Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the Newcastle Field Office, Wyoming, and Nebraska Planning Area, 90309-90310 [2024-26665]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 221 (Friday, November 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90309-90310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26665]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_WY_FRN_MO4500182754]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Newcastle Field Office, Wyoming, 
and Nebraska Planning Area

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLMPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Newcastle Field Office and Nebraska 
Resource Management Plans (Newcastle and Nebraska RMPs) and by this 
notice is announcing the opening of the comment period on the Draft 
RMP/EIS and the BLM's proposed areas of critical environmental concern 
(ACECs).

DATES: This notice announces the opening of a 90-day comment period for 
the Draft RMP/EIS beginning with the date following the Environmental 
Protection Agency's (EPA) publication of its Notice of Availability 
(NOA) of the Draft RMP/EIS in the Federal Register. The EPA usually 
publishes its NOAs on Fridays.
    To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider comments in the 
Proposed RMP/Final EIS, please ensure that the BLM receives your 
comments prior to the close of the 90-day public comment period or 15 
days after the last public meeting, whichever is later.
    In addition, this notice also announces the opening of a 90-day 
comment period for ACECs. The BLM must receive your ACEC-related 
comments by February 13, 2025.
    The BLM will be holding multiple public meetings during the public 
comment period and the dates, times, and locations of these public 
meetings will be announced through public notices, news releases, 
social media, and mailings at least 15 days prior to the meetings.

ADDRESSES: The Draft RMP/EIS is available for review on the BLM 
ePlanning project website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510.
    Written comments related to the Newcastle and Nebraska RMPs may be 
submitted by any of the following methods:
     Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510.
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: BLM, High Plains District Office, 2987 Prospector 
Drive, Casper, WY 82604, OR BLM, Newcastle Field Office, 1101 
Washington Boulevard, WY 82701.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at 
blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510 and at the Newcastle Field 
Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen T. Lacko, Project Manager, 
telephone (307) 261-7536; address BLM High Plains District Office, 2987 
Prospector Drive, Casper, WY 82604; 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. Lacko. 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: This document provides notice that the BLM 
Wyoming State Director has prepared a Draft RMP/EIS and announces the 
comment period on the Draft RMP/EIS and the BLM's proposed ACECs. The 
planning area includes Crook, Weston, and Niobrara Counties in Wyoming 
and all counties in Nebraska, and encompasses approximately 287,900 
acres of surface public lands and 1,738,900 acres of Federal mineral 
estate in Wyoming, and approximately 5,100 acres of surface public 
lands and 223,900 acres of Federal mineral estate in Nebraska. In 
addition to BLM-managed surface lands, the planning area includes the 
mineral estate beneath the following:
    Newcastle Field Office, Wyoming: One National Monument, 
administered by the National Park Service; one National Forest and one 
National Grassland administered by the US Forest Service; one State 
Park, administered by Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources; and 
historic and indigenous trails.
    Nebraska: Seven National Wildlife Refuges administered by the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service; five National Historic Trails, two National 
Monuments, one National Recreational River, and one National Scenic 
River administered by the National Park Service; two designated 
wilderness areas and two proposed wilderness areas; three Indian 
Reservations and three American Indian Trust Lands; two National 
Forests and three National Grasslands administered by US Forest 
Service; and seventy-three State Parks, State Historic Parks, or State 
Recreation Areas administered by the Nebraska Game and Parks 
Commission.

Purpose and Need for the Planning Effort

    The purpose of the Newcastle and Nebraska RMPs/EIS is to provide a 
comprehensive framework to guide management of BLM-administered surface 
land in the planning area. The RMPs/EIS will incorporate new data, 
address land use issues and conflicts, and specify where and under what 
circumstances activities will be allowed on BLM-administered surface 
lands. The objectives, land use allocations, and management decisions 
will be based on the principals of multiple use and sustained yield, 
except where a tract of such public land has been dedicated to specific 
uses according to another provision of law. All management direction 
must meet the objectives of the BLM's multiple use management

[[Page 90310]]

mandate and responsibilities under FLPMA Section 202(c) and (e) and is 
subject to valid existing rights. These include all valid leases, 
permits, patents, rights-of-way (ROWs), or other land use rights or 
authorizations in place at the time the RMP decision is approved.
    The Newcastle Field Office (NFO) has determined the need to update 
the two RMPs it relies on to manage the public land and Federal mineral 
estate in the planning areas. Assessments of these plans showed they 
require updating to address new information and changes to resources 
and resource uses within the planning area since the BLM completed the 
NFO RMP/EIS in 2000 and the Nebraska RMP in 1992. The revised RMPs will 
replace the existing Newcastle RMP/Record of Decision (ROD) and 
Nebraska RMP/ROD.

