[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 63 (Friday, April 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-7098]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 1, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[ID-050-406A-05; 4-00156]

 

Availability of Draft Bennett Hills Resource Management Plan, and 
Amendment to the Jarbidge Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact 
Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Bennett Hills Resource 
Management Plan and amendment to the Jarbidge Resource Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and section 202 of the Federal Land 
Policy and Management Act of 1976, a draft Resource Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS) has been prepared for the 
Bennett Hills planning area. The RMP/EIS describes and analyzes future 
options for managing approximately 650,000 acres of public land in 
Lincoln, Gooding, Camas, Jerome, Blaine and Elmore Counties in south-
central Idaho. It also addresses the suitability of three river 
segments--Big Wood River, Dry Creek and King Hill Creek--for 
recommendation to Congress for inclusion in the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
System, and finds these segments unsuitable for recommendation. Six 
segments of the Snake River are found eligible for consideration for 
Wild and Scenic River study. Suitability studies are delayed until 
after the Record of Decision on this RMP. The RMP would designate eight 
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, totaling 14,878 acres, and 19 
caves as significant cave resources. The RMP would further add 3,198 
acres of former State of Idaho in holdings, acquired through a recent 
land exchange, into the surrounding five Wilderness Study Areas.
    This document also identifies a draft amendment to the Jarbidge 
Resource Management Plan that would designate 800 acres along 10 miles 
of the west side of King Hill Creek as an Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern in coordination with the same designation along 
the east side within the Bennett Hills planning area.
    Copies will be available from the Shoshone District Office, P.O. 
Box 2-B, 400 West F Street, Shoshone, Idaho 83352; phone (208) 886-
2206.

DATES: Written comments on the draft RMP/EIS must be submitted or 
postmarked by July 1, 1994. Additional public meetings may be held. 
Dates and times of any public meetings will be published as legal 
notices for five consecutive days in the Twin Falls Times-News daily 
newspaper at least 15 days before the meeting date.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the document should be directed to:

