![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Environmental Statements; Notice of Intent
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: August 7, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 152)]
[Notices]
[Page 41263-41264]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07au01-123]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[ID-090-1610-DG]
Environmental Statements; Notice of Intent
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare (1) a Resource Management Plan
(RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Snake River
Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA) and (2) a RMP and EIS
for the Bruneau planning area of the Owyhee Field Office in
southwestern Idaho.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) and section 102 (2)(C) of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM), Lower Snake River District will prepare a RMP and EIS for the
Snake River Birds of Prey NCA and a separate RMP and EIS for the
Bruneau planning area in southwestern Idaho. These land use plans will
guide resource management in these areas in the foreseeable future.
These RMPs will be prepared under guidance provided through 43 CFR part
1600 (BLM Planning Regulations).
DATES: Public meetings pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.2 (BLM Planning
Regulations) and 40 CFR 1501.7 (NEPA Regulations) to help identify the
range of issues to be addressed in each RMP and the scope of each EIS
will be announced through the local media and direct mailings at a
later date once specific dates and locations for public participation
are determined. Throughout the planning process, the public will be
given opportunities to participate through workshops and open house
meetings. These workshops will provide the public an opportunity to
work with BLM in identifying the full range of issues to be addressed
in the RMPs/EISs and developing the alternatives to be analyzed in the
EISs.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: Bureau of Land Management,
SRBOPNCA-RMP, 3948 Development Avenue, Boise, Idaho 83705, for the
Snake River Birds of Prey NCA RMP, and Owyhee Field Office, 3948
Development Avenue, Boise Idaho 83705, for the Bruneau RMP. Comments,
including names and street addresses of respondents, will be available
for public review at the above address during regular business hours
7:45 a.m. to 4:15 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 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Sullivan, NCA Manager, 3948
Development Avenue, Boise, Idaho
[[Page 41264]]
83705 for the Snake River Birds of Prey NCA RMP; and Jenna Whitlock,
Field Manager, Owyhee Field Office, 3948 Development Ave., Boise, Idaho
83705 for the Bruneau RMP; phone for either manager (208) 384-3300.
Existing documents concerning these planning areas can be seen at the
above addresses.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning process for these two RMPs will
utilize an open collaborative approach allowing the public, Tribes,
State and Federal agencies, local elected officials, and BLM subject
matter specialists to fully develop and analyze the alternatives for
management of the public lands. To facilitate public comment, promote
efficiency, and avoid confusion between the two planning efforts, it is
anticipated that joint scoping meetings will be conducted. Beyond the
scoping process, each planning effort will develop its own public
involvement process to be responsive to the issues and concerns unique
to the planning effort. The plans are expected to be completed in 2004.
Snake River Birds of Prey NCA RMP
The NCA encompasses 485,000 acres of public land along 81 miles of
the Snake River. It is located in Ada, Canyon, Elmore, and Owyhee
Counties and is within a 30 minute drive of Boise in southwestern
Idaho. The NCA was established on August 4, 1993 by Public Law 103-64
for the conservation, protection and enhancement of raptor populations
and habitats and the natural and environmental resources and values
associated with the area. The current NCA management plan is an
activity level plan that conforms with, and is used in conjunction with
five land use plans. The NCA RMP will replace management decisions made
in the existing five land use plans.
In order to address issues and meet Bureau requirements for
determining appropriate public land uses, decisions may be made on the
following: air resources, soil resources, water resources, vegetation
(including invasive species and noxious weeds), riparian areas,
wildlife habitat, fishery habitat, special status species (including
threatened and endangered species), range management, fire management,
lands (including tenure adjustments, rights-of-way, and NCA boundary
adjustments), military training, mineral materials, recreation, visual
resources, cultural resources, geological and paleontological
resources, areas of critical environmental concern, and hazardous
materials.
The preliminary issues have been identified, based on the NCA
legislative mandate, and staff knowledge. These preliminary issues will
be expanded during public scoping and refined throughout the planning
process. The following issues, at a minimum, will be addressed in the
RMP: National Guard military training compatibility with NCA purposes;
management and protection of raptors and scientific research on their
decline; habitat restoration, including needs as a result of wildfire
and other disturbances; fire and fuels management strategies to protect
at risk communities and habitats, especially shrub sites; rangeland
health assessments and livestock grazing compatibility determinations
as required by the enabling legislation; special status species
management (including threatened and endangered species); public access
and transportation within the NCA that balances public access and
resource protection; visitor use and environmental education;
protection and management of significant cultural sites; land tenure
adjustments and urban interface considerations; and possible withdrawal
of an unexploded ordnance area. All issues will be considered in the
context of compatibility with NCA purposes as described in the enabling
legislation, the Snake River Birds of Prey Act of 1996 (Public Law 103-
64). Disciplines corresponding to these issue areas will be represented
and used during the planning process.
Bruneau Planning Area
The Bruneau planning area encompasses approximately 1.4 million
acres of public land administered by the BLM Owyhee Field Office in
southwestern Idaho. This area is currently managed in compliance with
the Bruneau Management Framework Plan (MFP) approved in 1983.
Reorganization of the Lower Snake River District resulted in
incorporation of the Bruneau planning area into the Owyhee Field
Office. In December of 1999, the Owyhee RMP was approved on 1.3 million
acres. When completed, the Bruneau RMP will be used in conjunction with
the Owyhee RMP to manage approximately 2.7 million acres administered
by the Owyhee Field Office.
In order to address issues and meet BLM planning requirements for
determining public land uses, decisions may be made for air, soil, and
water resources; vegetation (including noxious weeds); riparian areas;
forestry management (including juniper woodlands); wildlife and fishery
habitat; special status species (including threatened, endangered,
candidate, and BLM sensitive species); range management; fire and fuels
management; lands (including tenure adjustments and rights-of-way);
locatable, leasable, and salable minerals; recreation (including wild
and scenic rivers); wilderness; visual resources; cultural resources;
hazardous materials; and areas of critical environmental concern.
The anticipated issues identified are preliminary and are based on
staff knowledge. The issues will be expanded during public scoping and
refined throughout the planning process. As a minimum the following
issues will be addressed in the RMP: range management including
compliance with Idaho standards for rangeland health and guidelines;
public access and transportation to balance access and resource
protection; recreation; identification of conservation measures for
special status species; wilderness study area management; management of
river segments eligible for the wild and scenic river system;
protection and management of cultural resources; management of riparian
and wetland habitats; fire and fuel management, including protection of
low elevation shrub communities from unnatural wildfire; and
consideration of local community needs, including consideration of the
socio-economic effects of changes in public land management.
Disciplines corresponding to the issue areas indicated will be
represented and used during the planning process.
Dated: July 16, 2001.
Katherine Kitchell,
Lower Snake River District Manager.
[FR Doc. 01-19674 Filed 8-6-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-GG-P