[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 15 (Thursday, January 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3520-3521]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1603]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[UTO80-07-1610-00]


Resource Management Plan for the Book Cliffs Conservation 
Initiative Area, UT

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a Coordinated Resource Management 
Plan/Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Intent to amend the 
Book Cliffs Resource Management Plan.

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SUMMARY: This notice is intended to inform the public of an intent to 
prepare a Coordinated Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact 
Statement (CRMP/EIS) that addresses future management of lands within 
the Book Cliffs planning area, including the lands acquired by the 
Bureau of Land Management, within the Book Cliffs area of the Vernal 
District for the purpose of amending the Book Cliffs Resource 
Management Plan (RMP). Public comment will be actively solicited 
throughout the CRMP/EIS and amendment development processes.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1993, a cooperative effort was undertaken 
by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), The Nature 
Conservancy (TNC), the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), and the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The objective of this cooperative 
effort was to take advantage of existing opportunities to create a 
balanced approach to the management of unique natural resources within 
the upper portion of the East Tavaputs Plateau, in southeastern Uintah 
County, Utah. The cooperative effort dealt with that portion of the 
Book Cliffs within the area between the Uintah-Ouray Indian Reservation 
trust lands to the west and the Utah-Colorado state line to the east, 
an area encompassing roughly 455,000 acres.
    In 1993 and 1994, two private ranches then on the market within the 
area, were acquired by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Rocky 
Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) with the intent of vesting the title to 
either the State of Utah or the United States. In 1994, the BLM was 
vested with title to 5,129 acres, about 53%, of these acquired lands. 
As public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, future 
management of these lands must be developed and incorporated into the 
existing Book Cliffs RMP. The Coordinated Resource Management Plan 
(CRMP) will developed by the BLM in concert with the UDWR, other State 
and Federal agencies, stakeholders, key interest groups, local 
government entities, and the general public.
    At this time general planning issues to be addressed and certain 
assumptions to be presented include:

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            Assumptions                           Concerns              
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 There will be a continued  How should forage be allocated      
 demand and competition for          between livestock, wildlife, and   
 available forage by livestock,      wild horses while achieving        
 wildlife, and in some areas, wild   watershed and riparian goals?      
 horses.                                                                
 Recreational use will      What mix and level of recreational  
 continue to increase.               use can occur while maintaining the
                                     area's ``Frontier Mystique''?      
 There is a need to         What will be the cumulative impact  
 improve the overall health of the   of resource uses (grazing, energy, 
 land.                               and mineral development,           
                                     recreation, related vehicle access,
                                     etc.) on desired condition of      
                                     vegetative communities in critical 
                                     habitats such as canyon bottoms,   
                                     riparian areas, and crucial/       
                                     critical big game ranges?          
 Health, diverse wildlife   What are the impacts upon current   
 populations desired.                land uses such as livestock and    
                                     mineral development as             
                                     consideration is given for         
                                     establishment of other native      
                                     species such as Rocky Mountain     
                                     bighorn sheep, moose, bison,       
                                     sharptail grouse, wild turkey, and 
                                     Colorado River Cutthroat Trout, and
                                     other fisheries?                   

[[Page 3521]]

                                                                        
 Development and            How best can mineral development    
 extraction of energy and mineral    continue, with the least amount of 
 resources will continue, perhaps    restrictions while restoring and   
 at an increased rate, depending     maintaining fully functioning      
 on demand.                          health ecosystems?                 
 The area is economically   How will future management          
 important to surrounding            prescriptions enhance or restrict  
 communities and the State of        economic development?              
 Utah.                                                                  
 There will continue to be  What kind of public access should be
 a need for various degrees of       provided to and on the area (Off   
 access to accommodate public        Highway Vehicle travel, established
 needs and demands.                  roads, etc.)?                      
 Planning efforts will be   How will Governor's Open Space      
 consistent with the Governor's      Policy influence the planning      
 Open Space Policy.                  process?                           
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    The CRMP, EIS and the RMP amendment will be prepared under 43 CFR 
part 1610 to meet the requirements of section 202 of the Federal Land 
Policy and Management Act, and section 102 of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. This revision is necessary to update and 
expand the decisions in the existing land use plan. Decisions generated 
during this planning process will supersede affected land use planning 
decisions presented in the 1985 Book Cliffs RMP that affect lands 
within the CRMP area.
    Public participation is being actively sought at this time to 
ensure the EIS addresses all issues, problems and concerns from those 
interested in the management of the public lands within the Book Cliffs 
area, including acquired lands. The development of the CRMP, EIS, and 
the RMP amendment is a public process and the public is invited and 
encouraged to assist in the identification of issues and the scope of 
the EIS and planning amendment. Public meetings will be held to discuss 
planning issues. The date, time, and location of these scoping meetings 
are: March 17, 1997, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., in the John Wesley Powell 
Museum in Green River, Utah; March 18, 1997, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., in 
the Department of Natural Resources Auditorium, Room 1040-1060, at 1594 
West North Temple, Salt lake City, Utah; and March 26, 1997, 7:00 p.m. 
to 9:00 p.m. in the Western Park Conference Center 302 East 200 South 
in Vernal, Utah. These meetings also will be announced in local 
newspapers and through other local media.
    Formal public participation will be requested for review of the 
preliminary and final CRMP, EIS, and RMP amendment during 1997. Notice 
of availability of these documents will be published at the appropriate 
times.
    The documents will be prepared by an interdisciplinary team which 
includes specialists in rangeland, minerals, vegetation, riparian 
values, cultural resources, recreation, wildlife/fisheries habitats, 
realty, and special status animal and plant species. Other disciplines 
may be represented as necessary.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dean Evans, Resource Advisor, Vernal 
District Office, 170 South 500 East, Vernal, Utah 84078. Business hours 
are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal 
holidays, telephone (801) 789-1362 or 781-4470, fax (801) 781-4410.

    Dated: January 16, 1997.
G. William Lamb,
State Director, Utah.
[FR Doc. 97-1603 Filed 1-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-M