[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 144 (Thursday, July 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38781-38782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18890]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[WY-010-1820-00]


Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Grass Creek 
Planning Area Resource Management

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS) for the Grass Creek Planning Area Resource Management 
Plan (RMP) for public review and comment.

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SUMMARY: The FEIS for the Grass Creek Planning Area RMP describes and 
analyzes four alternative resource management plans, including the 
proposed RMP, for managing the BLM-administered public lands and 
Federal mineral estate in the Grass Creek Planning Area of the Bighorn 
Basin Resource Area. The planning area includes portions of Big Horn, 
Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie counties in the Bighorn Basin of north 
central Wyoming.
    The Draft EIS (DEIS) for the Grass Creek Planning Area RMP was made 
available for public review and comment in January 1995. Comments 
received on the DEIS were considered in preparing the proposed RMP and 
FEIS. When completed, the Grass Creek Planning Area RMP will provide 
the management direction for future land and resource management 
actions on approximately 968,000 acres of public land surface and 
approximately 1,171,000 acres of Federal mineral estate administered by 
the BLM. The FEIS focuses on the proposed RMP alternative and BLM's 
responses to public comments on the DEIS. The FEIS also describes the 
other alternatives and their environmental consequences which were 
considered in the DEIS, therefore, it will not be necessary to have the 
DEIS to conduct a complete review of the FEIS.
    The proposed Grass Creek Planning Area RMP is a comprehensive land-
use and resource management plan. It was developed by making 
adjustments to the Preferred Alternative presented in the DEIS. In 
addition, the planning team has revised some of the analysis in the 
DEIS and included new information, based on public comments. However, 
the environmental consequences of the proposed RMP are not 
substantially different from those of the Preferred Alternative.
    The following are changes to the management actions in the 
Preferred Alternative of the DEIS.

--Motorized vehicle use in the Badlands Proposed Special Recreation 
Management Area would be limited to

[[Page 38782]]

``existing'' roads and trails rather than ``designated'' roads and 
trails.
--The Red Canyon Creek area would not be designated a special 
recreation management area.
--With a new management objective, the BLM would attempt to maintain 
the current opportunities for ``semi-primitive'' non-motorized 
recreation in the planning area.
--The Fifteenmile Wild Horse Herd Management Area would not be 
expanded, although the existing herd area would be retained.
--The Fifteenmile Creek Watershed and Meeteetse Draw areas would not be 
proposed for designation as areas of critical environmental concern 
(ACECs).
--Public lands immediately north of the South Fork of Owl Creek (for a 
distance of about 13 miles along the stream starting at Rock Creek) 
would be added to the Upper Owl Creek proposed ACEC. The entire 
proposed ACEC would be closed to mining claim location and development 
and to other surface-disturbing activities.

    The following are modified analyses, new material, and 
clarifications:

--An expanded cultural resources section describes traditional values 
(custom and culture) associated with Native American beliefs, ranching, 
recreation, and oil and gas development.
--The anticipated use of prescribed fire has been increased from 9,000 
to 11,000 acres.
--The anticipated levels of exploratory drilling have been varied by 50 
percent in two alternatives to provide a better comparison of economic 
impacts.
--Fiscal contributions of the oil and gas industry, consisting of 
royalties and taxes, have been quantified.
--Recreation use estimates have been revised downward to reflect an 
annual growth of about 1 percent.
--New information describes cooperative efforts to control noxious 
weeds.
--New information describes wildlife seasonal habitat and habitat 
fragmentation.
--The glossary and references sections have been updated and expanded.
--The livestock grazing appendix has been revised.
--Appendixes on economics and mitigation measures have been added.

DATES: Protests on the proposed Grass Creek Planning Area RMP must be 
postmarked no later than 30 days following the date the Environmental 
Protection Agency's (EPA) Notice of Availability (NOA) of the FEIS is 
published in the Federal Register. The FEIS is scheduled to be mailed 
to the public on or about July 24, 1996, and the EPA NOA is anticipated 
to be published on either August 2, 1996, or August 9, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Protests on the proposed Grass Creek Planning Area RMP 
should be sent to the Bureau of Land Management, Director (480), 
Resource Planning Team, MS 314 LS, 1849 C Street N.W., Washington, 
D.C., 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Vessels, Assistant Area Manager, 
Bighorn Basin Resource Area at 307-347-5297 or Bob Ross, RMP Team 
Leader at 307-347-5178. Copies of the FEIS are available from the BLM 
Worland District Office at P. O. Box 119, 101 South 23rd Street, 
Worland, Wyoming 82401-0119.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Upper Owl Creek proposed ACEC would be 
managed to maintain important wildlife habitat, protect rare plants, 
maintain scenic quality, enhance recreation, protect an important 
groundwater recharge area, and reduce erosion and natural hazards 
associated with the area's landslide potential. The special management 
designation would not apply to State or private lands.
    The coal screening process (including application of the coal 
unsuitability criteria under 43 CFR Part 3461) was not conducted for 
the planning effort. Any interest in coal exploration or leasing will 
be handled on a case-by-case basis. If an application for a coal lease 
is received sometime in the future, an appropriate land use 
environmental analysis will be conducted (which will include conducting 
the coal screening process), to determine whether or not the coal areas 
applied for are acceptable for development and leasing consideration. 
The RMP will be amended as necessary.
    Wilderness management and recommendations on wilderness designation 
are not addressed in the FEIS. Wilderness management, related to four 
wilderness study areas in the Grass Creek Planning Area (formerly the 
Grass Creek Resource Area), is addressed in the Grass Creek/Cody 
Wilderness EIS published in August 1990. Pending a decision by Congress 
on designation of these areas, the Owl Creek, Bobcat Draw Badlands, 
Sheep Mountain, and Red Butte Wilderness Study Areas will be managed 
under the BLM's ``Interim Management Policy and Guidelines for Lands 
Under Wilderness Review.''

    Dated: July 17, 1996.
James K. Murkin,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 96-18890 Filed 7-24-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P