[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 150 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40431-40433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19647]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[ID-040-4610-00]
Notice of Availability of the Challis Draft Resource Management
Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Labor.
ACTION: Notice of proposed ACEC designations.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976, section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, and BLM Planning Regulations (43 CFR part 1600),
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Upper Columbia--Salmon Clearwater
Districts has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan/Environmental
Impact Statement (Draft RMP/EIS) for the Challis Resource Area. The
Challis Draft RMP/EIS has been published and is available for review
and comment by requesting a copy from the address indicated in the
``Addresses'' section below. In compliance with 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b),
this notice of availability of the Challis Draft RMP/EIS also
constitutes notice of ACEC designations proposed in the Challis Draft
RMP/EIS. More detailed information about the existing and proposed
ACECs described in the Challis Draft RMP/EIS is provided in the
``Supplementary Information'' section of this notice.
The Challis Draft RMP/EIS describes and analyzes five alternative
ways of managing approximately 792,657 acres of BLM public lands in the
Challis Resource Area, located in Custer and Lemhi counties of east-
central Idaho. When implemented, the Challis RMP would replace the
three Management Framework Plans currently used by the Challis Resource
Area. The Challis RMP may also amend the Little Lost-Birch Creek
Management Framework Plan (BLM 1981), if Alternatives 2, 4, or 5 are
selected and the Donkey Hills Area of Critical Environmental Concern
(ACEC) is designated to include 4,714 acres within the Big Butte
Resource Area, managed by the Idaho Falls District--BLM in Butte
County, Idaho.
DATES: Written comments on the Challis Draft RMP/EIS must be submitted
or postmarked no later than November 21, 1996. Meetings will be held to
receive public comments on the Challis Draft RMP/EIS. The dates and
locations of public meetings will be announced through the local media
and a mailing list, as appropriate.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Challis Draft RMP/EIS may be obtained upon
request by contacting the Bureau of Land Management, Salmon Field
Office, Route 2, Box 610, Salmon, Idaho 83467; phone (208) 756-5400.
Written comments on the Challis Draft RMP/EIS should be sent to Kathe
Rhodes, Planning and Environmental Coordinator, Bureau of Land
Management, Salmon Field Office, Route 2, Box 610, Salmon, Idaho 83467.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathe Rhodes, Planning and
Environmental Coordinator, Bureau of Land Management, Salmon Field
Office, Route 2, Box 610, Salmon, Idaho 83467; phone (208) 756-5440.
Documents relevant to the Challis Draft RMP/EIS planning process are
available at the above address for public viewing during normal office
hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Challis Draft RMP/EIS describes and
analyzes five alternative land use plans to address the planning issues
identified through public involvement and BLM input. Each alternative
proposes resource condition objectives, land use allocations, and
management actions and direction to guide resource management of the
Challis Resource Area on a long term, sustainable basis during the next
15 to 20 years. Alternative 1, the ``no action'' alternative, describes
resource management of the Challis Resource Area as of approximately
1991, when the planning process was initiated. The four ``action''
alternatives (Alternatives 2, 3, 4, and 5) differ in how much they
emphasize three aspects of resource management: (a) the protection,
restoration, and enhancement of natural values (e.g., visual quality),
(b) traditional commodity production (e.g., timber harvest, livestock
grazing, mineral production), and (c) non-commodity resource uses
(e.g., recreation).
Four issues and related management concerns were identified during
the scoping process for the Challis Draft RMP:
[[Page 40432]]
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Related management
Issue concern(s)
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Range Management.......................... Livestock Grazing, Wild
Horse and Burro Management,
Wildlife Habitat
Management, Noxious Weed
Infestation, Vegetation
Treatment Projects, Upland
Watershed, Fire Management.
Water Related Resource Management......... Riparian Areas, Floodplain/
Wetland Areas, Water
Quality, Minimum
Streamflow, Fisheries.
Land Tenure and Access.................... Land Tenure.
Special Management Areas.................. Wild and Scenic Rivers,
Areas of Critical
Environmental Concern,
Management of Wilderness
Study Areas if Released
from Wilderness Review.
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In order to provide complete disclosure and analysis of resource
uses in the Challis Resource Area, the Challis Draft RMP/EIS also
discusses the following management concerns identified during the
scoping process: Forested Areas; Special Status Species Management;
Managing for Biological Diversity; Oil, Gas, Geothermal, Locatable, and
Saleable Minerals; Visual Quality Management; Recreation Opportunities
and Visitor Use; Off-highway Vehicle Use; Cultural Resource Management;
Paleontological Resource Management; Tribal Treaty Rights;
Transportation; Hazardous Materials Management; Air Quality.
The four ``action'' alternatives for the Challis RMP propose and
analyze the designation of additional Areas of Critical Environmental
Concern (ACECs). Under existing management, eight ACECs totaling 14,069
acres are designated in the Challis Resource Area to highlight various
values and resources for management and protection, including unique
plant communities, petrified trees, fragile soils, and a bighorn sheep
population. These existing ACECs include 5,997 acres of Research
Natural Areas designated for study of natural, pristine, or unique
characteristics. Depending on the alternative, future proposed ACEC
designations would include the following: (a) expansion of one existing
ACEC by approximately 269 acres; and (b) designation of six to eight
additional ACECs totaling from 48,889 acres up to 129,354 acres. The
proposed ACECs would highlight values and resources including unique
plant communities, an additional bighorn sheep population, elk winter
range and calving habitat, cultural resources, anadromous fish habitat,
fragile soils, and geological, special status fish, and roadless-
primitive resources. The chart below lists the expanded and proposed
ACECs by alternative, including any resource use limitations which
would occur if the ACECs were formally designated (per 43 CFR 1610.7-
2(b)).
