[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 102 (Friday, May 24, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26203-26204]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13094]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[NM-030-06-1610-00]


Otero County Areas of Environmental Concern (ACECs) for the 
Caballo Resource Area, New Mexico

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability and 60-day comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The BLM, Las Cruces District, Caballo Resource Area announces 
the availability of a draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment/
preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact and supporting 
Environmental Assessment (EA). The document discusses the designation 
of five new ACECs and revision of one existing ACEC in Otero County, 
south-central New Mexico. Approximately 19,520 acres are identified for 
designation. In addition to designation, the plan amendment, when 
approved, will guide BLM programs and management practices within the 
ACECs.

DATES: Written comments relating to the designation of ACECs, 
management activities within the ACECs, and the EA will be taken for 
the next 60 days. Comments must be postmarked on or before July 23, 
1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Area Manager, BLM Caballo 
Resource Area, 1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy M. Murphy, Area Manager, BLM, 
Caballo Resource Area at (505) 525-4372, or Mike Howard, Team Leader, 
Caballo Resource Area at (505) 525-4348, email mhoward 
@nm0151wp.nmso.nm.blm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ACECs are land designations unique to the 
BLM. The purpose of ACECs is to recognize, protect, and manage unique 
or sensitive resources or potential hazards to the public. Each area 
receives management or protection based on its unique needs, in 
consultation and coordination with the public. The Caballo Resource 
Area has completed an inventory of areas containing unique or sensitive 
biological resources suitable for designation as ACECs. In addition, 
the Resource Area has received nominations both internally and from the 
public to consider several areas as ACECs based on visual, cultural, 
and biological values.
    The draft document discusses three alternatives. Alternative A is 
the No Action Alternative. Alternative B is BLM's proposal to designate 
and manage the five proposed ACECs, and redesignate one existing ACEC. 
These management proposals represent the highest levels of resource 
protection and continued public use. Alternative B is BLM's preferred 
alternative. Alternative C contains a lower level of protection 
designed to address less restrictive management measures for protection 
of the resources of concern in each proposed ACEC. Some specific 
proposals in Alternative C may be more restrictive. The following is a 
summary of the management actions in Alternative B, the BLM preferred 
alternative, for each proposed ACEC.
    The Three Rivers Petroglyph Site ACEC is located 30 miles north of 
Alamogordo, New Mexico. The area was nominated to protect and manage 
cultural resources. The total area to be considered is approximately 
1,036 acres. Management actions proposed in the Preferred Alternative 
include: acquisition of State trust land through a cooperative land 
exchange, acquisition of private subsurface mineral estate from a 
willing seller, issuance of realty actions subject to protective 
stipulations, closure to mineral entry, improvement and protection of 
riparian areas, improvement of recreation facilities, limiting offroad 
vehicle use to existing roads and trails, closing of county road B031, 
except for

[[Page 26204]]

