[Federal Register: March 12, 2010 (Volume 75, Number =
48)]
[Notices] =20
[Page 11907-11908]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12mr10-101] =20
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLIDC02000-L16100000-DR0000-LXSS034D0000-4500006432]
=20
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the=20
Cottonwood Field Office Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact=20
Statement, and Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental=20
Impact Statement for the Cottonwood Field Office Resource Management=20
Plan
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability and notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability=20
of the Record of Decision (ROD)/Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP)=20
for the Cottonwood Field Office located in northern Idaho. The Idaho=20
State Director signed the ROD on December 21, 2009, excluding decisions=20
regarding domestic sheep and goat grazing to be addressed in a=20
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The signed ROD=20
constitutes the final decision of the BLM for all other management=20
direction and makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.
The BLM Cottonwood Field Office, Cottonwood, Idaho, intends to=20
prepare a Supplemental EIS for the Cottonwood RMP to analyze the=20
impacts of domestic sheep and goat grazing in four allotments that=20
overlap or occur in the vicinity of bighorn sheep habitat. These four=20
allotments are located along the Salmon River, east of Riggins, Idaho,=20
in Idaho County. The BLM will provide opportunities for public=20
participation upon publication of the Draft Supplemental EIS.
DATES: The ROD includes several implementation-level decisions=20
regarding motorized travel routes. The decisions identifying routes of=20
travel within designated areas for motorized vehicles are=20
implementation decisions and are appealable under 43 CFR Part 4. These=20
decisions are contained in the Travel and Transportation section of the=20
Approved RMP. Any party adversely affected by the proposed route=20
identifications may appeal within 30 days of publication of this Notice=20
of Availability pursuant to 43 CFR, Part 4, Subpart E. The appeal=20
should state the specific route(s), as identified in Appendix A of the=20
Approved RMP, on which the decision is being appealed. The appeal must=20
be filed with the Cottonwood Field Manager at the above listed address.=20
Please consult the appropriate regulations (43 CFR, Part 4, Subpart E)=20
for further appeal requirements.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD/Approved RMP are available upon request=20
from the Field Manager, Cottonwood Field Office, Bureau of Land=20
Management, 1 Butte Drive, Cottonwood, Idaho 83522, or at the following=20
Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/c=
gi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp:=
//www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/cottonwood/planning/cottonwood_resource.html. Copies of the ROD/Approved RMP are available=20
for public inspection at the Cottonwood Field Office, 1 Butte Drive,=20
Cottonwood, Idaho. Interested persons may also review the ROD/Approved=20
RMP at the following Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/c=
gi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp:=
//www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/cottonwood/planning/cottonwood_resource.html.
Appeals must be filed with the Field Manager of the Cottonwood=20
Field Office at 1 Butte Drive, Cottonwood, Idaho 83522.
[[Page 11908]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact the=20
Cottonwood Field Office, telephone (208) 962-3245; address 1 Butte=20
Drive, Cottonwood, Idaho 83522.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Cottonwood RMP was developed with broad=20
public participation through a four-year collaborative planning process=20
in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976,=20
as amended, and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as=20
amended. This RMP addresses management on approximately 130,000 acres=20
of public land in the Cottonwood Field Office. The Cottonwood RMP is=20
designed to achieve or maintain desired future conditions developed=20
through the planning process. It includes a series of management=20
actions to meet the desired resource conditions for forest, upland, and=20
riparian vegetation; wildlife habitats; cultural and visual resources;=20
and recreation.
The BLM received five protest letters on the Proposed RMP/Final=20
EIS. The BLM Director granted only those protest issues related to=20
domestic sheep grazing within bighorn sheep habitat and remanded this=20
specific portion of the RMP back to the BLM Idaho State Office for=20
further analysis. No inconsistencies with State or local plans,=20
policies, or programs were identified during the Governor's consistency=20
review of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS. As a result, with the exception=20
of decisions regarding domestic sheep and goat grazing, the approved=20
Cottonwood RMP is essentially the same as Alternative B in the Proposed=20
RMP/Final EIS published in June 2008, and only minor editorial=20
modifications were made in preparing the ROD and Approved RMP.
By this Notice, the BLM, Cottonwood Field Office is announcing its=20
intent to prepare a Draft Supplemental EIS to analyze the impacts of=20
domestic sheep and goat grazing in four allotments that overlap or=20
occur in the vicinity of bighorn sheep habitat along the Salmon River=20
east of Riggins, Idaho. The area has been grazed historically by=20
domestic sheep and goats and overlaps with bighorn sheep habitat. The=20
BLM will be inviting other government entities (Federal, State, Tribal=20
and local), with special expertise or jurisdiction, to be cooperators=20
during preparation of the Supplemental EIS. Upon completion, this Draft=20
Supplemental EIS will be released for public review and comment.
Thomas H. Dyer,
Idaho State Director.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 1502.9, and 1508.22.
[FR Doc. 2010-5258 Filed 3-11-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-GG-P