[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 2, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34442-34443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16799]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CO-017-1610-00]


Availability of White River Resource Area's Proposed Management 
Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (40 CFR 1505.2), the Department of the 
Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), has prepared a Proposed 
Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(PRMP/FEIS) for the White River Resource Area. The PRMP/FEIS describes 
and analyzes the proposed management for 1,455,900 acres of public land 
and 365,000 acres of federal mineral estate in portions of Rio Blanco, 
Moffat and Garfield Counties in western Colorado.
    Decisions generated as a result of this planning process will 
supersede and/or incorporate decisions of earlier land use plans, 
including the 1975 White River Management Framework Plan, the 1981 
White River Resource Area Coal Amendment to the White River Management 
Framework Plan, the 1981 White River Resource Area Grazing Management 
Environmental Impact Statement, and the 1987 White River Resource Area 
Piceance Basin Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact 
Statement.

DATES: Protests of the proposed plan must be received by August 5, 
1996.

ADDRESSES: Written protests on the PRMP/FEIS should be addressed to: 
Director (480), Bureau of Land Management, Resource Planning Team, 1849 
``C'' Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240.
    Copies of the PRMP/FEIS will be available for review at the 
following locations: (1) Bureau of Land Management, White River 
Resource Area Office, 73544 Highway 64, Meeker, Colorado 81641; (2) 
Bureau of Land Management, Craig District Office, 455 Emerson Street, 
Craig, Colorado 81625; and (3) Bureau of Land Management, Colorado 
State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street, Denver, Colorado 80215.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bill Hill, RMP Team Leader, White River Resource Area Office, Meeker, 
Colorado 81641, (970) 878-4160.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRMP/FEIS addresses issues identified 
through public scoping and internal Bureau of Land Management review, 
including: (1) Salinity in the Colorado River; (2) mineral development 
throughout the resource area; (3) the spread of noxious and problem 
weeds; (4) reintroduction of the black-footed ferret; (5) unrestricted 
motorized travel throughout the resource area; and (6) habitat 
competition among wild horses, livestock and big game. Four 
alternatives were analyzed in the Draft RMP/EIS that was published in 
October 1994. The Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final 
Environmental Impact Statement combines ecosystem concepts, public 
comments, and components from the four alternatives described in the 
Draft.
    Some of the major decisions developed in the proposed management 
plan deal with: (1) Making mineral resources available for exploration, 
leasing and development, in compliance with environmental laws, 
regulations and policies; (2) protecting sensitive resources by 
designating certain areas as closed or limited to off highway vehicle 
use until a subsequent travel management plan can be developed; (3) 
releasing the river and stream segments inventoried for Wild and Scenic 
River (WSR) Management from further WSR consideration; (4) managing 
wild horse

[[Page 34443]]

herds in the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area to maintain 95 
to 140 head of horses; and (5) designating eleven additional areas as 
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).
    Public participation has occurred throughout the RMP/EIS process 
starting with a Federal Register Notice of Intent to prepare a RMP in 
October 1990. Since that time, several open houses, public meetings, 
and public hearings were held to solicit comments and ideas. Public 
comments provided throughout the process were considered in the 
development of the document.
Robert Schneider,
Acting District Manager, Craig, CO.
[FR Doc. 96-16799 Filed 7-1-96; 8:45 am]
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