[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3892-3893]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1740]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Land Use Plan Amendment and 
Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Arizona State Office.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Land Use Plan Amendment (LUP) and 
Environmental Assessment (EA).

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SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM), Arizona (AZ) State Office intends to prepare an 
Arizona Statewide Land Use Plan Amendment to incorporate current fire 
management policy and to prepare an Environmental Assessment that will 
amend seven land use plans. These plans are: Arizona Strip District 
Resource Management Plan (RMP) (1992), Kingman RMP (1995), Lower Gila 
North Management Framework Plan (MFP) (1983), Lower Gila South RMP 
(1988), Phoenix RMP (1989), Safford RMP (1992 and 1994) and Yuma RMP 
(1986 and 1987). The purpose of the Arizona Statewide LUP Amendment is 
to establish consistent methods of managing Arizona wildland fire 
across the state and among the various agencies and groups who 
participate in wildland fire fighting, ecology, and management, while 
at the same time allowing appropriate and fire-safe enjoyment of BLM-
administered lands in Arizona. The amendment will result in a 
consistent approach to incorporating the National Fire Policy in land 
use plans.
    This planning activity encompasses approximately 12 million surface 
acres of public land. The action is being conducted under the authority 
of BLM Planning Regulation 43 CFR, 1610 and will fulfill the needs and 
obligations set forth by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and BLM management 
policies. This collaborative process will take into account local, 
regional, and national needs and concerns by involving other federal 
agencies, Native American tribes, conservation groups, recreationists, 
the public, and other stakeholders throughout the planning process.
    This plan amendment will analyze fires and fuels management actions 
and their impacts on the human environment for the seven BLM field 
offices in one document in order to ensure consistency and 
collaboration of the interested publics. An EA-level analysis and 
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) are anticipated, followed with 
an approved plan amendment and Decision Record (DR).

DATES: The public comment period commences with the publication of this 
notice. Public meetings will be held throughout the plan scoping and 
preparation period and will tentatively be held in February and March 
of 2003. In order to ensure local community participation and input, 
BLM will rotate public meetings among towns in the planning area, which 
include the metro-Phoenix, Kingman, Lake Havasu, Yuma, Tucson, and 
Safford, Arizona; and St. George, Utah. BLM encourages early 
participation by all those interested so that they can determine the 
future management of the public lands. At least 15 days public notice 
will be given for activities where the public is invited to attend, and 
meetings and comment deadlines will be announced through the local news 
media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site (http://www.az.blm.gov). The 
minutes and list of attendees for each meeting will be available to the 
public and open for 30 days to any participant who wishes to clarify 
the views they expressed. Written comments will be accepted throughout 
the planning process. In addition to the ongoing public participation 
process, formal opportunities for public participation will be provided 
upon publication of the EA.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to: AZ LUP Fire, Fuels and 
Air Quality Amendment Planning, Bureau of Land Management, 222 North 
Central, Phoenix, AZ 85002-2203. Use the above address to mail or hand-
deliver written comments; additionally, comments can be faxed to (928) 
692-4414. Comments, including names and street addresses of 
respondents, will be available for public review at the BLM Arizona 
State Office at the above address during regular business hours, 7:30 
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays, and may be 
published as part of the EA. Documents relevant to the planning effort 
may be examined during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, at 
the BLM Arizona State Office at the above address. Individual 
respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your 
name or street address from public review or from disclosure under the 
Freedom of Information Act, you must state this prominently at the 
beginning of your comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent 
allowed by law. All submissions from organizations and businesses, and 
from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials 
of organizations or businesses, will be available for public inspection 
in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information and/or to have your 
name added to our mailing list, contact Sherry Hirst, Kingman Field 
Office, 2475 Beverly Avenue, Kingman, AZ 86401, telephone (928) 692-
4435.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During the planning process, the BLM will 
consider appropriate management response to wildland fires as well as 
how prescribed fire can be used to help achieve resource objectives and 
to reduce dangerous accumulations of hazardous fuels. The amendment 
will emphasize appropriate response to wildland fires based on a 
consideration of firefighter and public safety, threats to private 
property, anticipated suppression costs, resource values at risk, 
resource benefits, the return of fire as a process to ecosystems, 
public attitudes and behavior regarding wildland fire hazards, and 
political and social concerns. Other issues that will be addressed 
include: hazardous fuels as an issue, and the use of prescribed fire, 
mechanical treatment, and/or chemical treatment(s) to reduce and/or 
manage hazardous fuels; hazardous fuels in the Wildland Urban Interface 
(WUI) and associated issues, and the various tools to approach these 
issues; appropriate management response, including managing natural 
fire starts for resource benefit; a statewide programmatic emergency 
fire rehabilitation plan; and air quality analysis.

[[Page 3893]]

    Each year, the BLM responds to wildland fires that burn thousands 
of acres of land for which BLM has fire protection responsibility. The 
BLM has wildland fire protection responsibility on more than 12 million 
acres of public land in Arizona. By agreement, the BLM also protects 
approximately 9 million acres of other federal and state agency lands 
in Arizona.
    Recent fire history statistics demonstrate the connection between 
past fire management practices and threats to human life and safety, 
risk of severe wildland fire, and disruption of critical ecological 
processes. The deaths of 34 firefighters during the 1994 fire season 
emphasized the danger that fuels accumulation poses to firefighters, 
and led to the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and 
Program. The effect of severe wildland fire on resource values is an 
additional concern to resource-management agencies. In 2002, wildland 
fires raged across Arizona, with over 600,000 of acres impacted, the 
largest number of acres to be impacted by wildland fire in the states 
history. Nationally, more acres burned in 2002 than in any other year 
in the last half-century.
    BLM personnel, other agencies, individuals and user groups have 
identified preliminary issues and management concerns. Additional 
issues and modifications to known issues will be identified during 
public scoping. The major issues identified so far include management 
of public land resources including natural resource management; 
cultural resource management and protection; recreation/visitor use and 
safety; management of grazing, and other uses; as well as integration 
of public land management with the local community, tribal groups, and 
other agency needs and plans.
    After gathering public comments on what issues the plan should 
address, BLM will place the suggested issues in one of three categories 
and provide an explanation for each issue placed into category two or 
three:

1. Issues to be resolved in the plan;
2. Issues resolved through policy or administrative action; or
3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan.

    The public is encouraged to help identify planning issues and 
concerns during the scoping phase.
    An interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the plan in 
order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns 
identified. Disciplines involved in the planning process will include 
but not limited to rangeland management, outdoor recreation, fire, 
archaeology, wildlife, wilderness, hydrology, soils, sociology, and 
economics.

Frank B. Miller,
Acting Deputy State Director Resources, Arizona BLM State Office.
[FR Doc. 03-1740 Filed 1-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-P