[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-26375]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: October 25, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[ES-020-05-1610-00]

 

Proposed Florida Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental 
Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Eastern States, Jackson 
District, announces the availability of the Proposed Florida Resource 
Management Plan (PRMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). 
This document, prepared in accordance with section 202 of the Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and section 202(c) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, analyzes alternatives for 
managing BLM-administered public lands throughout the State of Florida. 
Reading copies will be available at the following public libraries:

Lykes Memorial Library, 238 Howell Avenue, Brooksville, FL
Staffordene Foggia Library, 6335 Blackbird Avenue, Brooksville, FL
State Library of Florida, Documents Section, R.A. Gray Building, 500 S. 
Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL
Walton--De Funiak Library, 100 Circle Drive, De Funiak Springs, FL
West Florida Regional Library, 200 West Gregory Street, Pensacola, FL
Palm Beach County Public Library, Reference Section, 3650 Summit Blvd., 
West Palm Beach, FL

    Copies will be available from the Jackson District, 411 Briarwood 
Drive, Suite 404, Jackson, MS 39206, phone (601) 977-5400. Public 
reading copies will be available for review at the following BLM 
locations:

Office of External Affairs, Main Interior Building, 18th and C Streets, 
NW., Washington DC 20240
Office of External Affairs, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Blvd., 
Springfield, VA 22153

DATE: A protest period on the PRMP will end 30 days following 
notification of availability of the PRMP/FEIS by the Environmental 
Protection Agency in the Federal Register.

ADDRESS: Protests should be sent to: Director (760), Bureau of Land 
Management, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Duane Winters, RMP Team Leader, Jackson District, (601) 977-5400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRMP/FEIS presents and analyzes 
alternatives for managing BLM-administered public lands throughout the 
State of Florida. These lands include approximately 395,000 acres of 
split-estate federal mineral ownership (where federal ownership is 
limited to mineral interests and the surface estate is owned by either 
the State of Florida or private interests) and several hundred acres of 
public land, comprised of small tracts, located in seven counties 
throughout the State.
    Under the PRMP, federally-owned minerals underlying state-owned 
lands would be available to the State of Florida in exchange for lands 
identified for acquisition by the U.S. Department of the Interior and/
or the U.S. Forest Service.
    A portion (approximately 60 acres) of the Jupiter Inlet tract, 
located in Palm Beach County, is proposed to be designated an Area of 
Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The ACEC would be managed to 
maintain a viable scrub vegetation community and improve habitat 
conditions for Florida scrub jay, gopher tortoise, and other endemic 
scrub species, and to interpret natural and cultural resources to 
provide recreation opportunities. Motorized vehicle use would be 
limited to designated routes. The ACEC would be withdrawn from entry 
under the 1872 mining law, closed to mineral material sales and mineral 
lease, and would be an avoidance area for rights-of-way. The ACEC would 
be available for cooperative management with other government agencies 
and/or private organizations, or for conveyance under the Recreation 
and Public Purposes Act, provided that the proposed use would follow 
the stated management objectives and land-use allocations.
    The Cape San Blas tract, located in Gulf County, is also proposed 
for ACEC designation. The tract would be managed to protect the coastal 
dune habitat. The tract would be closed to motorized vehicle use, would 
be classified as an avoidance area for rights-of-way, would be 
withdrawn from entry under the 1872 mining law, and closed to mineral 
material sales and lease of solid minerals. Oil and gas leasing would 
be subject to a no surface occupancy stipulation. The tract would be 
available for cooperative management with other government agencies 
and/or private organizations, or for conveyance under the Recreation 
and Public Purposes Act, provided that the proposed use would follow 
the stated management objectives and land-use allocations.
    A tract of public land adjacent to the Peace River was evaluated to 
determine if it was eligible to be studied for possible inclusion in 
the National Wild and Scenic River System. It was determined that it 
was ineligible for further study because it would be unmanageable due 
to the lack of other public lands adjacent to the river. The 37-acre 
tract of BLM-administered land adjacent to the river comprises only one 
percent of the land area within a corridor of one-quarter mile on 
either side of the River for the nine-mile segment evaluated. The 
remaining acres in the corridor are predominantly under private 
ownership and are used for agricultural and ranchland purposes.

    Dated: October 19, 1994.
Robert V. Abbey,
District Manager.
[FR Doc. 94-26375 Filed 10-24-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-GJ-M