[Federal Register: October 22, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 204)] [Notices] [Page 56660-56661] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr22oc98-96] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [OR-030-09-1610-00: GP9-0010] Notice of Availability of Draft Southeastern Oregon Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement AGENCY: Vale and Burns Districts, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability of Draft Southeastern Oregon Resource [[Page 56661]] Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (Draft SEORMP/EIS). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 202 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, a draft Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement has been prepared for the Southeastern Oregon planning area. The area covered by this plan includes all BLM-managed lands, approximately 6.3 million acres, in Southeastern Oregon, in portions of Harney, Malheur and Grant Counties. This planning area is within the Vale and Burns Districts and includes the Andrews, Malheur, and Jordan Resource Areas. Decisions generated during this planning process will supersede planning guidance presented in the Andrews, Southern Malheur, and Northern Malheur Management Framework Plans, as amended, and land use guidance pertaining to the Ironsides (southern portion), Southern Malheur and Andrews rangeland management programs. Other subordinate activity, implementation or projects plans, such as the Donner and Blitzen Wild and Scenic River Plan, will also be amended or otherwise brought into conformance with the Final SEORMP/EIS. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This land use plan focuses on the principles of multiple use management and sustained yield as prescribed by Section 202 of FLPMA. This plan provides direction for management of these public lands for a period of 15 to 20 years. The Draft SEORMP/EIS has identified five alternatives for managing 6.3 million acres of public land in Southeastern Oregon. Input provided by the public during the scoping process helped develop the five alternatives, which are described and analyzed in the draft plan. ``Alternative A'' emphasizes commodity production or extraction. ``Alternative B'' is a continuation of current management and is the No Action Alternative. ``Alternative C'', the Agency Preferred Alternative, provides a balance with a high level of natural resource protection and improvement in ecological conditions, while allowing commodity production. ``Alternative D'' emphasizes resource values and the functioning of natural systems. ``Alternative E'' would minimize human intervention in the ecosystem, and eliminate commodity production. Objectives and criteria for land management are established to be used within the concept of the adaptive management process. Adaptive management is the continuing process of action-based planning, monitoring, evaluating and adjusting management to improve achievement of goals and objectives. Using this adaptive approach calls for applying the latest information and professional judgement to develop activity plans that will most likely meet objectives and desired future conditions. New information will be evaluated and decisions made whether or not to make adjustments or changes as experience is gained from implementing activity plans. The adaptive management approach will enable resource managers to determine how well management actions meet their objectives and what steps are needed to modify activities to successfully obtain the objectives of this plan. Major RMP issues include rangeland, woodland and riparian vegetation management, energy and mineral resources, designation and management of Special Management Areas, fire management, recreation management, fish, wildlife, botany and Special Status species, and land tenure. The draft document includes consideration of 60 existing and nominated areas for designation as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. Also, addressed is suitability of wild, scenic, and recreational designations on 289 miles of stream segments determined to be eligible for such designations under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The preferred alternative was developed to represent the best estimate of an optimum multiple use mix of land management commitments for these lands. This document also serves as the draft EIS requirement for the Wild and Scenic River Act to consider potential new rivers for congressional action, as well as the EIS for a management plan on the previously designated Donner und Blitzen River to meet court mandates in the lawsuit with ONDA et al. vs. Green et al., 953F Supp. 1133 (D. OR 1997). DATES & ADDRESSES: The Draft SEORMP/EIS will have a 120 day comment period. Due to the extended comment period being allowed, there will not be additional time authorized. The comment period will end on March 1, 1999. BLM encourages interested public to provide comments. Comments are most useful when they address the following: (1) errors in the analysis; (2) new information or non-Bureau analysis that may have a bearing on the EIS analysis; or (3) a need for clarification of information, or direction. Copies of the Draft SEORMP/EIS will be mailed to all known interested parties around October 30, 1998 and available in the Vale and Burns District Offices. in addition, electronic copies of the text and map will be available from the District Offices as well as accessible on the District Internet home pages listed below. Written comments are requested to be sent to: SEORMP; Bureau of Land Management; Vale District Office; 100 Oregon Street; Vale, Oregon 97918 or SEORMP; Bureau of Land Management; Burns District; HC74-12533 Hwy 20 W; Hines, Oregon 97738. Copies of the Draft SEORMP/EIS will be available for inspection at the Harney and Malheur County libraries as well as the BLM, Oregon State Office, Land Office, 1515 SW Fifth Street, Portland, Oregon, the Baker Resource Area Office, Baker City, Oregon, during normal working hours. Informal meetings will be scheduled at Burns, Vale, Fields, Diamond, Jordan Valley, McDermitt and Portland. These meetings are intended to provide answers to questions in an effort to get meaningful comments. Only written comments will be accepted. The schedules for these meetings will be sent to those on the mailing list as well as through the media, at a later date. All meaningful comments received during the 120 day comment period will be analyzed and considered in the preparation of the Final SEORMP/ EIS. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vale District, Gary Cooper, 541-473-6203, (phone), 541-473-6213 (fax), http://www.or.blm.gov/Vale/ Burns District, Glenn Patterson, 541-573-4429, (phone), 541-573-4411 (fax), http://www.or.blm.gov/Burns/ Public participation has occurred throughout the Draft SEORMP process. A Notice of Intent was filed in the Federal Register on August 24, 1995. Since that time several open houses, public meetings, field tours, and discussions with the Southeastern Oregon Resource Advisory Council and public mailings were conducted to solicit comments, ideas and report progress. Any comments presented throughout the process have been considered. In addition, the Draft SEORMP/EIS incorporates applicable information from the ongoing Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem management Project. This notice meets the requirements of 43 CFR 1610.7-2 for consideration of designation of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. Edwin J. Singleton, Vale District Manager. [FR Doc. 98-28345 Filed 10-21-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-33-M