[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 218 (Thursday, November 12, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63327-63329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30162]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[UT-030-99-1610-00]


Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Draft Management Plan 
and Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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ADDRESSES: Copies of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument 
Draft Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DMP/
DEIS) may be obtained from the following Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM) locations: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Planning 
Office, 337 South Main Street, Suite 010, Cedar City, Utah 84720, 
telephone (435) 865-5100; BLM, Utah State Office, 324 South State, 
Public Room (4th Floor), Salt Lake City, Utah, telephone (801) 539-
4001; Kanab Resource Area Office, 318 North First East, Kanab, Utah 
84741, telephone (435) 644-2672; Escalante Interagency Office, P.O. Box 
225, Escalante, Utah 84726, telephone (435) 826-4291. Comments must be 
received by the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Planning 
Office, 337 South Main Street, Suite 010, Cedar City, Utah 84720 by 
Friday, February 12, 1999.

SUMMARY: In accordance with section 102 of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1970, section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 and 43 CFR part 1610, a draft management plan/
draft environmental impact statement for Grand Staircase-Escalante 
National Monument, Utah, has been prepared and is available for review 
and comment. The DMP/DEIS describes and analyzes future options for 
managing 1,684,899 acres of public land in Garfield and Kane Counties, 
Utah. The DMP/DEIS also examines recommendations on suitability for 
additions to the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Decisions generated 
during this planning process will supersede land use planning guidance 
presented in the Management Framework Plans and subsequent amendments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pete Wilkins, Planning Team Leader, or 
A. J. Meredith, Monument Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Grand 
Staircase-Escalante National Monument Planning Office, 337 South Main 
Street, Suite 010, Cedar City, Utah 84720, telephone (435) 865-5100.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DMP/DEIS analyzes five alternatives to 
resolve the following seven major issues: (1) How will Monument 
resources be protected? (2) How will research associated with the 
Monument be managed? (3) How will Monument management be integrated 
with community plans? (4) How will people's activities and uses be 
managed? (5) What facilities are needed and where? (6) How will 
transportation and access be managed? (7) To what extent is water 
necessary for the proper care and management of the objects of the 
Monument, and what further action is necessary to assure the 
availability of water. Each alternative represents a complete 
management plan for the area. The alternatives can be summarized as (A) 
the no action or change from management as directed by the Proclamation 
and the Interim Management Guidance, (B) the preferred alternative 
which emphasizes the preservation of the monument, while recognizing 
its value as a scientific resource, (C) emphasizes the exemplary 
opportunities for scientific research, (D) emphasizes the preservation 
of the primitive, undeveloped nature of the Monument through the 
stewardship of intact natural systems, and (E) emphasizes and 
facilitates a full range of developed and undeveloped recreational 
opportunities, while relying upon public education and use management 
to protect Monument resources.

Wild and Scenic Rivers

    In Alternative A (No Action Alternative), a suitability 
determination would not be made on the 25 eligible river segments (330 
miles). In Alternative B (Preferred Alternative) and E, 17 eligible 
river segments, totaling 225 river miles would be recommended as 
suitable for Congressional designation into the National Wild and 
Scenic River System (NWSRS). In Alternative C, all 25 eligible river 
segments (330 miles) would be determined to be unsuitable. In 
Alternative D, all 25 eligible river segments, totaling 330 river 
miles, would be determined suitable and would be recommended for 
Congressional designation. The table outlines the river segments that 
were determined eligible for Congressional designation. The table also 
identifies, by alternative, which eligible river segments would be 
determined suitable and recommended to Congress for designation into 
the NWSRS.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            Determined suitable by alternative
        River segment             Segment        Miles      Tentative    ---------------------------------------
                                description               classification     A       B       C       D       E
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              Escalante River Basin
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harris Wash.................  Tenmile               2.9  Scenic.........  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
                               Crossing to
                               confluence
                               with Bighorn
                               Wash.
                              Bighorn Wash to       8.7  Wild...........  ......  ......  ......      X
                               unnamed road.
                              Road to west          2.8  Recreational...  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
                               side of State
                               section.
                              State section         1.2  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               to Monument
                               boundary.
Lower Boulder Creek.........  Downstream side      13.6  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               of State
                               section to
                               Escalante
                               River.
Dry Hollow Creek............  Monument              4.3  Wild...........  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
                               boundary to
                               Lower Boulder
                               Creek.

