[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 218 (Friday, November 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 57892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-28770]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[UT-069-97-1020-00]


Notice of Intent for Plan Amendment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to amend the San Juan Resource Area Resource 
Management Plan. San Juan County, Utah.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to amend the San 
Juan Resource Management Plan (RMP) with three changes. Grazing is 
proposed to be retired in five side canyons of Comb Wash, a tributary 
of the San Juan River. The five side canyons are Road, Fish, Owl, Mule, 
and Arch. The second proposed change is Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) 
designations. The area encompassed by the following description is 
proposed to be changed from open to limited OHV designation.

    All areas of public land from Comb Wash road (B235) on the west, 
to Butler Wash road (B230) on the east, and Highway 163 on the 
south. The northern boundary follows the old U-95 road alignment 
from its junction with the Comb Wash road, thence east across Comb 
Ridge to the Butler Wash drainage, thence south along this drainage 
to the township line of T. 37 S. and T. 38 S. and thence east along 
this line to the Butler Wash road.

The third proposed change is that a campsite in Comb Wash would no 
longer remain a developed site. Two Class A toilets, picnic tables, and 
grills would be removed. One Class C toilet would remain.
    These proposed changes do not conform with the current San Juan 
RMP, necessitating a plan amendment. These changes are proposed in 
order to address a number of issues that have been raised in past 
scoping for the Comb Wash area:
    What are the impacts of human uses, including livestock grazing, on 
upland and riparian vegetation?
    How will riparian area functioning conditions be improved?
    How will BLM manage activities to protect the watershed and meet 
state water quality standards?
    What recreation opportunities should be provided?
    How much are human uses, including livestock grazing, affecting the 
cultural resources in the watershed, and how can these resources be 
protected from further deterioration?
    How will activities and resources be managed to protect, conserve 
and enhance wildlife populations and habitat?
    There will not be any changes to planning criteria identified in 
the San Juan RMP as a result of this amendment.

DATES: The comment period for this proposed plan amendment will 
commence with the date of publication of this notice. Comments must be 
submitted on or before December 9, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Walter, San Juan Resource Area 
Manager, 435 N. Main, Monticello, Utah 84535, telephone (801) 587-2141. 
Existing planning documents and information are available at the above 
address or at the Moab District Office, 82 E. Dogwood, Moab, Utah, 
84532, telephone (801) 259-6111. Comments on the proposed plan 
amendment should be sent to Kent Walter, San Juan Resource Area 
Manager, Bureau of Land Management, P.O. Box 7, Monticello, Moab, Utah 
84535, telephone (801) 587-2141.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed plan amendment includes three 
management actions proposed in the Comb Wash Interdisciplinary Plan. 
There are a number of other management actions in this plan that deal 
with watershed, cultural resources, recreation, wildlife, livestock, 
traditional use, and fire management issues. All of the other actions 
would be in compliance with the San Juan RMP. The Comb Wash Plan and an 
accompanying environmental assessment will be available for a thirty-
day review immediately after the comment period for this Federal 
Register notice closes. The plan and environmental assessment can be 
obtained from the Bureau of Land Management's San Juan Resource Area 
office, P.O. Box 7, Monticello, Utah, 84532, telephone (801) 587-2141.
G. William Lamb,
State Director, Utah.
[FR Doc. 96-28770 Filed 11-7-96; 8:45 am]
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