[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 72 (Thursday, April 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18630-18631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-9384]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[ID-933-1330-01; IDI -030-98-035]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Caribou 
National Forest Phosphate Leasing Proposal (FEIS 98-0087; Idaho)

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Dairy Syncline Tract and Manning Creek Tract are two 
separate Federal phosphate tracts proposed for competitive leasing. 
They are located within the Caribou National Forest in Caribou County 
in southeast Idaho. The Manning Creek Tract is located in Township 9 
South, Range 45 East, Boise Meridian, about 10 air miles southwest of 
Afton, Wyoming. The Dairy Syncline Tract is located in Township 9 and 
10, Range 44 East, about 12 air miles southeast of Soda Springs, Idaho. 
The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service jointly 
prepared the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement related to this leasing proposal. The 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement was released July 18, 1997. The 
Notice of Availability appeared in the Federal Register on August 1, 
1997. No new issues or viable alternatives were identified during the 
review period so revisions to the Draft were not required. The Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed leasing of Federal 
phosphate reserves in the Dairy Syncline and Manning Creel Tracts was 
released on February 23, 1998. The Final consists if a selenium update, 
Chapter 10 of the Final Environmental Impact Statement which describes 
the public comments and responses, and the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement which was released in July, 1997. The Notice of Availability 
of the Final Environmental Impact Statement was published in the 
Federal Register on March 27, 1998. In accordance with 43 CFR 1502.2, a 
Record of Decision was prepared by the Bureau of Land Management and 
signed on March 15, 1999. BLM has recommended leasing only portions of 
each of the two tracts. With this decision, 2,342.27 acres of the 3,259 
acre Dairy Syncline Tract and 880 acres of the 1,120 acre Manning Creek 
Tract will be available for leasing. The reduced Manning Creek Tract 
provides for a natural, undisturbed corridor for wildlife to move 
through the area. This decision is consistent with the Caribou National 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan and with the Bureau of Land 
Management Pocatello Resource Management Plan. Mining will not be 
permitted on these two tracts until NEPA requirements have been met, 
site-specific Best Management Plans have been developed, and the 
phosphate lessee can demonstrate that mining can be conducted without 
releasing harmful quantities of hazardous material into the 
environment. Proposed Best Management Practices must be acceptable to 
BLM and the surface managing agencies prior to approval of any mine 
plan. The ``Stipulations for Lands of the National Forest System under 
Jurisdiction of Department of Agriculture'' and the Forest Service 
``Notice to Phosphate Lessees'' shall be part of each lease offered and 
apply to the lessee or its legal successors. Copies of the Record of 
Decision have been mailed to interested parties. Public reading copies 
will be available for review at the BLM Pocatello Resource Area Office, 
1111 N. 8th Avenue, Pocatello, ID 83201-5789.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Oberlindacher, BLM Idaho State 
Office, 1387 South Vinnell Way, Boise, Idaho 83709, telephone No. (208) 
373-3884.

DATES: The Record of Decision may be appealed to the Interior Board of 
Land Appeals, Office of the Secretary, in accordance with the 
regulations contained in 43 CFR Part 4. If an appeal is taken, the 
notice of appeal must be filed with the Bureau of Land Management. 
Idaho State Office, 1387 S.

[[Page 18631]]

Vinnell Way, Boise Idaho 83709-1657 on or before 30 days from the 
publication of the Record of Decision in the Federal Register.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The modified Dairy Syncline Tract to be made 
available for leasing as a single and separate parcel consists of the 
following lands:

Boise Meridian

T. 9 S., R.44 E.
    Sec.17: SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec.18: SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, NW\1/
4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec.19: NE\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec.20: All;
    Sec.21: W\1/2\NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec.28: SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec.29: E\1/2\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec.32: NE\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec.33: W\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\.
T.10 S., R.44 E.
    Sec.4: Lots 3,4, and 6, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\.
    Totaling 2,342.27 acres.

    The modified Manning Creek Tract to be made available for leasing 
as a single and separate parcel consists of the following lands:

Boise Meridian

T. 9 S., R.45. E.
    Sec. 13: SE\1/4\W\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 23: SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 24: N\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/
4\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec.25: NW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec.26: NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\.
    Totaling 880 acres.

    Dated: April 7, 1999.
Jimmie Buxton,
Branch Chief, Lands and Minerals.
[FR Doc. 99-9384 Filed 4-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-66-P