[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 17, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7906-7907]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3754]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[WY-920-1430-00; WYW-142433]


Notice of Availability of the Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact, and the 
Proposed Designation of an Area of Critical Environmental Concern for 
Public Review and Comment, Wyoming

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Red Gulch Dinosaur 
Tracksite describes three alternatives for managing the review area, 
including the Bureau of Land Management's Preferred Alternative. The 
environmental consequences of implementing each of the alternatives are 
also presented in the document. The planning review area encompasses 
about 1,800 acres of BLM-administered public land in the Washakie 
Planning Area of the Worland Field Office.
    A review of existing land-use planning decisions is being conducted 
to decide how to manage public lands, resources, educational 
opportunities, and other values associated with the recent discovery of 
dinosaur tracks on BLM-administered public lands near Shell, Wyoming. 
The tracks were not addressed in the Washakie Resource Management Plan 
(RMP) which was completed in 1988, and the BLM is evaluating the 
adequacy of existing management prescriptions for the discovery area 
for protecting the tracks and related values. The BLM's Preferred 
Alternative would emphasize management of the Red Gulch Dinosaur 
Tracksite for scientific research, public education, and recreation. 
The tracksite would be designated an Area of Critical Environmental 
Concern (ACEC) and would become part of an existing Special Recreation 
Management Area (SRMA). In addition, the BLM would close the area to 
the staking and

[[Page 7907]]

development of mining claims and would prohibit most other surface-
disturbing activities under the Preferred Alternative. Based on the 
analysis of potential environmental impacts contained in the EA, it has 
been determined that the impacts are not expected to be significant and 
that an Environmental Impact Statement is not needed.
    The Washakie RMP will be amended, if necessary, after the BLM 
reviews comments on the EA, resolves any protests, makes any needed 
changes to the EA, and releases a Decision Record.

DATES: Reviewers will have 30 (thirty) days (by March 19, 1999) after 
the Notice Of Availability (NOA) of this EA is published in the Federal 
Register to submit protests on the proposed decision (Preferred 
Alternative) as provided by 43 CFR 1610.5-2. All parts of the proposed 
decision may be protested. Protests shall be filed with the Director of 
the Bureau of Land Management, Attention: Ms. Brenda Williams, Protests 
Coordinator, WO-210/LS-1075, Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 
20240.
    The same 30-day time period will be allowed for commenting on the 
proposed decision, other elements of the EA, and the Finding of No 
Significant Impact; and 60 (sixty) days beginning on the same date, 
will be allowed for review and comment on the proposed ACEC designation 
(see 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b)). Comments should be directed to Bob Ross, 
Worland Field Office Planning Coordinator, P.O. Box 119, Worland, 
Wyoming 82401-0119.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Ross at (307) 347-5178. Copies of 
the EA are available from the Worland Field Office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Following the discovery of the Red Gulch 
Dinosaur Tracksite, the BLM completed a temporary management plan for 
the lands in and around the fossil discovery area and offered 
opportunities for public participation in the planning review.
    The steps followed in this planning review are: (1) Paleontologists 
and geologists are consulted on the significance and vulnerability of 
the dinosaur tracks. (2) Temporary measures are put into effect to 
protect the health and safety of tracksite visitors, allow for 
scientific research during the summer field season, and prevent damage 
to the fossil resources. These measures include a temporary segregation 
(closure) of the public lands to the staking and development of mining 
claims. (3) A notice of intent to conduct a planning review is 
published to inform the public of known and anticipated issues and of 
opportunities for public participation and comment. (4) An 
interdisciplinary planning team describes and analyzes the existing 
management in the planning review area and describes the affected 
environment. (5) Public contacts and meetings are held for scoping and 
for review of the preliminary issues and alternatives. (6) With the 
help of the public, management alternatives for the area are formulated 
and analyzed in the EA. (7) A notice is published to inform the public 
of the availability of the EA for review. If any protests are received 
on proposed decisions to be added to or changed in the RMP, these are 
resolved by the BLM Director. (8) The EA is then revised, if necessary, 
and a Decision Record is issued with a description of the comments and/
or protests on the proposed decisions, along with an explanation of how 
the comments and/or protests were answered. If appropriate, the 
Decision Record will incorporate additional or changed land-use 
planning decisions, thereby amending the Washakie RMP.
    Based on the public's input and analysis by the BLM 
interdisciplinary team, the following issues have been identified. (1) 
Whether the area should be managed for scientific research, public 
education, and recreation with the development of interpretive signs 
and facilities. (2) Whether the area should be managed primarily for 
scientific research with little or no development. (3) Whether the area 
should be designated an ACEC to emphasize the protection of significant 
fossil resources. (4) Whether the area should be included within the 
West Slope of the Bighorn Mountains SRMA to allow for more intensive 
recreation management. (5) Whether commercial outfitters should be 
allowed to take visitors on tours of the tracksite. (6) Whether 
withdrawing some or all of the area from mining claim development would 
be necessary. (7) Whether other measures, in addition to those required 
by the Washakie RMP, are necessary to protect the tracks from surface-
disturbing activities.
    The three alternatives analyzed in the EA are: (1) No Action 
(continuation of existing management); (2) Management for Scientific 
Research; and (3) Management for Scientific Research, Public Education, 
and Recreation (BLM's Preferred Alternative). The various impacts that 
would be expected from implementing each of the alternatives is also 
presented in the EA.
    Depending on the results of the comment and protest periods, the 
Washakie RMP could be amended at the time a Decision Record is issued.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents will 
be available for public review at the Worland Field Office, 101 South 
23rd Street, Worland, Wyoming during regular business hours (7:30 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m.) Monday through Friday, except holidays. Individual 
respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your 
name or address from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom 
of Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of 
your comments. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by 
law. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses, will be made available for public 
inspection in their entirety.

    Dated: February 10, 1999.
Alan L. Kesterke,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 99-3754 Filed 2-16-99; 8:45 am]
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