[Federal Register: February 13, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 29)]
[Notices]
[Page 6740-6741]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13fe07-62]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WY 050-07-1610-DO]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan Revision
and Associated Environmental Impact Statement, for the Lander Field
Office, Wyoming
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lander Field Office,
Wyoming intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan revision with an
associated Environmental Impact Statement (RMP\EIS) for the Lander
Field Office planning area and by this notice is announcing public
scoping meetings. The RMP will replace the existing Lander RMP.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. Comments and
[[Page 6741]]
resource information should be submitted to the BLM within 60 days of
publication of this notice in the Federal Register. The BLM will
announce public scoping meetings to identify relevant issues through
local news media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site (http://www.wy.blm.gov/lfo/lfoplan.htm
) at least 15 days prior to the first
meeting.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Web site: http://www.wy.blm.gov/lfo/lfoplan.htm. E-mail: lrmp--wymail@blm.gov.
Fax: 307-332-8444.
Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Lander Field Office, P.O.
Box 589, Lander, WY 82520.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Lander
Field Office. Respondents' comments, including names and street
addresses, will be available for public review at the Lander Field
Office during regular business hours 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except holidays, and may be published as part of the
EIS. 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 and businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to our mailing list, contact Carol-Anne Murray, Lander
Field Office, at 307-332-8448 or by e-mail to lrmp_wymail@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area is located in Fremont,
Natrona, Sweetwater, Carbon, and Hot Springs Counties, Wyoming. This
planning activity encompasses approximately 2.5 million surface acres
of BLM-administered public lands and 2.7 million acres of subsurface
mineral estate. The plan will fulfill the needs and obligations set
forth by the National Environmental Policy Act, the Federal Land Policy
and Management Act, and BLM management policies. The BLM will work
collaboratively with interested parties to identify the management
decisions that are best suited to local, regional, and national needs
and concerns.
The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis and
EIS alternatives. These issues will also guide the planning process.
You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing to
the BLM at any public scoping meeting, or you may submit them to the
BLM using one of the methods listed under ADDRESSES above.
To be most helpful, you should submit formal scoping comments
within 30 days after the last public meeting.
Preliminary issues and management concerns have been identified by
BLM personnel, other agencies, and in meetings with individuals and
user groups. They represent the BLM's knowledge to date regarding the
existing issues and concerns with current land management. The EIS will
describe and analyze a range of alternatives, comprised of the No
Action alternative (continued management) and a number of action
alternatives, each of which will describe options for addressing the
major issues. The major issue themes that will be addressed in the plan
effort include:
Energy and minerals management;
Management of riparian areas and water quality concerns;
Livestock grazing management;
Recreation/visitor use and safety management;
Travel management, including Off Highway Vehicles;
Management of wildlife habitat including protection of
sensitive species habitat;
Land tenure adjustments, realty leases, and utility
corridor right-of-ways;
Management of areas with special values; and,
Management and protection of public land resources while
allowing for multiple uses.
At this time, there are no areas identified during preplanning for
consideration as new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.
After gathering public comments on what issues the plan should
address, the suggested issues will be placed in one of four categories:
1. Issues to be resolved in the plan;
2. Issues resolved through policy or administrative action;
3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan; or
4. Issues that have already been addressed but should be better
communicated to the issue holder.
Rationale will be provided in the plan for each issue placed in
category two, three, or four. In addition to these major issues, a
number of management questions and concerns will be addressed in the
plan. The public is encouraged to help identify these questions and
concerns during the scoping phase. An interdisciplinary approach will
be used to develop the plan in order to consider the variety of
resource issues and concerns identified. Disciplines involved in the
planning process will include specialists with expertise in rangeland
management, minerals and geology, wildland fire and fuels management,
outdoor recreation, archaeology, paleontology, wildlife, fisheries,
lands and realty, soils, water and air, wild horses, environmental
justice, and sociology and economics.
The following planning criteria have been proposed to guide
development of the plan, avoid unnecessary data collection and
analyses, and to ensure the plan is tailored to the issues. Other
criteria may be identified during the public scoping process. After
gathering comments on planning criteria, the BLM will finalize the
criteria and provide feedback to the public on the criteria to be used
throughout the planning process. Some of the planning criteria that are
under consideration include:
The plan will be completed in compliance with the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and the
National Environmental Policy Act;
The plan will recognize valid existing rights;
Public participation will be encouraged throughout the
process by collaborating and building relationships with tribes, state
and local governments, Federal agencies, local stakeholders, and others
with interest in the plan. Collaborators are regularly informed and
offered timely and meaningful opportunities to participate in the
planning process.
Dated: December 8, 2006.
Robert A. Bennett,
State Director, Wyoming.
[FR Doc. E7-2421 Filed 2-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P