Notice of Availability of the Proposed Bureau of Land Management Tres Rios Field Office and San Juan National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement, 57878-57880 [2013-22785]
Download as PDF
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
57878
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 183 / Friday, September 20, 2013 / Notices
the scoping process to solicit public
comments and identify issues.
DATES: This notice initiates the public
scoping process for the EIS. Comments
on issues may be submitted in writing
until October 21, 2013. The date(s) and
location(s) of scoping meetings will be
announced at least 15 days in advance
through local media, newspapers, and
the BLM Web site at https://
www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/energy/
solar/maricopa-solar.html. In order to
be included in the Draft EIS, all
comments must be received prior to the
close of the scoping period or 15 days
after the last public meeting, whichever
is later. The BLM will provide
additional opportunities for public
participation upon publication of the
Draft EIS.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the Maricopa Solar Park
Project by any of the following methods:
• Email: BLM_AZ_Maricopasolar@
blm.gov.
• Fax: 623–580–5580.
• Mail: Bureau of Land Management,
Phoenix District Office, Lower Sonoran
Field Office, Attention: Joe Incardine/
Maricopa Solar Park Project, 21605
North 7th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85027–
2929.
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined at the Lower Sonoran
Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe
Incardine, National Project Manager,
telephone 801–539–4118; address
Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix
District Office, Lower Sonoran Field
Office, 21605 North 7th Avenue,
Phoenix, AZ 85027–2929; email
jincardi@blm.gov. Contact Mr. Incardine
if you wish to add your name to our
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: The
applicant, Marisol Energy 2, LLC
(Marisol), has requested a right-of-way
authorization to develop and operate the
Maricopa Solar Park Project, a
photovoltaic (PV) solar power plant
with a planned generating capacity of
up to 300 megawatts. Marisol is a sister
company of the Italian-based
Siderurgica Investimenti. Siderurgica
Investimenti is the holding company of
an industrial group operating at an
international level in the sectors of steel
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:24 Sep 19, 2013
Jkt 229001
and metal production, renewable
energy, and natural gas.
The project would be located on
approximately 1,730 acres of BLMmanaged land within the Phoenix
District Office, Lower Sonoran Field
Office in Maricopa County, Arizona,
approximately 30 miles southwest of
Phoenix. The proposed project would
consist of one or more phases, based
upon potential power purchase
agreement(s) with electrical utility
companies. The project proposes to use
mono/polycrystalline or ‘‘thin film’’ PV
modules, which would be mounted on
horizontal single-axis trackers or on
fixed mounting systems. The type of PV
modules and mounting systems selected
by Marisol would maximize efficiency
and energy production. The facility
would have an onsite high-voltage
substation, with high-voltage power
transformers stepping up energy to 345kilovolts. Electrical energy from the
onsite switchyard would be delivered to
the existing Pinal West Substation
through one or two new high-voltage
transmission lines, each 2.3-miles long.
The facility is proposed to operate for a
grant term of 30 years. Additional
applicable permits from Federal, State,
and local agencies would be required.
As the project is located outside of a
solar energy zone identified in the Solar
Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement Record of Decision, a
variance application was required.
Marisol submitted its variance
application for consideration to the
BLM Arizona State Office and the BLM
Washington Office. A public
information meeting was held in
Maricopa, Arizona, on February 5, 2013.
The BLM Washington Office approved
the Marisol variance application in June
2013.
The purpose of the public scoping
process is to determine relevant issues
that will influence the environmental
analysis, including alternatives, and
guide the process for developing the
EIS. At present, the BLM has identified
the following preliminary issues:
Impacts to cultural resources, visual
resources, grazing allotments,
recreation, and local wildlife corridors.
The project site is adjacent to the
Sonoran Desert National Monument, a
unit of the BLM National Landscape
Conservation System.
The BLM will use and coordinate the
NEPA commenting process to help with
the public involvement process for
Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C.
470f) as provided for in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3). The information about
historic and cultural resources within
the area potentially affected by the
PO 00000
Frm 00042
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
proposed project 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. Native
American tribal consultation 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.
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.
