[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 165 (Friday, August 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50452-50454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14209]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AK-910-06-1610-DQ-086L]


Notice of Availability of the Ring of Fire Proposed Resource 
Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Anchorage Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

[[Page 50453]]


ACTION: Notice of Availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the Bureau of 
Land Management (BLM) has prepared the Ring of Fire Proposed Resource 
Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS) for 
public lands and resources administered by the Bureau of Land 
Management's Anchorage Field Office.

DATES: The BLM Planning Regulations (43 CFR 1610.5-2) state that any 
person who participated in the planning process, and has an interest 
which is or may be adversely affected, may protest BLM's approval or 
amendment of an RMP. You must file a protest within 30 days of the date 
that the Environmental Protection Agency publishes their Notice of 
Availability in the Federal Register. Instructions for filing a protest 
are described in the Dear Reader letter of the Ring of Fire Proposed 
RMP/Final EIS and in the Supplementary Information section of this 
Notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Lloyd, Anchorage Field Office, 
6881 Abbott Loop Road, Anchorage, AK 99507, (907) 267-1246, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Ring of Fire planning area covers 1.3 
million acres of BLM-administered lands. The Ring of Fire Proposed RMP/
Final EIS focuses on the principles of multiple use and sustained yield 
as prescribed by Section 202 of FLPMA. The Ring of Fire Proposed RMP/
Final EIS considers and analyzes four alternatives, including a No 
Action and a Proposed Action. The alternatives provide for an array of 
variable levels of commodity production and resource protection. The 
alternatives were developed based on extensive public scoping and 
involvement.
    There are five main issues addressed through this planning process. 
The Lands and Realty section addresses the need to determine the 
appropriate mix of lands and realty actions needed to provide a balance 
between land use and resource protection. The Proposed RMP/Final EIS 
recommends the revocation of the existing Alaska Native Claims 
Settlement Act (ANCSA) Section (d)(1) withdrawals making all unselected 
lands (241,000 acres) and those lands which may have the ANCSA and 
State selections relinquished (387,000 acres) potentially available for 
mineral entry and development. The Lands and Realty section also 
identifies several small parcels which have been determined suitable 
for disposal through public sale. The Leasable and Locatable Minerals 
sections determine which areas should be made available for mineral 
exploration and development. The Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) section 
addresses management of BLM's lands and access trails for various 
purposes, including recreation, commercial uses, subsistence activities 
and the general use of public lands, while protecting natural and 
cultural resources found within the planning area. The Recreation 
section examines how recreation should be managed to provide a 
diversity of experience on BLM lands within the planning area. The 
document analyzes what measures are necessary and what level of 
commercial use is appropriate, to ensure that a diversity of 
recreational opportunities is maintained.
    Public involvement for this effort included 10 public scoping 
meetings, meetings with ANCSA corporations and Tribal entities; 
meetings and briefings with agencies, elected community officials, and 
planning department staff; and follow-up public hearings. Continuous 
involvement by the State of Alaska has taken place throughout the 
planning process through a joint BLM-State position providing a liaison 
between the State and BLM.
    All comments received on the plan were systematically evaluated. 
Chapter 6 of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS outlines these comments and 
BLM's response to them.
    The Proposed RMP/Final EIS will assist BLM in meeting its mandate 
of multiple use and sustained yield and recommends the designation of 
two Special Recreation Management Areas (SRMA) and one Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern (ACEC). The first SRMA is located in the Haines 
Block where the use of helicopters, in support of recreational 
activities is increasing. In developing the SRMA plan for the Haines 
area, with additional community involvement, BLM will gain greater 
understanding of the recreation use impacts on the resources, including 
wildlife, and on the community. The second SRMA being recommended is 
located in the Knik River area north of Anchorage. This recommendation 
is based on the past and current recreation uses of the lands and the 
increasing conflict between user groups, the surrounding communities, 
and the potential damage to the resources.
    BLM analyzed 14 areas nominated as ACECs, including those nominated 
as Research Natural Areas (RNAs) or Outstanding Natural Areas (ONAs), 
which are types of ACECs. To be considered for designation as an ACEC, 
an area must have a resource value that is both relevant and important. 
The Southern Neacola Block met this criteria, and was carried forward 
for detailed analysis. The remaining 13 areas were not carried forward. 
These included, the Haines Area and the Knik River Valley, which were 
determined to have resource values that require additional analysis in 
the context of potential designation as Special Recreation Management 
Areas.
    The proposed Neacola ACEC is a contiguous block of BLM-administered 
land (229,000 acres) located in the Neacola Mountains in western Cook 
Inlet. The Visual Resource Class will be Class II, the Off Highway 
Vehicle Classification will be ``Limited,'' and the Recreation 
Opportunity Spectrum will be managed to maintain the existing 
classification of ``Primitive.'' BLM will work with the land managers 
of the surrounding lands and recreation users to develop additional 
management strategies for this area.
    Copies of the Ring of Fire Proposed RMP/Final EIS have been sent to 
the affected Federal, State and local governmental agencies, as well as 
interested parties. Copies of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS are available 
for public inspection at the Anchorage Field Office, 6881 Abbott Loop 
Road, Anchorage, Alaska, during normal business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 
4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays. Copies of the Proposed 
RMP/Final EIS have been sent to individuals, agencies and groups as 
requested or as required by regulation or policy. Interested persons 
may also view the Proposed RMP/Final EIS on the Internet at 
www.blm.gov/ak.
    Instructions for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM 
regarding the Proposed RMP/Final EIS may be found in 43 CFR 1610.5-2. A 
protest may only raise those issues that were submitted for the record 
during the planning process. E-mail and faxed protests will not be 
accepted as valid protests unless the protesting party also provides 
the original letter by either regular or overnight mail postmarked by 
the close of the protest period. Under these conditions, BLM will 
consider the e-mail or faxed copy advance notice and it will receive 
full consideration. If you wish to provide BLM such advance 
consideration, please direct faxed protests to the attention of the BLM 
Protest Coordinator at (202) 452-5112, and e-mails to [email protected]. Please direct the follow-up letter to the address 
provided below. The protest must contain:

[[Page 50454]]

    a. The name, mailing address, telephone number, and interest of the 
person filing the protest.
    b. A statement of the part or parts of the plan or issues being 
protested.
    c. A copy of all documents addressing the issue(s) that the 
protesting party submitted during the planning process or a statement 
of the date they were discussed for the record.
    d. A concise statement explaining why the protestor believes that 
the State Director's decision is wrong.
    All protests must be in writing and mailed to one of the following 
addresses:
    Regular Mail: Director (210), Attn: Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 
66538, Washington, DC 20035.
    Overnight Mail: Director (210), Attn: Brenda Williams, 1620 L 
Street NW, Suite 1075, Washington, DC 20036.
    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 protest. Such requests will be 
honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from 
organizations, businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves 
as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses will be 
available for public inspection in their entirety. The Director will 
promptly render a decision on the protest. The decision will be in 
writing and will be sent to the protesting party by Certified Mail-
Return Receipt Requested. The Decision of the Director is the final 
Decision of the Department of the Interior.

    Dated: June 21, 2006.
 Julia S. Dougan,
Acting State Director.
 [FR Doc. E6-14209 Filed 8-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JA-P