Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Wild Horse Eco-Sanctuary in Elko County, Nevada, and an Associated Resource Management Plan Amendment for the Wells Field Office, 49015-49016 [2012-20022]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 158 / Wednesday, August 15, 2012 / Notices
Public Availability of Comments
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.
Dated: July 26, 2012.
Joy E. Nicholopoulos,
Regional Director, Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2012–19891 Filed 8–14–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVE030000.L10600000.DI0000 241A; 12–
08807; MO# 4500035685; TAS: 14X1109]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
Proposed Wild Horse Eco-Sanctuary in
Elko County, Nevada, and an
Associated Resource Management
Plan Amendment for the Wells Field
Office
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) Wells Field
Office, Elko, Nevada, intends to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) and an associated Resource
Management Plan (RMP) amendment for
a proposed privately operated wild
horse eco-sanctuary and by this notice,
is announcing the beginning of the
scoping process to solicit public
comments and identify issues.
DATES: This notice initiates the public
scoping process for the EIS and
associated RMP amendment. Comments
on issues may be submitted until
September 14, 2012. The date(s) and
location(s) of any scoping meetings will
be announced at least 15 days in
advance through local news media,
mailings to interested individuals, and
the BLM Elko District Web site at:
https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/
elko_field_office.html. In order to be
included in the analysis, all comments
must be received prior to the close of
the 30-day scoping period or 15 days
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:49 Aug 14, 2012
Jkt 226001
after the last public meeting, whichever
is later. The BLM will provide
additional opportunities for public
participation as appropriate.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on issues and planning criteria related
to the EIS and RMP amendment by any
of the following methods:
• Email:
EcoSanctuaryComments@blm.gov
• Fax: 775–753–0255
• Mail: Bureau of Land Management,
Wild Horse Sanctuary RMP
Amendment, Wells Field Office, 3900 E.
Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined at the BLM Elko
District Office, 3900 E. Idaho Street,
Elko, Nevada, during regular business
hours of 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except holidays.
Pertinent documents are also available
on-line at: https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/
fo/elko_field_office.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information or to have your
name added to our mailing list, contact
Judy May, resource assistant, BLM
Wells Field Office, telephone: 775–753–
0267; address: 3900 East Idaho Street,
Elko, NV 89801; email: jmay@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
document provides notice that the BLM
Wells Field Office, Elko, Nevada,
intends to prepare an EIS with an
associated RMP amendment to the
Wells RMP, and announces the
beginning of the scoping process and
seeks public input on issues and
planning criteria. The planning area is
located in Elko County, Nevada, and
encompasses approximately 510,000
acres of public land. The organization
Saving America’s Mustangs (SAM)
proposes to establish a privately
operated eco-sanctuary to accommodate
up to 900 non-reproducing wild horses
(all one sex or sterilized) on a mixture
of public and private lands in Elko
County, Nevada, about 25 miles
southeast of Wells. The proposed ecosanctuary is in response to the BLM’s
request for applications for funding
(Funding Opportunity L11AS0043) to
assist in the development of a Wild
Horse Partnership for an Eco-Sanctuary
on Public and Private Land.
Preliminarily, the BLM expects that the
PO 00000
Frm 00068
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
49015
EIS will address the impacts of the
proposed eco-sanctuary and reasonable
alternatives to that proposal, and an
RMP amendment that may: (1) Adjust
the boundaries and management
objectives of existing wild horse herd
management areas (HMAs) within or
near the proposed eco-sanctuary; and (2)
reduce and potentially eliminate
livestock grazing within the portion of
the Spruce Allotment east of Highway
93. 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 EIS. At present, the BLM
has identified the following preliminary
issues:
(a) Potential effects to archaeological
resources.
(b) Potential effects to greater sagegrouse and other sensitive species.
(c) Potential effects to important elk,
mule deer, and other wildlife habitats.
(d) Ability to meet standards for
rangeland health.
(e) Ability to manage healthy wild
horse populations within the ecosanctuary.
(f) Ability to provide public access for
recreational purposes.
(g) Potential effects of reducing public
lands available for livestock grazing.