Mary C. Gaylord, District Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 
Shoshone District Office, 400 West F Street, P.O. Box 2-B, Shoshone, 
Idaho 83352.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
William ``Buck'' West, Project Manager, Shoshone District Office, P.O. 
Box 2-B, 400 West F Street, Shoshone, Idaho 83352; telephone (208) 886-
2206 or (208) 886-7203.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bennett Hills Resource Management Plan 
(RMP) is prepared to provide the Shoshone District Bureau of Land 
Management with a comprehensive framework for managing 649,786 acres of 
BLM-administered public land over the next 15 to 20 years. The draft 
plan and impact statement is focused on resolving planning issues 
associated with the management of the planning area's public land. 
Planning issues were identified by the public and the BLM during the 
scoping period, which began on September 20, 1990. The following 
planning issues were identified through public participation for the 
Bennett Hills planning area: How will the BLM continue to focus 
management attention or riparian resources and related uplands? What 
land will be acquired into, or made available for disposal from, 
federal ownership? How will public resources along the north rim of the 
Snake River Canyon be managed and for what uses? Is there a need for 
protecting the Resource Area's critical resource values through special 
management designation?
    The alternatives chosen for study in this draft plan and impact 
statement are: Alternative A is the ``no action'' alternative and would 
continue the current management subject to new policy direction by the 
BLM's State and Washington Offices. Alternatives B, C and D use desired 
future vegetation condition to establish management goals and direction 
instead of the traditional commodity goals used in Alternative A. 
Alternatives B and C differ from each other in the management of 
recreation use along the north rim of the Snake River, the initial 
level of grazing use, and in the recommendation of river segments for 
consideration by Congress for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic 
Rivers System. Alternative D reflects a conceptual agreement between 
the BLM and the State of Idaho for land exchange. Alternatives A and B 
leave the initial livestock grazing at current levels, while 
Alternatives C and D adjust the livestock use levels at the 1984-1992 
nine-year average actual use. Alternative D is the BLM's preferred 
alternative.
    The preferred alternative identifies eight Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern: 12 acres of Kings Crown as a Research Natural 
Area/Area of Critical Environmental Concern for the purpose of 
establishing a reference area for potential natural vegetation, 1,399 
acres in Dry Creek as a Research Natural Area/Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern for the primary purpose of establishing a 
reference area to study riparian and upland vegetation communities 
under controlled livestock use, 101 acres around Fir Grove as a 
Research Natural Area/Area of Critical Environmental Concern for 
research purposes, 361 acres of Camas Creek as a Research Natural Area/
Area of Critical Environmental Concern as a research area for riparian 
vegetation, 2,642 acres as the King Hill Creek Research Natural Area/
Area of Critical Environmental Concern in the Bennett Hills and Bruneau 
Resource Areas (amends the Jarbidge RMP), for the primary purpose to 
protect a genetically pure strain of redband trout that inhabits the 
middle and upper reaches of the creek by maintaining or improving 
instream habitat quality and upland watershed condition, 142 acres in 
Box Canyon as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern for the purpose 
of preservation and research of threatened and endangered animal 
species, 178 acres in the Vineyard Lake area as an Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern to preserve spawning habitat for hybrid trout, 
and 10,043, acres as the T-Maze Cave Research Natural Area/Area of 
Critical Environmental Concern to protect the unique subsurface 
resources.
    The RMP would recommend the following actions to protect the values 
of the ACECs. Stipulate no surface occupancy for leasable mineral (oil 
and gas) exploration and development in the Box Canyon, Vineyard Lake, 
Dry Creek, Fir Grove, Camas Creek, King Hill Creek (amends the Jarbidge 
RMP) and Kings Crown ACECs. It would further stipulate no surface 
occupancy for leasable mineral (oil and gas) exploration and 
development including seismic exploration on 1,314 acres of the T-Maze 
ACEC.
    It would limit vehicle use to designated and signed roads and 
trails identified in the Box Canyon, Vineyard Lake, and Dry Creek ACECs 
activity plans, and on 1,314 acres in the T-Maze ACEC. Close the Kings 
Crown, Camas Creek, King Hill Creek (amends Jarbidge RMP) and Fir Grove 
ACECs to vehicle use. Close the Box Canyon, Vineyard Lake, Dry Creek, 
Fir Grove, Camas Creek, King Hill Creek (amends the Jarbidge RMP) and 
Kings Crown ACECs to materials sales and free use permits.
    Authorize no material sales or free use permits inside the cave(s) 
in the T-Maze ACEC. Withdraw the Box Canyon, Vineyard Lake, Kings 
Crown, Dry Creek, Fir Grove, Camas Creek, King Hill Creek (amends the 
