[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 23 (Friday, February 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6034-6035]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2111]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[MT-020-05-1610-DO-036E]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan Revision 
and Environmental Impact Statement for Eastern Montana

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior, Montana, Miles City Field 
Office.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Resource Management Plan Revision 
and Environmental Impact Statement for Eastern Montana, initiate public 
scoping and request comments on Planning Criteria.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701), as amended; the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321), as amended; and the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will revise two Resource Management 
Plans (RMPs) by combining the Powder River and Big Dry RMPs (to be 
called the ``Miles City Field Office RMP'') and preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the effects of land 
and mineral management options. The RMP and EIS are scheduled for 
completion by December 2007.

DATES: Written and electronic comments on the scope of the RMP, 
preliminary issues, and planning criteria may be submitted for 30 days 
from the date of this notice. Public scoping meetings will be held in 
Ashland, Baker, Broadus, Glendive, Jordan, Miles City, Terry, Billings 
and Sidney, Montana. Meeting locations and dates for each town will be 
announced through local news media, newsletters and the BLM public 
outreach Web site http://www.mt.blm.gov/mcfo/.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
    Web site: http://milescityrmp.com.
    Mail: ``Miles City RMP Comments'', P.O. Box 219, Miles City, MT 
59301-0219.
    Fax: (918) 382-7582.

[[Page 6035]]

    Hand-Deliver: Miles City Field Office, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles 
City, Montana.
    Comments on issues and planning criteria may also be submitted to 
the BLM at any public scoping meeting. Documents pertinent to the Miles 
City Field Office RMP may be examined at the Miles City Field Office, 
111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Bloom, Project Manager, Bureau of 
Land Management, Miles City Field Office, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles 
City, MT, telephone (406) 233-2852. Web site questions may be directed 
to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The approved RMP will replace the existing 
Big Dry and Powder River RMPs as the document guiding land and resource 
management decisions on BLM-administered lands and minerals in the 
planning area. The purpose of the public scoping process is to 
determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the 
environmental analysis and alternatives. These issues also guide the 
planning process. The BLM will work collaboratively with interested 
parties to identify the management options that are best suited to 
local, regional, and national needs and concerns. Public land 
management within the planning area is currently guided by the Big Dry 
RMP and the Powder River RMP, completed in 1996 and 1985, respectively.
    The intent of the planning process is to analyze and update land 
and resource management objectives within the planning area. The 
planning area includes all of the BLM-administered surface (2,785,000 
acres) and mineral (11,725,000 acres) estate managed by the Miles City 
Field Office in Carter, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, 
McCone, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sheridan, 
Treasure, Wibaux and portions of Big Horn and Valley counties.
    The public will assist the BLM in identifying the issues. 
Preliminary issues and management concerns have been identified by BLM 
personnel and other agencies, and in meetings with individuals and user 
groups. The RMP will consider resource options that are scientifically 
sound, legally defensible and sustainable. Examples of preliminary 
issues include the need to provide access to significant energy sources 
and communication sites, the continuation of grazing activities, 
maximizing use of public lands in species recovery and habitat 
conservation, and the need to provide adequate facilities for safe 
recreation and visitation on the public lands. Topics to be addressed 
in the RMP will include vegetation; forestry and timber; special status 
species; water quality and quantity; travel management; all special 
management area designations; livestock grazing; fluid mineral leasing, 
including for coal bed natural gas; solid minerals; recreational uses; 
right-of-way corridor planning and land authorizations; land tenure 
adjustment information and access needs; and Native American concerns. 
Management concerns include air quality, cultural resources, 
paleontological resources, social and economic concerns, environmental 
justice, and wildfire management. BLM will also consider compatibility 
with management plans for adjacent lands.
    BLM is also extending a call for coal resource information and any 
information regarding resources which may affect the leasing of Federal 
coal or be affected by the leasing of Federal coal. Resource 
information pertinent to any other BLM resource management activities 
is also requested.
    The RMP and EIS will be prepared by an interdisciplinary team with 
specialists for recreation, fisheries, biology, archeology, air 
quality, wildlife, realty, geology and mining, and range management.
    Please note that comments and information submitted regarding this 
RMP, including names, e-mail addresses, and street addresses of 
respondents, will be available for public review and disclosure at the 
above address. BLM will not accept anonymous comments. Individual 
respondents may request confidentiality. Individuals who wish to 
withhold their name or street address from public review or from 
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act must state this 
prominently at the beginning of their written comments. 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.

    Dated: January 5, 2005.
David McIlnay,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 05-2111 Filed 2-3-05; 8:45 am]
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