[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28515-28516]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13855]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[WY-030-1990-00]


Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the finding of no significant impact 
(FONSI) and proposed decision for the Shirley Mountain Planning Review 
Travel Management Environmental Assessment (EA), Carbon County, 
Wyoming, and amendment of the Great Divide Resource Management Plan.

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SUMMARY: The Shirley Mountain Planning Review Area contains 
approximately 69,590 acres of intermingled public, private, and State 
lands located approximately 40 miles northwest of the town of Medicine 
Bow, all in Carbon County, Wyoming. The planning review was conducted 
to determine the impacts to the BLM administered public lands, adjacent 
non-Federal lands, and associated resource uses resulting from a 
proposed amendment to the Great Divide Resource Management Plan (RMP). 
The proposed RMP decision amendment would change the current Off Road 
Vehicle (ORV) designation in the area from ``limited to existing roads 
and trails'' to ``limited to designated roads and trails'' and includes 
several requirements and stipulations for implementing the changed 
decision.

DATES: A 30-day protest period for the proposed planning decision will 
begin the day following the publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Protests must be addressed in writing to the Director (210), 
Bureau of Land Management, Attention Brenda Williams, 1849 C Street NW, 
Washington, D.C. 20240. Protests must be postmarked within 30 days 
following the date that this notice of availability (NOA) of the 
proposed decision is published in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested parties may direct 
questions, concerns, or obtain further information by contacting Karla 
Swanson, Great Divide Resource Area Manager, Sarah Crocker, Project 
Leader, or John Spehar, Planning and Environmental Coordinator, at the 
Bureau of Land Management Office, 1300 N. Third Street, Rawlins, 
Wyoming 82301, or by telephone at 307-328-4200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The need for an ORV designation change 
within the planning review area is based upon recommendations made by 
the ad hoc Shirley Mountain Technical Committee and previously 
completed studies and activity plans. In 1985, the BLM completed a 
Habitat Management Plan (HMP) for Shirley Mountain. The HMP recommended 
that several two-track trails be closed to motorized vehicle travel 
because they were fragmenting wildlife habitat, were unnecessary for 
adequate public access to public lands, and had associated erosion 
problems. In 1994, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department completed a 
habitat analysis for the Shirley Mountain area identifying habitat 
problems impacting wildlife populations and potential solutions. The 
study found that the majority of hiding cover for large game animals 
was heavily dissected by a system of roads and trails. Security areas 
for these animals during hunting season were very limited. The study 
recommended that future BLM management restrict the construction of new 
roads and that a plan be developed to manage recreational road and 
trail use and to reduce road and trail proliferation. A change in ORV 
designation for the Shirley Mountain Planning Review Area will allow 
the BLM to implement a travel management plan in the future. Included 
in the decision to change the ORV designation for the review area are 
requirements and stipulations for implementing the ORV designation 
decision. These include the development of a travel activity or 
implementation plan. As provided in 43 Code of Federal Regulations, 
Part 1610.5-2, any person who participated in the planning review 
process and has an interest which is or may be adversely affected by 
the approval or amendment of a resource management plan may protest 
such approval or amendment. A protest may concern only those issues 
which were raised and submitted for the record during the planning 
review process and by only the party(ies) who raised the issue(s). All 
parts of the proposed decision may be protested. Protests must be in 
writing and must be postmarked within 30 days following the date this 
notice of availability of the decision record is published in the 
Federal Register. Protests must include (a) the name, mailing address, 
telephone number, and interest of the person filing the protest; (b) a 
statement of the issue or issues submitted during the planning process 
by the protesting party; (c) a statement of the part, or parts, of the 
proposed decision being protested; (d) a copy of all documents 
addressing the issue or issues that were submitted during the planning 
review process by the protesting party or an indication of the date the 
issue or issues were

[[Page 28516]]

discussed for the record; and (e) a concise statement explaining why 
the State Director's proposed decision is believed to be wrong.
    If no protests are received, the proposed decision will become 
final at the end of the 30-day protest period. If protests are 
received, the decision will not become final until the protests are 
resolved.

    Dated: May 19, 1998.
Alan R. Pierson,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 98-13855 Filed 5-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P