[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 2, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 101-102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-32232]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

(WO-220-01-1020-JA-VEIS)


Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period and Schedule of 
Public Scoping Meetings for the Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Conservation and Restoration of Vegetation, Watershed, and Wildlife 
Habitat Treatments on Public Lands Administered by the Bureau of Land 
Management in the Western United States, Including Alaska

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of public comment period for scoping; and 
dates and locations for public scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 (2) (C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the BLM will prepare a national, 
programmatic EIS and conduct public scoping meetings on (1) management 
opportunities and treatment methods for noxious weeds and other 
invasive species, and (2) the conservation and restoration of native 
vegetation, watersheds, and wildlife habitat. The EIS will cover the 
public lands administered by BLM in 16 western states, including 
Alaska. The period for initial scoping comments from the public has 
been extended to March 29, 2002.

DATES: Written or e-mailed comments for the initial scoping phase may 
be submitted through March 29, 2002. BLM will hold public scoping 
meetings to focus on relevant issues and environmental concerns, 
identify possible alternatives, and help determine the scope of the 
EIS.
    Dates and locations for the scoping meetings are as follows:

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                         Date and time                                    Locations                                   BLM contact
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January 8, 5-8 p.m............................................  Utah Dept. of Natural         Verlin Smith (801) 539-4055.
                                                                 Resources Bldg. 1594 W.
                                                                 North Temple, Salt Lake
                                                                 City, UT.
January 10, 3-6 p.m...........................................  Western Wyoming Community     Lance Porter (307) 352-0252.
                                                                 College, Room 1003, 2500
                                                                 College Drive, Rock
                                                                 Springs, WY.
January 14, 6-9 p.m...........................................  Holiday Inn Express--Neptune  Margie Onstad (505) 838-1256.
                                                                 Room, 1100 North
                                                                 California, Socorro, NM.
January 16, 3-5 p.m. and 6-9 p.m..............................  Holiday Inn Crown Plaza,      Deborah Stevens (602) 417-9215.
                                                                 2532 W. Peoria Avenue,
                                                                 Phoenix, AZ.
January 22, 6-9 p.m...........................................  BLM Office Conference Room,   Kim Leany (435) 688-3208.
                                                                 345 E. Riverside Drive, St.
                                                                 George, UT.
January 24, 2-5 p.m. and 6-9 p.m..............................  Grand Vista Hotel, 2790       Harley Metz (970) 244-3076.
                                                                 Crossroads Blvd, Grand
                                                                 Junction, CO.
January 29, 4-7 p.m...........................................  Miles Community College--     Jody Weil (406) 896-5258.
                                                                 Room 106, 2715 Dickinson,
                                                                 Miles City, MT.
January 31, 4-7 p.m...........................................  Elks Lodge 604 Coburn         Janine Terry (307) 347-5194.
                                                                 Avenue, Worland, WY.
February 5, 5-8 p.m...........................................  Sacred Heart Parish Hall,     Jennifer Purvine (530) 233-7932.
                                                                 507 East 4th Street,
                                                                 Alturas, CA.
February 11, 5-8 p.m..........................................  U.S. Forest Service, Helena   Jody Weil (406) 896-5258.
                                                                 National Forest
                                                                 Headquarters, 2880 Skyway
                                                                 Drive, Helena, MT (across
                                                                 from airport).
February 13, 6-9 p.m..........................................  Vista Inn, 2645 Airport Way   Barry Rose (208) 373-4014.
                                                                 Boise, ID.
February 14, 6-9 p.m..........................................  College of Southern Idaho,    Eddie Guerrero (208) 736-2355.
                                                                 315 Falls Ave, Shields
                                                                 Bldg, Room 117, Twin Falls,
                                                                 ID.
February 19, 4-7 p.m..........................................  BLM-Nevada State Office,      JoLynn Worley (775) 861-6515.
                                                                 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno,
                                                                 NV.
February 21, 2-5 p.m. and 6-9 p.m.............................  Hilton Garden Inn, 3650 East  Mike Brown (775) 753-0200.
                                                                 Idaho Street, Elko, NV.
February 26, 5-8 p.m..........................................  Holiday Inn Select, 801       Stephen Larson (661) 391-6099.
                                                                 Truxton Ave,Bakersfield, CA.

