[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 39 (Friday, February 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10038-10039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5036]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[AZ030-1010-00; AZA-29861]


Notice of Intent To Amend the Kingman Resource Management Plan

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, the Bureau of Land Management, Kingman Field Office, Arizona, 
will be preparing an EIS-level plan amendment to the Kingman Resource 
Management Plan. The plan amendment will assess impacts of proposed 
changes to land tenure classification decisions and resource management 
of federal lands in Mohave County in western Arizona.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted until April 1, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the Team Leader, Hualapai 
Mountain Project, Bureau of Land Management, Kingman Field Office, 2475 
Beverly Ave., Kingman, Arizona 86401-3629.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL: Don McClure, phone: (520) 692-4400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area will include both public 
and non-public land in Mohave County in western Arizona, encompassing 
approximately 150,000 acres.
    On June 11, 1997, Arizona BLM published a notice of intent to 
prepare an EIS-level analysis for a proposed land exchange near 
Kingman, Arizona, referred to as the Hualapai Mountain Exchange. As the 
offered and selected lands became more clearly defined during 
development of the draft EIS, it became apparent that adjustments in 
land tenure decisions of the Kingman Resource Management Plan would 
also be needed. The amendment is needed because approximately 15,000 
acres selected by the Proponent were not identified for disposal in the 
Kingman Resource Management Plan by Township, Range, and Section. Also, 
the Proponent for the land exchange selected lands within the White 
Margined Penstemon Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The 
boundary of the ACEC will not change but the amount of acreage of 
designated ACEC lands will change. The language used for designating 
the ACEC was for the public acres within the boundary and not the 
boundary itself. The proposed change in the acreage of the ACEC 
involves approximately 1800 acres going out of public ownership with 
approximately 3950 acres coming into public ownership. The 1800 acres 
would lose its designation as ACEC lands while the approximately 3950 
acres would be designated as part of the ACEC.
    Proposed modifications to the Kingman Resource Management Plan will 
be integrated with the proposed Hualapai Mountain Exchange, and the 
impacts thereof will be presented in a single EIS-level analysis. The 
interdisciplinary EIS team will consist of specialists representing 
wildlife, recreation, minerals, archaeology, lands, surface protection, 
vegetation, range, soil and watershed, social and economic conditions. 
Specialists with other expertise will be added if needed.

Description of Possible Alternatives

    Reasonable alternatives including the no-action alternative will be 
analyzed in the EIS. One alternative will be selected as the agency-
preferred alternative before the draft environmental impact statement 
is released for public review.

Anticipated Issues and Criteria

    Some issues expected to be addressed by the plan amendment include 
the following: proposed land tenure adjustments, and proposed 
management of lands and resources acquired by BLM through the proposed 
exchange.
    The following criteria are proposed to guide resolution of the 
issues: actions must comply with laws, executive, orders, and 
regulations; consider long-term benefits to the public in relation to 
short-term benefits; be reasonable and achievable; use of the best 
available scientific information; use an interdisciplinary approach to 
land management; and contribute to or sustain the productivity and 
diversity of natural systems and the health of the land.

Other Relevant Information

    A comprehensive public participation plan has been prepared. The 
interested public will be involved throughout the plan amendment 
process. The tentative project schedule is as follows:

Begin Public Comment Period on Draft Environmental Impact Statement--
April 1998
File Final Environmental Impact Statement--September 1998
Record of Decision--January 1999.

[[Page 10039]]

Public Input Requested

    Comments should address issues to be considered, if the planning 
criteria are adequate for the issues, feasible and reasonable 
alternatives to examine, and relevant information having a bearing on 
the EIS-level plan amendment.
    Dated: February 20, 1998.
John R. Christensen,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 98-5036 Filed 2-26-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-P