administrative and ranch access following relinquishment by Otero 
County, management of fire for maximum fire suppression and use of 
prescribed fire, and fencing of the ACEC boundary.
    The Sacramento Escarpment ACEC is located 2 miles south of 
Alamogordo, New Mexico along the west face of the Sacramento Mountains. 
This area is currently a designated ACEC for the management of visual 
resources. This RMP Amendment proposes to expand the area to provide 
for increased protection and management of visual resources and an 
endangered and sensitive plant community. The existing ACEC would be 
expanded to encompass 5,245 acres. Management actions proposed in the 
Preferred Alternative include: limitations or exclusion of new realty 
actions (2920 permits), exclusion of rights-of-way, acquisition of 
access easements and private land inholdings within the ACEC from a 
willing seller, closure to all forms of mineral development, 
improvement and protection of riparian areas, permitting of existing 
spring developments, management under Visual Resource Management 
Classes I and II, limitation of off-road vehicle use to designated 
roads and trails, closure of approximately 5 miles of redundant roads 
and trails (including closure of approximately \1/4\ mile of road in 
San Andres Canyon, except for administrative and ranch pipeline 
maintenance access), management of fire for conditional least-cost 
suppression with no surface disturbance in Visual Class I or arroyo 
areas. Prescribed fire could be used for vegetation management, if 
needed.
    Cornudas Mountain is located 60 miles southeast of Alamogordo, New 
Mexico and near the Texas border. The area was nominated to protect and 
manage visual resources, cultural resources, and sensitive plants. The 
total area to be considered is approximately 850 acres. Management 
activities proposed in the Preferred Alternative include: exclusion of 
the area from authorization of rights-of-way, permitting of other 
realty actions subject to protective stipulations, closure to all forms 
of mineral development, closure to vegetation sales, management of 
barbary sheep, designation of a BLM sensitive species, management as 
Visual Resource Management Class I, limitation of off-road vehicle use 
to designated roads and trails, allowing public access to portions of 
the ACEC by permit, closure to camping, closure to the establishment of 
new roads and trails, fire management for conditional least-cost 
suppression with no surface disturbance and no use of slurry or blading 
in certain areas.
    Alamo Mountain is located 61 miles southeast of Alamogordo, New 
Mexico and near the Texas border. The area was nominated to protect and 
manage visual and cultural resources. The total area to be considered 
is approximately 2,210 acres. Management actions proposed in the 
Preferred Alternative include: exclusion of the area from authorization 
of rights-of-way, permitting of other realty actions subject to 
protective stipulations, closure to all forms of mineral development, 
closure to vegetation sales, management of barbary sheep, designation 
of a BLM sensitive species, management as Visual Resource Management 
Class I, closure of the area to off-road vehicle use, establishment of 
a vehicle parking area, closure to camping in portions of the ACEC, 
fire management for conditional least-cost suppression with no surface 
disturbance and no use of slurry or blading in certain areas.
    Wind Mountain is located 64 miles southeast of Alamogordo, New 
Mexico and near the Texas border. The area was nominated to protect and 
manage visual resources, cultural resources, and unique and sensitive 
plants and animals. Total area to be considered is approximately 2,706 
acres. Management actions proposed in the Preferred Alternative 
include: exclusion of the area from authorization of rights-of-way, 
permitting of other realty actions subject to protective stipulations, 
closure to all forms of mineral development (subject to valid existing 
rights), closure to vegetation sales, management of barbary sheep, 
designation of a BLM sensitive species, management as Visual Resource 
Management Class I, limitation of off-road vehicle use to existing 
roads and trails, fire management for conditional least-cost 
suppression with no surface disturbance and no use of slurry or blading 
in certain areas.
    The Alkali Lakes area is located 80 miles southeast of Alamogordo, 
New Mexico and near the Texas border. This area was nominated to 
protect and manage endangered and sensitive plants and the plant 
community in which they occur. The total area considered is 
approximately 6,359 acres. Management actions proposed in the Preferred 
Alternative include: exclusion of the area from authorization of 
rights-of-way, permitting of other realty actions subject to protective 
stipulations, acquisition of State trust land through a cooperative 
land exchange, closure to all forms of mineral development, closure to 
vegetation sales, continued management as Visual Resource Management 
Class IV, limitation of off-road vehicle use to within 30 feet of the 
center line of designated roads and trails, closure to camping and the 
use of campfires, fire management for conditional least-cost 
suppression with no surface disturbance and no use of vehicular 
equipment off of established roads and trails.
    Public participation has occurred throughout the RMP Amendment 
process. A Notice of Intent was filed in the Federal Register (Vol. 59, 
No. 73, Page 18151-18152) on April 15, 1994. Since that time, several 
public meetings, mail-outs, and group briefings were conducted to 
solicit comments and ideas, or familiarize various groups with the 
proposal and the BLM planning process. Comments presented throughout 
the process have been considered in the analysis. Comments received 
during this 60-day comment period will be considered in preparation of 
the Proposed White Sands RMP Amendment and supporting EA. Single copies 
of the draft White Sands RMP Amendment/preliminary FONSI and supporting 
EA for the Otero County ACECs may be obtained from the BLM Las Cruces 
District Office, 1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005. Public 
reading copies are available for review at the BLM State Office, 1474 
Rodeo Rd., Santa Fe, New Mexico, and public and university libraries in 
Las Cruces, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas.

    Dated: May 20, 1996.
Josie Banegas,
Acting District Manager, Las Cruces.
[FR Doc. 96-13094 Filed 5-23-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VC-P