[Federal Register: January 9, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 6)]
[Notices]
[Page 919-920]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09ja09-54]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[MT-066-09-1610-DR-024E]
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Upper
Missouri River Breaks National Monument Resource Management Plan and
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability
of the Record of Decision (ROD) and Approved Resource Management Plan
(RMP) for the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument located in
the Lewistown Field Office, Montana. The Montana State Director signed
the ROD, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the
Approved RMP effective immediately.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD and Approved RMP are available upon
request from the Field Manager, Lewistown Field Office, Bureau of Land
Management, 920 Northeast Main Street, P.O. Box 1160, Lewistown, MT
59457-1160 or via the internet at http: //http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/lewistown_field_office/um_rmp_process.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerry Majerus, Project Manager, Bureau
of Land Management, 920 Northeast Main Street, P.O. Box 1160,
Lewistown, MT 59457; or by telephone at (406) 538-1924.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Upper Missouri River Breaks National
Monument is located in northcentral Montana in Blaine, Chouteau,
Fergus, and Phillips Counties. The planning area addressed in the
Approved RMP comprises about 375,000 acres of public land and about
396,000 acres of federal minerals administered by the BLM Lewistown
Field Office. The State of Montana and Blaine, Chouteau, Fergus, and
Phillips Counties participated in development of the plan as
cooperating
[[Page 920]]
agencies. The RMP addressed the following six major questions: (1) How
will human activities and uses be managed? (2) What facilities and
infrastructure are appropriate to provide visitor interpretation and
administration of the Monument? (3) How will the BLM manage resource
uses and protect the biological, historical, cultural, and visual
values of the Monument? (4) How will Monument management be integrated
with other agency and community plans? (5) How will transportation and
access be managed? (6) How will Monument management affect economic and
social conditions in the area?
The Approved RMP was prepared under the authorities of the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 and the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The Approved RMP is nearly
identical to the Proposed Plan (Alternative F) presented in the 2008
Proposed RMP/Final EIS. All decisions covered by the ROD are either
land use planning decisions that were protestable under the planning
regulations (43 CFR part 1610), or implementation decisions that are
now appealable under the regulations discussed below.
The BLM received 45 protest letters during the 30-day protest
period provided for the Proposed RMP/Final EIS in accordance with 43
CFR 1610.5-2. In response to the protests, the BLM Director decided to
prohibit the personal collection of invertebrate fossils, petrified
wood, and plant material except that managers and staff shall
facilitate access to public lands for the purposes of Native American
religious and traditional uses, such as gathering natural resources
(BLM Manual 8120--Tribal Consultation under Cultural Resources .06.D.
The Director also clarified the decision to carry forward the Cow Creek
ACEC designation, adopted by reference the new transportation
management terminology in Washington Office IM 2006-173, and made a few
other minor adjustments and corrections. All of these changes are
identified in the Modifications and Clarifications section of the ROD.
The Governor of the State of Montana, in his letter dated March 31,
2008, recommended six changes to the plan but did not identify any
inconsistencies between the Proposed RMP and officially approved or
adopted state or local plans, policies, and/or programs. All of the
recommendations were considered previously in the public process and
development of the Proposed RMP.
The following decisions are subject to a separate appeals process:
(1) All road designations; (2) all backcountry airstrip designations;
(3) limiting the group to 20 boaters launching from Coal Banks or
Judith Landing from June 15 to August 1; (4) the 2-night camping limit
at Level 2 sites from June 15 to August 1, and (5) the motorized
watercraft restrictions on the Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic
River. These decisions are implementation decisions and are appealable
under 43 CFR part 4, subpart E. They are contained in the section
Decisions Subject to a Separate Appeals Process of the ROD. Any party
adversely affected by these five decisions may appeal within 30 days of
publication of this Notice of Availability pursuant to 43 CFR, part 4,
subpart E. The appeal should state the specific road, airstrip, and/or
river segment, as identified in the Record of Decision and Approved
RMP, on which the decision is being appealed. The appeal must be filed
with the Lewistown Field Manager at the above listed address. Please
consult the appropriate regulations (43 CFR, part 4, subpart E) for
further appeal requirements.
Authority: 43 U.S.C. 1712; 42 U.S.C 4332.
Gene R. Terland,
Montana State Director.
[FR Doc. E9-228 Filed 1-8-09; 8:45 am]