[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 146 (Friday, July 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45848-45849]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17254]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-134-1610-DQ-006C]


Notice of Availability of a Proposed Resource Management Plan and 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (PRMP/FEIS) for the Colorado 
Canyons National Conservation Area (CCNCA)

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Proposed Colorado Canyons Resource Management Plan and 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/FEIS) is available to the 
public for a 30-day protest period. The Proposed Plan and associated 
FEIS were developed in accordance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act (FLPMA) of 1976.

DATES: BLM will accept written protests on the FEIS if postmarked 
within 30 calendar days from the date that a Notice of Availability is 
published in the Federal Register by the Environmental Protection 
Agency. Instructions for filing a protest are described in the Dear 
Reader letter in the PRMP/FEIS and are also included in the 
Supplementary Information section of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to: Jane Ross, 2815 H Road, 
Grand Junction, Colorado 81506. Comments also may be sent by e-mail to 
[email protected]. Written comments, including names and addresses 
of respondents, will be available for public review at the offices of 
the BLM Grand Junction Field Office, 2815 H Road, Grand Junction, 
Colorado 81506, during normal working hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
except holidays).
    The PRMP/FEIS and other associated documents or background 
information may be viewed and downloaded in PDF format at the project 
Web site at http://www.co.blm.gov/cocanplan/. Copies of the DRMP/EIS 
are available at the BLM Grand Junction Office at the address above; at 
the BLM Moab (UT) Field Office, 82 E. Dogwood, Moab, UT 84532. Copies 
are also available at the following Mesa County Public Library District 
locations during regular business hours:
    Central Library, 530 Grand Avenue, Grand Junction, CO 81501;
    Fruita Branch, 325 East Aspen Avenue, Fruita, CO 81521;
    Palisade Branch, 711 Iowa Street, Palisade, CO 81526;
    Clifton Branch, Peachtree Shopping Center, 3225 I-70 Business Loop 
A-1, Clifton, CO 81520;
    Orchard Mesa Branch, 2736 Unaweep Avenue, Grand Junction, CO 81503.
    The planning documents and direct supporting record for the 
analysis for the DRMP/EIS will be available for inspection at the BLM 
Grand Junction Field Office during normal working hours, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 
p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Jane Ross (970) 244-3027, 
Planning and Environmental Coordinator ([email protected]), or Raul 
Morales at (970) 244-3066 ([email protected]), acting Colorado 
Canyons NCA Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Grand Junction Field 
Office, 2815 H Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CCNCA was officially designated on 
October 24, 2000, when the Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area 
and Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Act of 2000 was signed into public 
law by the President. The purpose of the Act is to conserve, protect, 
and enhance, for the benefit and enjoyment of both present and future 
generations, the nationally important values of the public lands making 
up the CCNCA, including the Black Ridge Canyons, Ruby Canyon, and 
Rabbit Valley. The CCNCA, located west of Grand Junction, includes 
122,300 rugged acres of sandstone canyons, natural arches, spires, and 
alcoves carved into the Colorado Plateau along a 24-mile stretch of the 
Colorado River. Included in the CCNCA are 75,550 acres of wilderness 
designated as the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness. At the western 
boundary of the CCNCA, 5,200 acres stretch into eastern Utah.
    The Environmental Protection Agency published the Notice of 
Availability of the Colorado canyons National Conservation Area 
Resource Management Plan and Draft EIS in the Federal Register on 
October 17, 2003. The public comment period on the DEIS ended January 
30, 2004. The agency preferred alternative, Alternative 3, is the 
selected alternative for the Proposed Plan and FEIS. The agency 
preferred

[[Page 45849]]

alternative is the Adaptive Management Alternative that emphasizes 
maintaining the current level of enjoyment of the area's recreational 
opportunities and unique characteristics while recognizing that 
increased future use will trigger the need for increased levels of 
management. Monitoring for land health and visitors' beneficial 
experience will determine when increased levels of management are 
required. Objectives for this alternative include preserving the 
character of the area; preserving and enhancing traditional recreation 
activities--hiking, camping, mountain biking, OHV use, horseback 
riding, hunting, and boating; and maintaining land health and improving 
priority areas of concern. The document contains a summary of the 
decisions and resulting impacts, an overview of the planning process 
and planning issues, the Proposed Plan, comment letters and responses 
received during public review of the Draft Plan, and responses to the 
substantive issues raised during the review.
    The resource management planning process includes an opportunity 
for public, administrative review of proposed land use plan decisions 
during a 30-day protest period of the PRMP/FEIS. Any person who 
participated in the planning process for the PRMP/FEIS, and who has an 
interest which is or may be adversely affected, may protest approval of 
this PRMP/FEIS and the land use plan decisions contained within it (see 
43 CFR 1610.5-2) during this 30-day period. Only those persons or 
organizations who participated in the planning process leading to this 
PRMP/FEIS may protest. A protest may raise only those issues submitted 
for the record during the planning process leading up to the 
publication of this PRMP/FEIS. These issues may have been raised by the 
protesting party or others. New issues may not be brought into the 
record at the protest stage. The 30-day period for filing a plan 
protest begins when the Environmental Protection Agency publishes in 
the Federal Register its Notice of Availability of the Final 
environmental impact statement containing the PRMP/FEIS. There is no 
provision for any extension of time. To be considered ``timely,'' your 
protest, along with all attachments, must be postmarked no later than 
the last day of the protest period. A letter of protest must be filed 
in accordance with the planning regulations, 43 CFR 1610.5-2(a)(1). 
Protests must be in writing. E-mail and faxed protests will not be 
accepted as valid protests unless the protesting party also provides 
the original letter by either regular or overnight mail postmarked by 
the close of the protest period. Under these conditions, BLM will 
consider the e-mail or faxed protest as an advance copy and it will 
receive full consideration. If you wish to provide BLM with such 
advance notification, please direct faxed protests to the attention of 
the BLM protest coordinator at 202-452-5112, and emails to [email protected]. If sent by regular mail, send to: Director 
(210), Attention: Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 66538, Washington DC 20035. 
For overnight (i.e., Federal Express) mailing, send protests to: 
Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, 1620 L Street, NW., Suite 
1075, Washington, DC 20036. In order to be considered complete, your 
protest must contain, at a minimum, the following information:
    1. The name, mailing address, telephone number, and interest of the 
person filing the protest.
    2. A statement of the issue or issues being protested.
    3. A statement of the part or parts of the PRMP/FEIS being 
protested. To the extent possible, this should be done by reference to 
specific pages, paragraphs, sections, tables, maps, etc., included in 
the document.
    4. A copy of all documents addressing the issue or issues that you 
submitted during the planning process or a reference to the date the 
issue or issues were discussed by you for the record.
    5. A concise statement explaining why the Colorado BLM State 
Director's proposed decision is believed to be incorrect. This is a 
critical part of your protest. Take care to document all relevant 
facts.
    As much as possible, reference or cite the planning documents, 
environmental analysis documents, or available planning records (i.e., 
meeting minutes or summaries, correspondence, etc.). A protest that 
merely expresses disagreement with the Colorado BLM State Director's 
proposed decision, without any data, will not provide us with the 
benefit of your information and insight. In this case, the Director's 
review will be based on the existing analysis and supporting data. Upon 
resolution of any protests, an Approved Plan and Record of Decision 
will be issued. The approved Plan/Record of Decision will be mailed to 
all individuals who participated in this planning process and all other 
interested public upon their request.

    Dated: April 6, 2004.
Raul Morales,
Manager, Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area.
[FR Doc. 04-17254 Filed 7-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-AG-P