[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 227 (Friday, November 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68970-68972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26316]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-140-1610-DS-009C]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan 
(RMP) Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
Roan Plateau Planning Area, Including the Former Naval Oil Shale 
Reserves (NOSR) 1 & 3; Glenwood Springs and White River Field Offices 
in Garfield and Rio Blanco Counties, CO

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS for the Roan Plateau 
planning area, which includes the former Naval Oil Shale Reserves 1 and 
3, is available for 90 days for public review and comment. BLM has 
prepared the document, and is announcing this comment period, in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), and 
regulatory requirements

DATES: The BLM will accept written comments on the Draft RMP Amendment/
Draft EIS for 90 days following the publication of its availability by 
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Federal Register. BLM 
will announce future public meetings and any other public involvement 
activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices in local 
newspapers (Glenwood Springs and Rifle, Colorado), through local media 
news releases, on the project Web site at http://www.roanplateau.ene.com, and/or through mailings.

[[Page 68971]]


ADDRESSES: Copies of the Roan Plateau Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS and 
additional information can be obtained, and/or downloaded, by the 
public via the Internet at: http://www.roanplateau.ene.com. The public 
can also obtain a copy of the Draft by writing to: Roan RMPA Request, 
Bureau of Land Management, Glenwood Springs Field Office, P.O. Box 
1009, Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81602.
    Submit written comments to: Roan Plateau Comments--Attention Greg 
Goodenow, at the address shown above. Comments also may be submitted 
electronically at http://www.roanplateau.ene.com; click on the comment 
tab and follow the directions. Comments from organizations or 
businesses will be made available to the public in their entirety. 
Individuals, by contrast, may request confidentiality with respect to 
their name, address, and phone number. If individuals wish to have 
their name or street address withheld from public review, or from 
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, the first line of 
their comment must start with the words ``CONFIDENTIALITY REQUESTED'' 
in uppercase letters in order for BLM to comply with your request. Such 
requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. Comment contents 
will not be kept confidential. Comments (including names and addresses 
of respondents except as previously noted) will be available for public 
review at the BLM Glenwood Springs Field Office, 50629 Highways 6 & 24, 
Glenwood Springs, Colorado, during normal working hours (7:45 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., except weekends and holidays).
    The public may view the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS and 
associated documents such as maps, planning criteria, and supporting 
background information at several locations:
     The project Web site at http://www.roanplateau.ene.com. 
Documents may be downloaded in PDF format from this site. The public 
can also request a copy of the document by visiting this Web site (the 
BLM can mail an individual or group a CD, for example).
     The BLM Glenwood Springs Field Office (50629 Highways 6 & 
24, Glenwood Springs, Colorado) or the White River Field Office (73544 
Highway 64, Meeker, Colorado, 81641) during normal working hours (7:45 
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except weekends and holidays).
     The Garfield County (Colorado) Public Libraries. Locations 
are provided on the project Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, to comment, 
and/or to have your name added to the mailing list, visit the Web site 
shown above. For other questions, you may also contact: Greg Goodenow--
Planning and Environmental Coordinator, Steve Bennett--Associate Field 
Manager, or Jamie Connell--Field Manager at the Glenwood Springs Field 
Office, Bureau of Land Management, P.O. Box 1009 Glenwood Springs, 
Colorado 81602. The Glenwood Springs Field Office telephone number is 
(970) 947-2800. All three can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Roan Plateau planning area analyzed in 
the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS contains about 73,602 acres of 
Federal land managed by the BLM (both surface and subsurface estate). 
The planning area totals about 127,000 acres. Although the planning 
area boundary includes private lands, the BLM's decisions will only 
apply to the approximately 73,602 acres of land (surface and subsurface 
estate) that BLM manages.
    Most of the planning area is in western Garfield County, Colorado; 
a small portion is in southern Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The 
planning area lies north of Interstate 70 between the towns of Rifle 
and Parachute and consists of three visually, geologically, and 
ecologically distinct areas: (1) Xeric (dry) semi-desert habitats at 
lower elevations, (2) relatively mesic (moist) montane and subalpine 
habitats at higher elevations, and (3) a band of high and most unbroken 
cliffs separating these areas. Lands within the planning area drain 
westward to Parachute Creek, eastward to Government Creek, or southward 
to the Colorado River. Parachute Creek and Government Creek are also 
tributaries of the Colorado River.
    The Roan Plateau RMP Amendment will amend two existing Resource 
Management Plans:
     The Glenwood Springs Resource Management Plan approved 
January 1984; revised 1988; amended November 1991, November 1996, 
August 1997, March 1999, November 1999, and September 2002.
     The White River Resource Area RMP, approved July 1997.
    Once approved, the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Roan Plateau 
RMP Amendment will replace all existing management plans for the BLM 
lands within the planning area.
    The Federal Land Management and Policy Act of 1976 (FLPMA) is the 
principal law that guides planning and management for BLM-administered 
lands. Public Law 105-85, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 1998, Section 3404 (the transfer act), dated, November 18, 
1997, transferred the administrative and management responsibility for 
about 56,000 acres of land from Department of Energy to BLM. These 
lands were referred to as Naval Oil Shale Reserves 1 and 3. Public Law 
105-85 directed BLM to enter into leases with one or more private 
entities for the purpose of exploration, development and production of 
petroleum. In addition, the act stipulates that the transferred lands 
be managed in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act (FLPMA) and other laws applicable to public lands.
    The alternatives present differing management approaches for the 
various natural, biological, and cultural resources within the planning 
area. As required by the BLM's planning regulations (43 CFR 1610.4-7), 
the BLM has selected a ``preferred alternative'', alternative 3, in the 
Draft RMP Amendment. Commenters should note that the preferred 
alternative and/or the components of the preferred alternative may be 
changed between the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS and Proposed RMP 
Amendment/Final EIS to respond to public and cooperating agency 
comments, and any other pertinent information provided to BLM.
    The alternative ultimately adopted by BLM may be comprised from 
components contained in any of the alternatives presented in the Draft 
RMP Amendment/Draft EIS, and/or components within the range of actions 
analyzed. Commenters are therefore encouraged to comment on components 
of any or all of the alternatives, rather than on any one alternative 
as a whole (e.g., the preferred alternative). Comments should focus on 
specific management actions being considered and the adequacy of 
analysis. The BLM will publish responses to the comments as part of the 
Proposed RMP Amendment/Final EIS.
    The Draft RMP Amendment/Draft EIS evaluates the Continuation of 
Current Management (No Action) in Alternative I, and four other 
alternative management approaches in Alternatives II through V. 
Specific issues include management of: oil and gas resources, fish and 
wildlife habitat, rare plant habitat, ecological richness, visual 
resources, travel and transportation, livestock grazing, wilderness 
characteristics, forest resources, recreation, use authorizations such 
as rights-of-way, other land uses, and the economic effects of 
management of the various resources.

