[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 115 (Monday, June 16, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35689-35690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15056]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[UT-034-03-1220-DA]


Environmental Statements; Notice of Intent; Grand Staircase-
Escalante National Monument, UT

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Grand 
Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to consider a proposed plan amendment and 
prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Grand Staircase-
Escalante National Monument (GSENM) to allow consideration of toilet 
facilities at designated campsites in the Frontcountry and Passage 
Zones and to consider additional designated campsites beyond that 
currently allowed in the management plan. The Monument includes public 
lands in Garfield and Kane counties, Utah.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Planning 
Regulations (43 CFR part 1600) this notice advises the public that the 
BLM, GSENM is considering amending the GSENM Management Plan as it 
pertains to the installation of toilet facilities at designated 
campsites in the Frontcountry and Passage Zones and the number of 
designated campsites allowed in the Frontcountry and Passage Zones. 
Plan Decisions FAC-10 and FAC-15 state that toilet facilities will not 
be provided at designated campsites in the Frontcountry and Passage 
Zones. With increased visitor use, human waste has become a concern at 
some of the sites being considered for designation as primitive 
campsites. Language used in Plan Decision FAC-16 for the Outback Zone 
states in part that toilet facilities could be considered for 
protection of resources in limited cases where other tools to protect 
resources are ineffective. The plan amendment proposes to adopt this 
same language for the Frontcountry and Passage Zones so that toilet 
facilities could be considered at designated campsites for the 
protection of resources in these zones as well. Plan Decisions FAC-10 
and FAC-15 limit the number of sites that can be designated for 
primitive camping to 10 in the Frontcountry Zone and 25 in the Passage 
Zone. Visitor use has exceeded expectations when the plan was developed 
and additional primitive campsites are needed to meet the public 
demand. The plan amendment proposes to allow additional primitive 
campsites to be designated in the Frontcountry and Passage Zones with 
no specific number of sites identified. Additional site specific 
analysis as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
would be prepared for campsite designation.

DATES: This notice initiates a 30-day public scoping period. If you 
have information, data, or concerns related to the potential impacts of 
the proposed plan amendments, have comments on the planning criteria, 
or suggestions for alternatives, please submit them to the address 
below. Scoping comments must be received at the address below within 30 
days of the date this notice is published in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Written scoping comments should be sent to: Monument 
Manager, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, 190 East Center 
Street, Kanab, Utah 84741. Planning documents and letters received, 
including names and street addresses of respondents, will be available 
for public review at the GSENM Office in Kanab, Utah during regular 
business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Monday through Friday, except 
holidays. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you 
wish to withhold your name or street address from public review and 
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 or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their 
entirety and may be published as part of the EA. If you are not 
currently on our mailing list and wish to receive a copy of future 
planning documents, please send your name and address to the address 
listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Sharrow, Assistant Monument 
Manager Visitor Services, 435-644-4312, or Dave Hunsaker, Monument 
Manager, 435-644-4330.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM is preparing an EA to analyze the 
impacts of designating primitive campsites as required by the GSENM 
Management Plan. This EA will also be used to address the potential 
impacts of the proposed plan amendments as described above. The BLM has 
contracted with a third party, IHI Environmental of Salt Lake City, 
Utah to prepare the EA. The BLM has identified the following planning 
criteria, which will guide development of the amendment:
    1. The proposed plan amendment and environmental analysis will be

[[Page 35690]]

completed in compliance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
(FLPMA), NEPA, and all other applicable laws.
    2. The proposed plan amendment and environmental analysis will be 
developed using an interdisciplinary approach (e.g., a team approach 
using a variety of skills and perspectives such as biologists, 
archaeologists, etc.) with input from interested public, State and 
local governments, and other Federal agencies.
    3. Analysis and decisions in the proposed plan amendment and 
environmental analysis apply only to this action and will provide for 
the balance of long term sustainability with short-term uses.

    Dated: May 5, 2003.
Sally Wisely,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 03-15056 Filed 6-13-03; 8:45 am]
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