Raymond Suazo,
Arizona State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013–22790 Filed 9–19–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–32–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCOS00000 L16100000.DJ0000]
Notice of Availability of the Proposed
Bureau of Land Management Tres Rios
Field Office and San Juan National
Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan/Final Environmental
Impact Statement
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976, as
amended, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) has prepared a
Proposed Land and Resource
Management Plan/Final Environmental
Impact Statement (LRMP/Final EIS) for
the San Juan Public Lands Planning
Area in Colorado, and by this notice is
announcing its availability. The LRMP/
Final EIS is a jointly prepared BLM and
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\20SEN1.SGM
20SEN1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 183 / Friday, September 20, 2013 / Notices
United States Forest Service (USFS)
document and also addresses
management of National Forest System
lands administered by the San Juan
National Forest. Release of the USFS
document is addressed under a separate
notice.
DATES: The BLM planning regulations
provide that any person who meets the
conditions as described in the
regulations may protest the BLM’s
LRMP/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 Protection
Agency publishes it in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Tres Rios
Field Office LRMP/Final EIS have been
sent to affected Federal, State and local
government agencies; and interested
parties. A list of the locations where
copies of the LRMP/Final EIS are
available for public inspection can be
found in the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section below. Interested
persons may also review the LRMP/
Final EIS on the Internet at: https://
www.fs.usda.gov/main/sanjuan/
landmanagement/planning, https://
www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/sjplc/land_
use_planning.html.
All protests to the BLM must be in
writing and mailed to one of the
following addresses:
Regular Mail: BLM Director (210),
Attention: Brenda Hudgens-Williams,
P.O. Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024–
1383.
Overnight Mail: BLM Director (210),
Attention: Brenda Hudgens-Williams,
20 M Street SE., Room 2134LM,
Washington, DC 20003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Shannon Manfredi, Plan Revision Team
Leader, telephone 970–385–1229; 15
Burnett Court, Durango, CO 81301;
email smanfredi@fs.fed.us. For BLMspecific issues, contact Gina Jones, BLM
Southwest District NEPA Specialist,
telephone 970–240–5381; 2465 S.
Townsend Avenue, Montrose, CO
81401; email gmjones@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 BLM
planning area is located within
Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata,
Montezuma, Montrose, San Juan, and
San Miguel counties in southwestern
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:24 Sep 19, 2013
Jkt 229001
Colorado. Approximately 504,400
surface acres and 704,300 acres of
subsurface mineral estate administered
by the BLM Tres Rios Field Office are
addressed by the proposed management
decisions in the LRMP and analyzed in
the Final EIS. The lands within the
planning area are currently managed
under the 1985 San Juan/San Miguel
Resource Management Plan, as
amended. The current RMP was
approved in 1985 and has been
amended seven times. The BLM
inventoried Wilderness Study Areas in
1980, recommended to Congress in
1991, and manages them consistent with
BLM Manual 6330-Management of BLM
Wilderness Study Areas so as not to
impair the suitability of such areas for
preservation as wilderness until such
time that Congress makes a final
wilderness decision.
The BLM worked extensively with
communities, interested and affected
publics and cooperating agencies to
develop the LRMP/Final EIS.
Cooperating agencies include the Town
of Rico, Colorado. Comments received
from the public on the Draft LRMP/Draft
EIS and from internal agency review
were considered and incorporated as
appropriate into the LRMP/Final EIS.
Based on public comments, the BLM
identified the need to prepare a
Supplement to the Draft EIS to consider
the Reasonable Foreseeable
Development potential of oil and gas in
the Gothic Shale Gas Play. In addition
to the Supplement, public comments
resulted in the addition of updated
information and clarifying text, but did
not substantially change proposed land
use plan decisions. The following four
alternatives are analyzed in the Final
EIS:
Alternative A represents the
continuation of current management
direction under the existing San Juan/
San Miguel Resource Management Plan
(1985), as amended. Alternative B, the
proposed alternative, provides for a mix
of multiple-use activities, with a
primary emphasis on maintaining most
of the large, contiguous blocks of
undeveloped lands; enhancing various
forms of recreation opportunities; and
maintaining the full diversity of uses
including mineral development and
rangeland vegetation management.
Alternative C provides for a mix of
multiple-use activities with a primary
emphasis on maintaining the
undeveloped character of the planning
area. Management of resource uses
would be more constrained than
proposed under Alternatives A, B and
D. In some cases and in some areas, uses
would be excluded to protect sensitive
resources. Alternative D, provides for a
PO 00000
Frm 00043
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
57879
mix of multiple-use activities,
identifying the most lands for maximum
development to produce a higher level
of commodity goods and services
compared to the other alternatives.
The proposed LRMP (Alternative B)
would establish two Areas of
Environmental Concern (ACEC),
Gypsum Valley and Anasazi Culture
Area, totaling approximately 14,274
acres to provide special management to
protect relevant and important cultural,
historic, scenic, and natural resource
values. The proposed plan would also
apply protective management to
approximately 11,869 acres of
inventoried lands with wilderness
characteristics in two different areas.