[[Page 63328]]

Slickrock Canyon............  Monument              2.8  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               boundary to
                               private land.
Cottonwood Canyon...........  Monument              4.4  Wild...........  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
                               boundary to
                               Lower Deer
                               Creek.
Lower Deer Creek............  Private land to       3.8  Recreational...  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               Burr Trail
                               Road.
                              Burr Trail Road       7    Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               to Lower
                               Boulder Creek.
The Gulch, Blackwater         Monument             11    Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
 Canyon, Lamanite Arch         boundary to
 Canyon, and Water Canyon.     Burr Trail
                               Road.
                              Along Burr            0.6  Recreational...  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               Trail Road.
                              Below Burr           13    Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               Trail Road to
                               Escalante
                               River.
                              Black Water,          6.5  Wild...........  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
                               Lamanite and
                               Water Canyons.
Steep Creek.................  Monument              8.9  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               boundary to
                               The Gulch.
Lower Horse Canyon..........  Outstanding           3    Wild...........  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
                               Natural Area
                               boundary to
                               Escalante
                               River.
Wolverine Creek.............  Entire.........       9.7  Wild...........  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
Little Death Hollow.........  Entire.........      14.8  Wild...........  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
Escalante River.............  Confluence with      13.8  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               Pine Creek to
                               Highway 12.
                              Highway 12 to         1.1  Recreational...  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               east side of
                               private land.
                              Private land to      19.2  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               Monument
                               boundary.
Lower Sand Creek and Willow   Sweetwater           13.2  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
 Patch Creek.                  Creek to
                               Escalante
                               River.
Mamie Creek and west          Monument              9.2  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
 tributary.                    boundary to
                               Escalante
                               River.
Death Hollow Creek..........  Monument              9.9  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               boundary to
                               Mamie Creek.
Calf Creek..................  Headwaters to         3.5  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               Lower falls.
                              Lower falls to        3    Scenic.........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               recreation
                               site.
                              Recreation site       1.5  Recreational...  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               to Escalante
                               River.
Phipps Wash and tributaries.  Headwaters to         6    Wild...........  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
                               Escalante
                               River.
Unnamed Tributary (West of    Headwaters to         2.6  Wild...........  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
 Calf Creek).                  Escalante
                               River.
Twentyfive Mile Wash........  Rat Seep Hollow       9.1  Wild...........  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
                               to Monument
                               boundary--incl
                               uding unnamed
                               wash on north
                               side.
                              T37S, R6E, S29        6.8  Wild...........  ......      X   ......  ......      X
                               to Monument
                               boundary--not
                               including
                               unnamed wash
                               on north side.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                Paria River Basin
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paria River including Deer    Paria River--        22    Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
 Creek Canyon, Snake Creek,    T38S, R2W, S21
 Hogeye Creek, part of         to T41S, R1W,
 Kitchen Canyon, Starlight     S7.
 Canyon, and part of
 Cottonwood Creek.
                              Paria River--        16.9  Recreational...  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               T41S, R1W, S7
                               to downstream
                               of private
                               land south of
                               Highway 89.
                              Deer Creek--          5.1  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               Headwaters to
                               Paria River.
                              Snake Creek--         4.7  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               entire.
                              Hogeye Creek--        6.3  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               entire.
                              Kitchen Canyon--      1.2  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               T40S, R2W, S28
                               to Starlight
                               Canyon.
                              Starlight             4.9  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               Canyon--entire.

[[Page 63329]]

                              Lower                 2.9  Recreational...  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               Cottonwood
                               Creek--conflue
                               nce with
                               Hackberry
                               Creek to Paria
                               River.
Bull Valley Gorge...........  Little Bull           5.9  Wild...........  ......  ......  ......      X   ......
                               Valley to
                               Sheep Creek.
Lower Sheep Creek...........  Bull Valley           1.5  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               Gorge to Paria
                               River.
Hackberry Creek.............  Headwaters to        20    Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               Cottonwood
                               Creek.
Buckskin Gulch (outside       Wilderness           18    Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
 Monument).                    boundary to
                               Paria River.
Lower Paria River (outside    Downstream side       3.3  Recreational...  ......      X   ......      X       X
 Monument).                    of private
                               land to
                               wilderness
                               boundary.
                              Segment in            4.8  Wild...........  ......      X   ......      X       X
                               wilderness.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Open houses will be held from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM on the following 
dates at the following locations, except as noted:

Kanab, UT, Kanab Middle School, December 1, 1998 (6:30 PM to 9:00 
PM)
Albuquerque, NM, Winrock Inn, 18 Winrock Center, N.E., December 1, 
1998
Escalante, UT, Escalante High School, December 3, 1998
Denver, CO, Hyatt Regency Tech Ctr., 7800 Tufts Avenue, December 3, 
1998
Salt Lake City, UT, Salt Lake Hilton, 150 W. 500 S., December 8, 
1998
Tropic, UT, Bryce Valley High, December 8, 1998
San Francisco, CA, San Francisco Marriott, 55 Fourth Street, 
December 10, 1998
Big Water, UT, Big Water Town Hall, December 10, 1998
Orderville, UT, Valley High School, January 5, 1999
Panguitch, UT, Panguitch High School, January 5, 1999
Flagstaff, AZ, Flagstaff Radisson, Woodlands Plaza, 1175 West Route 
66, January 7, 1999
Cedar City, UT, Southern Utah University--Charles Hunter, January 7, 
1999
Washington, DC, The Capital Hilton, 16th and K Streets NW, January 
12, 1999

    Dated: November 5, 1998.
Willie R. Taylor,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 98-30162 Filed 11-10-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P