[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 193 (Wednesday, October 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54351-54352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25963]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[NN-930-08-1040-00]


Availability of Four Draft Riparian and Aquatic Habitat 
Management Plan Environmental Impact Statements (DEISs) and Possible 
Resource Management Plan Amendments (RMPAs)

    The Four documents are for:
    (1) The Taos Field Office,
    (2) The Farmington Field Office,
    (3) The Rio Puerco Area of the Albuquerque Field Office, and
    (4) The Mimbres Area of the Las Cruces Field Office.

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability, public open house and public hearing 
schedule.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of four Draft Riparian and Aquatic Habitat Management Plan 
Environmental Impact Statements (DEISs) and Possible Resource 
Management Plan Amendments (RMPAs). The four documents are for Taos 
Field Office, Farmington Field Office, the Rio Puerco Area of the 
Albuquerque Field Office and the Mimbres Area of the Las Cruces Field 
Office. The draft documents analyzed the effects of the three 
alternatives in each of the four documents. The alternatives analyze 
different methods for restoring and protecting riparian habitats under 
the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management. We would very much 
appreciate your review and submission of comments on the Drafts so that 
we can include your contributions in the preparation of the Finals of 
these four documents. The alternative selected for implementation 
following review and analysis of comments received on the Draft EIS 
will be described as the Riparian and Aquatic Habitat Management Plan 
in each of the respective Final EISs.
    If an alternative is selected that requires the amendment of the 
respective Resource Management Plans these Draft documents would be 
used to satisfy the RMPA requirement. To that end the public comment 
period is

[[Page 54352]]

scheduled for ninety (90) days, which is the minimum required for an 
RMPA process. At the end of this process, if an alternative is selected 
that requires it, the BLM plans to amend the RMPs for which they apply. 
The ninety (90) day public comment period starts October 15, 1999 and 
ends on January 12, 2000 for the four draft documents.
    Notice is also given that public open houses and public hearings 
will be held for the four documents. The open houses will held from 
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with BLM staff present to discuss and answer 
questions. The open houses will be held one hour before the start of 
each of the public hearings. The public hearings will be held beginning 
at 7:00 pm and will continue until those signed up to speak have had an 
opportunity to do so. The public hearings are held to seek public 
comment on the adequacy of the four Draft documents including 
alternatives and the impacts of those alternatives.

DATES: Open houses and public hearings are scheduled as follows:

November 15, 1999 at the BLM Taos Field Office, 226 Cruz Alta Road, 
Taos, NM, Open House 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Public Hearing begin at 
7:00 p.m. for the Draft Taos Field Office Riparian and Aquatic Habitat 
Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Possible 
Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA).
November 16, 1999 at Civic Center, 200 West Arrington, Farmington, NM., 
Open House 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Public Hearing begin at 7:00 pm. for 
the Draft Farmington Field Office Riparian and Aquatic Habitat 
Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Possible 
Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA).
November 17, 1999 at Cuba High School, 50 County Road 13, Cuba, NM., 
Open House 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Public Hearing begin at 7:00 pm. for 
the Draft Albuquerque Field Office Riparian and Aquatic Habitat 
Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Possible 
Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA).
November 18, 1999 at the BLM Albuquerque Field Office, 435 Montano NE, 
Albuquerque, NM., Open House 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Public Hearing 
begin at 7:00 p.m. for the Draft Albuquerque Field Office Riparian and 
Aquatic Habitat Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
and Possible Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA).
November 22, 1999 at the Lordsburg Civic Center, 313 East 4th Street, 
Lordsburg, NM, Open House 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Public Hearing begin 
at 7:00 p.m. for the Draft Las Cruces Field Office Riparian and Aquatic 
Habitat Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and 
Possible Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA).
November 23, 1999 at Las Cruces Field Office, 1800 Marquess, Las 
Cruces, NM, Open House 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Public Hearing begin at 
7:00 p.m. for the Draft Las Cruces Field Office Riparian and Aquatic 
Habitat Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and 
Possible Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA).

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the Draft documents should be sent as 
follows:
    Comment on the Draft Taos Field Office Riparian and Aquatic Habitat 
Management Plan and Possible RMP Amendment should be sent to: Taos 
Field Office, Taos HMP/EIS/RMPA Team Leader, 226 Cruz Alta Road, Taos, 
NM 87571-5983.
    Comment on the Draft Farmington Field Office Riparian and Aquatic 
Habitat Management Plan and Possible RMP Amendment should be sent to: 
Farmington Field Office, Farmington HMP/EIS/RMPA Team Leader, 1235 La 
Plata Highway, Farmington, NM 87401-1808.
    Comment on the Draft Albuquerque Field Office Riparian and Aquatic 
Habitat Management Plan and Possible RMP Amendment should be sent to: 
Albuquerque Field Office, Rio Puerco HMP/EIS/RMPA Team Leader, 435 
Montano Road, NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107-4935.
    Comment on the Draft Las Cruces Field Office Riparian and Aquatic 
Habitat Management Plan and Possible RMP Amendment should be sent to: 
Las Cruces Field Office, Mimbres HMP/EIS/RMPA Team Leader, 1800 
Marquess Street, Las Cruces, NM 88005-3371.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 
be available for public review at the above address during regular 
business hours (8:00 am to 4:30 pm) Monday through Friday, except 
holidays, and may be published as part of the EIS and possible RMPA. 
Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to 
withhold your name or street address from public review or from 
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your written comments. Such request 
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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    (1) Taos Field Office--Pam Herrera--505-751-4705.
    (2) Farmington Field Office--Bob Moore--505-599-6311.
    (3) Albuquerque Field Office--Jim Silva--505-761-8901.
    (4) Las Curces Field Office--Bill Merhege--505-525-4369.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The four Draft Riparian and Aquatic Habitat 
Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statements and Possible RMP 
Amendments are being prepared to provide comprehensive riparian and 
aquatic management guidance for restoring and protecting riparian 
habitat under BLM jurisdiction.

    Dated: September 30, 1999.
Carsten F. Goff,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 99-25963 Filed 10-5-99; 8:45 am]
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