Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plans for the Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs National Conservation Areas; a Draft Amendment to the St. George Field Office Resource Management Plan; and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Utah, 42527-42529 [2015-17466]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 137 / Friday, July 17, 2015 / Notices
previous submissions. It should be
noted, however, that two workshops
involving multiple safari outfitters and
leaseholders are scheduled for the
beginning of 2015 to identify and
address outstanding issues faced by the
safari outfitters. It is the hope of the
Service that these workshops are
successful and can act as a springboard
for similar workshops throughout
Zimbabwe.
Therefore, based on the information
currently available to the Service on
government efforts to manage elephant
populations, efforts to address humanelephant conflicts and poaching, and
the state of the hunting program within
the country, and without current data
on population numbers and trends
being incorporated into a national
management strategy or plan, the
Service is unable to make a finding that
sport-hunting in Zimbabwe is
enhancing the survival of the species
and that imports of trophies would meet
the criteria established under the Act for
African elephants. The March 26, 2015,
enhancement finding has been posted at
https://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/
enhancement-finding-March-2015elephant-Zimbabwe.pdf. In addition, the
press release announcing the
suspension and frequently asked
questions is available on the Service’s
Web page (www.fws.gov/international).
This suspension does not prohibit
U.S. hunters from traveling to
Zimbabwe and participating in an
elephant hunt. The Act does not
prohibit take (e.g., hunting) outside the
United States; it only prohibits import
of trophies taken during such hunts
without authorization under the Act.
Dated: July 2, 2015.
Timothy J. Van Norman,
Chief, Branch of Permits, Division of
Management Authority, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–17537 Filed 7–16–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
[15X L1109AF LLUTC03000.161000000.
DP0000.LXSS004J0000 24–1A]
Notice of Availability of the Draft
Resource Management Plans for the
Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs
National Conservation Areas; a Draft
Amendment to the St. George Field
Office Resource Management Plan;
and Draft Environmental Impact
Statement, Utah
AGENCY:
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
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Jkt 235001
ACTION:
Notice of availability.
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended, and the
Omnibus Public Lands Management Act
of 2009, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) has prepared Draft
Resource Management Plans (RMPs) for
the Beaver Dam Wash National
Conservation Area and the Red Cliffs
National Conservation Area and a Draft
Amendment to the St. George Field
Office RMP. The three planning efforts
were initiated concurrently and are
supported by a single Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS). By this notice;
the BLM announces the opening of the
public comment period.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be
considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Draft RMPs/
Draft RMP Amendment and Draft EIS
within 90 days following the date that
the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes its Notice of Availability of
the Draft RMPs/Draft RMP Amendment
and Draft EIS in the Federal Register.
The BLM will announce future meetings
or hearings and any other public
participation activities at least 15 days
in advance through public notices,
media releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
related to the Draft RMPs/Draft RMP
Amendment and Draft EIS by any of the
following methods:
• Email: utsgrmp@blm.gov.
• Fax: 435–688–3252.
• Mail: St. George Field Office,
Bureau of Land Management, 345 East
Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah 84790.
Copies of the Draft RMPs/Draft RMP
Amendment and Draft EIS are available
in the BLM St. George Field Office, at
the above address and the BLM Utah
State Office Public Room, 440 West 200
South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, Utah
84101 during business hours (8:00 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday,
except holidays. The Draft RMPs/Draft
RMP Amendment and Draft EIS is also
available on the following Web site:
https://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/
st_george.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Keith Rigtrup, RMP Planner, telephone
435–865–3000; address: 345 East
Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah 84790;
email: krigtrup@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
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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42527
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
purpose of this planning process is to
satisfy specific mandates from the
Omnibus Public Land Management Act
of 2009 (Pub. L. 111–11, at Title 1,
Subtitle O, hereinafter OPLMA) that
directed the Secretary of the Interior,
through the BLM, to develop
comprehensive management plans for
the Beaver Dam Wash National
Conservation Area (63,480 acres of
public land) and the Red Cliffs National
Conservation Area (44,859 acres of
public land), located in Washington
County, Utah. Both National
Conservation Areas (NCAs) were
established on March 30, 2009, when
President Barack Obama signed OPLMA
into law. The decisions contained
within the Draft RMPs/Draft EIS do not
pertain to private and State lands within
the boundaries of the NCAs.
