[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6382-6383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3655]



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[[Page 6383]]


DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[AZ-024-1220-00]


Notice of Availability of Finding of No Significant Impacts 
(FONSI) and the Proposed White Canyon Plan Amendment/Final 
Environmental Assessment for the Phoenix and Safford District Resource 
Management Plans, Gila and Pinal Counties, Arizona

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management in response to a land exchange 
proposal, has prepared a FONSI and Proposed Plan Amendment/Final 
Environmental Assessment (Proposed Plan) to amend the Phoenix and the 
Safford District Resource Management Plan (RMPs) in compliance with the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, and Section 
102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. An analysis 
of potential environmental impacts found that impacts would not be 
significant leading to a FONSI. Because of the FONSI, an environmental 
impact statement is not required to support the Proposed Plan 
Amendment.

DATES: Protests on the Proposed Plan must be postmarked on or before 
March 21, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Protests must be sent to the Director (480), BLM, Resource 
Planning Team, Box 10, 1620 L Street (N.W.), Washington, D.C. 20036

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Shela McFarlin, Project Manager, 
Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix District Office, 2015 West Deer 
Valley Road, Phoenix, AZ 85027, or telephone (602) 780-8090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description of the Proposed Action

    The Proposed Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Assessment 
would make 4,561 acres of federal surface and 1,188 mineral estate 
acres available for considering a land exchange proposal by ASARCO 
Incorporated. The parcels would be reclassified from retention lands to 
disposal by exchange. The Proposed Plan does not approve the transfer 
of any land; a separate environmental impact statement would analyze 
the proposed exchange. The Proposed Plan also changes the designation 
of the White Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The 
ACEC would retain 300 acres currently designated and delete 1,620 acres 
which have since been designated as part of the White Canyon 
Wilderness. The ACEC would expand by 480 acres through acquiring what 
is now state land through appropriate mechanisms such as exchange, 
donation or friendly condemnation with the state of Arizona or 
subsequent land owners.

Alternatives Analyzed

    Four plan amendment alternatives, including the no action 
alternative, were analyzed. In addition to the Proposed Plan Amendment 
(Preferred Alternative), the Proposed Plan analyzed an alternative 
which would make 1,188 acres of federal estate and 4,721 acres of 
public land available for exchange. This alternative would also remove 
the White Canyon ACEC designation and permit these 160 acres to be 
considered in an exchange. An additional alternative analyzed would 
reduce the amount of public lands available for exchange by 1,280 
surface acres and retain the White Canyon ACEC on 300 acres. Under the 
no action alternative, the White Canyon ACEC would be retained and no 
surface or mineral estate lands would be available for exchange. In any 
exchange, public access would be maintained through easements, new 
construction, realignments, rights of ways, deletions of parcels or 
other means to continue public access to public lands.
    The Proposed Plan has a 30-day protest period as required by BLM 
planning regulations (43 CFR 1610.5-2). Any person who participated in 
this process and has an interest that may be adversely affected by the 
proposed decision may submit a protest. Following the protest 
resolution and the Governor's consistency review, the proposed plan 
will be approved and implemented. A decision record which documents 
BLM's decision will become available.

Public Reading Copies May Be Reviewed at the Following BLM 
Locations

Phoenix District Office, 2015 West Deer Valley Road, Phoenix, Arizona 
85027
Arizona State Office, Public Room, 3707 N. 7th Street, Suite 300, 
Phoenix, Arizona 85011.

    Dated: February 12, 1996.
David J. Miller,
Associate District Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-3655 Filed 2-16-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-P