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Acres proposed for designation; potential resource use limitations if designated
ACEC/RNA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternative 1 Alternative 2 Alternative 3 Alternative 4 Alternative 5
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Thousand Springs ACEC/RNA.......... 824 acres ACEC 252 1,093 acres ACEC 252 Same as Alt 2........ Same as Alt 2........ Same as Alt 2.
acres RNA; fencing to acres RNA; fencing to
control livestock use control livestock use
in the RNA. on all areas of the
ACEC.
Dry Gulch ACEC/RNA................. 0 acres............... 400 acres ACEC/RNA, as Same as Alt 2........ Same as Alt 2........ Same as Alt 2, except
an extension of the close the ACEC to
existing Cronk's motorized vehicle
Canyon ACEC; fence an use.
undeveloped natural
spring; limit
motorized vehicle use
to the existing road.
Pennal Gulch ACEC.................. 0 acres............... 4,975 acres ACEC; Same as Alt 2........ Same as Alt 2........ Same as Alt 2, except
limit motorized close the ACEC to
vehicle use to the motorized vehicle
existing road. use.
Herd Creek Watershed ACEC.......... 0 acres............... 18,155 acre ACEC, Same as Alt 2, except Same as Alt 2........ Same as Alt 2.
which includes 2,064 maintain the
acres of the existing existing trail above
Lake Creek ACEC/RNA Herd Lake for
(i.e., new motorized vehicle
designation of 16,091 use if suitable
acres); limit portions of the
motorized vehicle use Jerry Peak WSA are
to existing roads and released from
vehicle ways, except wilderness review.
close the existing
trail above Herd Lake.
Sand Hollow ACEC/RNA............... 0 acres............... 3,905 acres ACEC/RNA; Same as Alt 2........ Same as Alt 2, Same as Alt 4.
continue to close the except, in addition,
Sand Hollow watershed incorporate the Sand
to livestock and wild Hollow ACEC/RNA into
horse grazing and the Road Creek
motorized vehicle Watershed ACEC.
use; remove wild
horses from the area
as necessary.
[[Page 40433]]
Donkey Hills ACEC.................. 0 acres............... 28,826 acres ACEC, 13,500 acres ACEC; 33,026 acres ACEC, Same as Alt 4, except
including 4,714 acres resource use including 4,714 the ACEC would be
in the Big Butte limitations the same acres in the Big closed to motorized
Resource Area; as Alt 2. Butte RA; resource vehicle use.
seasonal OHV closure; use limitations the
OHV use limited the same as Alt 2,
remainder of the year except, in addition,
to existing roads and 5,069 acres would be
vehicle ways; timber removed from the
harvest stipulations. commercial timber
base.
Birch Creek ACEC................... 0 acres............... 9,687 acres ACEC; 0 acres.............. 9,687 acres ACEC; Same as Alt 4.
seasonal OHV closure; closed yearlong to
OHV use limited the motorized vehicle
remainder of the year use; closed to
to existing roads and livestock grazing.
vehicle ways;
maintain current
livestock water
development
restrictions.
Lone Bird ACEC..................... 0 acres............... 10,018 acres ACEC; Same as Alt 2, except Same as Alt 2........ Same as Alt 2
physically close limit motorized
portions of the vehicle use to
existing road; close existing roads and
the ACEC to motorized vehicle ways.
vehicle use,
rockhounding,
collection of mineral
materials, and
mineral material
sales.
Road Creek Watershed ACEC.......... 0 acres............... 0 acres............... 0 acres.............. 55,157 acres ACEC, Same as Alt 4.
including
incorporation of the
3,905-acre proposed
Sand Hollow ACEC;
restrict motorized
vehicle use to four
existing roads/ways.
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The Challis Draft RMP/EIS also presents suitability findings for
most of the 57 river segments found eligible for further Wild and
Scenic Rivers study during the Challis Resource Area's Wild and Scenic
Rivers eligibility evaluation conducted in 1992 and 1993. Depending on
the alternative, three to nine eligible river segments would have a
suitability finding deferred until a coordinated river suitability
study with the U.S. Forest Service and the State of Idaho can be
completed. In addition, under all five alternatives, one river segment
would have an eligibility determination deferred pending further
coordinated study. In order to provide a range of alternatives, most
eligible river segments were found suitable under at least one
alternative and unsuitable under at least one alternative. Suitability
findings described in the Challis Draft RMP are as follows: 0 river
segments found suitable under Alternative 1; 5 river segments found
suitable under Alternative 2; 0 river segments found suitable under
Alternative 3; 19 river segments found suitable under Alternative 4;
and 54 river segments found suitable under Alternative 5.
Public participation will continue throughout the remainder of the
Challis RMP planning process. Following the 90-day public review and
comment period for the Challis Draft RMP/EIS which ends November 21,
1996, the BLM will prepare a Proposed RMP/Final EIS. The public will
then be invited to review the Proposed RMP/Final EIS.
Dated: July 29, 1996.
Fritz U. Rennebaum,
District Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-19647 Filed 8-1-96; 8:45 am]
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