Public lands available for renewable
energy development, mineral
development, land use authorization,
systems of designated travel routes, and
other uses would be provided for under
the proposed plan, which would
delineate and, as necessary, apply
limitations on these uses. In addition,
management parameters and
prescriptions would be applied to a
variety of natural, cultural and visual
resources including air and water
quality; wildlife habitat; forests and
woodlands; and other components of
the biological, physical and cultural
environment.
Copies of the Tres Rios Field Office
LRMP/Final EIS are available for public
inspection at the Web sites listed in the
ADDRESSES section above, and at the
following locations:
• San Juan Public Lands Center, 15
Burnett Court, Durango, CO 81301
• Dolores Public Lands Office, 29211
Highway 184, Dolores, CO 81323
• Columbine Ranger District, 367
Pearl Street, Bayfield, CO 81122
• Pagosa Ranger District, 180 Pagosa
Street, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
• BLM Colorado State Office, 2850
Youngfield Street, Lakewood, CO 80215
• USDA Forest Service, Rocky
Mountain Region, 740 Simms St.,
Golden, CO 80401
• Libraries in the following locations
in Colorado: Cortez; Durango; Pagosa
Springs; Dove Creek; Norwood;
Silverton; Colorado State University, Ft.
Collins; University of Colorado,
Boulder; and Fort Lewis College,
Durango.
Instructions for filing a protest with
the Director of the BLM regarding the
LRMP/Final EIS may be found in the
‘‘Dear Reader’’ Letter of the LRMP/Final
EIS and at 43 CFR 1610.5–2. Emailed
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
E:\FR\FM\20SEN1.SGM
20SEN1
57880
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 183 / Friday, September 20, 2013 / Notices
these conditions, the BLM will consider
the emailed protest as an advance copy
and it will receive full consideration. If
you wish to provide the BLM with such
advance notification, please direct
emails to bhudgens@blm.gov. All
protests, including the follow-up letter
to emails, must be in writing and mailed
to the appropriate address as set forth in
the ADDRESSES section above.
Before including your 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 protest 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, 40 CFR 1506.10,
43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 1610.5.
Helen M. Hankins,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013–22785 Filed 9–19–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310&ndashJB–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVS03000. L51010000.ER0000.
LVRWF1304100; N–85801, N–89530, N–
90050, and N–90823; MO# 4500053894; TAS:
14X5017]
Notice of Availability of the Final
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement and Proposed Resource
Management Plan Amendment for the
Silver State Solar South Project, Clark
County, NV
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976, as
amended, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) has prepared a
Final Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS)/Proposed
Resource Management Plan (RMP)
Amendment for the Silver State Solar
South Project located on public lands
east of Primm, Nevada, and by this
notice is announcing its availability.
DATES: BLM planning regulations state
that any person who meets the
conditions as described in the
regulations may protest the BLM’s Final
Supplemental EIS/Proposed RMP
Amendment. A person who meets the
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:24 Sep 19, 2013
Jkt 229001
conditions and files a protest must file
the protest within 30 days of the date
that the Environmental Protection
Agency publishes its Notice of
Availability in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Silver State
Solar South Project Final Supplemental
EIS/Proposed RMP Amendment have
been sent to affected Federal, State, and
local government agencies and to other
stakeholders including the Las Vegas
Paiute Tribe, the Fort Mojave Indian
Tribe, the Colorado River Indian Tribes,
the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, the
Moapa Band of Paiutes, and the
Pahrump Paiute Tribe. Copies of the
Silver State Solar South Final
Supplemental EIS/Proposed RMP
Amendment are available for public
inspection at the BLM Southern Nevada
District Office at 4701 North Torrey
Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Interested persons may also review the
Final Supplemental EIS/Proposed RMP
Amendment on the Internet at https://
www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_
programs/energy/Silver_State_Solar_
South.html. All protests must be in
writing and mailed to one of the
following addresses:
Regular Mail: BLM Director (210),
Attention: Brenda Hudgens-Williams,
P.O. Box 71383, Washington, DC
20024–1383
Overnight Mail: BLM Director (210),
Attention: Brenda Hudgens-Williams,
20 M Street SE, Room 2134LM
Washington, DC 20003
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nancy Christ, Renewable Energy Project
Manager, telephone 702–515–5136;
address 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive,
Las Vegas, NV 89130–2301; or email
nchrist@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: Silver
State Solar Power South, LLC, has
submitted a right-of-way (ROW)
application for the construction,
operation, maintenance, and
termination of a 250–350 megawatt
(MW) solar energy generation facility
within a 13,184-acre area of public land
east of Primm, Nevada. The ROW
application is assigned BLM case
number N–89530. This application
expands on ROW application N–85801.
