Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Domestic Sheep Grazing Permit Renewals, Gunnison Field Office, Colorado, 334 [2019-28397]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 2 / Friday, January 3, 2020 / Notices
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[FR Doc. 2019–28366 Filed 1–2–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4338–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCOF07000.L10200000.DS0000.20X]
Notice of Availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for
Domestic Sheep Grazing Permit
Renewals, Gunnison Field Office,
Colorado
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 Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for Domestic Sheep Grazing Permit
Renewals in the Gunnison Field Office
and by this notice is announcing its
availability.
DATES: The BLM will not issue a final
decision on the proposal for a minimum
of 30 days after the date that the
Environmental Protection Agency
publishes its Notice of Availability in
the Federal Register. The BLM will
issue a proposed decision, followed by
a 15-day protest period and a 30-day
appeal period for the final decision.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final EIS for
Domestic Sheep Grazing Permit
Renewals are available for review at
Gunnison Field Office, 210 West
Spencer, Gunnison, CO 81230.
Interested persons may also review the
Final EIS on the internet at https://
go.usa.gov/xQTyQ. Click the
‘‘Documents’’ link on the left side of the
screen to find the electronic version of
the document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kristi Murphy, Outdoor Recreation
Planner, 970–642–4955; 210 West
Spencer, Gunnison, CO 81230; email:
kmurphy@blm.gov. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Relay
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:29 Jan 02, 2020
Jkt 250001
Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to
contact Ms. Murphy during normal
business hours. The FRS is available 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a
message or question. You will receive a
reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM
Gunnison Field office is proposing to
renew the permits on nine domestic
sheep grazing allotments, totaling
65,710 acres in Gunnison, Hinsdale and
Ouray counties in Colorado. In 2015, the
BLM published a Notice of Intent to
prepare an EIS, initiating public scoping
to identify issues through public
participation and collaboration with
partners. Initial scoping with internal
staff, cooperating agencies, and the
public identified the risk of contact and
disease transmission between domestic
sheep and Rocky Mountain bighorn
sheep as the primary issue. Additional
issues identified during scoping
included potential impacts to
threatened and endangered species,
local and regional economics, cultural
resources, Native American religious
concerns, and public land health. The
purpose of the action is to determine
whether or not to authorize domestic
sheep or goat grazing on nine BLM
allotments, such that domestic sheep or
goat grazing is in compliance with the
Gunnison Resource Area Resource
Management Plan, as amended, and
BLM policy. The need for the action is
to respond to permit applications for the
nine allotments.
The BLM published a Notice of
Availability on June 28, 2019,
announcing the public comment period
for the draft EIS (84 FR 31088). The
draft EIS included alternatives that
responded to the purpose and need,
reduced the risk of contact and disease
transmission, made progress in
achieving land health standards, met
objectives of the Canada Lynx
Conservation Assessment and Strategy,
and met the habitat and management
guidelines of the Candidate
Conservation Agreement for Gunnison
Sage-Grouse and the draft Recovery Plan
for Gunnison Sage-Grouse. The Draft
EIS was available for a 45-day public
comment period. The BLM hosted
public meetings on July 17 and 18,
2019, in Montrose and Lake City, CO,
respectively. The BLM received 31
comment submissions.
Alternatives analyzed in the EIS
include the Proposed Action generated
by the permittee applications. This
alternative would provide grazing on
nine allotments. Alternative B is the noaction alternative and would continue
current management. Alternative C
emphasizes a reduction in the risk of
PO 00000
Frm 00038
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
contact between domestic sheep/goats
and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep by
not authorizing domestic sheep/goat
grazing in pastures that overlap with
Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep summer
range. Alternative D emphasizes
reduction of risk by not authorizing
domestic sheep/goat grazing in the
overall range of Rocky Mountain
bighorn sheep. Alternative E is the nograzing alternative. The BLM completed
a risk of contact model for each of the
action alternatives to aid in analyzing
the potential levels of sheep interaction.
The BLM did not identify a preferred
alternative in the Draft EIS but has
identified a preferred alternative in the
Final EIS, as required by Council on
Environmental Quality regulations. The
BLM has identified Alternative C as the
preferred alternative. Alternative C
applies new Terms and Conditions and
eliminates domestic sheep/goat grazing
in Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep
summer range, providing additional
spatial and temporal separation of the
species.
The BLM considered comments on
the Draft EIS received from the public
and internal BLM review, and made
changes in the Final EIS as appropriate.