The need to amend the St. George
Field Office RMP (approved in 1999) is
also derived from OPLMA. Section 1979
(a)(1) and (2) directed the Secretary,
through the BLM, to identify areas
located in the County where biological
conservation is a priority; and undertake
activities to conserve and restore plant
and animal species and natural
communities within such areas. The
administrative designation of new areas
of critical environmental concern
(ACECs) to provide special management
attention to biological resources, as well
as the identification of priority
biological conservation areas, will
satisfy this legislative mandate, and will
be accomplished through an
amendment to the St. George Field
Office RMP.
Section 1977 (b)(1) of OPLMA,
directed the BLM to develop a
comprehensive travel management plan
for public lands in Washington County.
The St. George Field Office RMP must
be amended to modify certain existing
off-highway vehicle (OHV) area
designations (open, limited or closed),
to be in compliance with the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) at 43 CFR
8340.0–5, (f), (g), and (h) respectively
and 43 CFR 8342.1 (a–d) and related
agency policies, before this
comprehensive travel management plan
can be developed.
Draft RMPs for the Beaver Dam Wash
and Red Cliffs NCAs
The Draft RMPs/Draft EIS include
goals, objectives, and management
actions for conserving, protecting, and
enhancing the natural and cultural
resource values of the Beaver Dam Wash
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 137 / Friday, July 17, 2015 / Notices
and Red Cliffs NCAs. Multiple resource
uses are also addressed, including lands
available for livestock grazing;
recreation and visitor services; and
management of lands and realty actions,
including delineation of rights-of-way
avoidance and exclusion areas. This
planning effort considers the
establishment of a trail management
corridor for the congressionallydesignated Old Spanish Trail National
Historic Trail through the Beaver Dam
Wash NCA.
The Draft RMPs/DEIS analyzes four
alternatives for the long term
management of resource values and
land uses in the two NCAs. Alternative
A is the No Action alternative and
would continue management of the
public lands under current goals,
objectives, and management decisions
from the 1999 St. George Field Office
RMP, as modified by congressional
designations pursuant to OPLMA.
Alternative B emphasizes resource
protection while allowing land uses and
developments that are consistent with
the NCA purposes, current laws,
regulations, and policies.
Management actions would strive to
protect ecologically important areas,
native vegetation communities, habitats
for wildlife, including special status
species, cultural resources, and the
scenic qualities of each NCA from
natural and human-caused impacts.
Intensive management of land uses and
authorizations would avoid or lessen
resource impacts.
Alternative C emphasizes the
conservation and protection of resource
values and the restoration of damaged
lands, through the use of native species.
This alternative would also implement
higher levels of restrictions on land uses
and developments to achieve
conservation objectives.
Alternative D emphasizes a broader
array and higher level of public use and
access, while still meeting the
congressionally-defined purpose of
conservation and protection of resource
values and scenic qualities in the two
NCAs. This alternative would provide
the greatest management flexibility
relating to land uses and authorizations.
Alternative B has been identified as
the BLM’s preferred alternative in the
Draft RMPs/Draft EIS but does not
represent the final agency direction for
the two NCAs. The Proposed RMPs,
developed as a result of public comment
on the Draft RMPs, may include
objectives and actions analyzed in the
other alternatives and reflect changes or
adjustments based on new information
or changes in BLM policies or priorities.
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Draft RMP Amendment
The Draft EIS also analyzes four
alternatives to amend the St. George
Field Office RMP to address biological
conservation and travel management
issues on public lands outside of the
two NCAs.