The proposed solar energy project
would consist of photovoltaic (PV)
panels and related infrastructure ROW
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
appurtenances, including a substation
and switchyard facilities, and would
produce about 250 MWs of electricity
under the BLM Preferred Alternative.
The solar field and infrastructure would
consist of single-axis tracker systems or
fixed panels, an underground and
overhead electrical power collection
system, two step-up transformers, 230
kilovolt (kV) and 220 kV transmission
lines, an operation and maintenance
area, a switchyard, paved access and
maintenance roads, flood and drainage
controls, and a fire break. If approved,
the Silver State Solar South Project
would have a footprint of between 2,427
acres and 3,881 acres, depending on the
EIS alternative chosen and the final site
configuration. The ROW grant would
only be issued for lands needed for
project development; no ROW would be
granted for the remaining acreage within
the application area.
The Final Supplemental EIS
addresses new information associated
with N–89530 and updates as necessary
the consideration of N–85801, which
was analyzed in the Final EIS for the
Silver State Solar Energy Project, a 400–
MW PV solar energy facility. The BLM
approved a Record of Decision on
October 12, 2010, for the Silver State
Solar Energy Project, and authorized
ROW N–85077 for the construction and
operation a 50 MW PV solar energy
facility on 618 acres of BLMadministered lands, which represented
the first phase of project development
and became the Silver State Solar North
Project. The Record of Decision did not
authorize ROW application N–85801,
which is now included as part of the
Silver State Solar South Project, along
with ROW application N–89530. The
BLM would need to amend the October
1998 Las Vegas RMP to address
proposed changes in land and resource
use within the Jean Lake/Roach Lake
Special Recreation Management Area in
order to approve ROW application
N–89530. The BLM has considered
additional changes that would amend
the Las Vegas RMP, including a
proposed nomination for an Area of
Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC)
within the Ivanpah Valley, and a Visual
Resource Management change within
the project boundary from Class III to
Class IV.
The Final Supplemental EIS analyzes
five alternatives, including a no action
alternative (Alternative A) and four
action alternatives. Alternative B is
Silver State’s original proposal (as
described in their Plan of Development
dated July 2011). This alternative was
introduced in initial scoping meetings
and does not include perimeter roads.
Alternative B would disturb up to 3,881
E:\FR\FM\20SEN1.SGM
20SEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57878-57880]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22785]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCOS00000 L16100000.DJ0000]
Notice of Availability of the Proposed Bureau of Land Management
Tres Rios Field Office and San Juan National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a
Proposed Land and Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact
Statement (LRMP/Final EIS) for the San Juan Public Lands Planning Area
in Colorado, and by this notice is announcing its availability. The
LRMP/Final EIS is a jointly prepared BLM and
[[Page 57879]]
United States Forest Service (USFS) document and also addresses
management of National Forest System lands administered by the San Juan
National Forest. Release of the USFS document is addressed under a
separate notice.
DATES: The BLM planning regulations provide that any person who meets
the conditions as described in the regulations may protest the BLM's
LRMP/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
Protection Agency publishes it in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Tres Rios Field Office LRMP/Final EIS have
been sent to affected Federal, State and local government agencies; and
interested parties. A list of the locations where copies of the LRMP/
Final EIS are available for public inspection can be found in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. Interested persons may also
review the LRMP/Final EIS on the Internet at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/sanjuan/landmanagement/planning, https://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/sjplc/land_use_planning.html.
All protests to the BLM must be in writing and mailed to one of the
following addresses:
Regular Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Brenda Hudgens-
Williams, P.O. Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024-1383.
Overnight Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Brenda Hudgens-
Williams, 20 M Street SE., Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannon Manfredi, Plan Revision Team
Leader, telephone 970-385-1229; 15 Burnett Court, Durango, CO 81301;
email smanfredi@fs.fed.us. For BLM-specific issues, contact Gina Jones,
BLM Southwest District NEPA Specialist, telephone 970-240-5381; 2465 S.
