[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6383-6384]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3682]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[NM-018-06-1610-00/G010-D6-0101]


Amendment to Notice of Intent To Prepare a Coordinated Resource 
Management Plan and Amend the Taos Resource Management Plan; Taos 
Resource Area, New Mexico and San Luis Resource Area, Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Amended Notice of Intent; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In the Federal Register on Monday, November 14, 1994 (Vol. 59, 
No. 218, pp. 56528-29), the following ``Summary'' appeared:

    The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Albuquerque District, Taos 
Resource Area and Canon City District, San Luis Resource Area are 
initiating preparation of a Coordinated Resource Management Plan 
(CRMP) in combination with a Taos Resource Management Plan Amendment 
(RMPA). This document will enable coordinated management activities 
throughout the 94-mile Rio Grande corridor from La Sauses, Colorado 
to Velarde, New Mexico; address inadequacies of the Taos Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) relating to the BLM's Supplemental Program 
Guidance for wildlife and fire; and include an Environmental Impact 
Statement to meet legislative requirements for the Rio Grande Wild 
and Scenic River extension and study areas. The plan's management 
strategy will center around conserving, restoring and maintaining 
the public lands' ecological integrity, productivity and biological 
diversity, while considering social, economic, cultural and 
ecological factors.
    The public is invited to participate in each stage of the 
planning process, and public meetings will be held.

(Note: A schedule of meeting times and places was included in the 
notice. The meetings have been held as announced.)

    The aforementioned Notice is amended to state that the Plan will 
analyze possible changes in the Areas of Critical Environmental Concern 
(ACECs) in the Taos Resource Area portion of the planning area. These 
ACEC modifications may include boundary changes that would increase or 
decrease acreage, consolidate ACECs, designate new ACECs or eliminate 
ACECs. The primary areas that may be modified from the decisions in the 
current Taos RMP are: (1) Guadalupe Mountain, where the ACEC 
designation may be dropped in favor of managing the area as part of the 
Wild Rivers Recreation Area; and (2) the portion of the planning area 
downstream from the community of Pilar, where several ACECs and Special 
Management Areas (SMAs) exist. Consolidation and/or boundary 
realignment may provide for more efficient and effective management of 
identified resources and values. 

[[Page 6384]]

    As described at 43 CFR 1610.7-2a, ACECs are areas containing 
resources, values, systems, processes or hazards that meet 
``relevance'' and ``importance'' criteria. Some of the values for which 
ACEC designation is being considered include scenic, cultural, 
riparian, aquatic, and rare and endemic plants. The public is invited 
to nominate or recommend areas for ACEC consideration as well as to 
comment on possible changes.

DATES: The second modification intended by this amendment notice is 
that the public is invited to submit written comments on possible ACEC 
nominations or changes through March 21, 1996. Comments should be 
delivered or mailed to Terry Humphrey at the address below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Humphrey, Taos Resource Area, 
226 Cruz Alta Road, Taos, NM 87571; phone (505) 758-8851.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This amended notice does not change any 
other provision of the original Notice of Intent.

    Dated: February 7, 1996.
Sue E. Richardson,
Acting District Manager, Albuquerque District.
[FR Doc. 96-3682 Filed 2-16-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-P