[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 107 (Monday, June 5, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 29704]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13618]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[UT-046-05-4210-0-03-5]
Intent To Prepare Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed
Plan Amendment to Virgin River Management Framework Plan, UT
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for a proposed plan amendment to the Virgin River Management
Framework Plan (MFP).
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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise the public that the Bureau of Land
Management is preparing an EIS to consider proposed amendments to the
land use plan that guides management of public lands within the Dixie
Resource Area located in Washington County, Utah. The proposed
amendment would consider alternatives for additional opportunities for
land tenure adjustments.
DATES: The comment period for the preliminary issues and planning
criteria identified for the proposed plan amendments will commence with
publication of this notice. Comments must be submitted on or before
July 5, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Crisp, Area Manager, Dixie
Resource Area, 345 E. Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah 84770. Existing
planning documents and information are available at the above address
or telephone (801) 673-4654, Ext. 201. Comments on the proposed plan
amendment should be sent to the above address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Dixie Resource Area of the Cedar City
District, BLM, is proposing to amend the Virgin River MFP, to allow for
land tenure adjustments not previously identified in the MFP. The main
purpose is to identify and analyze lands that could be exchanged and
result in acquisition of special status species habitat including
desert tortoise habitat and to consider exchange criteria under which
future land exchanges could take place. Lands transferred out of
Federal ownership to private, state and municipal interests, as a
result of the exchanges would be available to meet the various needs of
the respective parties. Where there are specific uses proposed on lands
identified for exchange, those uses will be analyzed. This would
include the potential use of public lands as an area for water overflow
storage associated with the Sand Hollow Reservoir that is proposed to
be built on adjacent private land. An Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) will be prepared to analyze the impacts of this proposal and
alternatives. This notice begins the BLM planning scoping process.
Additional public meetings and scoping will occur during the
development of this EIS.
Preliminary planning issues have been identified to consist of
possible adverse impacts to public lands once removed from public
ownership, conflicts or controversy surrounding the use of public lands
for the ``overflow'' of water from adjacent private lands, economic
impacts, impacts on other natural resource and special status species
from land disposal.
The following preliminary planning criteria have been identified
and set the parameters under which land exchanges may take place:
1. The action results in a net gain of important and manageable
resource values on public land such as Desert Tortoise and other T&E
species habitat, crucial wildlife habitat, significant cultural sites,
high quality riparian area, live water, or areas key to the maintenance
of productive ecosystems.
2. The action ensures the accessibility of public lands in areas
where access is needed and cannot otherwise be obtained.
3. The action is essential to allow effective management on public
lands in areas where consolidation of ownership is necessary to meet
resource management objectives.
4. The action results in acquisition of lands that serve a national
priority as identified in Federal policy directives.
The following disciplines will be utilized for interdisciplinary
input through out the NEPA process: Archeologist, Lands and Realty
Specialist, Wildlife Biologist, Range Conservationist, Botanist,
Mineral Specialist and Geologist, Certified Appraiser, Engineer,
Planning Specialist, Soils Scientist and Hydrologist.
The present land use plan for the Dixie Resource Area is the Virgin
River Management Framework Plan (MFP) prepared in 1977. This land use
plan is being revised and updated through preparation of a newer and
more comprehensive Dixie Resource Management Plan (RMP) but the
completion date is uncertain at this time. The planning amendment now
being initiated will amend either the Virgin River MFP or the Dixie
RMP, which ever is the current document at the time this amendment is
completed.
G. William Lamb,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 95-13618 Filed 6-2-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P