Alternatives Including the Preferred Alternative

    The BLM has analyzed four alternatives in detail, including the no 
action alternative.

Alternative A--No Action Alternative

 Continue existing management under Newcastle (2000) and 
Nebraska (1992) RMPs
 Approximately 286,500 acres are identified as available for 
disposal (Newcastle)

Alternative B--Emphasize Resource Protection

 Conservation emphasis
 Emphasis on ACEC designations (Newcastle: 1 existing with 
expansion, 1 BLM proposed)
 Approximately 3,300 acres are identified as available for 
disposal (Newcastle)
 Most protected areas and use restrictions

Alternative C--Maximize Resource Use

 Resource use emphasis
 Fewest protected areas and restrictions to resource uses
 One ACEC brought forward from existing management without 
expansion (Same as Alternative A)
 Approximately 30,300 acres are identified as available for 
disposal (Newcastle)

Alternative D--Balance Resource Protection and Use (Preferred 
Alternative)

 Balance of conservation and resource use
 Two ACECs in Special Designations (Newcastle: refined boundary 
of proposed ACEC)
 One proposed Backcountry Conservation Area (Newcastle)
 Approximately 9,700 acres are identified as available for 
disposal (Newcastle)
 Multiple use focus with prescriptive actions to allow 
protections with more flexibility

    The State Director has identified Alternative D as the preferred 
alternative, as it. best meets the State Director's planning guidance 
and the purpose and need. This alternative balances components 
(objectives and management directions) of the other alternatives 
considered (Alternatives A, B, and C) and allows for multiple use with 
a variety of prescriptive actions to allow protections with 
flexibility.

Mitigation

    Appendix C in Volume 2 of the Draft EIS is the Wyoming BLM 
Mitigation Guidelines for Surface Disturbing and Disruptive Activities. 
Mitigation in Nebraska will be in accordance with BLM policy.

ACECs

    Consistent with land use planning regulations at 43 CFR 1610.7-
2(b), the BLM is announcing the opening of a 90-day comment period on 
the ACECs proposed for designation in the preferred alternative. 
Comments may be submitted using any of the methods listed in the 
ADDRESSES section earlier.
    The proposed ACECs included in the preferred alternative for the 
Newcastle RMP are:
     Whoopup Canyon ACEC is an existing ACEC that has 
approximately 1,400 acres and contains rock art ranging from 2,400-
11,500 years old. The preferred alternative would expand the current 
ACEC by approximately 200 acres, making it a total of approximately 
1,600 acres.
     The Little Missouri Antelope Trap ACEC is a Native 
American antelope trap complex containing trap structures and drive 
lines, occupation sites, and ceremonial significance, located in Crook 
County. Proposed for its rare and sensitive cultural resources, the 
boundary of the Little Missouri Antelope Trap ACEC in Alternative B 
(9,500 acres) encompasses adjacent non-contributing cultural sites and 
includes an expanded boundary that would provide increased protection 
of the cultural setting of the trap site. In Alternative D, the 
Preferred Alternative, the ACEC would cover approximately 5,300 acres, 
with the boundary of the ACEC refined based on information received 
from Tribal field visits, academic studies, and public and cooperating 
agency input. This information indicated the importance of not only the 
physical trap features, but also the landscape, setting, and ceremonial 
features directly contributing to the significance of the Little 
Missouri Antelope Trap.

Schedule for the Decision-Making Process

    The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public 
participation consistent with the NEPA and land use planning processes, 
including a 30-day public protest period and a 60-day Governor's 
consistency review on the Proposed RMP. The Proposed RMP/Final EIS is 
anticipated to be available for public protest July 2025 with an 
Approved RMP and ROD October 2025.
    The BLM will be holding five public meetings in the following 
locations: in-person meetings will be held in Sundance, Newcastle, and 
Lusk, Wyoming, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and one meeting will be held 
virtually. The specific date(s) and location(s) of these meetings will 
be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media, 
newspapers, and the ePlanning project page: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510.
    The BLM will continue to consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a 
government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 
13175, BLM MS 1780, and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns, 
including impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to 
cultural resources, will be given due consideration. Government-to-
government meetings will continue, and field visits are planned for 
interested Tribes.
    During public review of this Draft RMPs/EIS, the BLM is seeking 
constructive input regarding the proposals for managing resources and 
resource uses.
    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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 
1610.7-2)

Andrew S. Archuleta,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-26665 Filed 11-14-24; 8:45 am]
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