From: Subject: FR Doc E7-2678 Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 18:03:49 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-2678.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 FR Doc E7-2678 
[Federal Register: February 16, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 32)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 7670-7672]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16fe07-114]                        =20

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-100-07-1610-DP]

=20
Notice of Availability of the Pinedale Draft Resource Management=20
Plan Revision and Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of=20
1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the Federal Land Policy and=20
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) the Bureau of=20
Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Pinedale Draft=20
Resource Management Plan Revision and Environmental Impact Statement=20
(Draft RMP/EIS).

[[Page 7671]]


DATES: The Draft RMP/EIS will be available for public review for 90=20
calendar days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)=20
publishes its Notice of Availability (NOA) in the Federal Register. The=20
BLM can best use comments and resource information submitted within=20
this review period.
    To ensure that the public has an opportunity to comment on the=20
draft document, formal public hearings and open houses will be=20
scheduled in Jackson, Rock Springs, Marbleton, and Pinedale, Wyoming.=20
All meetings, hearings, or other public involvement activities will be=20
announced at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media=20
news releases, Web site announcements, or mailings.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Draft RMP/EIS have been sent to affected=20
Federal, State and local governments and to interested parties. The=20
document will be available electronically on the following Web site:=20
h=
ttp://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&=
amp;log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.blm.gov/rmp/wy/pinedale. =
Copies of the document will be=20

available for public inspection during normal business hours at the=20
following locations:
     Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353=20
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003.
     Bureau of Land Management, Pinedale Field Office, 432 East=20
Mill Street, P. O. Box 768, Pinedale, Wyoming 82941.
    Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Web site: h=
ttp://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&=
amp;log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.blm.gov/rmp/wy/pinedale,    =
 E-mail: pinedale--wymail@blm.gov,

     Facsimile: (307) 367-5329, or
     Mail: Send to the contact listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kellie Roadifer, Team Leader, BLM=20
Pinedale Field Office, 432 East Mill Street, P.O. Box 768, Pinedale,=20
Wyoming 82941. Ms. Roadifer may also be contacted by telephone: (307)=20
367-5309. Requests for information may be sent electronically to: 
pinedale_wymail@blm.gov with Attention: ``Pinedale RMP Info =
Request''=20

in the subject line.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Pinedale Field Office planning area is=20
located in Sublette and Lincoln Counties, Wyoming. It includes=20
approximately 922,880 acres of public land surface and 1,199,280 acres=20
of Federal mineral estate administered by the BLM.
    The existing Pinedale RMP was completed and its Record of Decision=20
(ROD) signed on December 12, 1988. Since completion of the Pinedale=20
RMP, as amended and maintained, new information and changed conditions=20
within the planning area have resulted in a need for the BLM to update=20
that RMP. These changes include but are not limited to: increased oil=20
and gas exploration and development activities, heightened public=20
awareness of and interest in BLM management actions and permitted uses,=20
increasing demand for recreation activities on public lands, increasing=20
conflicts between land uses, changes in national policies and=20
interests, and expanded scientific knowledge and information.
    Consistent with Federal regulations found at 43 Code of Federal=20
Regulations (CFR) 1610.2, the BLM published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to=20
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and initiate its=20
revision of the Pinedale RMP (1988). The plan revision process would=20
include review and analyses of current conditions, consideration of new=20
data, new or revised policies, and consideration of circumstances=20
affecting major portions of or the entire geographic area addressed in=20
the 1988 Pinedale RMP. As part of the planning process, the BLM would=20
develop goals and objectives for its management of the public land and=20
resources that it administers. As required by the FLPMA planning=20
regulations, the BLM would produce a revised plan and an EIS.
    After its completion and issuance of a ROD, a revised Pinedale RMP/
EIS would establish new land allocations and management guidance for=20
the Pinedale planning area. Adoption of the revised RMP/EIS would not=20
alter previously approved site-specific activities and developments=20
such as the natural gas development of the Jonah Field and Pinedale=20
Anticline. Existing leases and development would continue to be managed=20
consistent with their respective operating plans and authorizations.=20
However, if requested by operators or other permit holders, the BLM=20
would consider revising leases and other authorizing instruments to=20
incorporate revised RMP guidance or conditions included in its EIS ROD.
    The Draft RMP/EIS describes existing conditions of the physical,=20
biological, cultural, historic, and socioeconomic resources of and=20
surrounding the planning area. Based on planning criteria and resource=20
issues and concerns identified during scoping, alternatives for=20
management were developed and impacts analyzed. Concerns about planning=20
decisions to be made for the following were considered:
    1. Energy and mineral resources exploration and economic=20
development;
    2. Access to and transportation systems on public lands;
    3. Land ownership pattern adjustments;
    4. Fire management;
    5. Livestock grazing and vegetation management, including=20
management of non-native and invasive species;
    6. Air and water quality;
    7. Management of impacts land uses and human activities to=20
threatened, endangered, candidate and sensitive species, and wildlife=20
habitat;
    8. Management of cultural properties, visual resources,=20
paleontological resources, recreation activities and off-road vehicles;
    9. Existing lease rights; and
    10. Potential socio-economic consequences of implementing revised=20
plan decisions.
    Based on the analyses of alternative management strategies and=20
guidance and interdisciplinary team and cooperating agencies=20
discussions, the Draft RMP[bs]EIS ensures the=20
sustainability of important resources such as crucial big game range=20
and other wildlife habitats, air and water quality, scenic views,=20
healthy vegetative cover, and soil stability while providing for=20
resources uses such as mineral exploration and development, livestock=20
grazing and range improvement, motorized and non-motorized recreation=20
and economic development opportunities.
    The BLM analyzed four alternatives for resource management planning=20
in detail:
     Alternative 1 (No Action): Continues the current=20
management goals, objectives and direction specified in the Pinedale=20
RMP and ROD (1988).
     Alternative 2: Maximizes the production of resource=20
commodities while providing an adequate level of environmental=20
protection for other resources.
     Alternative 3: Provides a high level of environmental=20
protection for wildlife habitat and other resource values, while=20
allowing the production of resources commodities.
     Alternative 4 (BLM Preferred Alternative): Optimizes the=20
mix of resource outputs, including production of resource commodities=20
and wildlife habitat, while providing an appropriate level of=20
environmental protection for all resources.
    As established by the Pinedale RMP, there are two Areas of Critical=20
Environmental Concern (ACEC), Rock Creek and Beaver Creek, totaling=20
approximately 8,900 acres. With the Preferred Alternative, the BLM=20
proposes to establish two additional ACECs:
     Trappers Point--(4,000 acres): Values of critical concern=20
are big game