Alternative A (No Action) would
continue to manage public lands under
the goals, objectives, and decisions of
the St. George Field Office RMP. Eight
existing ACECs would continue to be
managed, under current management
prescriptions from that RMP. Area
designations for motorized vehicle
travel would continue to manage a
majority of the public lands as limited
to existing roads and trails.
Alternative B (the BLM’s preferred
alternative) addresses biological
conservation through the proposed
designation of three new ACECs (South
Hills (1,950 acres), State Line (1,410
acres), and Webb Hill (520 acres)) to
provide special management for native
plant and animal species and natural
systems; 8 existing ACECs would be
retained, with no changes to the current
management prescriptions. A Bull
Valley Multi-Species Management Area
(87,031 acres) is identified as a priority
biological conservation area and
management decisions are proposed to
protect wildlife habitats and migration
corridors. This alternative includes a
proposal to identify specific routes for
motorized vehicle travel in the St.
George Field Office planning area. Route
designations and use-limitations will be
further developed in a comprehensive
travel management plan to be created
after the record of decision for these
RMPs has been signed.
Alternative C would emphasize the
use of special designations to achieve
the biological conservation objectives
mandated by OPLMA. Under this
alternative, 14 new ACECs are proposed
for administrative designation: (Dalton
Wash (14 acres), Grafton (47 acres),
Harrisburg Bench (111 acres), Moody
Wash (24 acres), Mosquito Cove (88
acres), North Creek (54 acres), Santa
Clara River Baker (32 acres), Santa Clara
River Veyo (16 acres), Scarecrow Peak
(9,655 acres), Shinob Kibe (70 acres),
South Hills (1,950 acres), State Line
(1,410 acres), Virgin River (245 acres),
and Webb Hill (520 acres)). Eight
existing ACECs would be retained. A
Bull Valley Multi-Species Management
Area (87,031 acres) is identified as a
priority biological conservation area and
management decisions are proposed to
protect wildlife habitats and migration
corridors through exclusion of new
rights-of-way and closure to fluid
leasable and saleable minerals
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developments. This alternative includes
a proposal to identify specific routes for
motorized vehicle travel in the St.
George Field Office planning area. Route
designations and use-limitations will be
further developed in a comprehensive
travel management plan to be created
after the record of decision for these
RMPs has been signed.
Alternative D relies primarily on
management decisions from the St.
George RMP, current laws, regulations,
and policies to satisfy OPLMA’s
legislative direction relating to
biological conservation. No new ACECs
would be designated and eight currently
designated ACECs would be retained. A
Bull Valley Multi-Species Management
Area (87,031 acres) is identified for
management as a priority biological
conservation area and management
decisions are proposed to protect
wildlife habitats through management of
955 acres as a rights-of-way avoidance
area. This alternative includes a
proposal to identify specific routes for
motorized vehicle travel in the St.
George Field Office planning area. Route
designations and use-limitations will be
further developed in a comprehensive
travel management plan to be created
after the record of decision for these
RMPs has been signed.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7–2(b), this
notice announces a concurrent public
comment period on proposed ACECs to
protect plant and animal species and
natural processes. The following
management prescriptions may apply to
the individual areas under
consideration, if administratively
designated as ACECs through the RMP
amendment process: Retain public lands
in federal ownership; avoid or exclude
new rights-of-way; close to the
harvesting of native seeds, plants, and
plant materials for commercial purposes
and personal use; close or place use
constraints on fluid leasable and
saleable mineral developments; close to
dispersed camping and recreational
target shooting; exclude competitive,
commercial, and organized group
events; protections via visual resource
management class designation; and
close or limit motorized travel to
designated roads and trails.
