[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 27 (Monday, February 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6770-6771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3173]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan for the 
Ely District and Associated Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Ely Field Office, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a comprehensive Resource Management 
Plan (RMP) and associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
Ely District, located within Lincoln and White Pine counties and the 
northeast portion of Nye County, Nevada.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), and the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM) will prepare a Resource Management Plan to 
consider a range of alternatives for BLM management of public lands 
within the Ely District. In conjunction with the RMP, an associated EIS 
will be prepared to assess the environmental, social, and economic 
effects of the alternatives considered in the RMP. The BLM will work 
collaboratively with interested parties to identify the management 
decisions that are best suited to local, regional, and national needs 
and concerns. The public scoping process will identify planning

[[Page 6771]]

issues and develop planning criteria, including an evaluation of 
existing land use plans in the context of the needs and interest of the 
public.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. Comments on 
issues and planning criteria can be submitted in writing to the address 
listed below and will be accepted throughout the creation of the Draft 
RMP/Draft EIS. All public meetings will be announced through the local 
news media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site (http://blm.ensr.com) at 
least 15 days prior to the event. 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.
    Public Involvement: Information on planning issues and planning 
criteria can be obtained by accessing the BLM Web site (http://blm.ensr.com) or by writing to the address listed below. Comments on 
issues and planning criteria can be submitted in writing to the address 
listed below and will be accepted throughout the creation of the Draft 
RMP/Draft EIS. The public will be invited to participate in the scoping 
process via attendance at public meetings and review of the draft RMP/
EIS. All public meetings will be announced through the local news 
media, newsletters, and the BLM web site (http://blm.ensr.com.) The BLM 
has scheduled six public scoping meetings to obtain input on the issues 
to be addressed within the Ely RMP/EIS. The meetings will be held at 
the following locations: BLM Las Vegas Field Office; Mesquite, NV; Ely, 
NV; Reno, NV; Caliente, NV and Tonopah, NV.
    These meetings will provide an opportunity for the public to learn 
about the Ely RMP/EIS process and to comment directly on the scope of 
the planning initiative. The public is encouraged to attend the scoping 
meetings and/or send written comments and suggestions concerning the 
preparation of the RMP/EIS by following the instructions below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the Ely RMP should be 
submitted within 60 days of the date of publication of this notice and 
addressed to: Bureau of Land Management, Gene A. Kolkman, Ely Field 
Manager, HC 33, Box 33500, Ely, NV 89301-9408; Fax 775-289-1910. 
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Ely Field 
Office. Freedom of Information Act Considerations: Comments, including 
names and street addresses of respondents, will be available for public 
review at the Ely Field Office during regular business hours [7:30 
a.m.-4:30 p.m. PST], Monday through Friday, except holidays, and may be 
published as part of the EIS. 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 written 
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 CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Gene Drais, Project 
Manager for the Ely RMP/EIS, at the above address, telephone (775) 289-
1880 or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM's Ely District comprises about 11.4 
million acres of public land in all of Lincoln and White Pine counties, 
and the northeast portion of Nye County, Nevada. Comprehensive land use 
plan (LUP) evaluations of the Egan Resource Management Plan in 2001 and 
the Schell and Caliente Management Framework Plans (MFP) in 2002 
indicated the need for LUP revisions to provide appropriate management 
of all BLM programs and to address deteriorating ecological conditions. 
A comprehensive RMP will be prepared for the entire Ely District. 
Restoring and maintaining the ecological health of Great Basin 
landscapes in eastern Nevada must be done in concert with collaborative 
partners, resource users, and local communities. In addition, the RMP/
EIS will provide management direction for future implementation of the 
Great Basin Restoration Initiative (GBRI) within the Ely District. The 
restoration effort to implement the GBRI within the Ely District is 
called the Eastern Nevada Landscape Restoration Project.
    Key issues likely to be considered in developing and analyzing 
alternatives to be addressed within the Ely RMP/EIS include: ecological 
health; air quality; water resources; cultural and paleontological 
resources; special status species of flora and fauna; fish and 
wildlife; wild horses; fire management; livestock grazing; recreation; 
lands and realty; minerals (including oil, gas, and geothermal); 
special land use designations (i.e. Wild Horse Herd Management Areas, 
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern); and socioeconomic effects of 
plan implementation. Based on analysis of these multiple factors, the 
BLM will select a preferred alternative for implementation in the final 
RMP, which will provide management direction for all Ely District 
programs. After gathering public comments on what issues the plan 
should address, the suggested issues will be placed in one of three 
categories:
    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.
    Rationale will be provided in the plan for each issue placed in 
category two or three. In addition to these major issues, a number of 
management questions and concerns will be addressed in the plan. The 
public is encouraged to help identify these questions and concerns 
during the scoping phase.

    Dated: December 18, 2002.
Gene A. Kolkman,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 03-3173 Filed 2-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P