Notice of Intent To Amend the Resource Management Plan for the Gunnison Field Office and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment for Hartman Rocks Special Recreation Area Management Plan, Gunnison County, CO, 56730-56731 [2013-22326]
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56730
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 178 / Friday, September 13, 2013 / Notices
EIS may be viewed at the following
public libraries: (1) Greenbrier County
Public Library, 152 Robert W.
McCormick Drive, Lewisburg, West
Virginia; (2) Kanawha County Public
Library, 123 Capitol Street, Charleston,
West Virginia; and (3) Rupert Public
Library, 602 Nicholas Street, Rupert,
West Virginia. Those who do not have
access to the Web site or cannot visit
our office or local libraries can request
CD–ROM copies of the documents by
telephone at 304–636–6586, or by letter
to the West Virginia Field Office (see the
address under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT).
National Environmental Policy Act
We formally initiated an
environmental review of the project
through publication of a notice of intent
to prepare an EIS in the Federal
Register on July 22, 2010 (75 FR 42767).
That notice also announced a public
scoping period, during which we
invited interested parties to provide
written comments expressing their
issues or concerns related to the
proposal and to attend a public scoping
meeting held in Rupert, West Virginia.
Based on public scoping comments, we
prepared a draft EIS for the proposed
action and made it available for public
review on August 24, 2012 (77 FR
51554). Public comments were accepted
until October 23, 2012. Based on public
comments on the draft EIS, we prepared
responses to public comments and a
final EIS.
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Next Steps
We will evaluate the permit
application, associated documents, and
public comments in reaching a final
decision on whether the application
meets the requirements of section 10(a)
of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). We
also will evaluate whether issuance of a
section 10(a)(1)(B) permit would comply
with section 7 of the ESA by conducting
an intra-Service section 7 consultation.
We will use the results of this
consultation, in combination with the
above findings, in our final analysis to
determine whether to issue a permit. If
the requirements are met, we will issue
the permit to the applicant. We will
issue a Record of Decision and issue or
deny the permit no sooner than 30 days
after publication of the notice of
availability of the final EIS.
Authority
We provide this notice under section
10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531,
1539(c)) and its implementing
regulations (50 CFR 17.22), NEPA,
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its
implementing regulations (40 CFR
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:23 Sep 12, 2013
Jkt 229001
1506.6; 43 CFR Part 46), and section 106
of the NHPA (16 U.S.C. 470, 470f) and
its implementing regulations (36 CFR
Part 800).
Dated: August 16, 2013.
Paul R. Phifer,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological
Services, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2013–22204 Filed 9–12–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCOS06000 L12200000.DP0000]
Notice of Intent To Amend the
Resource Management Plan for the
Gunnison Field Office and Prepare an
Associated Environmental
Assessment for Hartman Rocks
Special Recreation Area Management
Plan, Gunnison County, CO
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Gunnison Field Office, Gunnison,
Colorado, intends to prepare a Resource
Management Plan (RMP) amendment
with an associated Environmental
Assessment (EA) to analyze potential
updates to the Hartman Rocks
Recreation Area Management Plan
(2006). This action will determine the
appropriate course of management for
the area and may include an
amendment to the Gunnison Resource
Area Approved Resource Management
Plan of February 1993. The BLM, by this
notice, is announcing the beginning of
the scoping process to solicit public
comments and identify issues. The BLM
will amend the existing Gunnison
Resource Area RMP if necessary.
DATES: This notice initiates the public
scoping process for the RMP
amendment and associated EA.
Comments on issues may be submitted
in writing until October 15, 2013. The
date(s) and location(s) of any scoping
meetings will be announced at least 15
calendar days in advance, through local
media, newspapers and the BLM Web
site at: https://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/
gfo.html. To be considered, all
comments must be received prior to the
close of the 30-day scoping period or 30
days after the last public meeting,
whichever is later. The BLM will
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00085
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
provide additional opportunities for
public participation as appropriate.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on issues and planning criteria related
to Hartman Rocks Special Recreation
Area Management Plan, Gunnison
County by any of the following
methods:
• Web site: https://www.blm.gov/co/st/
en/fo/gfo.html
• Email: kmurphy@blm.gov
• Fax: 970–642–4425
• Mail: BLM, Gunnison Field Office,
650 S. 11th St., Gunnison, CO 81230
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined at the Gunnison Field
Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kristi Murphy, Outdoor Recreation
Planner, telephone 970–642–4955;
Gunnison Field Office (see address
above); email kmurphy@blm.gov. You
may also contact Kristi to have your
name added to the mailing list.
