[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 42279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-15640]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AZ-068-02-1610-DQ-241E]


Notice of Availability of Proposed Resource Management Plan/Final 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Proposed Resource Management Plan/
Final Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/FEIS) for the Las Cienegas 
National Conservation Area (NCA).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan/Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/FEIS) for the Las Cienegas National 
Conservation Area (NCA) and Sonoita Valley Acquisition Planning 
District located in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties, Arizona.
    The RMP/FEIS has been prepared pursuant to the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act (FLPMA), the act establishing the Las Cienegas National 
Conservation Area (H.R. 2941), and BLM management policies.
    The RMP/FEIS was developed with broad public participation through 
a five-year collaborative planning process. Land use planning for the 
NCA and Acquisition Planning District are included in the document 
which addresses management on approximately 49,000 acres of public 
land.

DATES: The RMP/FEIS will be available for review and protest of the 
proposed land use plan decisions for 30 days from the date the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes its Notice of 
Availability (NOA) of this RMP/FEIS in the Federal Register. Protests 
must be filed in accordance with the instructions described in the 
Supplemental Information section of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the RMP/FEIS are available from the Field Manager, 
Tucson Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 12661 E. Broadway 
Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85748.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Simms, Ecosystem Planner, Tucson 
Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 12661 E. Broadway Blvd., 
Tucson, AZ 85748, Telephone 520-258-7200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 43 CFR 1610.5-2, any 
person who participated in the planning process and believes they may 
be adversely affected by approval of the resource management plan may 
protest the proposed land use plan decisions of the RMP/FEIS document.
    The protest may raise only those issues which were submitted for 
the record during the planning process. The protest must be in writing 
and within the date the EPA publishes it's NOA of this RMP/FEIS in the 
Federal Register. The protest must be complete and filed with the 
Director, Bureau of Land Management (WO-210, ms 1050LS), Attention: 
Brenda Hudgens-Williams, Protest Coordinator, 1849 C Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20240. If you wish to send your protest using an 
overnight express delivery service, the address is, Director, Bureau of 
Land Management (WO-210), Attention: Brenda Hudgens-Williams, Protest 
Coordinator, 1620 L Street NW, Suite 1075, Washington, DC, 20036. Also 
please send a copy of any protest along with all backup documentation 
to Karen Simms, Tucson Field Office, 12661 E. Broadway Blvd., Tucson, 
AZ 85748.
    In order to be considered complete, your protest must contain, at a 
minimum, the following information:
    1. The name, mailing address, telephone number, and interest of the 
person filing the protest.
    2. A statement of the issue or issues being protested.
    3. A statement of the part or parts of the proposed RMP being 
protested. To the extent possible, this should be done by reference to 
specific pages, paragraphs, sections, tables, maps, etc., included in 
the document.
    4. A copy of all documents addressing the issue or issues that you 
submitted during the planning process or a reference to the date the 
issue or issues were discussed for the record.
    5. A concise statement explaining why you believe the proposed plan 
is wrong. The explanation should include all relevant facts and 
reasons, and documentation rather than merely expressing disagreement 
with the proposed decision.
    Single copies of the RMP/FEIS will be available at the start of the 
30-day protest period at the BLM Tucson Field Office, 12661 E. 
Broadway, Tucson, Arizona 85748. The RMP/FEIS may be reviewed via the 
Internet at http://www.az.blm.gov. Interested persons not already on 
the mailing list may request a hard copy or a CDROM of the RMP/FEIS 
from the BLM Tucson Field Office.

Background

    The RMP/EIS analyzed four alternatives to manage natural and 
cultural resources, visitor use and access, grazing, and maintenance of 
desired resource, economic and quality-of-life conditions. Alternative 
1, the no action alternative, represents the continuation of existing 
management decisions within the National Conservation Area and Sonoita 
Valley Acquisition Planning District. Alternative 2, the proposed plan 
or BLM's preferred alternative, emphasizes ecosystem management and the 
use of partnerships and collaboration to achieve desired resource 
conditions. Alternative 3 proposes allowing the greatest mix of land 
uses with restrictions to protect sensitive areas and with fewer road 
closures and restrictions than the other alternatives. Alternative 4 
emphasizes land use closures and restrictions and limits on development 
to achieve desired resource conditions making it the most restrictive 
of the alternatives.
    The proposed plan (Alternative 2) is designed to achieve or 
maintain desired future conditions developed through the Sonoita Valley 
Planning Partnership process. Under the preferred alternative land use 
plan, the public lands are open to livestock grazing and dispersed 
recreation, both motorized and mechanized vehicles are limited to 
designated routes, and recreation is managed within three zones. Two 
utility corridors are established and the public lands are closed to 
mineral entry and location. The public lands in the planning area will 
be designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) upon 
approval of the RMP. The preferred alternative (Alternative 2) includes 
a series of management actions to meet the desired resource conditions 
for upland and riparian vegetation, wildlife habitats, and cultural and 
visual resources as well as livestock grazing and recreation management 
actions.

    Dated: April 29, 2002.
Denise Meridith,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 02-15640 Filed 6-20-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-P