[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 66 (Thursday, April 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17569-17570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-8489]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[MT-020-1610-00]


Notice of Intent to Plan

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Montana/Dakotas, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: An environmental document will be prepared for proposed areas 
of critical environmental concern (ACECs) in the South Dakota Resource 
Area, Dakotas District, North Dakota; and the Powder River and Billings 
Resource Areas, Miles City District, Montana. The document will amend 
three resource management plans (RMPs): the Billings RMP (1983), the 
Powder River RMP (1984) and the South Dakota RMP (1985). It will be 
based on the existing statutory requirements and will meet the 
requirements of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. The 
document will guide future management decisions for areas designated 
ACEC and is scheduled for completion by September 1996.

DATES: Any nominations, issues, concerns or alternatives should be 
submitted to BLM on or before May 15, 1995.

ADDRESSES: All submissions should be sent to the following address: 
BLM, Mary Bloom, Team Leader, Miles City Plaza, Miles City, Montana 
59301.

[[Page 17570]] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Bloom, Team 
Leader, (406) 232-7000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An ACEC is an area within the public lands 
where special management attention is required to protect important 
historic, cultural or scenic values, fish and wildlife resources or 
other natural systems, or to protect life and safety from natural 
hazards.
    In 1992, during the public participation phase on BLM's Draft Miles 
City District Oil and Gas RMP/EIS Amendment, the Sierra Club and The 
Wilderness Society proposed six areas for ACEC designation: Fossil 
Cycad, Pryor Mountains, Pompeys Pillar, Bridger Fossil-Red Dome, Finger 
Buttes, and Deadhorse Badlands. When the Record of Decision (1994) for 
the document was issued, it was decided that these areas and two 
additional areas presented in the document: Meeteetse Spires and 
Weatherman Draw, would be analyzed in a separate Plan Amendment.
    The planning area for this Plan Amendment consists of BLM-
administered lands in proposed ACECs within the Billings, Powder River 
and South Dakota Resource Areas. The purpose and need, analysis process 
and request for nominations are included below to solicit your 
participation in this process.
    The proposed action is to establish areas that have special values 
and require special management attention as Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern and to protect and enhance these areas to provide 
opportunities for scientific research and recreation for the public. 
The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) requires that 
priority be given to designation and protection of ACECs. The ACEC 
designation indicates to the public that BLM recognizes the area as 
having significant values and has established special management 
measures to protect those values. Designation also serves as a reminder 
that significant values or resources exist which must be accommodated 
in future management actions or land use proposals in or near the ACEC.
    The public is asked to assist BLM in identification of ACECs. 
Nominations must meet both the relevance and importance criteria under 
the Code of Federal Regulations: 43 CFR 1610.7-2(a) to be considered as 
a potential ACEC.
    The following are the nominations already received by BLM and the 
groups' reasons for the nomination. These areas have not yet been 
evaluated by BLM for the areas' relevance and importance. The Pryor 
Mountains (75,000 public surface acres, Billings resource Area, Carbon 
County, Montana) are proposed for ACEC designation for the significant 
cultural values, sensitive plants and animals, exceptional scenic 
values, nationally significant examples of natural processes and 
nominated National Natural Landmarks. The Red Dome-Bridger Fossil Area 
(3,528 public surface acres, Billings Resource Area, Carbon County, 
Montana) is proposed for ACEC designation because of paleontological 
phenomena, scenic values, and landforms that exemplify a natural system 
or process. A proposed and a designated National Natural Landmark 
located within the area indicate national importance. Pompeys Pillar 
(431 public surface acres, Billings Resource Area, Yellowstone County, 
Montana) is proposed for ACEC designation because of significant 
cultural values and national importance. Deadhorse Badlands (40,000 
public surface acres, Powder River Resource Area, Carter County, 
Montana) is proposed for ACEC designation because of scenic values, 
naturalness, fragile and irreplaceable badlands features, and size. 
Finger Buttes (3,800 public surface acres, Powder River Resource Area, 
Carter County, Montana) is proposed for ACEC designation because of 
scenic values and a rare plant species. The Fossil Cycad Area (320 
public surface acres, South Dakota Resource Area, Fall River County, 
South Dakota) was formerly a national monument. It is proposed for ACEC 
designation because of the significant paleontological resource and 
national importance.
    The BLM previously nominated Meeteetse Spires and Weatherman Draw. 
Meeteetse Spires (960 public surface acres, Billings Resource Area, 
Carbon County, Montana) contains two rare plants: Shoshonea pulvinata 
and Townsendian spathulata. It is enjoyed by the recreating public 
because of the spectacular scenery. The BLM would manage this scenic 
area to protect the rare plants while allowing recreational use by the 
public. Weatherman Draw (2,250 public surface acres, Billings Resource 
Area, Carbon County, Montana) contains a unique cultural resource 
important for scientific research and of sacred value to Native 
Americans. The BLM would manage the area to preserve the site, and make 
it available for scientific research and for public interpretation.
    The public is also requested to assist the BLM in the 
identification of issues. Examples of potential issues (problems, 
concerns) are: mineral development, recreational use and economics. 
Alternatives will be developed to present a range of feasible 
management actions. The ``No Action Alternative'' will be included in 
accordance with 43 CFR 1502.14(d) and represent the continuation of 
current management.
    Meetings for the areas proposed for ACEC designation are not yet 
scheduled. If meetings are scheduled, the public will be notified 
through local news releases.
    The documentation on BLM's evaluations of relevance and importance 
will be made available at the BLM Powder River, Billings and South 
Dakota Resource Area offices.
    Development of this document will require involvement of 
professionals from these disciplines: archaeology, economics, forestry, 
geology, land use planning, minerals, range management, recreation, 
realty, soil science and wildlife management. The public will be 
provided the opportunity to review and comment on issues and ACECs 
developed by BLM and to identify new issues and potential ACECs. A 
mailing list is being developed and will be used to communicate with 
and solicit comments from local, state and federal agencies, Native 
American tribes, the Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society, and the 
public at large which may be affected by the plan. As the planning 
process proceeds, these publics will be encouraged to participate.
    The BLM is seeking information from individuals, organizations, and 
agencies who may be interested or affected by the proposals. 
Specifically, we request any nominations, issues, concerns or 
alternatives that should be addressed in the plan.
    This notice meets the requirements of 43 CFR 1610.7-2 for 
designation of ACECs.
Darrel Pistorius,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. 95-8489 Filed 4-5-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P