Please note that public comments and
information submitted including names,
street addresses, and email addresses of
persons who submit comments will be
available for public review and
disclosure at the above address during
regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.),
Monday through Friday, except
holidays.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 137 / Friday, July 17, 2015 / Notices
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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10,
43 CFR 1610.2.
Jenna Whitlock,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2015–17466 Filed 7–16–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–DQ–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area
(WPA) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)
Oil and Gas Lease Sale 246 (WPA Sale
246); MMAA104000
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM), Interior.
ACTION: Final notice of sale.
AGENCY:
On Wednesday, August 19,
2015, the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) will open and
publicly announce bids for blocks
offered in the Western Gulf of Mexico
Planning Area (WPA) Lease Sale 246
(WPA Sale 246), in accordance with the
provisions of the Outer Continental
Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) (43 U.S.C.
1331–1356, as amended) and the
implementing regulations issued
pursuant thereto (30 CFR parts 550 and
556). The WPA Sale 246 Final Notice of
Sale (NOS) Package (Final NOS
Package) contains information essential
to potential bidders. Bidders are charged
with knowing the contents of the
documents contained in the Final NOS
Package.
Date and Time: Public bid reading for
WPA Sale 246 will begin at 9:00 a.m. on
Wednesday, August 19, 2015. All times
referred to in this document are local
time in New Orleans, unless otherwise
specified.
Location: The Mercedes-Benz
Superdome, 1500 Sugarbowl Drive, New
Orleans, Louisiana 70112. The lease sale
will be held in the St. Charles Club
Room on the second floor (Loge Level).
Entry to the Superdome will be on the
Poydras Street side of the building
through Gate A on the Ground Level;
parking will be available at Garage 6.
Bid Submission Deadline: BOEM
must receive all sealed bids between
8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on normal
working days, and from 8:00 a.m. to the
Bid Submission Deadline of 10:00 a.m.
srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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on Tuesday, August 18, 2015, the day
before the lease sale. For more
information on bid submission, see
Section VII, ‘‘Bidding Instructions,’’ of
this document.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties, upon
request, may obtain a compact disc (CD–
ROM) containing the Final NOS Package
by contacting the BOEM Gulf of Mexico
(GOM) Region at the following address:
Gulf of Mexico Region Public
Information Office, Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, 1201 Elmwood
Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123–2394, (504) 736–2519 or (800)
200–GULF, or by visiting the BOEM
Web site at https://www.boem.gov/Sale246/.
Table of Contents
This Final NOS includes the
following sections:
I. Lease Sale Area
II. Statutes and Regulations
III. Lease Terms and Economic Conditions
IV. Lease Stipulations
V. Information to Lessees
VI. Maps
VII. Bidding Instructions
VIII. Bidding Rules and Restrictions
IX. Forms
X. The Lease Sale
XI. Delay of Sale
I. Lease Sale Area
Blocks Offered for Leasing
In WPA Sale 246, BOEM is offering
for lease all blocks and partial blocks
listed in the document ‘‘List of Blocks
Available for Leasing’’ included in this
Final NOS Package. All of these blocks
are shown on the following leasing
maps and Official Protraction Diagrams
(OPDs):
Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Maps—
Texas Map Numbers 1 Through 8
TX1 South Padre Island Area (revised
October 1, 2014)
TX1A South Padre Island Area, East
Addition (revised October 1, 2014)
TX2 North Padre Island Area (revised
November 1, 2000)
TX2A North Padre Island Area, East
Addition (revised November 1, 2000)
TX3 Mustang Island Area (revised
November 1, 2000)
TX3A Mustang Island Area, East Addition
(revised September 3, 2002)
TX4 Matagorda Island Area (revised
November 1, 2000)
TX5 Brazos Area (revised November 1,
2000)
TX5B Brazos Area, South Addition (revised