Jarbidge RMP) and 1,314 acres of the T-Maze ACECs from mineral entry. 
Identify the Kings Crown, Dry Creek, Fir Grove, Camas Creek, King Hill 
Creek (amends the Jarbidge RMP) and 1,314 acres of the T-Maze ACEC as 
an exclusion area for land use authorizations; and 8,717 acres of the 
T-Maze ACEC as an avoidance area for land use authorizations.
    The plan would close the Kings Crown ACEC to livestock grazing. 
Close the Dry Creek ACEC to livestock grazing below the canyon rim 
except for designated spring trailing use with no overnight stays. 
Close the Camas Creek ACEC to livestock grazing except for sheep 
trailing within the wing fences at Macon Sheep Bridge with no overnight 
stays.
    The plan would restrict access to the cave(s) containing bats in 
the T-Maze ACEC during winter hibernation periods (November through 
April) except for approved research or BLM management actions. Allow no 
sampling or collecting of plants or animals in the Box Canyon and 
Vineyard Lake ACECs, and no subsurface collecting or sampling in the T-
Maze ACEC, unless approved by the authorized officer. Permit no 
vegetation manipulation or surface disturbing activities in the Kings 
Crown, Fir Grove and Dry Creek ACECs except for research or government 
administrative needs and in conformance with other designations such as 
wilderness status.
    The plan would restrict vegetation manipulation activities in the 
King Hill Creek ACEC (amends the Jarbidge RMP) to only those actions 
which would improve the habitat conditions for redband trout, mountain 
quail and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, and in compliance with 
wilderness status. Close all aquatic habitat in the King Hill Creek 
ACEC (amends the Jarbidge RMP) to introduction of genetic strains of 
trout which are not native to the King Hill Creek watershed. Petition 
the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to prohibit the introduction of 
genetic strains of trout into King Hill Creek which are not native to 
the King Hill Creek watershed.
    And the plan would close the Fir Grove ACEC to wood products 
harvesting or collecting.
    The preferred alternative would designate 19 caves as significant 
under the Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988. To protect the 
caves, 1,913 acres are withdrawn from locatable mineral entry under the 
1872 Mining Law, and the area is restricted to no surface occupancy for 
leasable mineral development and exploration.
    The BLM acquired 3,198 acres of state in holdings within five 
existing Wilderness Study Areas through a land exchange between the BLM 
and the State of Idaho in 1992. These acquisitions have been 
inventoried for wilderness characteristics. This RMP recommends adding 
the following acreage to the existing WSAs: 390 suitable acres to the 
Gooding City of Rocks West WSA (ID-54-8b) for a total of 6,677 suitable 
acres, 879 suitable acres to the Gooding City of Rocks East WSA (ID-54-
8a) for a total of 13,942 suitable acres, 640 unsuitable acres to the 
Little City of Rocks WSA (ID-54-5) for a total of 6,515 unsuitable 
acres, 640 unsuitable acres to the Black Canyon WSA (ID-54-6) for a 
total of 11,011 unsuitable acres, 640 unsuitable acres to the Deer 
Creek WSA (ID-54-10) for a total of 8,127 unsuitable acres.
    Nine river segments totaling 59.9 miles were determined eligible 
for consideration to study for inclusion in the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
System. The RMP completes the study process on the Big Wood River 
segments (2.1 miles), the Dry Creek segment (4.6 miles) and the King 
Hill Creek segment (10 miles), and concludes that the segments are not 
suitable for recommendation to Congress for inclusion in the Wild and 
Scenic River System. The RMP postpones the study of the Box Canyon (1.2 
miles), Snake River Milner segment (8.5 miles), Snake River Murtaugh 
segment (13 miles), Snake River Hagerman segment (7.2 miles), Snake 
River King Hill Segment (12.8 miles), and the Vineyard Creek segment 
(.5 miles) until later. The need for postponement is based on a desire 
to coordinate the study process with the Idaho Department of Water 
Resources management plan for the Snake River.
    Other elements of the preferred alternative include making 37,000 
acres available for disposal from public ownership, stipulating 10,427 
acres for no surface occupancy for leasable mineral exploration and 
development, setting the livestock grazing preference at the nine-year 
actual use level of 54,751 Animal Unit Months, withdrawing 10,605 acres 
from mineral entry, closing 3,671 acres and limiting 71,885 acres to 
motorized vehicle use, identifying 21,936 acres as avoidance and 5,884 
acres as exclusion areas to new right-of-way authorization, designation 
of four Special Recreation Management Areas totaling 35,519 acres, and 
identifying 5,802 acres as wildlife isolated tracts.
    Public participation has occurred throughout the RMP process. A 
notice of intent was published in the Federal Register on September 20, 
1990. Since then, several open houses, public meetings, and mailouts 
were conducted to solicit comments and ideas. Any comments presented 
throughout the process have been considered.

    Dated: March 17, 1994.
Mary C. Gaylord,
District Manager.
[FR Doc. 94-7098 Filed 3-31-94; 8:45 am]
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