(h) Ability to manage nonreproducing herd.
Preliminary planning criteria for the
RMP amendment include:
1. Any amendment to the Wells RMP
will comply with FLPMA (43 U.S.C
1701) and the BLM’s land use planning
regulations (43 CFR 1600).
2. Public participation would be
encouraged throughout the process. The
Wells Field Office managers and
interdisciplinary team members will
work cooperatively with the State of
Nevada, tribal governments, county and
municipal governments, other Federal
agencies, local resource advisory
councils, appellants, affected
permittees, and any other interested
groups, agencies, and individuals.
3. The EIS will comply with NEPA
(42 U.S.C. 4332 et seq.) and its
implementing regulations, as well as
other Federal regulations.
4. Any amendment to the Wells RMP
will appropriately recognize the State’s
authority to manage wildlife and water.
5. Any amendment to the Wells RMP
will recognize valid existing rights.
6. The State Historic Preservation
Officer (SHPO) will be consulted under
the NHPA and kept involved throughout
the planning process, consistent with
the National Programmatic Agreement
(February 2012) and the State of Nevada
Protocol Agreement between the BLM
E:\FR\FM\15AUN1.SGM
15AUN1
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
49016
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 158 / Wednesday, August 15, 2012 / Notices
and SHPO (revised February 2012).
Integration of the public involvement
provisions of the NHPA and NEPA will
follow the guidance in Washington
Office Instruction Memorandum 2012–
108.
7. The BLM will address
transportation and access within the
planning area, if appropriate, to meet
the objectives identified for the ecosanctuary.
8. Existing planning decisions in the
Wells RMP not modified by this
amendment would remain valid.
9. All proposed management
activities, including adjusting wild
horse levels would be based upon
current scientific information, and
research and technology, as well as
existing inventory and monitoring
information.
10. Adaptive management principles
will be used in development of the plan
amendment to provide management
direction if additional actions or
modified actions would be needed for
the protection of wild horses or the
sustainability of the land and its
resources.
You may submit comments on issues
and planning criteria in writing to the
BLM at any public scoping meeting, or
you may submit them to the BLM using
one of the methods listed in the
‘‘ADDRESSES’’ section above. You
should submit comments by the close of
the 30-day scoping period or within 15
days after the last public meeting,
whichever is later.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate
the NEPA public participation
requirements to assist the agency in
satisfying the public involvement
requirements under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470f) pursuant to 36
CFR 800.2(d)(3). The information about
historic and cultural resources within
the area potentially affected by the
proposed action will assist the BLM in
identifying and evaluating impacts to
such resources in the context of both
NEPA and Section 106 of the NHPA.
The BLM will consult with Indian
tribes on a government-to-government
basis in accordance with Executive
Order 13175 and other policies. Tribal
concerns, including impacts on Indian
trust assets and potential impacts to
cultural resources, will be given due
consideration. Federal, State, and local
agencies, along with tribes and other
stakeholders that may be interested in or
affected by the proposed action that the
BLM is evaluating, are invited to
participate in the scoping process and,
if eligible, may request or be requested
by the BLM to participate in the
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:49 Aug 14, 2012
Jkt 226001
development of the environmental
analysis as a cooperating agency.
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.
The minutes and list of attendees for
each scoping meeting will be available
to the public and open for 30 days after
the meeting to any participant who
wishes to clarify the views he or she
expressed.
The BLM will evaluate identified
issues to be addressed in the plan, and
will place them into one of three
categories:
1. Issues to be resolved in the plan
amendment;
2. Issues to be resolved through policy
or administrative action; or
3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan
amendment.
The BLM will provide an explanation
in the Draft EIS as to why an issue was
placed in category two or three. The
public is also encouraged to help
identify any management questions and
concerns that should be addressed in
the plan. The BLM will work
collaboratively with interested parties to
identify the management decisions that
are best suited to local, regional, and
national needs and concerns.
The BLM will use an interdisciplinary
approach to develop the plan
amendment 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: Wild
horse and burro, rangeland
management, outdoor recreation,
archaeology, wildlife and fisheries,
lands and realty, hydrology, soils,
sociology, and economics.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR
1610.2.