November 1, 2000)
TX6 Galveston Area (revised November 1,
2000)
TX6A Galveston Area, South Addition
(revised November 1, 2000)
TX7 High Island Area (revised November 1,
2000)
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42529
TX7A High Island Area, East Addition
(revised November 1, 2000)
TX7B High Island Area, South Addition
(revised November 1, 2000)
TX7C High Island Area, East Addition,
South Extension (revised November 1,
2000)
TX8 Sabine Pass Area (revised November 1,
2000)
Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Maps—
Louisiana Map Numbers 1A, 1B, and 12
LA1A West Cameron Area, West Addition
(revised February 28, 2007)
LA1B West Cameron Area, South Addition
(revised February 28, 2007)
LA12 Sabine Pass Area (revised July 1,
2011)
Outer Continental Shelf Official Protraction
Diagrams
NG14–03 Corpus Christi (revised November
1, 2000)
NG14–06 Port Isabel (revised October 1,
2014)
NG15–01 East Breaks (revised November 1,
2000)
NG15–02 Garden Banks (revised February
28, 2007)
NG15–04 Alaminos Canyon (revised
October 1, 2014)
NG15–05 Keathley Canyon (revised October
1, 2014)
NG15–08 Sigsbee Escarpment (revised
October 1, 2014)
Please Note: A CD–ROM (in ArcGIS and
Acrobat (.pdf) format) containing all of the
GOM Region leasing maps and OPDs, is
available from the BOEM Gulf of Mexico
Region Public Information Office for a price
of $15.00. These GOM Region leasing maps
and OPDs also are available online for free
in .pdf and .gra formats at https://
www.boem.gov/Official-ProtractionDiagrams.
For the current status of all WPA
leasing maps and OPDs, please refer to
66 FR 28002 (May 21, 2001), 67 FR
60701 (September 26, 2002), 72 FR
27590 (May 16, 2007), 76 FR 54787
(September 2, 2011), 79 FR 32572 (June
5, 2014), and 80 FR 3251 (January 22,
2015). In addition, Supplemental
Official OCS Block Diagrams (SOBDs)
for blocks containing the U.S. 200Nautical Mile Limit line and the U.S.Mexico Maritime and Continental Shelf
Boundary line are available. These
SOBDs are available from the BOEM
Gulf of Mexico Region Public
Information Office and on BOEM’s Web
site at https://www.boem.gov/
Supplemental-Official-OCS-BlockDiagrams-SOBDs/. For additional
information, or to order the above
referenced maps or diagrams, please call
the Mapping and Automation Section at
(504) 731–1457.
All blocks being offered in the lease
sale are shown on these leasing maps
and OPDs. The available Federal acreage
of each whole and partial block in this
lease sale is shown in the document
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 137 (Friday, July 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42527-42529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17466]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[15X L1109AF LLUTC03000.161000000.DP0000.LXSS004J0000 24-1A]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plans for
the Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs National Conservation Areas; a Draft
Amendment to the St. George Field Office Resource Management Plan; and
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Utah
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended, and the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of
2009, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared Draft Resource
Management Plans (RMPs) for the Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation
Area and the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and a Draft
Amendment to the St. George Field Office RMP. The three planning
efforts were initiated concurrently and are supported by a single
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). By this notice; the BLM announces
the opening of the public comment period.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Draft RMPs/Draft RMP Amendment and Draft EIS
within 90 days following the date that the Environmental Protection
Agency publishes its Notice of Availability of the Draft RMPs/Draft RMP
Amendment and Draft EIS in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce
future meetings or hearings and any other public participation
activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media
releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Draft RMPs/Draft RMP
Amendment and Draft EIS by any of the following methods:
Email: utsgrmp@blm.gov.
Fax: 435-688-3252.
