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Notice of Availability of Bay Draft Resource Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Alaska
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: September 29, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 189)]
[Notices]
[Page 57562-57563]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29se06-112]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[AK-040-06-1610-DP-087L]
Notice of Availability of Bay Draft Resource Management Plan and
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Alaska
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS) for the Bay planning area for
lands adjacent to Bristol Bay and Goodnews Bay, Alaska and by this
notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.
DATES: Public comments on the draft RMP/EIS will be accepted until 90
calendar days after the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM
will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public
involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public
notices, media news releases, and/or mailings.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by the following methods:
? E-mail: akbayrmp@blm.gov.
? Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Anchorage Field Office,
ATTN: Bay RMP, 6881 Abbott Loop Road, Anchorage, AK 99507.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia McClenahan, Project Lead
(907) 267-1484, akbayrmp@blm.gov or Gary Reimer, Field Manager, (907)
267-1246, or in writing to the address listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bay Draft Resource Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement covers approximately 1,176,269 acres of
unencumbered land and 1,327,553 acres of State- and Native-selected
land in the Bristol Bay and Goodnews Bay regions in southwestern
Alaska. The Southwest Management Framework Plan (MFP), completed in
1981, addresses only the use of the specific portion of these lands
that lie within the Goodnews Block. A new RMP is necessary to plan for
those lands not covered by the MFP, to address issues that have arisen
since the MFP was written, and to meet current planning regulations.
BLM published a Notice of Intent to prepare an RMP/EIS in the
Federal Register on December 6, 2004. A 90-day formal scoping period
began with publication of the Notice by the EPA. Public meetings were
held in eight communities, and the following primary management
concerns were identified: (1) What land tenure adjustments would allow
BLM to consolidate discontiguous blocks of land to benefit users and
land managers; (2) Which lands would be made available for oil, gas and
hardrock mineral development, and how should these lands be managed to
sustain natural and cultural resources; (3) How will access be provided
to BLM-administered lands for various purposes, including recreation,
subsistence activities, and general enjoyment of public lands while
protecting natural and cultural resources; and (4) Should eligible
rivers be recommended for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic
Rivers System.
This draft RMP/EIS presents four alternatives to address the issues
identified in scoping. These include a No Action Alternative and three
action alternatives, including the Preferred Alternative. The No Action
Alternative (A) would continue existing management of lands within the
planning area. Alternative B emphasizes resource development. Under
this alternative, constraints to protect renewable resource values or
habitat, cultural and paleontological resources would be implemented on
a project-by-project basis rather than across the planning area or by
special designation. Alternative C proposes two Areas of Critical
Environmental Concern and three Wild River segments. No Special
Recreation Management Areas are identified and off-highway vehicle
(OHV) use would be limited to existing roads and trails. The Preferred
Alternative (D) represents a variety of actions that the BLM believes
best resolves the issues and management concerns in consideration of
all values and programs. The Preferred Alternative proposes one Area of
Critical Environmental Concern. No Special Recreation Management Areas
are identified and off-highway vehicle use would be limited to existing
roads and trails.
As required by 43 CFR 1610.7-2, areas with potential for
designation as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) and
protective management have been considered during the planning process.
Two potential areas are considered for designation in Alternative C:
Carter Spit ACEC (62,863 acres) and Bristol Bay ACEC (989,202 acres).
Three river segments--portions of the Alagnak, Goodnews mainstem, and
Goodnews middle fork rivers--are also proposed as Wild Rivers under
Alternative C. One potential area (Carter Spit ACEC) is considered for
designation under Alternative D. The following tables provide the
names, acreages of each area, and summary descriptions of resource use
limitations for Alternatives C and D.
Table 1.--Proposed Areas of Critical Environmental Concern and Wild Rivers Under Alternative C
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Name of area Acreage Resource use limitations
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Carter Spit ACEC.............................. 62,863 Open to fluid mineral leasing with Stipulations
and Required Operating Procedures, subject to
conditions.
.............. Open to locatable mineral exploration and
development with Required Operating Procedures,
subject to conditions.
.............. Closed to sale of mineral materials (i.e. sand,
gravel).
.............. Designated ``Limited'' OHV Use.
.............. Recreation managed as ``Semi-primitive
Motorized.''
.............. Visual resources managed at Level III.
.............. Avoidance Area for rights-of-way.
.............. Develop Habitat Management Plan.
Bristol Bay ACEC.............................. 989,202 Open to fluid mineral leasing with Stipulations
and Required Operating Procedures, subject to
conditions.
.............. Open to locatable mineral exploration and
development with Required Operating Procedures,
subject to conditions.
[[Page 57563]]
.............. Closed to sale of mineral materials (i.e. sand,
gravel).
.............. Designated ``Limited'' OHV Use.
.............. Recreation managed as ``Semi-primitive
Motorized.''
.............. Visual resources managed at Level III.
.............. Avoidance Area for rights-of-way.
.............. Develop Habitat Management Plan.
Wild River segments: Alagnak, Goodnews River 15,125 Visual resources managed at Level III.
(Mainstem), Goodnews River (Middle Fork). Retain existing 17(d)(1)withdrawals until
Congress acts.
Closed to sale of mineral materials (i.e. sand,
gravel).
Avoidance Area for rights-of-way.
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Table 2.--Proposed Area of Critical Environmental Concern Under
Alternative D
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Resource use
Name of area Acreage limitations
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Carter Spit ACEC............... 62,863 Open to fluid mineral
leasing with
Stipulations and
Required Operating
Procedures, subject to
conditions.
.............. Open to locatable
mineral exploration
and development with
Required Operating
Procedures, subject to
conditions.
.............. Closed to sale of
mineral materials
(i.e. sand, gravel).
.............. Designated ``Limited''
OHV Use.
.............. Recreation managed as
``Semi-primitive
Motorized.''
.............. Visual resources
managed at Level III.
.............. Avoidance Area for
rights-of-way.
.............. Develop Habitat
Management Plan.
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Final acreage for areas designated as ACECs would also depend on
the result of land conveyance to the State of Alaska and Native
corporations.
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.
Copies of the Bay Draft RMP/EIS (paper or compact disc) are
available at the BLM Anchorage Field Office, 6881 Abbott Loop Road,
Anchorage, AK 99507 and the BLM Alaska State Office, 222 W. 7th Avenue,
Anchorage, AK 99513. The document is also available online and may be
viewed at http://www.blm.gov/ak/ado.
Dated: July 6, 2006.
Julia Dougan,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. E6-15923 Filed 9-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JA-P