Bryan K. Fuell,
Manager,
Wells Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2012–20022 Filed 8–14–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLIDI02000–L16100000–DR0000–
LXSS050D0000]
Notice of Availability of Record of
Decision for the Pocatello Field Office
Resource Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) announces the
availability of the Record of Decision
(ROD)/Approved Resource Management
Plan (RMP) for the Pocatello Field
Office located in southeastern Idaho.
The Idaho State Director signed the ROD
on July 10, 2012, which constitutes the
final decision of the BLM and makes the
Approved RMP effective immediately.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD/
Approved RMP are available upon
request from the Field Manager,
Pocatello Field Office, Bureau of Land
Management, 4350 Cliffs Drive,
Pocatello, Idaho 83204 or at the
following Web site: https://www.blm.gov/
id/st/en/fo/pocatello/planning/
pocatello_resource.html. Copies of the
ROD/Approved RMP are available for
public inspection at the Pocatello Field
Office at the above address and the
Idaho State Office at 1387 S. Vinnell
Way, Boise, Idaho 83709.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Pacioretty, Field Manager, Bureau
of Land Management, Pocatello Field
Office; telephone 208–478–6340;
address 4350 Cliffs Drive, Pocatello,
Idaho 83204; email:
id_pocatello_fo@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
approved RMP was developed with
public participation through a
collaborative planning process in
accordance with the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976, as
amended, and the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended. The Approved RMP addresses
management of resources and resource
uses on approximately 618,300 acres of
public land in the Pocatello Field Office
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\15AUN1.SGM
15AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 158 (Wednesday, August 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49015-49016]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20022]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVE030000.L10600000.DI0000 241A; 12-08807; MO 4500035685;
TAS: 14X1109]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
Proposed Wild Horse Eco-Sanctuary in Elko County, Nevada, and an
Associated Resource Management Plan Amendment for the Wells Field
Office
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wells Field
Office, Elko, Nevada, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) and an associated Resource Management Plan (RMP)
amendment for a proposed privately operated wild horse eco-sanctuary
and by this notice, is announcing the beginning of the scoping process
to solicit public comments and identify issues.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS and
associated RMP amendment. Comments on issues may be submitted until
September 14, 2012. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings
will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local news media,
mailings to interested individuals, and the BLM Elko District Web site
at: https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/elko_field_office.html. In order
to be included in the analysis, all comments must be received prior to
the close of the 30-day scoping period or 15 days after the last public
meeting, whichever is later. The BLM will provide additional
opportunities for public participation as appropriate.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria
related to the EIS and RMP amendment by any of the following methods:
Email: EcoSanctuaryComments@blm.gov
Fax: 775-753-0255
Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Wild Horse Sanctuary RMP
Amendment, Wells Field Office, 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the BLM
Elko District Office, 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, Nevada, during
regular business hours of 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except holidays. Pertinent documents are also available on-line
at: https://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/elko_field_office.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have
your name added to our mailing list, contact Judy May, resource
assistant, BLM Wells Field Office, telephone: 775-753-0267; address:
3900 East Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801; email: jmay@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 document provides notice that the BLM
Wells Field Office, Elko, Nevada, intends to prepare an EIS with an
associated RMP amendment to the Wells RMP, and announces the beginning
of the scoping process and seeks public input on issues and planning
criteria. The planning area is located in Elko County, Nevada, and
encompasses approximately 510,000 acres of public land. The
organization Saving America's Mustangs (SAM) proposes to establish a
privately operated eco-sanctuary to accommodate up to 900 non-
reproducing wild horses (all one sex or sterilized) on a mixture of
public and private lands in Elko County, Nevada, about 25 miles
southeast of Wells. The proposed eco-sanctuary is in response to the
BLM's request for applications for funding (Funding Opportunity
L11AS0043) to assist in the development of a Wild Horse Partnership for
an Eco-Sanctuary on Public and Private Land. Preliminarily, the BLM
expects that the EIS will address the impacts of the proposed eco-
sanctuary and reasonable alternatives to that proposal, and an RMP
amendment that may: (1) Adjust the boundaries and management objectives
of existing wild horse herd management areas (HMAs) within or near the
proposed eco-sanctuary; and (2) reduce and potentially eliminate
livestock grazing within the portion of the Spruce Allotment east of
Highway 93. 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 EIS. At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary
issues:
(a) Potential effects to archaeological resources.
