emails to Brenda_Hudgens_Williams@blm.gov. All protests, including the follow-up letter to
emails or faxes, must be in writing and mailed to the appropriate
address as set forth in the ADDRESSES section above.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your protest, you should be
aware that your entire protest--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 and 1506.10 43 CFR 1610.2 and 1610.5.
Edward W. Shepard,
State Director, Oregon/Washington.
[FR Doc. 2012-9502 Filed 4-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-P
