[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 69 (Friday, April 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18927-18928]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-7460]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[MT-050-1610-DP-018E]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement (DRMP/EIS) for the Dillon Field Office, 
MT

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Montana State Office, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA) and under the authority of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), a Draft Resource Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement (DRMP/EIS) has been prepared for public 
lands and resources administered by the Bureau of Land Management's 
Dillon Field Office. The public is invited to review and comment on the 
range and adequacy of the draft

[[Page 18928]]

alternatives and associated environmental effects. For comments to be 
most helpful, they should relate to specific concerns or conflicts that 
are within the legal responsibilities of the BLM and can be resolved in 
this planning process. The DRMP/EIS provides direction and guidance for 
the management of approximately 900,000 acres of public land and 1.3 
million acres of federal mineral estate located in Beaverhead and 
Madison Counties in southwestern Montana. The DRMP/EIS will replace the 
Dillon Management Framework Plan approved in September 1979.

DATES: The comment period will end 90 days after the Environmental 
Protection Agency's Notice of Availability is published in the Federal 
Register announcing the availability of this DRMP/EIS. Comments on the 
DRMP/EIS must be received on or before the end of the comment period at 
the address listed below. Public meetings will be held during the 
comment period. Public meetings and any other public involvement 
activities will be announced at least 15 days in advance through public 
notices, media news releases, newsletter mailings, and on the Dillon 
RMP Web site at www.mt.blm.gov/dfo/rmp.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Dillon RMP Team, BLM 
Dillon Field Office, 1005 Selway Drive, Dillon, Montana 59725. Comments 
may also be sent by e-mail to [email protected]. Documents 
pertinent to the DRMP/EIS and written comments, including names and 
street addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at 
the Dillon Field Office at the address above during regular business 
hours, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. 
Responses to the comments will be published as part of the Proposed 
Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement. 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.
    Review copies of the DRMP/EIS are available at the following 
locations in and near the planning area:

Beaverhead County Courthouse, Commissioner's Office, Dillon
BLM Butte Field Office
BLM Dillon Field Office
BLM Ennis Field Station
BLM Missoula Field Office
Bozeman Public Library
Dillon Public Library
Ennis Public Library
Lima Town Hall
Madison County Courthouse, Commissioner's Office, Virginia City
Red Rocks Refuge, Lakeview
Sheridan Forest Service Office
Twin Bridges Public Library
Whitehall Public Library
Wisdom Forest Service Office
Wise River Forest Service Office

    The DRMP/EIS and other associated documents may also be viewed and 
downloaded in PDF format at the Dillon RMP Web site at www.mt.blm.gov/dfo/rmp.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to the mailing list contact Renee Johnson, RMP Project 
Manager, at (406) 683-8016 or Tim Bozorth, Dillon Field Manager, at 
(406) 683-8023; use the toll-free number and information line at (877) 
521-2889; or correspond by e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Dillon Field Office RMP area is located 
in the southwestern portion of Montana in Beaverhead and Madison 
Counties. The planning area addressed in the RMP contains 901,226 acres 
of public surface estate and 1,354,710 acres of federal mineral estate 
administered by the BLM Dillon Field Office. The DRMP/EIS focuses on 
the principles of multiple use and sustained yield as prescribed by 
section 202 of the FLPMA. Beaverhead and Madison Counties participated 
in development of the plan as cooperating agencies with special 
expertise.
    The public involvement and collaboration process implemented for 
this effort included a situation assessment conducted prior to scoping, 
five open houses during scoping, an information fair, release of 
reports on Wild and Scenic River and Area of Critical Environmental 
Concern (ACEC) findings, release of an RMP Digest document describing 
the current situation followed by nine public alternative development 
workshops, incorporation of recommendations from three Western Montana 
Resource Advisory Council (RAC) subgroups, and distribution of 
information via the Dillon RMP website and periodic newsletters. A copy 
of the DRMP/EIS has been sent to individuals, agencies, and groups who 
requested a copy, or as required by regulation or policy.
    The DRMP/EIS considers and analyzes four (4) alternatives (A-D), 
including the No Action, or Continuation of Current Management 
alternative. These alternatives were developed based on extensive 
public input including scoping (September/October 2001), an information 
fair (April 2002), alternative development workshops (February 2003), 
numerous meetings with local, state, tribal, and federal agencies, and 
recommendations made by citizen-based working groups convened by the 
Western Montana RAC. The alternatives provide for an array of 
alternative land use allocations and variable levels of commodity 
production and resource protection and restoration. After comments are 
reviewed and any pertinent adjustments made, a Proposed RMP and Final 
Environmental Impact Statement is expected to be available in early 
2005.
    The issues addressed in the formulation of alternatives include 
upland and riparian management, forest and woodland management, noxious 
weeds, sage grouse and westslope cutthroat trout conservation, 
commercial uses (including livestock grazing, mineral development, oil 
and gas leasing, right-of-ways and communication use areas), Areas of 
Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs), Wild and Scenic Rivers, and 
travel management. Information on the management of the 13 potential 
ACECs and analysis of impacts is described within the Draft RMP/EIS.

    Dated: January 23, 2004.
Martin C. Ott,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 04-7460 Filed 4-8-04; 8:45 am]
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