[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 15 (Monday, January 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 3732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1593]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM-930-00-1020-PH]


Availability of Proposed Statewide Resource Management Plan 
Amendment/Final Environmental Impact Statement, of Land Use Plans in 
New Mexico for Implementation of New Mexico Standards for Public Land 
Health and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management

AGENCY:  Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office.

ACTION:  Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY:  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the 
availability of the Proposed Statewide Resource Management Plan 
Amendment/Final Environmental Impact Statement, of Land Use Plans in 
New Mexico for Implementation of New Mexico Standards for Public Land 
Health and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management.

The Proposed Statewide Resource Management Plan

    Amendment/Final Environmental Impact Statement addresses the 
effects of adopting statewide standards for public land health and 
guidelines for livestock grazing on BLM administered lands in New 
Mexico. When adopted the standards and guidelines would be incorporated 
into eight BLM land use plans that cover approximately 13.5 million 
acres of BLM-administered land. This action is proposed in accordance 
with revised regulations for livestock grazing on BLM-administered 
lands (43 CFR 4100).
    The Proposed Plan is the New Mexico Resource Advisory Council (RAC) 
Alternative. The RAC modified the alternative based on public comment 
on the Draft, and to make the alternative more in concert with the 
regulations (43 CFR Sec. 4180). All parts of the Proposed Plan may be 
protested. Only those persons or organizations who participated in the 
planning amendment and analysis process may protest issues previously 
raised in the Draft.

ADDRESSES:  Protests must be sent to the Director (WO-210), Bureau of 
Land Management, Attn.: Brenda Williams, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, 
DC 20240. Also send a Carbon Copy to the Office of the Lieutenant 
Governor, State Capitol, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505--Attention Cecilia 
Abeyta. Protests must be postmarked on or before February 28, 2000. The 
protest must include the following information: (1) Name, mailing 
address, telephone number, and interest of the person filing the 
protest; (2) a statement of the issue or issues being protested; (3) a 
statement of the parts or part being protested; (4) a copy of all 
documents addressing the issue or issues that were submitted during the 
planning amendment process by the protesting party or an indication of 
the date the issue or issues were discussed for the records; and (5) a 
concise statement explaining why the BLM New Mexico State Director's 
decision is wrong. For those who do not want to protest the Proposed 
Plan but wish to comment on the Proposed Plan, they may do so. All 
comments received will be considered in preparation of the Record of 
Decision. Comments must also be postmarked on or before February 28, 
2000 and sent to: BLM--S&G Comment, NM931, P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, NM 
87502-0115. At the end of the 30-day protest period, and following 
resolution of any protests, a Record of Decision will be published and 
the Resource Management Plans updated to reflect the Resource 
Management Plan Amendment changes. Single copies of the Proposed 
Statewise Resource Management Plan Amendment/Final Environmental Impact 
Statement can be obtained by writing or calling J.W. Whitney the BLM 
Project Team Leader. A limited number of copies of the Proposed 
Statewide Resource Management Plan Amendment/Final Environmental Impact 
Statement are available at BLM Field Offices in Farmington, Taos, 
Albuquerque, Socorro, Las Cruces, Roswell, Carlsbad and at the BLM 
State Office in Santa Fe, NM.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  J.W. Whitney, BLM Project Leader, 
BLM, New Mexico State Office, P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, NM 87502-7115; 
telephone 505-438-7438.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Four alternatives are considered in detail 
in the Proposed Statewide Resource Management Plan Amendment/Final 
Environmental Impact Statement. The Four alternatives include: No 
Action Alternative (continuation of current management), RAC 
Alternative (Proposed Plan), County Alternative, and Fallback 
Alternative.
    The RAC Alternative (Proposed Plan) has four Standards which 
include: an Upland Standard, a Biotic Standard, a Riparian Standard, 
and a Sustainable Communities and Human Dimension Standard.

    Dated: January 14, 2000.
M.J. Chavez,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 00-1593 Filed 1-21-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-M