[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 67 (Friday, April 8, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 18049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6977]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM-030-1220-BZ]


Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and Environmental 
Assessment (EA) for Potential Reroute of the Continental Divide 
National Scenic Trail in Hidalgo and Grant Counties, New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The BLM Las Cruces Field Office is initiating the preparation 
of an RMPA which will include an EA for potential rerouting of the 
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail in Hidalgo and Grant Counties 
in southwestern New Mexico. The RMPA will allow for selection of an 
alternate route for the Trail that will consider reducing mileage of 
the trail and reducing agency costs and timeframes associated with 
development of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. The public 
is invited to participate in the scoping process to identify issues and 
planning criteria to be considered in the development of the RMPA/EA. 
The BLM will maintain a mailing list of parties and persons interested 
in being kept informed about the RMPA/EA.

DATES: Comments will be accepted for 30-days following publication of 
this notice.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the BLM Las Cruces Field Office, 
Attn. Mark Hakkila, 1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005.
    It is our practice to make Public comments, including names and 
street addressees of respondents, available for public review at the 
LCFO during regular business hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except holidays, and may be published as part of the EA 
document. 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, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your written comment. 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 or organizations or 
businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Hakkila, Team Leader at (505) 
525-4341 or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM selected a 130-mile corridor for the 
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail through the Mimbres Resource 
Management Plan (RMP), completed in 1993. The selected route goes from 
Antelope Wells, New Mexico on the south to the Continental Divide where 
it enters the Gila National Forest in the Burro Mountains on the north. 
Since completion of the Mimbres RMP, the Continental Divide Trail 
Alliance came into being as the main trail user advocacy group. The 
Alliance proposes to shorten the route so that hikers can start on the 
International boundary with Mexico north of the Big Hatchet Mountains. 
Additionally, the Gila National Forest has changed their selected route 
so that the Trail will exit the Burro Mountains at Engineer Canyon 
instead of along the Continental Divide. In order to select a route 
that meets these new criteria, the RMP must be amended. The RMPA/EA 
will be prepared by an interdisciplinary team of BLM resource 
specialists including realty, recreation, cultural, minerals, and 
hazardous materials specialists. Additional technical support will be 
provided by other specialists as needed.

    Dated: January 27, 2005.
Edwin L. Roberson,
Field Manager, Las Cruces.
[FR Doc. 05-6977 Filed 4-7-05; 8:45 am]
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