[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 22 (Thursday, February 1, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3728-3729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1964]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[AZ-930-06-1020-00]


Intent To Prepare an Arizona Statewide Plan Amendment, To Develop 
State Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Grazing 
Management

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent and Notice of Scoping Period.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 202(a) of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 and Section 102(2) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Arizona Bureau of Land Management will 
be preparing a Statewide plan amendment to develop State Standards for 
Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Grazing Management as provided in 
the BLM's new grazing regulations (43 CFR Part 4100). All existing land 
use plans (LUP) in the State of Arizona, whether resource management 
plan (RMP) or management framework plan (MFP), will be amended. The 
appropriate level of NEPA analysis used, either an environmental 
assessment (EA) level or environmental impact statement (EIS) level, 
will be determined based on comments received during the scoping 
period. This notice invites public input on the development of 
Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Grazing Management 
for Arizona, on issues to be addressed, alternatives to be considered, 
and the appropriate level of NEPA analysis needed.

DATES: Comments will be accepted throughout the Statewide plan 
amendment and NEPA analysis process. However, comments received after 
March 4, 1996, may not be reflected in the alternatives considered or 
issues analyzed in the plan amendment and associated NEPA document 
released for public review and comment (anticipated release is mid-May 
1996).

ADDRESSES: Any comments or requests to be placed on the mailing list 
should be sent to: Standards and Guidelines (AZ-930); Bureau of Land 
Management, P.O. Box 16563, Phoenix, AZ, 85011-6563.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clint Oke or Ken Mahoney; Co-Team 
Leaders; Bureau of Land Management (AZ-930); P.O. Box 16563; Phoenix, 
AZ, 85011-6563; phone (602) 650-0513.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM's new grazing administration 
regulations (43 CFR Part 4100), which became effective August 21, 1995, 
provide for the development of State Standards for Rangeland Health and 
Guidelines for Grazing Management. These Standards and Guidelines are 
to be approved and implemented through an integrated planning and NEPA 
process using an interdisciplinary team of specialists pursuant to 
BLM's Planning Regulations (43 CFR part 1600). All existing LUPs for 
public lands in the State of Arizona will be amended. At this point in 
time, it is undecided what level of NEPA analysis (EA-level or EIS-
level) will be needed.

Description of Possible Alternatives

    At this time three preliminary reasonable alternatives have been 
identified: the continuation of current management as provided for in 
existing land use plans (no action alternative), the adoption of the 
fallback Standards and Guidelines contained in the Grazing Regulations 
(43 CFR Part 4100), and the adoption of Standards and Guidelines 
developed locally and in consultation 

[[Page 3729]]
with Arizona's Resource Advisory Council. (All Arizona Resource 
Advisory Council meetings are open to the public and are published in 
the Federal Register.)

Anticipated Issues

    Anticipated issues to be addressed during the plan amendment and 
NEPA analysis process include, but may not be limited to, the 
following: the effect that adoption of Standards would have on resource 
conditions, uses, and users of public land; and, the effect that 
adoption of Guidelines would have on livestock grazing operations. 
Consultation under Section 7 of the Threatened and Endangered Species 
Act will occur as appropriate.
Bruce Conrad,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 96-1964 Filed 1-31-96; 8:45 am]
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