[[Page 7672]]

migration corridors, cultural and historic properties, and livestock=20
trailing. Within this ACEC, fence construction and surface disturbing=20
activities would be prohibited with the exception of activities=20
designed to increase big game migration viability. The Area would be=20
unavailable for oil and gas leasing. Off-road vehicle (ORV) use would=20
be restricted to designated roads and trails and subject to a seasonal=20
closure from November 15th through April 30th.
     New Fork Potholes--(1,800 acres): Values of critical=20
concern are waterfowl, trumpeter swan, and riparian habitats. With the=20
exception of those that would benefit wildlife habitat, surface=20
disturbing activities would be prohibited. The Area would be=20
unavailable for oil and gas leasing. ORV use would be restricted to=20
designated roads and trails.
    Three areas were proposed for consideration as ACECs: Ross Butte,=20
White-tailed Prairie Dog and the Wind River Front. While the BLM found=20
that these areas meet relevance and importance criteria and effects of=20
including these proposals analyzed, none of them were recommended for=20
inclusion in BLM's Preferred Alternative. Alternative 4 (Preferred=20
Alternative) would establish two Special Recreation Management Areas=20
(SMRAs): CCC Ponds and Boulder Lake. Alternative 4 also describes=20
special management goals and objectives for Miller Mountain, Ross=20
Butte, and the Wind River Front.
    Much of the Pinedale planning area is considered to have a high=20
potential for energy development. For those areas with high potential,=20
the Draft RMP/EIS considers oil and gas, and wind energy development in=20
support of the National Energy Plan and the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
    Performance-based land use objectives would be emphasized in=20
Alternative 4 (Preferred Alternative), and applied where appropriate in=20
all alternatives except Alternative 1 (No Action). The Draft RMP/EIS=20
considers and is in conformance with the BLM's National Fire Plan and=20
Healthy Forest Initiative.
    The BLM published its Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the revised=20
RMP/EIS in the Federal Register on February 25, 2002. The BLM conducted=20
open houses and mailed solicitations for public comments and input.=20
Meetings were held to provide the public with an opportunity to gain=20
information about the RMP revision process and to submit comments.=20
Public meetings were held in the following Wyoming communities: Rock=20
Springs, March 3, 2003; Pinedale, March 10, 2003; and Marbleton, March=20
11, 2003. During the scoping period the BLM received over 55,000 public=20
comments.
    Cooperating agencies assisting BLM in the development and=20
preparation of the Draft RMP/EIS included county governments,=20
conservation districts, other Federal agencies and the State of=20
Wyoming. The BLM contacted tribal governments with possible interests,=20
and offered opportunities for participation in the plan revision=20
process. In preparation of the Draft RMP/EIS, the BLM considered all=20
comments presented throughout the process. Background information and=20
maps used in developing the Draft RMP/EIS are available for public=20
review at the Pinedale Field Office.
    The BLM welcomes your comments. To facilitate analysis of comments=20
and information, the public is encouraged to submit comments in an=20
electronic format either through the Web site identified in this notice=20
or through electronic mail.
    All comment submittals must include the commenter's name and street=20
address. Comments including the names and street addresses of=20
respondents will be available for public review at the Pinedale Field=20
Office during its business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday=20
through Friday except for Federal holidays. Your comments may be=20
published as part of the EIS process. Individual respondents may=20
request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or street=20
address from public review or disclosure under the Freedom of=20
Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of=20
your written comments. Such requests will be honored to the extent=20
allowed by law. Anonymous comments will not be considered. All=20
submissions from organizations or businesses will be made available for=20
public inspection in their entirety.

Donald A. Simpson,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. E7-2678 Filed 2-15-07; 8:45 am]

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