From: Subject: FR Doc 2011-556 Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 13:47:43 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2011/2011-556.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 =EF=BB=BF FR Doc 2011-556 
[Federal Register: January 13, 2011 (Volume 76, Number =
9)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 2412-2413]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13ja11-103]                        =20

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCONO3000.L1610000.DSO000]

=20
Notice of Intent To Amend the Grand Junction Resource Management=20
Plan, Prepare an Environmental Assessment, and Notice of Realty Action,=20
Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent and Notice of Realty Action.

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SUMMARY: The Grand Junction, Colorado, Regional Airport Authority has=20
requested the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Grand Junction Field=20
Office (GJFO) to consider the transfer of title to approximately 720=20
acres of public land for airport improvements, including relocation and=20
construction of the main runway for the Grand Junction Regional=20
Airport. Public Land Order No. 7027 (59 FR 3000 January 20, 1994)=20
withdrew these lands from mining claim location in anticipation of a=20
need for future airport expansion. The BLM's consideration of the Grand=20
Junction Regional Airport Authority's (Airport Authority) request=20
initiates a BLM Notice of Intent to initiate a public scoping process=20
to amend the BLM GJFO 1987 Resource Management Plan (RMP) and prepare=20
an Environmental Analysis (EA). The request also initiates a Notice of=20
Realty Action (NORA) to assist the BLM in determining whether granting=20
the requested title conveyance is consistent with the needs of the=20
Department of the Interior. This notice initiates the public scoping=20
process and concurrent opportunity for submission of public comments=20
for the EA, RMP Amendment, and NORA.

DATES: Comments on this project, the NORA, or the proposed transfer of=20
title to the Airport Authority may be submitted in writing until=20
February 28, 2011. The date(s) and location(s) of scoping meetings will=20
be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media,=20
newspapers and the BLM Web site at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR=
.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gjfo.html=
. In order to be included in the EA, all comments must be=20
received prior to the close of the scoping period or 45 days after the=20
last public meeting, whichever is later.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the Grand Junction Field=20
Office, Bureau of Land Management, 2815 H. Road, Grand Junction,=20
Colorado 81506, or via fax at (970) 244-3083. E-mail comments may be=20
sent to GJFO_mail@blm.gov. =
Comments, including names and addresses of=20
respondents, will be available for public review at the BLM GJFO,=20
during regular business hours 7:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., Monday-
Friday, except holidays.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or=20
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be=20
aware that your entire comment-including your personal identifying=20
information-may be made publicly available at any time. While you can=20
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying=20
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be=20
able to do so.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have=20
your name added to our mailing list contact Robin Lacy, Project=20
Manager, telephone (970) 244-3028. Project documents may be reviewed on=20
the BLM GJFO Web site at =
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html=
&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gjfo.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the public scoping process is=20
to identify those issues that should be considered in the EA and to=20
initiate public participation in the planning process. BLM and Airport=20
Authority personnel will be present at scoping meetings to explain the=20
proposed action and other requirements for preparing the EA. Interested=20
parties can request notification of any encumbrances or other claims=20
relating to the land. Customary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)=20
conditions, in draft, that are proposed to be included in a land patent=20
from the United States to the Airport Authority will also be available=20
for review. The public lands requested for title transfer are within=20
the jurisdiction of the BLM GJFO adjacent to the Grand Junction=20
Regional Airport in the North Desert and are described as follows:

Ute Principal Meridian

T. 1 N., R. 1 W.,
    Sec. 23, S\1/2\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 24, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    T. 1 N., R. 1 E.,
    Sec. 19, lots 3 and 4, and E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 29, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 30, lot 1, NE\1/4\, and NE\1/4\NW\1/4\.

    The areas described contain approximately 720 acres in Mesa County.
    These are public lands administered by the BLM GJFO and do not=20
include any private, State, tribal trust or Federal lands not=20
administered by the BLM, the lands proposed for the title transfer to=20
the Airport Authority are currently withdrawn from the United States=20
mining laws by Public Land Order No.