Townsend Avenue, Montrose, CO 81401; email gmjones@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 BLM planning area is located within
Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, Montrose, San Juan, and San
Miguel counties in southwestern Colorado. Approximately 504,400 surface
acres and 704,300 acres of subsurface mineral estate administered by
the BLM Tres Rios Field Office are addressed by the proposed management
decisions in the LRMP and analyzed in the Final EIS. The lands within
the planning area are currently managed under the 1985 San Juan/San
Miguel Resource Management Plan, as amended. The current RMP was
approved in 1985 and has been amended seven times. The BLM inventoried
Wilderness Study Areas in 1980, recommended to Congress in 1991, and
manages them consistent with BLM Manual 6330-Management of BLM
Wilderness Study Areas so as not to impair the suitability of such
areas for preservation as wilderness until such time that Congress
makes a final wilderness decision.
The BLM worked extensively with communities, interested and
affected publics and cooperating agencies to develop the LRMP/Final
EIS. Cooperating agencies include the Town of Rico, Colorado. Comments
received from the public on the Draft LRMP/Draft EIS and from internal
agency review were considered and incorporated as appropriate into the
LRMP/Final EIS. Based on public comments, the BLM identified the need
to prepare a Supplement to the Draft EIS to consider the Reasonable
Foreseeable Development potential of oil and gas in the Gothic Shale
Gas Play. In addition to the Supplement, public comments resulted in
the addition of updated information and clarifying text, but did not
substantially change proposed land use plan decisions. The following
four alternatives are analyzed in the Final EIS:
Alternative A represents the continuation of current management
direction under the existing San Juan/San Miguel Resource Management
Plan (1985), as amended. Alternative B, the proposed alternative,
provides for a mix of multiple-use activities, with a primary emphasis
on maintaining most of the large, contiguous blocks of undeveloped
lands; enhancing various forms of recreation opportunities; and
maintaining the full diversity of uses including mineral development
and rangeland vegetation management. Alternative C provides for a mix
of multiple-use activities with a primary emphasis on maintaining the
undeveloped character of the planning area. Management of resource uses
would be more constrained than proposed under Alternatives A, B and D.
In some cases and in some areas, uses would be excluded to protect
sensitive resources. Alternative D, provides for a mix of multiple-use
activities, identifying the most lands for maximum development to
produce a higher level of commodity goods and services compared to the
other alternatives.
The proposed LRMP (Alternative B) would establish two Areas of
Environmental Concern (ACEC), Gypsum Valley and Anasazi Culture Area,
totaling approximately 14,274 acres to provide special management to
protect relevant and important cultural, historic, scenic, and natural
resource values. The proposed plan would also apply protective
management to approximately 11,869 acres of inventoried lands with
wilderness characteristics in two different areas. Public lands
available for renewable energy development, mineral development, land
use authorization, systems of designated travel routes, and other uses
would be provided for under the proposed plan, which would delineate
and, as necessary, apply limitations on these uses. In addition,
management parameters and prescriptions would be applied to a variety
of natural, cultural and visual resources including air and water
quality; wildlife habitat; forests and woodlands; and other components
of the biological, physical and cultural environment.
Copies of the Tres Rios Field Office LRMP/Final EIS are available
for public inspection at the Web sites listed in the ADDRESSES section
above, and at the following locations:
San Juan Public Lands Center, 15 Burnett Court, Durango,
CO 81301
Dolores Public Lands Office, 29211 Highway 184, Dolores,
CO 81323
Columbine Ranger District, 367 Pearl Street, Bayfield, CO
81122
Pagosa Ranger District, 180 Pagosa Street, Pagosa Springs,
CO 81147
BLM Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street,
Lakewood, CO 80215
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, 740 Simms St.,
Golden, CO 80401
Libraries in the following locations in Colorado: Cortez;
Durango; Pagosa Springs; Dove Creek; Norwood; Silverton; Colorado State
University, Ft. Collins; University of Colorado, Boulder; and Fort
Lewis College, Durango.
Instructions for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM
regarding the LRMP/Final EIS may be found in the ``Dear Reader'' Letter
of the LRMP/Final EIS and at 43 CFR 1610.5-2. Emailed 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
[[Page 57880]]
these conditions, the BLM will consider the emailed protest as an
advance copy and it will receive full consideration. If you wish to
provide the BLM with such advance notification, please direct emails to
bhudgens@blm.gov. All protests, including the follow-up letter to
emails, must be in writing and mailed to the appropriate address as set
forth in the ADDRESSES section above.
Before including your 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 protest 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, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR
1610.5.
Helen M. Hankins,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-22785 Filed 9-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310&ndashJB-P