Mail: St. George Field Office, Bureau of Land Management,
345 East Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah 84790.
Copies of the Draft RMPs/Draft RMP Amendment and Draft EIS are
available in the BLM St. George Field Office, at the above address and
the BLM Utah State Office Public Room, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500,
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays. The Draft RMPs/Draft RMP
Amendment and Draft EIS is also available on the following Web site:
https://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st_george.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Rigtrup, RMP Planner, telephone
435-865-3000; address: 345 East Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah
84790; email: krigtrup@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 purpose of this planning process is to
satisfy specific mandates from the Omnibus Public Land Management Act
of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-11, at Title 1, Subtitle O, hereinafter OPLMA)
that directed the Secretary of the Interior, through the BLM, to
develop comprehensive management plans for the Beaver Dam Wash National
Conservation Area (63,480 acres of public land) and the Red Cliffs
National Conservation Area (44,859 acres of public land), located in
Washington County, Utah. Both National Conservation Areas (NCAs) were
established on March 30, 2009, when President Barack Obama signed OPLMA
into law. The decisions contained within the Draft RMPs/Draft EIS do
not pertain to private and State lands within the boundaries of the
NCAs.
The need to amend the St. George Field Office RMP (approved in
1999) is also derived from OPLMA. Section 1979 (a)(1) and (2) directed
the Secretary, through the BLM, to identify areas located in the County
where biological conservation is a priority; and undertake activities
to conserve and restore plant and animal species and natural
communities within such areas. The administrative designation of new
areas of critical environmental concern (ACECs) to provide special
management attention to biological resources, as well as the
identification of priority biological conservation areas, will satisfy
this legislative mandate, and will be accomplished through an amendment
to the St. George Field Office RMP.
Section 1977 (b)(1) of OPLMA, directed the BLM to develop a
comprehensive travel management plan for public lands in Washington
County. The St. George Field Office RMP must be amended to modify
certain existing off-highway vehicle (OHV) area designations (open,
limited or closed), to be in compliance with the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) at 43 CFR 8340.0-5, (f), (g), and (h) respectively
and 43 CFR 8342.1 (a-d) and related agency policies, before this
comprehensive travel management plan can be developed.
Draft RMPs for the Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs NCAs
The Draft RMPs/Draft EIS include goals, objectives, and management
actions for conserving, protecting, and enhancing the natural and
cultural resource values of the Beaver Dam Wash
[[Page 42528]]
and Red Cliffs NCAs. Multiple resource uses are also addressed,
including lands available for livestock grazing; recreation and visitor
services; and management of lands and realty actions, including
delineation of rights-of-way avoidance and exclusion areas. This
planning effort considers the establishment of a trail management
corridor for the congressionally-designated Old Spanish Trail National
Historic Trail through the Beaver Dam Wash NCA.
The Draft RMPs/DEIS analyzes four alternatives for the long term
management of resource values and land uses in the two NCAs.
Alternative A is the No Action alternative and would continue
management of the public lands under current goals, objectives, and
management decisions from the 1999 St. George Field Office RMP, as
modified by congressional designations pursuant to OPLMA.
Alternative B emphasizes resource protection while allowing land
uses and developments that are consistent with the NCA purposes,
current laws, regulations, and policies.
Management actions would strive to protect ecologically important
areas, native vegetation communities, habitats for wildlife, including
special status species, cultural resources, and the scenic qualities of
each NCA from natural and human-caused impacts. Intensive management of
land uses and authorizations would avoid or lessen resource impacts.
Alternative C emphasizes the conservation and protection of
resource values and the restoration of damaged lands, through the use
of native species. This alternative would also implement higher levels
of restrictions on land uses and developments to achieve conservation
objectives.
Alternative D emphasizes a broader array and higher level of public
use and access, while still meeting the congressionally-defined purpose
of conservation and protection of resource values and scenic qualities
in the two NCAs. This alternative would provide the greatest management
flexibility relating to land uses and authorizations.
Alternative B has been identified as the BLM's preferred
alternative in the Draft RMPs/Draft EIS but does not represent the
final agency direction for the two NCAs. The Proposed RMPs, developed
as a result of public comment on the Draft RMPs, may include objectives
and actions analyzed in the other alternatives and reflect changes or
adjustments based on new information or changes in BLM policies or
priorities.
