[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 25, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 3550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-1316]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM-030-04-1610-DR]


Notice of Availability of Record of Decision (ROD) and Resource 
Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) for Federal Fluid Minerals Leasing and 
Development in Sierra and Otero Counties

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) management policies, the BLM announces 
the availability of the ROD/RMPA for Federal fluid minerals leasing and 
development in Sierra and Otero Counties, New Mexico. The New Mexico 
State Director has signed the ROD/RMPA, which amends the White Sands 
RMP.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the fluid minerals ROD/RMPA are available upon 
request from the Field Manager, Las Cruces Field Office, Bureau of Land 
Management, 1800 Marquess St., Las Cruces, NM 88005 or via the Internet 
at http://www.nm.blm.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Phillips, RMPA Team Leader/Land 
Use Planner, 1800 Marquess St., Las Cruces, NM 88005. Telephone number 
is (505) 525-4377, email address is [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The fluid minerals RMPA was developed with 
broad public participation through a 6-year public planning process. 
This RMPA addresses management of the Federal fluid mineral resources 
on approximately 2.1 million acres of public lands in the planning 
area. The fluid minerals RMPA is designed to identify which lands under 
BLM jurisdiction in Sierra and Otero Counties will be made available 
for potential fluid mineral leasing, and what measures are needed to 
manage those lands and protect other resource values.
    The approved fluid minerals RMPA is relatively unchanged from the 
proposed plan in the Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment/Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (PRMPA/FEIS), dated December 2003. In 
response to the PRMPA/FEIS, the Governor of New Mexico submitted a 
Consistency Review that recommended adopting an alternative plan he had 
developed. This alternative was similar to an alternative that was 
analyzed by the BLM in the draft and final environmental impact 
statements; therefore, the BLM determined it did not require an 
additional public comment period. The Governor's Consistency Review 
helped lead to the May 2004 PRMPA/FEIS Supplement that included the 
proposed closure of 35,790 acres to leasing. This closure was a change 
from the proposed plan in the PRMPA/FEIS where those acres were to be 
withheld from leasing for five years and re-evaluated. The BLM New 
Mexico State Director declined to accept the other recommendations made 
by the Governor, but replied with a written response addressing issues 
raised in the Consistency Review. Public comments on the supplement 
were taken for 30 days, and those comments have been considered and 
addressed in the ROD/RMPA.
    The Governor appealed the State Director's decision not to fully 
adopt his alternative plan to the BLM Director. The BLM Director has 
issued a final response affirming the State Director's decision. All 
formal protests to the PRMPA/FEIS have also been resolved.
    Minor modifications have been made to the proposed plan as set 
forth in the PRMPA/FEIS and Supplement. The modifications corrected 
errors noted in the review of the PRMPA/FEIS and provide further 
clarification regarding some of the decisions.

Linda S.C. Rundell,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 05-1316 Filed 1-24-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-P