[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70933-70934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30183]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[OR-035-5900-DH: GP1-0031]


Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Lookout Mountain Landscape Area Management Plan and Baker 
Resource Management Plan Amendment in Baker County, Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, USDI.

ACTION:  Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Lookout Mountain Landscape Area Management Plan and Baker 
Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment in Baker County, Oregon and 
Notice of Scoping.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, the Bureau of Land Management, Vale District, Baker Field Office, 
will be preparing an EIS on the impacts of proposed management 
activities in the Lookout Mountain geographic management area and a 
Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment (43 CFR 1610.5-5). Proposed 
projects include, range improvements, vegetation manipulation, forest 
health enhancement, watershed restoration and wildlife habitat 
enhancement. At a minimum, the proposed RMP Amendment would change the 
Visual Resource Management (VRM) allocations within the Lookout 
Mountain geographic area based on new inventories.

DATES: Written comments for the initial scoping will be accepted until 
January 8, 2001. A public meeting will be held in Baker County prior to 
finalizing the alternatives for the DEIS. The time, place and date of 
the public meeting will be published in Baker City Harold, Hells Canyon 
Journal, and the Argus Observer. Additional meetings will be considered 
as appropriate. Comment period length will be noted at each point in 
the planning and analysis process.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project area consists of approximately 
25,000 acres of public lands located between the Brownlee Reservoir of 
the Snake River and Durkee, Oregon. The area includes portions of the 
Morgan Creek, Hibbard Creek, Fox Creek, Conner Creek, Daley Creek and 
Sisley Creek drainages. Potential activities may include, but are not 
limited to, timber harvesting, tree thinning, prescribed burning, tree 
planting, juniper removal, fence construction, noxious weed treatment, 
rangeland seeding, riparian planting, placement of large woody debris 
in stream channels, new road construction, road improvements and road 
closures. Interdisciplinary team disciplines to be represented will 
include; forestry, recreation, range conservation, hydrology, wildlife, 
fisheries, botany, archeology, geology and engineering.
    The Baker Field Office originally started public scoping for these 
projects with a letter that went out on May 21, 1999 and a field trip 
to the area in the fall of 1999. Based on this scoping and the initial 
assessment, the analysis has been elevated from an Environmental 
Assessment to an Environmental Impact Statement. Comments received 
during the initial scoping have been retained and will be carried 
forward through the planning process.
    The Tentative Project Schedule Is as Follows:

File Draft EIS--Spring, 2001
File Final EIS--Fall, 2001
Record of Decision--Winter, 2002

    Public participation will be especially important at several points 
during the analysis and planning process. The scoping process (40 CFR 
1501.7) for this analysis will include;
    1. Identification of the issues to be addressed,
    2. Identification of viable alternatives,
    3. Identifying and notifying interested groups, individual and 
agencies to determine level of participation and obtain additional 
information concerning issues to be addressed in the EIS.
    Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be 
available for public review at the Baker Field Office during normal 
working hours (7:45 AM to 4:30 PM except holidays), and may be 
published as part of the EIS or other related documents. Individuals 
may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or 
address from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of 
Information Act, you must state this promptly at the beginning of your 
comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. 
All submissions from organizations or businesses will be made available 
for public inspection in their entirety. The planning documents and 
direct supporting record for the analysis and plan amendment will be 
available for inspection at the Baker Field Office during normal 
working hours. Historical records may also be posted on the BLM inter-
net site to facilitate public access.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Penelope Dunn Woods, Field 
Manager,

[[Page 70934]]

Baker Resource Area, Vale District, Bureau of Land Management, 3165 
10th St, Baker City, Oregon 97814. Comments may also be sent by e-mail 
to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dick Watson, Bureau of Land 
Management, 3165 10th Street, Baker City, Oregon 97841, (541) 523-1339.

Penelope Dunn Woods,
Field Manager, Baker Resource Area.
[FR Doc. 00-30183 Filed 11-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-M