Draft RMP Amendment
The Draft EIS also analyzes four alternatives to amend the St.
George Field Office RMP to address biological conservation and travel
management issues on public lands outside of the two NCAs.
Alternative A (No Action) would continue to manage public lands
under the goals, objectives, and decisions of the St. George Field
Office RMP. Eight existing ACECs would continue to be managed, under
current management prescriptions from that RMP. Area designations for
motorized vehicle travel would continue to manage a majority of the
public lands as limited to existing roads and trails.
Alternative B (the BLM's preferred alternative) addresses
biological conservation through the proposed designation of three new
ACECs (South Hills (1,950 acres), State Line (1,410 acres), and Webb
Hill (520 acres)) to provide special management for native plant and
animal species and natural systems; 8 existing ACECs would be retained,
with no changes to the current management prescriptions. A Bull Valley
Multi-Species Management Area (87,031 acres) is identified as a
priority biological conservation area and management decisions are
proposed to protect wildlife habitats and migration corridors. This
alternative includes a proposal to identify specific routes for
motorized vehicle travel in the St. George Field Office planning area.
Route designations and use-limitations will be further developed in a
comprehensive travel management plan to be created after the record of
decision for these RMPs has been signed.
Alternative C would emphasize the use of special designations to
achieve the biological conservation objectives mandated by OPLMA. Under
this alternative, 14 new ACECs are proposed for administrative
designation: (Dalton Wash (14 acres), Grafton (47 acres), Harrisburg
Bench (111 acres), Moody Wash (24 acres), Mosquito Cove (88 acres),
North Creek (54 acres), Santa Clara River Baker (32 acres), Santa Clara
River Veyo (16 acres), Scarecrow Peak (9,655 acres), Shinob Kibe (70
acres), South Hills (1,950 acres), State Line (1,410 acres), Virgin
River (245 acres), and Webb Hill (520 acres)). Eight existing ACECs
would be retained. A Bull Valley Multi-Species Management Area (87,031
acres) is identified as a priority biological conservation area and
management decisions are proposed to protect wildlife habitats and
migration corridors through exclusion of new rights-of-way and closure
to fluid leasable and saleable minerals developments. This alternative
includes a proposal to identify specific routes for motorized vehicle
travel in the St. George Field Office planning area. Route designations
and use-limitations will be further developed in a comprehensive travel
management plan to be created after the record of decision for these
RMPs has been signed.
Alternative D relies primarily on management decisions from the St.
George RMP, current laws, regulations, and policies to satisfy OPLMA's
legislative direction relating to biological conservation. No new ACECs
would be designated and eight currently designated ACECs would be
retained. A Bull Valley Multi-Species Management Area (87,031 acres) is
identified for management as a priority biological conservation area
and management decisions are proposed to protect wildlife habitats
through management of 955 acres as a rights-of-way avoidance area. This
alternative includes a proposal to identify specific routes for
motorized vehicle travel in the St. George Field Office planning area.
Route designations and use-limitations will be further developed in a
comprehensive travel management plan to be created after the record of
decision for these RMPs has been signed.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b), this notice announces a concurrent
public comment period on proposed ACECs to protect plant and animal
species and natural processes. The following management prescriptions
may apply to the individual areas under consideration, if
administratively designated as ACECs through the RMP amendment process:
Retain public lands in federal ownership; avoid or exclude new rights-
of-way; close to the harvesting of native seeds, plants, and plant
materials for commercial purposes and personal use; close or place use
constraints on fluid leasable and saleable mineral developments; close
to dispersed camping and recreational target shooting; exclude
competitive, commercial, and organized group events; protections via
visual resource management class designation; and close or limit
motorized travel to designated roads and trails.
Please note that public comments and information submitted
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who
submit comments will be available for public review and disclosure at
the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.),
Monday through Friday, except holidays.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your
[[Page 42529]]
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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2.
Jenna Whitlock,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2015-17466 Filed 7-16-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P
