[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 222 (Thursday, November 18, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67603-67604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-25617]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM-060-1610-DO]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan Amendment 
(RMPA) and Associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a Special Status Species RMPA and 
EIS for the Carlsbad and Roswell Field Offices, New Mexico.

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SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the BLM intends to prepare 
a RMPA with an associated EIS for the Carlsbad and Roswell Field 
Offices. This RMPA will amend two RMPs: Carlsbad 1988 (as amended) and 
Roswell 1997. The purpose of the amendment is to respond to changing 
resource conditions and respond to new issues in the context of habitat 
management for special status species on public lands in the planning 
area administered by the Field Offices.

DATES: This Notice initiates the public-scoping process. Comments on 
the scope of the plan, including issues or concerns that should be 
considered, should be submitted in writing to the address listed below 
within 45 days after the publication of this Notice. However, 
collaboration with the public will continue throughout the planning 
process. Dates and locations for public meetings will be announced 
through local news media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site (http://www.nm.blm.gov), at least 15 days prior to the event.

ADDRESSES: Please mail written comments to the BLM, Roswell Field 
Office, Attention: RMPA, 2909 West Second Street, Roswell, New Mexico 
88201, or fax to (505) 627-0276. All public comments, including names 
and mailing addresses of respondents, will be available for public 
review at the Roswell Field Office during regular business hours (7:45 
a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Monday through Friday, except holidays, and may be 
published as part of the EIS. 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, please state this prominently at the beginning of your written 
correspondence. The BLM will honor such requests 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. The current RMPs and all other documents relevant to 
this planning process are available for public review at the Roswell 
Field Office (see address above).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have 
your name added to the Special Status Species RMPA Mailing List, 
contact Howard Parman, Planning Team Leader, at the Roswell Field 
Office (see address above), telephone number (505) 627-0272.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area for the RMPA, which 
includes 847,491 acres of BLM-administered public lands, is located 
entirely in southeast New Mexico in Chaves, Eddy, Lea, and Roosevelt 
Counties. A map of the planning area is available on the web site (see 
address above). The planning area includes all surface and subsurface 
(mineral estate) lands managed by BLM within the planning area.
    The BLM-administered public lands within the planning area are 
currently managed under interim management guidelines issued on August 
5, 2004. Interim management is in accordance with the decisions in the 
1988 Carlsbad RMP, as amended, and the 1997 Roswell RMP. BLM will 
continue to manage these lands in accordance with the

[[Page 67604]]

interim management guidelines until the RMPA is completed and a Record 
of Decision is signed.
    Preparation of a RMPA for the Carlsbad and Roswell Field Offices is 
necessary to respond to changing resource conditions and respond to new 
issues in the context of habitat management for special status species 
on public lands in the planning area administered by the Field Offices. 
The RMPA will establish new land-use planning decisions to address 
issues identified through public scoping and, where appropriate, will 
incorporate decisions from the existing RMPs.
    The BLM will work collaboratively with interested parties to 
identify the management decisions that are best suited to local, 
regional, and National interests. The public scoping process will help 
identify planning issues and provide for public comment on the proposed 
planning criteria. BLM has identified the following preliminary issues:
     Integrating wildlife habitat management with livestock 
grazing management.
     Minimizing surface disturbance associated with energy 
development.
     Utilizing existing rights-of-way corridors for energy 
distribution;
     Developing route designations to manage access, travel, 
and off-highway vehicles to protect wildlife habitat.
     Proposing land tenure and ownership adjustments for 
greater management efficiency;
     Regional coordination with state and local agencies for 
more effective management in the planning area.
     These preliminary issues are not final and may be refined 
or additional issues may be added through public participation.
    BLM has also identified some preliminary planning criteria to guide 
development of the plan, to avoid unnecessary data collection and 
analysis, and to ensure the plan is tailored to the issues. These 
criteria may be modified or other criteria identified during the 
public-scoping process. The public is invited to comment on the 
following preliminary planning criteria:
     Actions must comply with laws, regulations, executive 
orders, and BLM Manuals (i.e., supplemental program guidance).
     Actions must be reasonable and achievable and allow for 
flexibility where appropriate (i.e., adaptive management will be 
incorporated into the RMPA).
     The Economic Profile System (EPS) developed by the Sonoran 
Institute will be used as a community involvement strategy and a source 
of demographic and economic data for the planning process. EPS will 
provide a foundation of current social and economic conditions in the 
Planning Area. Following this, as planning alternatives are developed, 
a social and economic analysis and environmental justice assessment 
will be conducted to determine the effect that each alternative will 
have on users and the diverse population in the Planning Area. The 
analysis will consider the short- and long-term social and economic 
benefits associated with possible alternatives. The lifestyles, issues, 
and needs of area residents will be taken into consideration. Other 
important factors to be considered will be the needs and long-term 
plans of local city, county, and Tribal governments. Short-term 
consequences will be weighed against long-term benefits as necessary. 
The impacts on both the general population and affected subgroups 
within the planning area will be determined.
     Actions will be considered using an interdisciplinary 
approach.
     The Roswell/Carlsbad RMPA planning team will work 
cooperatively with county and municipal governments, other Federal, 
State and local agencies, and interested groups and individuals. A 
process of collaborative public involvement and participation will be 
carried out throughout this process.
     The RMPA will change or modify the guidance upon which the 
Field Offices will manage public lands within the planning area.
     The planning process will include an EIS that complies 
with National Environmental Policy Act standards.
     The RMPA will protect and enhance the biodiversity of the 
planning area, while allowing the public the opportunity for access to 
public lands in a productive and meaningful way.
     The RMPA will recognize valid existing rights related to 
the use of public lands. The RMPA will define the process that BLM will 
use to address applications or notices filed after the completion of 
the RMPA on existing land-use authorizations.
     The RMPA process will involve Native American Tribal 
governments and will provide strategies for protection of cultural 
resources and traditional cultural properties on public lands.
     Decisions in the RMPA will strive to be compatible with 
existing plans and policies of adjacent local, State, and Federal 
Governments and agencies, as long as the decisions are in conformance 
with BLM-management policies.
     The RMPA will comply with all legal mandates of the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 
the Administrative Procedures Act, and the BLM planning regulations in 
43 CFR part 1600.
    The collaborative process will allow the public, Tribes, State and 
Federal agencies, local elected officials, and BLM specialists to 
participate in identifying issues and developing and analyzing 
alternatives. BLM has asked the New Mexico State Land Office; the New 
Mexico Department of Game and Fish; and Chaves, Eddy, Lea, and 
Roosevelt Counties to serve as cooperating agencies during the planning 
process.

    Dated: September 28, 2004.
Jesse J. Juen,
Acting New Mexico State Director.
[FR Doc. 04-25617 Filed 11-17-04; 8:45 am]
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