[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 58 (Wednesday, March 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 14686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-7166]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-110-03-1220-PA]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Plan Amendment and Environmental 
Assessment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Travel Management Plan Amendment 
to the White River Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Wilson Creek 
area in Rio Blanco, and Moffat Counties, Colorado.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, 
notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is 
preparing an EA and RMP to address management of roads and trails of 
the approximate 6,805 acre Wilson Creek area administered by the White 
River Field Office. The Wilson Creek Area is approximately 10 miles 
north of Meeker, Colorado. Early participation is encouraged and will 
help determine the future management of public lands administered by 
the White River Field Office.

DATES: The official public scoping for this planning effort commences 
with the publication of this notice. The public is invited to submit 
scoping comments to the address listed below for 60 days following the 
date that this notice is published in the Federal Register. BLM will 
publish exact dates, times, and locations for public meetings through 
media announcements, Internet postings, and mailings at least 15 days 
in advance of the meetings. 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.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the Bureau of Land 
Management, White River Field Office, 73544 Highway 64, Meeker, 
Colorado 81641 or e-mail [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Ham, Outdoor Recreation Planner, 
Telephone (970) 878-3845; E-mail--[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The use of off-highway vehicles (OHVs), 
snowmobiles, mountain bikes, and horses has greatly increased in recent 
years. These are important uses of public lands, especially OHV use in 
the Wilson Creek Area. They have also created several management 
concerns:
    (1) The proliferation of new, unplanned roads and trails that have 
or will create unacceptable resource damage.
    (2) Existing land use designations that allow cross-country travel 
within the Wilson Creek area during a portion of the year.
    (3) Private land trespass issues created by land ownership 
patterns.
    (4) Effects of OHV use on quality hunting experience.
    The White River Field Office has and will continue to consult, 
communicate and cooperate with local landowners, recreationists, the 
Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory Committee and other affected 
interest groups to develop and design a travel system that will provide 
access for recreation, business and industry needs while sustaining 
land health standards.
    BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan 
amendment and environmental assessment in order to consider all 
identified resource issues and concerns. Disciplines involved in the 
planning process will include specialists with expertise in outdoor 
recreation, rangeland management, archaeology, wildlife, hydrology, 
minerals, and soils.

    Dated: February 5, 2003.
Kent E. Walter,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 03-7166 Filed 3-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P