Notice of Availability of the Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Rock Springs Field Office, Wyoming, 68187-68188 [2024-18912]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 164 (Friday, August 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68187-68188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18912]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_WY_FRN_MO4500180980]


Notice of Availability of the Proposed Resource Management Plan 
and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Rock Springs Field 
Office, Wyoming

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Rock Springs Field Office 
and by this notice is announcing the start of a 30-day protest period 
of the Proposed RMP.

DATES: This notice announces a 30-day protest period to the BLM on the 
Proposed RMP beginning with the date of the Environmental Protection 
Agency's (EPA) publication of its Notice of Availability (NOA) of the 
Proposed RMP/Final EIS in the Federal Register. The EPA usually 
publishes its NOAs on Fridays. Protests must be postmarked or 
electronically submitted on the BLM's ePlanning site during the 30-day 
protest period.

ADDRESSES: The Proposed RMP and Final EIS is available on the BLM 
ePlanning project website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/13853/510. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined 
online at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/13853/510 and 
at the Rock Springs Field Office.
    Instructions for filing a protest with the BLM for the Rock Springs 
Field Office RMP Revision can be found at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/filing-a-plan-protest 
and at 43 CFR 1610.5-2.

[[Page 68188]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberlee Foster, Field Manager, 
telephone 307-352-0201; address 280 HWY 191 N, Rock Springs, WY 82901; 
email [email protected]. Individuals in the United States 
who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability 
may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications 
relay services for contacting Ms. Foster. Individuals outside the 
United States should use the relay services offered within their 
country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in the 
United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area is located in portions of 
Lincoln, Sweetwater, Uinta, Sublette, and Fremont counties in 
southwestern Wyoming and encompasses approximately 3.6 million acres of 
public land.
    Resources on lands administered by the BLM within the planning area 
are currently managed under the Green River RMP (1997) and Jack Morrow 
Hills Coordinated Activity Plan (2006), as amended. The Green River RMP 
encompasses multiple Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, Special 
Management Areas, and Wilderness Study Areas.

Proposed RMP

    This Final EIS documents the comprehensive analysis of alternatives 
for the planning and management of public lands and resources 
administered by the Rock Springs Field Office. The Field Office 
administers various programs, including mineral exploration and 
development, renewable energy, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, 
wild horses, livestock grazing, and historic trails. The Final EIS 
provides analysis of potential management direction for important 
resource values and resource uses within the planning area and 
allocates the use of public lands for multiple uses. The Final EIS also 
provides management direction for the protection of certain resources 
while allowing for leasing and development of mineral resources, 
livestock grazing, and other activities at appropriate levels.
    The Proposed RMP was developed in response to public comment on the 
Draft EIS (published in August 2023) and is a mix of the other four 
alternatives analyzed. The Proposed RMP alternative provides for 
conservation of resource values with appropriate constraints on other 
resource uses, while addressing public concerns regarding flexibility 
for development, especially in areas most likely to yield energy and 
mineral resources.
    The Proposed RMP provides for the improvement and protection of 
habitat for wildlife and sensitive plant and animal species, 
improvement of riparian areas, and implementation of management actions 
that improve water quality and enhance protection of cultural 
resources, as well as ensuring opportunities for recreation and 
responsible energy development.

Protest of the Proposed RMP

    The BLM planning regulations state that any person who participated 
in the preparation of the RMP and has an interest that will or might be 
adversely affected by approval of the Proposed RMP may protest its 
approval to the BLM Director. Protest of the Proposed RMP constitutes 
the final opportunity for administrative review of the proposed land 
use planning decisions prior to the BLM adopting an approved RMP. 
Instructions for filing a protest regarding the Proposed RMP with the 
BLM Director may be found online at https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/filing-a-plan-protest and at 43 
CFR 1610.5-2. All protests must be in writing and mailed to the 
appropriate address, as set forth in the ADDRESSES section earlier or 
submitted electronically through the BLM ePlanning project website as 
described previously. Protests submitted electronically by any means 
other than the ePlanning project website or by fax will be invalid 
unless a protest is also submitted as a hard copy. The BLM Director 
will render a written decision on each protest. The Director's decision 
shall be the final decision of the Department of the Interior. 
Responses to valid protest issues will be compiled and documented in a 
Protest Resolution Report made available following the protest 
resolution online at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports. Upon resolution of 
protests, the BLM will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) and Approved 
RMP.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 
1610.5)

Andrew Archuleta,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-18912 Filed 8-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P