[[Page 102]]

 
February 28, 6-9 p.m..........................................  Valley Library, 12004 East    Kathy Helm (509) 536-1252.
                                                                 Main, Spokane, WA.
March 4, 6-9 p.m..............................................  Days Inn City Center, 1414    Chris Strebig (503) 952-6003.
                                                                 SW 6thPortland, OR.
March 6, 3-6 p.m..............................................  Anchorage Field Office--BLM,  Gene Terland (907) 271-3344.
                                                                 6881 Abbott Loop Road,
                                                                 Anchorage, AK.
March 12, 9 a.m.-12 noon......................................  Washington Plaza Hotel,       Sharon Wilson (202) 452-5130.
                                                                 Franklin Room, 10 Thomas
                                                                 Circle (Massachusetts and
                                                                 14th Street), Washington,
                                                                 D.C..
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ADDRESSES: For further information, to provide written comments, or to 
be placed on the mailing list, contact Brian Amme, Acting Project 
Manager, Bureau of Land Management, P.O. Box 12000, Reno, Nevada 89520-
0006; E-mail [email protected]; telephone (775) 861-6645. Comments 
will be available for public inspection at the BLM Nevada State Office, 
1340 Financial Blvd.; Reno, Nevada 89502.
    Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish 
your name and/or address withheld from public review or disclosure 
under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this prominently 
at the beginning of your written or e-mailed comment. Such requests 
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 available for public inspection in their entirety.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This national, programmatic EIS will provide 
a comprehensive cumulative analysis of BLM conservation and restoration 
treatments involving vegetation communities, watersheds and wildlife 
habitats.
     It will also consider state-specific, reasonably 
foreseeable activities, including hazardous fuels reduction treatments.
     It will address human health risk assessments for proposed 
use of new chemicals on public lands.
     Restoration activities may include but are not limited to 
prescribed fire, riparian restoration, native plant community 
restoration, invasive plants and noxious weeds treatments, understory 
thinning, forest health treatments, or other activities related to 
restoring fire-adapted ecosystems.
    The EIS is not a land-use plan or a land-use plan amendment. It 
will provide a comprehensive programmatic NEPA document to allow 
effective tiering and serve as a baseline cumulative impact assessment 
for other new, revised or existing land use and activity level plans 
that involve vegetation, wildlife habitat and watershed treatment, 
modification or maintenance.
     This EIS will consolidate four existing BLM vegetation 
treatment EISs developed in compliance with the NEPA between 1986 and 
1992 into one programmatic document for the western United States, 
including Alaska. The EIS will update information and change to reflect 
new information and changed conditions on public lands since that time.
     An updated EIS is necessary for BLM to analyze proposed 
treatments of 4 to 5 million acres of prescribed and managed natural 
fire, Integrated Weed Management, hazardous fuels reduction, Emergency 
Stabilization and Restoration, and landscape-level restoration 
initiatives such as Great Basin Restoration Initiative. Current average 
annual acres of treatment selected in the existing BLM records of 
decision (RODS) equate to about 350,000 acres.
     The analysis area includes only surface estate public 
lands administered by 11 BLM state offices: Alaska, Arizona, 
California, Eastern States, Idaho, Montana (Dakotas), New Mexico 
(Oklahoma/Texas/Nebraska), Nevada, Oregon (Washington), Utah and 
Wyoming.
    The BLM has initially identified the following issues for analysis 
in this programmatic EIS: hazardous fuels reduction and treatment 
including mechanical treatments, wildlife habitat improvement, 
restoration of ecosystem processes; protection of cultural resources, 
watershed and vegetative community health, new listings of threatened 
and endangered species and consideration of other sensitive and special 
status species, new chemical formulations for herbicides deemed to be 
more environmentally favorable, smoke management and air quality, 
emergency stabilization and restoration, and watershed and water 
quality improvement.

    Dated: December 10, 2001.
Henri Bisson,
Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning.
[FR Doc. 01-32232 Filed 12-31-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P