[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 4, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10264-10266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5165]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-040-1610-DS]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Snake River Resource Management Plan

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Snake River Resource Management Plan (RMP), 
Teton County, Wyoming.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 202 of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a 
Draft RMP/EIS for the Snake River planning area. This planning effort 
addresses the BLM-administered public lands and mineral estate in the 
vicinity of the Snake River and the Town of Jackson, Teton County, 
Wyoming. When completed, the RMP will provide general management 
direction for BLM-administered public lands and mineral estate and 
their uses in the planning

[[Page 10265]]

area. The planning area contains approximately 1,073 acres of BLM 
surface/mineral estate and 15,123 acres of Federal mineral estate under 
private surface lands. The BLM administers these lands through its 
Pinedale Field Office, Pinedale, Wyoming, 80 miles south of Jackson. 
The Draft EIS analyzes six alternatives, ranging from continuing 
current management (No Action) to disposing of the BLM-administered 
public surface lands.
    When approved, the RMP will contain land and resource management 
decisions that were deferred from consideration under the Pinedale RMP 
(EIS/Record of Decision 1988). Because the ownership status of these 
tracts of land was in question during the planning processes for 
Pinedale RMP, the BLM decided that a separate RMP would be prepared for 
these tracts at a later date.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS for the Snake River RMP will 
be accepted for 90 days following the date the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes the Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS in the 
Federal Register. Future meetings or hearings and any other public 
involvement activities will be announced at least 15 days in advance 
through public notices, media news releases, or mailings.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent or hand-delivered to: Snake 
River RMP Team Leader, Bureau of Land Management, Pinedale Field 
Office, 432 South Mill Street, P.O. Box 768, Pinedale, Wyoming 82941. 
Comments submitted by electronic mail should be sent to: [email protected]. Please submit electronic comments as an ASCII file, 
avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. 
Include ``Attn: Snake River RMP'' and your name and return address in 
the text of the message. If you do not receive a confirmation of 
receipt message notifying you that the BLM has received your electronic 
comments within 72 hours of electronic mailing, please contact the 
Pinedale Field Office directly by telephone at (307) 367-5300.
    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.
    Copies of the Draft EIS for the Snake River RMP are available in 
the Pinedale Field Office at the above address, and at the BLM Wyoming 
State Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009. Anyone 
wishing to be placed on the mailing list for the Snake River planning 
effort should contact the Pinedale Field Office at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Priscilla Mecham, Field Manager, or 
Kellie Roadifer, Snake River RMP Team Leader, Pinedale Field Office, 
Bureau of Land Management, at the above address, or at (307) 367-5300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM-administered public lands and 
mineral estate in the planning area currently do not have an approved 
land use plan. In December 1999, the BLM issued a Notice of Intent to 
prepare a land use plan for those lands and mineral estate under its 
jurisdiction. Upon approval, the Snake River RMP would establish 
management direction for the surface and mineral estates and associated 
resources under BLM administration near Jackson, Wyoming.
    The BLM has conducted the Snake River RMP process under Federal 
regulations established to meet the provisions of the Federal Land 
Policy Management Act and National Environmental Policy Act, at 43 Code 
of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1600 and 40 CFR 1500-1508, respectively.
    Public participation has been sought through scoping, public 
meetings, and surveys to ensure that this planning effort addresses all 
issues and concerns from those interested in the management of the 
public lands within the Snake River planning area.
    Based on issues and concerns raised by the public during scoping 
and public participation activities the BLM has developed six 
alternative plans for managing the 23 parcels (1,073 acres) of public 
land and resources in the Snake River valley. The BLM's preferred 
alternative proposes disposal or transfer of ownership of 
administrative responsibilities for 23 parcels (1,073 acres) of BLM-
administered public lands to other Federal, State, or local government 
agencies. The preferred alternative also considers disposal of the 
parcels to a private entity or entities with land conservation or open-
space preservation interests. All mineral estate would be retained in 
federal ownership. Sand and gravel mining would be allowed under 
certain circumstances. The lands would be closed to all other mineral 
activity. The remaining alternatives range from continuation of current 
management (No Action) to varying combinations of preservation, 
protection, and development of the BLM-administered lands and resources 
in the planning area.
    During the Snake River planning process the BLM identified issues 
associated with land use and resource management that guided 
development of the six alternatives. These key issues include:

1. Cooperative Management

    The BLM-administered public lands along the Snake River are 
interspersed among tracts of private and State lands. With the 
exception of three parcels, all of the BLM-administered parcels are 
surrounded or ``landlocked'' by lands in private ownership. Private and 
State lands in the planning area are similarly bounded by Federal lands 
administered by the following agencies: National Park Service--Grand 
Teton National Park; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service--National Elk 
Refuge; and U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service--Bridger-
Teton National Forest. In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
administers the Snake River channel and facilities associated with 
flood control. Opportunities for cooperative management of surface uses 
by various Federal and State agencies include access to private and 
commercial river-based recreation, land ownership adjustment, 
development and maintenance of additional trail-based recreation 
activities, and such activities as scientific study and information 
sharing.

2. Recreation Opportunities

    BLM-administered public lands along the Snake River are generally 
accessible to the public for recreation activities. Private recreation 
use is primarily by Teton County residents, especially those from the 
communities of Jackson and Wilson. There is also substantial 
commercially outfitted river floating, with visitors from throughout 
the United States and from foreign countries. The primary recreation 
activities are hiking, walking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, 
picnicking, watching wildlife, and river-based recreation, such as 
fishing and boating. At present, no recreation use fees are collected 
by the BLM. Recreation use, particularly commercially outfitted 
floating, is increasing. This results in increased crowding, 
introduction of noxious weeds, and degradation of riparian vegetation. 
Questions addressed in the Snake River RMP involve how best to 
accommodate the

[[Page 10266]]

demand for recreation use of BLM-administered public lands.

3. Availability and Development of Mineral Materials for Construction

    At present, there is a small, localized sand and gravel mining 
industry within the planning area. These mineral materials are needed 
primarily for maintenance of the flood control levees along the Snake 
River, and for road and building construction and maintenance around 
the Jackson Hole area. These mineral materials are not readily 
available from other Federal, State, or local government lands, nor are 
they readily available from private lands. Sand and gravel are often 
trucked in from outside the Jackson Hole area at a higher cost to 
users. Questions addressed in the Snake River RMP include whether sand 
and gravel mining from BLM-administered public lands would be 
appropriate, and what conditions would be necessary to protect 
recreation opportunities, watershed resources and important wildlife 
habitat.

4. Land Surface Ownership Adjustment

    Because of the small acreage and irregular shape of each of the 23 
BLM-administered parcels under consideration, their scattered nature, 
and their proximity to private real estate of high value, BLM is 
considering disposal or transfer of public ownership or administration 
of these parcels. Questions addressed in the Snake River RMP include 
whether the parcels should be retained in Federal ownership, how these 
lands should be administered, who should administer the lands, and 
under what criteria would the parcels be evaluated and deemed suitable 
for disposal, if appropriate administration could not be established.
    The Snake River RMP Draft EIS alternative plans were developed in 
conformance with the BLM's National Fire Plan and the National Energy 
Policy (May 2001). The potential in the Snake River RMP planning area 
for development of energy resources such as oil and gas, coal, 
geothermal, and wind resources has been determined to be very low.

    Dated: November 27, 2002.
Robert P. Henry,
Acting Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 03-5165 Filed 3-3-03; 12:50 pm]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P