[Federal Register: December 15, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 240)] [Notices] [Page 70050-70051] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr15de99-87] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [ID-0768-1430-DH] Notice of Intent To Prepare Land Use Plan Amendments for Land Tenure Adjustment and New Designations of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) Within the Upper Snake River District (USRD), Shoshone Field Office in Southern Idaho AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, DOI. ACTION: Notice of Intent, Amendment of the existing Sun Valley, Bennett Hills/Timmerman Hills and Magic Management Framework Plans (MFPs) and the Monument Resource Management Plan (RMP) for (a) land ownership adjustments and (b) designation of new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Pursuant to 43 CFR 1600, the USRD, Shoshone Field Office proposes to amend the Field Office's existing MFPs and RMP to identify public lands retention and transfer zones within the USRD, Shoshone Field Office area. Also pursuant to 43 CFR 1610, new areas having potential for ACEC designation and protective management shall be identified and considered. The Shoshone Field Office manages approximately 1.8 million acres of public land, located primarily in Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln Counties, with a small portion in Elmore and Minidoka Counties. DATES: Written comments on the BLM's intention to prepare these proposed land use plan amendments will be accepted until January 31, 2000. An informal public scoping meeting to identify planning issues and alternatives will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on January 12, 2000, at the fire conference room at the Shoshone Field Office warehouse, 400 West F Street, Shoshone, Idaho. Additional meetings will be considered as appropriate. ADDRESS, LOCATION AND AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS: All documents related to the proposed amendments are located at the USRD, Shoshone Field Office, 400 West F Street, Shoshone, Idaho. The hours of availability are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the above street address and times and may be published as part of the environmental assessment (EA) or other related documents. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or street address from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, 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, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their entirety. Comments should be sent to Bill Baker, Shoshone Field Office Manager, Bureau of Land Management, P.O. Box 2-B, Shoshone, Idaho 83352. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information concerning the proposed land use plan amendments may be obtained from Debbie Kovar, Realty Specialist, at P.O. Box 2-B, Shoshone, Idaho 83352, or by calling (208) 886-2206. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The amendments will include proposals to identify changes in public lands retention or transfer status and designate new ACECs. Appropriate alternatives to the proposed amendments will be identified and analyzed in a draft amendment document and accompanying environmental assessment. These documents will be made available for public comment. At a minimum, expertise related to the following topics will be utilized during the planning process: lands, wildlife habitat, rangeland management, minerals, cultural resources, trust responsibilities, treaty rights, watershed/soils, threatened/endangered and sensitive species and hazardous materials. As issues are identified, appropriate additional expertise will be [[Page 70051]] added to the planning team. Staff members representing these resources will be involved in the planning process. The BLM anticipates that at least the following issues would be considered during preparation of the proposed amendments: 1. Which public lands should be retained in public ownership, and identified for ``retention only'' (i.e., not available for disposal)? 2. Should land tenure actions be taken to improve manageability of public lands in areas having high public value? If so, where are these lands located (i.e., which lands are considered to be of ``high value'' and also in need of land tenure adjustments to consolidate ownership or otherwise improve BLM's ability to manage resources on the lands)? Is there a need to consolidate ownership of scattered parcels of public land by exchanging for private or State lands? If so, which areas are most important, which public lands could be disposed of by exchange, and which non-federal lands should the BLM seek to acquire? 3. Which lands, if any, should be identified for disposal by sale, exchange, or under other authorities, to address concerns such as trespass, community expansion, enhanced manageability of State and Federal lands, pending expiration of land use permits, etc.? 4. If public lands are proposed for exchange, should there be some kind of priority process utilized in considering the resource values gained and lost? For example, should the exchange lands provide better federal land management, and better meet the needs of the State of Idaho and local people? Should it be considered whether the lands needed are for the economy, community expansion, recreation areas, food, wood fiber production, minerals, and fish and wildlife habitat, or other important values and uses? 5. In addition to presently designated Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs), which public lands, if any, should be considered for designation as ACECs? Dated: November 30, 1999. James E. May, District Manager. [FR Doc. 99-32252 Filed 12-14-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-66-P