(b) Potential effects to greater sage-grouse and other sensitive
species.
(c) Potential effects to important elk, mule deer, and other
wildlife habitats.
(d) Ability to meet standards for rangeland health.
(e) Ability to manage healthy wild horse populations within the
eco-sanctuary.
(f) Ability to provide public access for recreational purposes.
(g) Potential effects of reducing public lands available for
livestock grazing.
(h) Ability to manage non-reproducing herd.
Preliminary planning criteria for the RMP amendment include:
1. Any amendment to the Wells RMP will comply with FLPMA (43 U.S.C
1701) and the BLM's land use planning regulations (43 CFR 1600).
2. Public participation would be encouraged throughout the process.
The Wells Field Office managers and interdisciplinary team members will
work cooperatively with the State of Nevada, tribal governments, county
and municipal governments, other Federal agencies, local resource
advisory councils, appellants, affected permittees, and any other
interested groups, agencies, and individuals.
3. The EIS will comply with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4332 et seq.) and its
implementing regulations, as well as other Federal regulations.
4. Any amendment to the Wells RMP will appropriately recognize the
State's authority to manage wildlife and water.
5. Any amendment to the Wells RMP will recognize valid existing
rights.
6. The State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) will be consulted
under the NHPA and kept involved throughout the planning process,
consistent with the National Programmatic Agreement (February 2012) and
the State of Nevada Protocol Agreement between the BLM
[[Page 49016]]
and SHPO (revised February 2012). Integration of the public involvement
provisions of the NHPA and NEPA will follow the guidance in Washington
Office Instruction Memorandum 2012-108.
7. The BLM will address transportation and access within the
planning area, if appropriate, to meet the objectives identified for
the eco-sanctuary.
8. Existing planning decisions in the Wells RMP not modified by
this amendment would remain valid.
9. All proposed management activities, including adjusting wild
horse levels would be based upon current scientific information, and
research and technology, as well as existing inventory and monitoring
information.
10. Adaptive management principles will be used in development of
the plan amendment to provide management direction if additional
actions or modified actions would be needed for the protection of wild
horses or the sustainability of the land and its resources.
You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing
to the BLM at any public scoping meeting, or you may submit them to the
BLM using one of the methods listed in the ``ADDRESSES'' section above.
You should submit comments by the close of the 30-day scoping period or
within 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA public participation
requirements to assist the agency in satisfying the public involvement
requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470f) pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). The
information about historic and cultural resources within the area
potentially affected by the proposed action will assist the BLM in
identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources in the context of
both NEPA and Section 106 of the NHPA.
The BLM will consult with Indian tribes on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other
policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and
potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with tribes
and other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the
proposed action that the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate
in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by
the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis
as a cooperating agency.
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.
The minutes and list of attendees for each scoping meeting will be
available to the public and open for 30 days after the meeting to any
participant who wishes to clarify the views he or she expressed.
The BLM will evaluate identified issues to be addressed in the
plan, and will place them into one of three categories:
1. Issues to be resolved in the plan amendment;
2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action;
or
3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan amendment.
The BLM will provide an explanation in the Draft EIS as to why an
issue was placed in category two or three. The public is also
encouraged to help identify any management questions and concerns that
should be addressed in the plan. The BLM will work collaboratively with
interested parties to identify the management decisions that are best
suited to local, regional, and national needs and concerns.
The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan
amendment 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: Wild horse and
burro, rangeland management, outdoor recreation, archaeology, wildlife
and fisheries, lands and realty, hydrology, soils, sociology, and
economics.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.
Bryan K. Fuell,
Manager,
Wells Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2012-20022 Filed 8-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P