[[Page 68972]]

    Three areas (totaling 21,382 acres) found to contain wilderness 
character by BLM, are being considered for management to maintain their 
wilderness characteristics within the range of alternatives. The Draft 
RMP/Draft EIS will include an analysis of alternative management 
prescriptions for these three areas. On April 11, 2003, a settlement 
agreement was reached between the Department of the Interior and the 
State of Utah, Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands 
Administration, and Utah Association of Counties. Consistent with that 
settlement and subsequent policies issued by BLM, the Draft RMP 
Amendment/Draft EIS will not consider the designation of new Wilderness 
Study Areas (WSAs), or the classification or management of BLM lands as 
if they are or may become WSAs. However, alternatives for the 
protection and management of wilderness characteristics will be 
considered.
    The BLM is considering three types of administrative designations 
for federal lands in the planning area:
     One Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA).
     Various configurations of four areas as Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern (ACECs) to protect important ecological or other 
values.
     Two configurations of a watershed management area.
    Several stream segments have been found to be eligible for further 
study to determine their suitability for designation as Wild and Scenic 
Rivers. Under all alternatives these stream segments would be managed 
to protect pertinent values until such time as a suitability study and 
further planning is completed.
    Oil and gas leasing is being considered throughout the 
approximately 73,600 acres of public lands within the planning area, 
along with potential lease terms and conditions.

Jamie E. Connell,
Manager, Glenwood Springs Field Office.
[FR Doc. 04-26316 Filed 11-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P