Public comments resulted in the
addition of clarifying text and correction
of data discrepancies in the EIS, but did
not significantly change the alternatives.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10)
Jamie E. Connell,
Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019–28397 Filed 1–2–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS–WASO–NAGPRA–NPS0029322;
PPWOCRADN0–PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural
Items: State University of New York at
Oswego, Oswego, NY
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The State University of New
York at Oswego, in consultation with
the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native
Hawaiian organizations, has determined
that the cultural items listed in this
notice meet the definition of
unassociated funerary objects. Lineal
descendants or representatives of any
Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice
that wish to claim these cultural items
should submit a written request to the
State University of New York at
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\03JAN1.SGM
03JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 2 (Friday, January 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-28397]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCOF07000.L10200000.DS0000.20X]
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for Domestic Sheep Grazing Permit Renewals, Gunnison Field
Office, Colorado
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
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Domestic Sheep Grazing
Permit Renewals in the Gunnison Field Office and by this notice is
announcing its availability.
DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a
minimum of 30 days after the date that the Environmental Protection
Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.
The BLM will issue a proposed decision, followed by a 15-day protest
period and a 30-day appeal period for the final decision.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final EIS for Domestic Sheep Grazing Permit
Renewals are available for review at Gunnison Field Office, 210 West
Spencer, Gunnison, CO 81230. Interested persons may also review the
Final EIS on the internet at https://go.usa.gov/xQTyQ. Click the
``Documents'' link on the left side of the screen to find the
electronic version of the document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristi Murphy, Outdoor Recreation
Planner, 970-642-4955; 210 West Spencer, Gunnison, CO 81230; email:
[email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339
to contact Ms. Murphy during normal business hours. The FRS is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or
question. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM Gunnison Field office is proposing
to renew the permits on nine domestic sheep grazing allotments,
totaling 65,710 acres in Gunnison, Hinsdale and Ouray counties in
Colorado. In 2015, the BLM published a Notice of Intent to prepare an
EIS, initiating public scoping to identify issues through public
participation and collaboration with partners. Initial scoping with
internal staff, cooperating agencies, and the public identified the
risk of contact and disease transmission between domestic sheep and
Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep as the primary issue. Additional issues
identified during scoping included potential impacts to threatened and
endangered species, local and regional economics, cultural resources,
Native American religious concerns, and public land health. The purpose
of the action is to determine whether or not to authorize domestic
sheep or goat grazing on nine BLM allotments, such that domestic sheep
or goat grazing is in compliance with the Gunnison Resource Area
Resource Management Plan, as amended, and BLM policy. The need for the
action is to respond to permit applications for the nine allotments.
The BLM published a Notice of Availability on June 28, 2019,
announcing the public comment period for the draft EIS (84 FR 31088).
The draft EIS included alternatives that responded to the purpose and
need, reduced the risk of contact and disease transmission, made
progress in achieving land health standards, met objectives of the
Canada Lynx Conservation Assessment and Strategy, and met the habitat
and management guidelines of the Candidate Conservation Agreement for
Gunnison Sage-Grouse and the draft Recovery Plan for Gunnison Sage-
Grouse. The Draft EIS was available for a 45-day public comment period.
The BLM hosted public meetings on July 17 and 18, 2019, in Montrose and
Lake City, CO, respectively. The BLM received 31 comment submissions.
Alternatives analyzed in the EIS include the Proposed Action
generated by the permittee applications. This alternative would provide
grazing on nine allotments. Alternative B is the no-action alternative
and would continue current management. Alternative C emphasizes a
reduction in the risk of contact between domestic sheep/goats and Rocky
Mountain bighorn sheep by not authorizing domestic sheep/goat grazing
in pastures that overlap with Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep summer
range. Alternative D emphasizes reduction of risk by not authorizing
domestic sheep/goat grazing in the overall range of Rocky Mountain
bighorn sheep. Alternative E is the no-grazing alternative. The BLM
completed a risk of contact model for each of the action alternatives
to aid in analyzing the potential levels of sheep interaction.
The BLM did not identify a preferred alternative in the Draft EIS
but has identified a preferred alternative in the Final EIS, as
required by Council on Environmental Quality regulations. The BLM has
identified Alternative C as the preferred alternative. Alternative C
applies new Terms and Conditions and eliminates domestic sheep/goat
grazing in Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep summer range, providing
additional spatial and temporal separation of the species.
The BLM considered comments on the Draft EIS received from the
public and internal BLM review, and made changes in the Final EIS as
appropriate. Public comments resulted in the addition of clarifying
text and correction of data discrepancies in the EIS, but did not
significantly change the alternatives.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10)
Jamie E. Connell,
Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019-28397 Filed 1-2-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P