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
Gunnison Field Office, Gunnison,
Colorado, intends to prepare an RMP
amendment with an associated EA for
the Gunnison Resource Area; announces
the beginning of the scoping process;
and seeks public input on issues and
preliminary planning criteria. The
planning area is located in Gunnison
County, Colorado, and encompasses
approximately 14,423 acres of public
land in the Hartman Rocks Recreation
Area. The BLM is proposing to amend
the RMP for the Gunnison Resource
Area dated February 1993 to designate
Hartman Rocks Recreation Area as a
Special Recreation Management Area.
The proposed plan amendment will
provide guidance and direction toward
managing recreation in a manner that
maintains or improves the condition
and health of the unique landscape and
natural resources while creating a
sustainable recreation environment to
promote a diversity of high quality
recreation opportunities and provide for
the health and safety of visitors.
The proposed plan amendment is
needed due to issues with sensitive
species, site-specific decisions that are
no longer valid, increased visitor use,
and other conditions. The proposed
plan amendment would provide more
E:\FR\FM\13SEN1.SGM
13SEN1
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 178 / Friday, September 13, 2013 / Notices
direction to reduce human use impacts
and conflicts in this area.
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. BLM
personnel; Federal, State, and local
agencies; and other stakeholders have
identified the following preliminary
issues for the plan amendment area:
• Special Recreation Management
Area boundary determination;
• Travel management system to
accommodate many uses while
maintaining recreation settings;
• Cross country ski trails for winter
recreation and motorized winter travel
opportunities;
• Dispersed target shooting that
maintains public safety;
• Managing a terrain park for motorcross users;
• Human impacts from rock climbing;
• Camping impacts;
• Facility development;
• Public outreach and education;
• Law enforcement;
• Deer and elk winter range;
• Threatened and endangered
species;
• Cultural resources and Native
American concerns;
• Soils and erosion;
• Fire and fuels management; and
• Invasive non-native weed species.
You may submit comments on
preliminary 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. To be most helpful, you should
submit comments by the close of the 30day scoping period or within 15 days
after the last public meeting, whichever
is later.
The BLM has also identified
preliminary planning criteria, which
include:
1. The BLM will continue to manage
the Gunnison Resource Area to protect
resources in accordance with FLPMA
(43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), and other
applicable laws and regulations.
2. The BLM will use a collaborative
and multi-jurisdictional approach,
where possible, to jointly determine the
desired future condition of public lands,
such as continued consultation with the
Shooting Sports Roundtable.
3. The BLM will address the
socioeconomic impacts of the
alternatives.
4. The BLM will comply with NEPA,
including the preparation of appropriate
environmental analysis for the proposed
action.
5. Planning decisions will strive to be
compatible with existing plans and
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:23 Sep 12, 2013
Jkt 229001
policies of adjacent Federal, State, local
and tribal agencies as long as the
decisions are consistent with Federal
law governing the administration of
public land.
The BLM will use 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.
470(f)) 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 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.
The BLM will use an interdisciplinary
approach to develop the plan
amendment to consider the variety of
resource issues and concerns identified
during public scoping. Disciplines
involved in the planning process will
include specialists with expertise in
rangeland management, minerals and
geology, forestry, outdoor recreation,
law enforcement, archaeology, wildlife
and fisheries, lands and realty,
hydrology, soils, vegetation and fire.
The BLM will notify the Governor of
Colorado, County Commissioners, local
tribes and potentially affected members
of the public of the planning process.
The public is encouraged to help
identify questions and concerns during
the scoping phase.
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.
PO 00000
Frm 00086
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
56731
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 1610.2.
Helen M. Hankins,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013–22326 Filed 9–12–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCAN01000.L18200000.XZ0000]
Notice of Public Meeting: Northwest
California Resource Advisory Council
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Public Meeting.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (FLPMA), and the Federal
Advisory Committee Act of 1972
(FACA), the U.S. Department of the
Interior, Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) Northwest California Resource
Advisory Council will meet as indicated
below.
DATES: The meeting will be held
Thursday and Friday, Oct. 24 and 25,
2013, at the Bureau of Land
Management Ukiah Field Office, 2550
North State St., Ukiah, California. On
Oct. 24, the council will convene at 10
a.m. and depart immediately for a field
tour of public lands. Members of the
public are welcome. They must provide
their own transportation, food and
beverages. On Oct. 25, the council will
convene at 8 a.m. in the Ukiah Field
Office Conference Room. The meeting is
open to the public. Public comments
will be taken at 11 a.m.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nancy Haug, BLM Northern California
District manager, (530) 224–2160; or
Joseph J. Fontana, public affairs officer,
(530) 252–5332.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 12member council advises the Secretary of
the Interior, through the BLM, on a
variety of planning and management
issues associated with public land
management in Northwest California. At
this meeting the RAC will discuss land
use planning work underway in the
BLM Arcata, Redding and Ukiah Field
Offices, and receive reports on major
public land initiatives. All meetings are
open to the public. Members of the
public may present written comments to
the council. Each formal council
meeting will have time allocated for
public comments. Depending on the
number of persons wishing to speak,
and the time available, the time for
individual comments may be limited.