[[Page 2413]]

7027 (59 FR 3000 (1994)), and are not intended for further segregation.
    The EA will fulfill the needs and obligations set forth by the=20
National Environmental Policy Act and associated Council of=20
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR 1500). The EA will also=20
fulfill requirements of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of=20
1976 (FLPMA), 43 U.S.C. 1701, Section 516 of the Airport and Airway=20
Improvement Act of 1982 (49 U.S.C. 2215), Airport Grant regulations at=20
43 CFR 2640, applicable planning regulations at 43 CFR 1600, and BLM=20
management policies.
    The purpose of the proposed land title transfer from the United=20
States to the Airport Authority is to fulfill the BLM's intent to make=20
such lands available to the Airport Authority for a beneficial public=20
use as described in the 1991 Memorandum of Understanding between the=20
BLM and the Airport Authority. As authorized through the FLPMA, these=20
lands will also be considered for title transfer to the Airport=20
Authority in an amendment to the Grand Junction RMP. The BLM will=20
determine whether or not to transfer title to the lands based on the=20
EA, and the assessed environmental impacts of transferring title to the=20
lands.
    The purpose of the runway relocation is to comply with the FAA=20
design standards by correcting deficiencies related to runway and=20
taxiway gradients and to eliminate intersecting runways at the airport.=20
The need for the proposed runway relocation is to increase safety at=20
the Grand Junction Regional Airport, which is one of the few commercial=20
service airports in the State of Colorado that still has a geometric=20
runway layout consisting of an intersecting crosswind runway. The=20
runway intersection increases the potential for runway incursions,=20
which are defined by the FAA as ``any occurrence at an aerodrome=20
involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on=20
the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and takeoff=20
of aircraft.'' Increasing runway safety has been made a high priority=20
in recent years and the FAA has published guidance on improving runway=20
safety through airfield configuration. Also, several design components=20
of the runway at Grand Junction Regional Airport do not meet the FAA=20
design standards, including the following:

    Runway 11/29 Transverse Gradient. Portions of the runway exceed=20
the maximum recommended design standard of 1.5 percent;
    Runway 11/29 Longitudinal Gradient. A portion of the runway near=20
the approach end of Runway 29 exceeds the maximum recommended design=20
standard of 0.8 percent;
    Runway 11/29 Connecting Taxiway Gradient. A number of the=20
connecting taxiways between Runway 11/29 and parallel Taxiway ``A''=20
exceed the maximum recommended design standard of 1.5 percent; and
    Runway 11/29 and Runway 4/22 Runway Visibility Zone (RVZ).=20
Numerous structures obstruct line of sight between runway mid-
points.

    The BLM seeks resource information and data for other public land=20
values [i.e., air quality, cultural and historic resources, fire and=20
fuels, fisheries, forestry, lands and realty, non-energy minerals and=20
geology, oil and gas (including coalbed methane), paleontology,=20
rangeland management, recreation, soil, water, and wildlife] in the BLM=20
GJFO planning area. The purpose of this request is to assure that the=20
planning effort has sufficient information to consider a reasonable=20
range of resource uses, management options, and alternatives for the=20
public lands involved.
    Proprietary data marked as confidential may be submitted in=20
response to this call for coal, oil and gas, and other resource=20
information. Please submit all proprietary information submissions to=20
the address listed above. The BLM will treat submissions marked as=20
``Confidential'' in accordance with the laws and regulations governing=20
the confidentiality of such information.
    The BLM GJFO will work collaboratively with interested parties to=20
identify the management actions and decisions that are best suited to=20
local, regional, and national needs. Potential issues that have been=20
identified to date include, but are not limited to the following=20
general categories: Wildlife (including birds); vegetation (including=20
weeds and invasive plant species); threatened, endangered, and=20
sensitive species; public access; visual concerns; cultural resources;=20
tribal concerns; rangeland resources; geology and soils; hydrology;=20
recreation resources; hazardous materials; air quality; noise; and=20
socio-economics. The BLM has established a 45-day scoping period during=20
which affected tribes, landowners, concerned citizens, special interest=20
groups, local governments, and any other interested parties are invited=20
to comment on the scope of the EA. Scoping will help the BLM identify=20
the full range of issues that should be addressed in the EA.

    Authority: Airport and Airway Improvement Act of September 3,=20
1982 (49 U.S.C. 4761, 49 U.S.C. 47101 et seq., 3 CFR 2640 et seq.).

Helen M. Hankins,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-556 Filed 1-12-11; 8:45 am]
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