[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 117 (Tuesday, June 18, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41442-41443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-15311]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-200-1220-PA]


Notice of Intent To Prepare the Gold Belt Travel Management Plan 
and Amend the Royal Gorge Resource Management Plan

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an amendment to the Royal Gorge 
Resource Management Plan, and prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA).

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) intends to initiate a 
comprehensive planning effort to address OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) 
travel and other related road and trail issues. The plan, entitled the 
Gold Belt Travel Management Plan (TMP), will focus specifically on 
those BLM Public Lands that lay along and near the Gold Belt Tour 
National Scenic and Historic Byway, and involves Public Lands located 
throughout portions of Fremont, Teller, Park, and El Paso Counties in 
the State of Colorado. The TMP will amend the Royal Gorge Resource 
Management Plan (RMP). The TMP and RMP amendment implement decisions 
made in the Royal Gorge RMP to limit OHV use to designated roads and 
trails, and to develop local travel management plans with public 
participation. The amendment process will be used to establish a system 
of designated roads and trails that meet the needs of the public and 
protects the cultural and natural resources of the Public Lands. The 
amendment and associated Environmental Assessment (EA) will be prepared 
pursuant to the BLM planning regulations in 43 CFR 1600. The EA will 
analyze and compare the impacts of any changes in OHV designation and 
management with the continuation of current management, and other 
alternatives that may be identified. The TMP is being prepared through 
coordination with other federal, state and local agencies, and affected 
public land users.

DATES: Interested parties may submit written comments to the Field 
Manager at the address listed below. Comments will be accepted on or 
before July 18, 2002.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to comment, request additional information or 
request to be put on the mailing list, you may do so by any of several 
methods. You may mail or hand deliver your comments or requests to: 
Field Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Royal Gorge Field Office, 
3170 East Main Street, Canon City, CO 81212; or you may telephone Dave 
Walker, Team Leader, at 719-269-8500.
    Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be 
available for public review at the BLM office listed above during 
regular business hours. Individual respondents may request 
confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name and/or address from 
public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, 
you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written 
comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. We 
will not, however, consider anonymous comments. All submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, are available for public inspection in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy L. Masinton, Field Manager, or 
Dave Walker, Team Leader, at the Royal Gorge Field Office address 
listed above or by calling (719) 269-8500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The use of roads and trails for motorized 
and non-motorized recreation activities is an important use of BLM 
Public Lands. In response to recommendations made by the Front Range 
Resource Advisory Council, the BLM proposes developing a travel 
management plan and establishing OHV travel designations to restrict 
motorized travel to designated roads and trails. BLM has identified 
general issues anticipated for this planning effort. The preliminary 
issues include: (1) Impacts to public land users and adjacent private 
landowners; (2) impacts to wildlife habitat, and (3) impacts to water 
quality; vegetation, including riparian and wetland areas; and soils. 
These issues, along with others that may be identified through public 
participation, will be considered in the planning process.
    The planning area involves approximately 140,000 acres of public 
land located in southwestern El Paso County, northeastern Fremont 
County, southeastern Park County, and southern Teller County, CO. The 
Gold Belt Travel Management Plan is being prepared by an 
interdisciplinary team, the composition of which will be

[[Page 41443]]

determined by the issues raised during the planning process. The 
proposed plan amendment is scheduled for completion in July 2003.
    Notification will be made to the Governor of Colorado, El Paso, 
Fremont, Park and Teller County Commissioners, adjacent landowners, and 
potentially affected members of the public. A public comment period 
will be established upon completion of the EA on the Gold Belt Travel 
Management Plan. The time frame for the public comment period will be 
announced in the local media.

Roy L. Masinton,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 02-15311 Filed 6-17-02; 8:45 am]
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