[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55037-55038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23319]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM-910-00-1020-PB]


New Mexico Resource Advisory Council Meeting

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of council meeting.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), 5 U.S.C. 
Appendix 1, The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM), announces a meeting of the New Mexico Resource Advisory Council 
(RAC). The meeting will be held on October 12 and 13, 2000, at the 
Copper Manor Motel, 710 Silver Heights Blvd, Silver City, NM 88062.
    There will be an optional all day field trip on Wednesday, October 
11, 2000. Transportation will be provided for RAC members. The optional 
field trip will be organized by the Las Cruces Field Office of the 
Bureau of Land Management and hosted by Phelps Dodge Mining Company, 
which operates the Chino, Tyrone and Cobre mines near Silver City.
    The Field Tour will leave from the Copper Manor Motel at 8:00 a.m. 
and proceed to the Gila River area near Cliff, NM. Mr. Thomas L. 
Shelley, Manager of Environmental Services at Phelps Dodge Tyrone, 
Inc., will provide a tour of Southwestern Willow Flycatcher habitat 
managed by the Tyrone Mine. The Southwestern Willow Flycatcher is a 
small, migratory bird classified as endangered by the Endangered 
Species Act. This portion of the Gila River valley is home to the 
largest known population of this species. The tour will proceed to the 
Chino Mine. An overview presentation of the Chino facility will be 
given. The Chino Mine will be toured during the afternoon. The tour 
will return to Silver City by 5:00 p.m.
    The meeting on Thursday, October 12, 2000, starts at 8:00 a.m. and 
will end about 5:00 p.m.
    The three established RAC Subcommittees may have late afternoon or 
evening meetings on this day. The exact time and location of the 
Subcommittee meetings will be established by the Chairperson of each 
Subcommittee earlier in the day during the RAC meeting. On Friday, 
October 13, 2000, the meeting starts at 8:00 a.m. and will end about 
3:00 p.m. The ending time of 3:00 p.m. may be changed depending on the 
work remaining for the RAC. The draft agenda for the RAC meeting 
includes agreement on the meeting agenda, any RAC comments on the draft 
minutes of the last RAC meeting on August 23 through 25, 2000, in 
Gallup, NM, a check-in from the RAC members and the following planned 
presentations that also include discussion: A brief review of the OHV 
issue which was discussed in depth at the last meeting, an overview by 
Joseph Brunner, Manager of Environmental Services, Chino Mine Services, 
of a project to study the impacts of historic mining operations on 
human health and the environment in and around the Santa Rita Mine, and 
to remediate those impacts, and a presentation by Eddie Humphrey, 
Manager of Environmental remediation at the Pinos Altos Mine 
Reclamation Project, a small underground mine near Silver City. The 
Bureau of Land Management and the State of New Mexico will also provide 
speakers on the main topics. Jon Borne, New Mexico State University, 
Regional Task Force on the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher has been 
invited, as well a speaker from New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural 
Resources.
    The meeting is open to the public, and starting at 2:45 p.m. on 
Thursday, October 12, 2000, there will be an additional 15 minute 
Public Comment Period for members of the public who are not able to be 
present for the regular Public Comment Period on Friday, October 13, to 
address the RAC. The meeting on Friday, August 25 will start at 8:00 
a.m. with a review of the agenda thus far. At 8:15 a.m., BLM State of 
the Field Office Reports will take place, presented by Field Office 
managers with a concentration on conditions of grazing allotments, 
community based planning, abandoned mines, assessments of fundamentals 
(Standards and Guidelines).
    The regular Public Comment Period for the Public to address the RAC 
is on Friday, August 25, 2000, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The RAC 
may reduce or extend the end time of 12:00 noon depending on the number 
of people wishing to address the RAC. Anyone wishing to address the RAC 
should be present at the 10:00 a.m. starting time. The length of time

[[Page 55038]]

available for each person to address the RAC will be established at the 
start of the public comment period and will depend on how many people 
wish to address the RAC. At the completion of public comments, the RAC 
may continue discussion on its agenda items. Scheduled at 1:00 p.m. are 
RAC Subcommittee Reports from the Urban and Open Space Subcommittee, 
the Roads and Trails Subcommittee, and the Oil and Gas Subcommittee. 
These reports are followed by RAC discussions and any RAC 
recommendations, development of draft agenda items, selection of a 
location for the next RAC meeting and a RAC assessment of the current 
meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary White, New Mexico State Office, 
Office of External Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, 1474 Rodeo Road, 
P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502-0115, telephone (505) 438-
7404.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Resource Advisory Council 
is to advise the Secretary of the Interior, through the BLM, on a 
variety of planning and management issues associated with the 
management of public lands. The Council's responsibilities include 
providing advice on long-range planning, establishing resource 
management priorities and assisting the BLM to identify State and 
regional standards for rangeland health and guidelines for grazing 
management.

    Dated: September 5, 2000.
Richard A. Whitley,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 00-23319 Filed 9-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-M