Members of the public are welcome on
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\13SEN1.SGM
13SEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56730-56731]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22326]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCOS06000 L12200000.DP0000]
Notice of Intent To Amend the Resource Management Plan for the
Gunnison Field Office and Prepare an Associated Environmental
Assessment for Hartman Rocks Special Recreation Area Management Plan,
Gunnison County, CO
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Gunnison Field Office, Gunnison, Colorado, intends to prepare a
Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment with an associated
Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze potential updates to the
Hartman Rocks Recreation Area Management Plan (2006). This action will
determine the appropriate course of management for the area and may
include an amendment to the Gunnison Resource Area Approved Resource
Management Plan of February 1993. The BLM, by this notice, is
announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public
comments and identify issues. The BLM will amend the existing Gunnison
Resource Area RMP if necessary.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the RMP
amendment and associated EA. Comments on issues may be submitted in
writing until October 15, 2013. The date(s) and location(s) of any
scoping meetings will be announced at least 15 calendar days in
advance, through local media, newspapers and the BLM Web site at:
https://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gfo.html. To be considered, all comments
must be received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period or 30
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 Hartman Rocks Special Recreation Area Management Plan,
Gunnison County by any of the following methods:
Web site: https://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gfo.html
Email: kmurphy@blm.gov
Fax: 970-642-4425
Mail: BLM, Gunnison Field Office, 650 S. 11th St.,
Gunnison, CO 81230
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the
Gunnison Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristi Murphy, Outdoor Recreation
Planner, telephone 970-642-4955; Gunnison Field Office (see address
above); email kmurphy@blm.gov. You may also contact Kristi to have your
name added to the mailing list.
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
Gunnison Field Office, Gunnison, Colorado, intends to prepare an RMP
amendment with an associated EA for the Gunnison Resource Area;
announces the beginning of the scoping process; and seeks public input
on issues and preliminary planning criteria. The planning area is
located in Gunnison County, Colorado, and encompasses approximately
14,423 acres of public land in the Hartman Rocks Recreation Area. The
BLM is proposing to amend the RMP for the Gunnison Resource Area dated
February 1993 to designate Hartman Rocks Recreation Area as a Special
Recreation Management Area. The proposed plan amendment will provide
guidance and direction toward managing recreation in a manner that
maintains or improves the condition and health of the unique landscape
and natural resources while creating a sustainable recreation
environment to promote a diversity of high quality recreation
opportunities and provide for the health and safety of visitors.
The proposed plan amendment is needed due to issues with sensitive
species, site-specific decisions that are no longer valid, increased
visitor use, and other conditions. The proposed plan amendment would
provide more
[[Page 56731]]
direction to reduce human use impacts and conflicts in this area.
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. BLM personnel; Federal,
State, and local agencies; and other stakeholders have identified the
following preliminary issues for the plan amendment area:
Special Recreation Management Area boundary determination;
Travel management system to accommodate many uses while
maintaining recreation settings;
Cross country ski trails for winter recreation and
motorized winter travel opportunities;
Dispersed target shooting that maintains public safety;
Managing a terrain park for motor-cross users;
Human impacts from rock climbing;
Camping impacts;
Facility development;
Public outreach and education;
Law enforcement;
Deer and elk winter range;
Threatened and endangered species;
Cultural resources and Native American concerns;
Soils and erosion;
Fire and fuels management; and
Invasive non-native weed species.
You may submit comments on preliminary 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. To be most helpful, 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 has also identified preliminary planning criteria, which
include:
1. The BLM will continue to manage the Gunnison Resource Area to
protect resources in accordance with FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.),
and other applicable laws and regulations.
2. The BLM will use a collaborative and multi-jurisdictional
approach, where possible, to jointly determine the desired future
condition of public lands, such as continued consultation with the
Shooting Sports Roundtable.
3. The BLM will address the socioeconomic impacts of the
alternatives.
4. The BLM will comply with NEPA, including the preparation of
appropriate environmental analysis for the proposed action.
5. Planning decisions will strive to be compatible with existing
plans and policies of adjacent Federal, State, local and tribal
agencies as long as the decisions are consistent with Federal law
governing the administration of public land.
The BLM will use 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. 470(f)) 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 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.
The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan
amendment to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns
identified during public scoping. Disciplines involved in the planning
process will include specialists with expertise in rangeland
management, minerals and geology, forestry, outdoor recreation, law
enforcement, archaeology, wildlife and fisheries, lands and realty,
hydrology, soils, vegetation and fire. The BLM will notify the Governor
of Colorado, County Commissioners, local tribes and potentially
affected members of the public of the planning process. The public is
encouraged to help identify questions and concerns during the scoping
phase.
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.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 1610.2.
Helen M. Hankins,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-22326 Filed 9-12-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P