[Federal Register: December 23, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 246)] [Notices] [Page 72098-72099] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr23de99-83] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [UT-045-1610-00] Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and General Management Plan for Zion National Park Incorporating a Land Use Plan Amendment for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) St. George Field Office Resource Management Plan AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the BLM, St. George Field Office, Utah announces the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and General Management Plan (DEIS/GMP) for Zion National Park, Utah. The DEIS/GMP incorporates a land use plan amendment for the BLM St. George Field Office Resource Management Plan (1999). On February 17, 1998, the St. George Field Office published in the Federal Register a notice of intent to conduct a plan amendment within the Dixie Resource area (now known as St. George Field Office), Washington County, Utah. Further, the notice indicated that BLM initiated the plan amendment through a joint planning effort with Zion National Park for the purpose of conducting wild and scenic river studies of five specific tracts on BLM-managed land contiguous to the Zion National Park's boundary. The St. George Field Office and Zion National Park prepared a Memorandum of Understanding regarding this joint planning effort. DATES: Comments on the land use plan amendment to the St. George Resource Management Plan (incorporated within the DEIS/GMP) will be accepted through March 23, 2000. Comments specific to the DEIS/GMP for Zion National Park are due by February 11, 2000 (see Federal Register Volume 64, Number 233, Pages 68114-68115). Public meetings concerning both the DEIS/GMP and BLM's land use plan amendment will be held at the following locations and dates: All meetings will run from 7-10 p.m. --January 6, 2000, Sharwan Smith Center, SUU, 351 W. Center Street, Cedar City, UT --January 10, 2000, Town Offices, Public Assembly Hall, 118 Lion Boulevard, Springdale, UT --January 11, 2000, Kanab City Library, 374 N. Main Street, Kanab, UT --January 12, 2000, Interagency Offices and Information Center, 345 E. Riverside Road, St. George, UT --January 13, 2000, Utah Department of Natural Resources, 1594 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT ADDRESSES: Comments and information regarding river values on the specific public land tracts identified in this notice should be submitted on or before March 23, 2000, and sent to, Jim Crisp, St. George Field Office Manager, 345 East Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah 84790. Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the BLM St. George Field Office and will be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). They may be published as part of the Final EIS and other related documents. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or street address from public review and disclosure under the FOIA, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their entirety. Public reading copies of the DIES/GMP will be available for review at the following locations: Office of the Superintendent, Zion National Park, Springdale, Utah 84767-1099; Telephone (435) 772-0211; Planning and Environmental Quality, Intermountain Support Office--Denver, National Park Service, PO Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225-0287, Telephone: (303) 969-2851 or (303) 969-2377; Office of Public Affairs, National Park Service, Department of the Interior, 18th and C Streets NW, Washington, D.C. 20240, Telephone: (202) 208-6843. The DEIS/GMP is also available for review on the National Park Service's Internet site at www.nps.gov/planning. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Crisp, BLM St. George Field Office Manager, (435) 688-3201. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal land management agencies are directed by Section 5(d)(1) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 to consider the potential for national wild, scenic and recreational river areas in all planning for the use and development of water and related land resources. The BLM's St. George Field Office, during their past planning effort, learned that when river segments on three, small, isolated tracts of BLM-managed public land contiguous to Zion National Park were evaluated in the early 1990's as part of the St. George planning effort, they were determined by BLM not be eligible for further study. These river segments are Willis Creek (T. 38 S., R. 11 W., Sec. 27: SWSW--40 acres affected), Beartrap Canyon (T. 39 S., R. 11 W., Sec. 3: SWNW--40 acres affected), and Goose Creek (T. 39 S., R. 10 W., Sec. 31: NESE, S2SE--120 acres affected). Additionally, contiguous river segments within the Park were not evaluated at that time. The BLM's St. George Field Office also learned that Zion National Park was preparing a General Management Plan and as part of that effort was conducting a wild and [[Page 72099]] scenic study of river segments within the Park. Consequently, BLM determined that the Park's study provided a timely, efficient way for BLM and the National Park Service to evaluate the streams throughout their reaches across contiguous Federal lands. Thus, for purposes of wild and scenic river study only, BLM through a memorandum of understanding with Zion National Park, served as a co-lead agency in the development of the General Management Plan for Zion National Park and preparation of any associated environmental document. BLM and Zion National Park will cooperate as partners and strive to reach a joint conclusion as to eligibility, tentative classification, and suitability for each river segment where public lands are involved. It is recognized that although the BLM-managed river segments identified above may not be eligible for further study when considered on their own, they may be eligible when considered in conjunction with contiguous segments in the Park. Two additional public land parcels at the head of the Middle Fork of Taylor Creek (T. 38 S., R. 11 W., Sec. 30: SWNW--40 acres), and at the head of Kolob Creek Narrows (T. 39 S., R. 10 W., Sec. 30: portions thereof--80 acres), may also be affected should the streams (that are within the Park) be determined suitable for Congressional designation into the National Wild and Scenic River System. Thus, river values involving these parcels have been addressed in the DEIS/GMP. Wild and scenic evaluations will be made by Zion National Park, the BLM, and other experts in accordance with the interagency guidelines of July 1996 titled ``Wild and Scenic River Review in the State of Utah, Process and Criteria for Interagency Use.'' BLM will prepare its own Record of Decision regarding stream segments that cross or otherwise affect BLM-managed public lands. Such decision will constitute a plan amendment for the St. George Resource Management Plan. Sally Wisely, Utah State Director. [FR Doc. 99-33287 Filed 12-22-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 1610-DQ-P