[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 222 (Thursday, November 16, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69323-69324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29402]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-14000-01-1610-DH]


Resource Management Plan Amendment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Glenwood Springs Field Office, 
Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) to Amend the Glenwood Springs Field Office Resource Management 
Plan (RMP) and the White River Field Office RMP for the Roan Plateau 
Area.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 and section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulations 
in CFR 1610.2 and 1610.5-5. BLM intends to write an Environmental 
Impact Statement which will amend the RMP for the Glenwood Springs 
Field Office (GSFO) approved in January of 1984 and

[[Page 69324]]

the White River Field Office RMP of 1997.
    The planning area is northwest of the town of Rifle, Colorado. It 
generally includes all BLM managed public lands west of State Highway 
13 and north of Interstate 70, east of Parachute Creek, and roughly 
south of the Garfield County Rio Blanco County line. The amendment will 
consider management changes to the on approximately 73,367 acres 
(68,447 surface and 4,455 sub-surface, including 4,455 surface/sub-
surface acres within the White River Resource Area). Boundaries may be 
adjusted after the scoping phase of planning is completed.
    The BLM proposes to develop a scientifically sound, community 
supported strategy for the management of the public lands in the Roan 
Plateau area. The EIS will be prepared using an inter-disciplinary 
approach to insure the integration of biological, social and 
environmental values. The disciplines of the preparers shall be 
appropriate to the scope and issues identified in the scoping process. 
The analysis for the amendment will be embodied with the analysis for 
the EIS.
    The amendment will focus on the major needed land use allocation 
decisions including; oil and gas management, wilderness suitability, 
special area designations (Area of Critical Environmental Concern, 
Wilderness Study Area, etc.) and travel management. The amendment will 
also review and analyze the multiple of public land uses and resource 
issues as identified by scoping and necessary to develop a proactive 
integrated management strategy.

DATES: The BLM can best utilize your input if you submit written 
comments pertaining to management concerns; important social, economic 
and environmental values; resource use; resource development and 
resource protection before January 31, 2001. A public scoping meeting 
will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on December 13, 2000 at the 
Rifle Fire Department, 1850 Railroad Ave in Rifle, Colorado 81650.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the Field Manager, Glenwood 
Springs Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 50629 Highway 6 & 24, 
P.O. Box 1009, Glenwood Springs, CO 81602

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests to be placed on a mailing 
list should be mailed to the address above. You can also telephone 
Brian Hopkins at (970) 947-2840 or e-mail him at [email protected]. 
Documents and maps relevant to the planning process will be available 
for public review at the Glenwood Springs Field Office and, as 
feasible, available on the Glenwood Springs Field Office website http://www.co.blm.gov/gsra/roanplateau.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In November, 1997 Public Law 105-85 directed 
the transfer of jurisdiction of the area formally known as the (NOSR) 
from the Department of Energy (DOE) to the BLM. The transfer directed 
that the lands be managed in accordance with laws applicable to public 
lands, including Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA.).
    BLM has been providing custodial surface management for some 
activities on the Naval Oil Shale Reserve (NOSR) for many years under a 
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Energy. The 
formal transfer of the lands to the BLM has broadened BLM's overall 
management responsibilities and created the need to amend the RMPs for 
the GSFO and the WRFO. From a planning and public involvement 
standpoint it is efficient to include the identified adjacent lands in 
the planning process.
    The foremost goal of the planning process is to ensure 
opportunities for the public to participate in the planning process. 
Individuals will have the opportunity to attend public meetings and 
field trips, write letters, telephone and meet with directly with the 
planning staff.

Anne Huebner,
Glenwood Springs Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 00-29402 Filed 11-15-00; 8:45 am]
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