[Federal Register: October 10, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 198)]
[Notices]
[Page 60320-60321]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10oc08-115]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[UT030-4310-DS]
Notice of Availability of Draft Monument Management Plan
Amendment and Draft Rangeland Health Environmental Impact Statement for
the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Planning Area in Kane
and Garfield Counties, UT and Coconino County, AZ
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 Draft Monument Management Plan
Amendment and Draft Rangeland Health Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) (hereafter referred to as the `Draft Rangeland Health
Amendment') and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment
period.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Draft Rangeland Health Amendment within 90 days
following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the
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 any of the following methods:
E-mail: UT_GSENM_NEPA@blm.gov.
Fax: (435) 644-4350.
Mail: Draft Rangeland Health Amendment Comments--Attention
Paul Chapman, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Bureau of
Land Management, 190 East Center Street, Kanab, Utah 84741.
Copies of the Draft Rangeland Health Amendment are available in the
BLM Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument main office at the
above address; the BLM Utah State Office in Salt Lake City; and may be
viewed and downloaded in PDF format at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/prog/planning/existing_plans.html. Please note that public comments
and information submitted including names, street addresses, and email
addresses of respondents will be available for public review and
disclosure at the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m.
to 4 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to the planning project mailing list, contact Paul
Chapman, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Bureau of Land
Management, 190 East Center Street, Kanab, Utah 84741, telephone: (435)
644-4309, or e-mail: UT_GSENM_NEPA@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Escalante, Paria, Vermilion and Zion
Management Framework Plans (MFPs) provided the planning analysis
baseline for this Draft EIS. This baseline will be carried forward as
the Rangeland Health Amendment into the Grand Staircase-Escalante
National Monument Management Plan (MMP) through a Plan Amendment. Once
approved, the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Rangeland Health
Amendment will modify or replace all existing livestock management
determinations for the planning area.
The planning area includes all of the public land grazing
allotments managed or administered by the Grand Staircase-Escalante
National Monument in Kane and Garfield Counties, Utah and Coconino
County, Arizona. The planning area encompasses public lands currently
managed under the Grand Staircase-Escalante National MMP, and portions
of lands managed or administered under the Escalante, Paria, Vermilion,
and Zion MFPs. Under Public Law 92-593, the Grand Staircase-Escalante
National Monument administers grazing on a portion of the Glen Canyon
National Recreation Area, which is managed by the National Park Service
under the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area General Management Plan.
The planning area includes approximately 2.2 million acres of lands on
which BLM administers livestock grazing in the three county areas,
including approximately 250,000 acres in the Glen Canyon National
Recreation Area.
The Draft Rangeland Health Amendment analyzes five alternatives.
The alternatives present differing management balances between the
various resources and uses, and vary in both context and intensity. The
alternatives are:
Alternative A (No Action): The current level of resource use and
protection would be maintained. Grazing permits would be renewed with
existing Terms and Conditions.
Alternative B: Rangeland Health Standards, with minimal stocking
adjustments and improved livestock distribution and management, would
be emphasized. Rangeland restoration and the future installation of
structural improvements would be assessed. Grazing permits would be
renewed with modified Terms and Conditions consistent with the actions
proposed in this alternative.
Alternative C (Preferred Alternative): Rangeland Health Standards
would be achieved over the life of the MMP by making allotment specific
modifications to grazing management. These management changes would
include distribution of adjustments, stocking adjustments, and
temporary suspensions on less than 10% of allotments when Rangeland
Health Standards assessments and monitoring indicate such actions are
needed to meet resource objectives. This alternative includes the range
restoration and future structural improvements assessed under
Alternative B. Grazing permits would be renewed with modified Terms and
Conditions consistent with the actions proposed in this alternative.
Alternative D: Rangeland Health Standards would be achieved over
the life of the MMP by making modifications to grazing management
including temporary grazing suspensions on allotments which fail to
meet Utah BLM's Rangeland Health Standards for upland soils or desired
specifics. Range restoration and the installation of structural range
improvements would be assessed under this alternative, but to a lesser
degree than in Alternatives B and C. Grazing permits would be renewed
with modified Terms and Conditions consistent with the actions proposed
in this alternative.
[[Page 60321]]
Alternative E: Rangeland Health Standards would be achieved over
the life of the MMP by making modifications to grazing management
including temporary grazing suspensions on allotments which fail Utah
BLM's Rangeland Health Standards for upland soils, desired species, and
riparian/wetland functionality. This alternative proposes an emphasis
on vegetation restoration activity without structural range
improvements. Grazing permits would be renewed with modified Terms and
Conditions consistent with the actions proposed in this alternative.
Potentially impacted resources and conditions include: Livestock
management, compliance with Standards and Guidelines for Rangeland
Health, socio-economics, cultural resources, and recreation.
Jeff Rawson,
Associate Utah State Director.
[FR Doc. E8-23958 Filed 10-9-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P