[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 157 (Friday, August 14, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 43717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21832]



[[Page 43717]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[NM-018-1610-00/G010-G8-0252]


Notice of Availability of a Proposed Coordinated Resource 
Management Plan (CRMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS); 
Taos Field Office, New Mexico and San Luis Resource Area, Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Taos Field Office and 
Canon City District, San Luis Resource Area have completed a Proposed 
CRMP/FEIS and Taos Resource Management Plan Amendment. This document 
contains a 15-year strategy for managing 94 miles of the Rio Grande 
from La Sauses, Colorado to Velarde, New Mexico, and 42.7 miles of its 
tributaries. The document also addresses legislative requirements for 
the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River extension and study areas.
    Copies are available for review at public libraries in Alamosa, 
Colorado, and in Taos, Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Espanola, and Albuquerque, 
New Mexico. Additional copies are available at the following BLM 
offices: San Luis Resource Area, 1921 State Street, Alamosa, Colorado; 
Taos Field Office, 226 Cruz Alta Road, Taos, New Mexico; New Mexico 
State Office, 1474 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Albuquerque 
Field Office, 435 Montao Road NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

DATES: Protests related to decisions at the New Mexico Resource 
Management Plan level must be filed in writing to: Director, Bureau of 
Land Management, Attn: Ms. Brenda Williams, Protest Coordinator, WO-
210/LS-1075, Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240. An 
informal protest may be made on specific actions described in Chapter 
2, Activity-Level Proposals. Informal protests must be filed in writing 
to the address below. All protests and informal protests must be post 
marked no later than September 30, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Humphrey, CRMP Team Leader, Taos 
Field Office, 226 Cruz Alta Road, Taos, NM 87571; phone (505) 758-8851.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Proposed CRMP/FEIS is a plan for 
managing the public land and allocating resources along 94 miles of the 
Rio Grande and 42.7 miles of its tributaries. The plan addresses the 
following public land issues: Wild and Scenic Rivers, protection of 
riparian areas, soils, vegetation, water quality, terrestrial and 
aquatic habitat, historical and archaeological resources, scenic 
quality, recreation, commercial uses, access, and resource 
interpretation/education.
    Under the Proposed Action, the BLM would implement the CRMP in both 
areas administered by the Taos Field Office and San Luis Resource Area, 
along with the following Taos Resource Management Plan amendments: 
designation of the identified areas of the Lower Gorge and Copper Hill 
Units as Areas of Critical Concern for wildlife habitat and scenic 
quality values; incorporation of the Guadalupe Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern into the Wild Rivers Recreation Area and 
expansion of the Recreation Area; exclusion of 58,765 acres from 
grazing; withdrawal of 73,820 acres from mineral entry; closure of 
50,173 acres to mineral leasing; application of No Surface Occupancy 
standards for oil and gas development on 25,615 acres; closure of 
65,432 acres to mineral material disposal; prohibition of land 
disposals, except for Color-of-Title sales (in the Dixon, New Mexico 
area) and three parcels identified for community needs; exclusion of 
rights-of-way from within the expanded Wild Rivers Recreation Area, the 
Lower Gorge Unit (with exceptions), and portions of the Copper Hill 
Unit. The BLM would also recommend the Rio Grande Bosque segment (as 
identified in Public Law 103-242) for Wild and Scenic River 
designation, with a Recreational classification, and the Rio Embudo for 
designation with a Wild classification. In other actions under the 
Proposed Plan, the agency would increase protection of riparian areas, 
vegetation, soils, water quality, wildlife habitat, and scenic quality, 
while placing limits on recreational uses in the corridor and 
restricting vehicle access to some areas.
     Public participation has occurred throughout the CRMP process. A 
Notice of Availability for the Draft CRMP/EIS was published on June 27, 
1997, in the Federal Register (Vol. 62, No. 124, pp. 34771-2), 
identifying the end of the comment period as October 8, 1997. The 
Notice was amended in the Federal Register on July 29, 1997 (Vol. 62, 
No. 145, p. 40540), extending the comment period to October 20, 1997. 
In response to numerous requests from the public, the comment period 
was extended to December 20, 1997 (Federal Register, Vol. 62, No. 191, 
p. 51682), allowing for a total of 177 days to review the document. 
Oral hearings were conducted in Alamosa, Colorado (August 19, 1997), 
Taos, New Mexico (August 20, 1997), Santa Fe, New Mexico (August 21, 
1997), and Dixon, New Mexico (September 3, 1997).

    Dated: August 10, 1998.
Steve Henke,
Taos Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 98-21832 Filed 4-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-AG-P