[Federal Register: May 24, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 101)]
[Notices]
[Page 28759-28760]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24my01-88]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CO-14000-01-1610-DU]
Resource Management Plan Amendment
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Glenwood Springs Field Office,
Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Fire Management Plan and
Environmental Assessment (EA) and Amend the Glenwood Springs Field
Office Resource Management Plan (RMP).
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[[Page 28760]]
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Glenwood Springs Field
Office (GSFO) has fire protection responsibility on more than 550,000
acres of public land in Eagle, Garfield, Pitkin, Routt, Mesa and Rio
Blanco Counties in Colorado. A fire management plan (FMP) plan will
provide managers and the public a framework for managing wildland fire
and prescribing vegetation treatments. The Environmental Assessment
(EA) will serve as the analysis for implementing wildland fire
management. Public lands will be managed under one of four management
catagories for purposes of wildland fire management. The description of
these categories follows:
A. The values in these areas are threatened by all types of fire.
Fires will be aggressively suppressed and no prescribed fire management
would be planned. Mechanical and/or chemical fuel treatments would be
utilized to reduce hazard fuel loadings in this zone.
B. These areas also have values that are threatened by wildfires,
but might benefit from the careful application of fire. Wildfires will
be aggressively suppressed, but prescribed fire with other fuel
treatment reduction methods (mechanical or chemical) will be considered
as a management alternative in certain situations.
C. The natural resource values in these areas are not significantly
threatened or benefitted by wildfires. Wildfires will be managed by an
appropriate management response (AMR) as provided for in the FMP.
Suppression options will range from aggressive suppression, to a
nonaggressive containment action that considers least cost as a primary
consideration. Predetermined constraints (ecological, air quality,
political, fire load, time of year, etc.) will be included in a
wildfire situation analysis (WFSA) to help the line officer in decision
making. These areas do contain values that may benefit from the
application of fire, so prescribed fires will be an option for natural
resource management. Mechanical and/or chemical fuel treatments could
also be utilized to reduce hazard fuel loadings in this zone.
D. These areas have no natural resource values that are threatened
by wildfires, and contain some natural resources that would benefit
from fire, both wildfire and prescribed fire. If pre-existing
conditions are met (ecological, air quality, political, fire load, time
of year, etc.) wildfires may be allowed to burn without suppression
actions to benefit natural resources. Fires that are suppressed will be
managed with the AMR range of alternatives. A WFSA will be conducted on
all fires where aggressive suppression does not take place, the line
officer's decision will be documented. Prescribed fire will also be a
management alternative to meet resource objectives. Mechanical and/or
chemical fuel treatments could also be utilized to reduce hazard fuel
loadings.
DATES: The BLM can best utilize your input if you submit comments
pertaining to important values, wildland fire management and prescribed
(fire, mechanical and chemical) vegetation treatments before June 30,
2001. Public meetings (dates to be announced) are tentatively planned
for Eagle, Glenwood Springs and Rifle, Colorado.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the Field Manager--Fire
Management Plan, Glenwood Springs Field Office, Bureau of Land
Management, 50629 Highway 6 & 24, P.O. Box 1009, Glenwood Springs, CO
81602.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests to be placed on a mailing
list and notified of public meetings should be mailed to the address
above. You can also telephone Brian Hopkins at (970) 947-2840 or e-mail
him at bhopkins@co.blm.gov. Documents and maps relevant to the planning
process will be available for public review at the Glenwood Springs
Field Office and, as feasible, available on the Glenwood Springs Field
Office website at http://www.co.blm.gov/gsra/gshome.htm.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FMPs are being updated to comply with the
1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and the 2001 Review and
Update of the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy. The Policy
directs Field Offices to have an approved FMP for every area with
burnable vegetation. In addition, land uses, land issues and vegetation
(fuels) have changed since the completion of the 1984 RMP, especially
along the private land--public land interface. The GSFO FMP will update
fire and vegetation management in light of these changes.
The goals of the FMP are to address issues including: (1) Human
safety; (2) Protection of improvements, property, cultural resources,
threatened or endangered species and high value resources; (3) Return
fire to its natural role in the ecosystem; (4) Protection and
enhancement of other natural resources; (5) Hazardous fuel reduction;
and (6) Fiscal efficiency of fire management operations.
We will provide opportunities for local governments, state agencies
and the public to participate in the planning process. Individuals will
have the opportunity to attend public meetings, write letters,
telephone and meet directly with the interdisciplinary planning team.
Anne Huebner,
Glenwood Springs Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 01-13120 Filed 5-23-01; 8:45 am]
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