[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 170 (Friday, September 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52140-52142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14542]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[ID420 1610 DP 034D]


Notice of Availability of the Cottonwood, ID, Draft Resource 
Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and

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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 a Draft 
Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS) for 
the Cottonwood Field Office and by this notice is announcing the 
opening of the comment period.

DATES: To assure that they will be considered, BLM must receive written 
comments on the Draft RMP/EIS within 90 days following the date the 
Environmental Protection Agency publishes their Notice of Availability 
in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or 
hearings and any other public involvement activities will be announced 
at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media news 
releases, and/or mailings, and on the BLM Web site (http://www.blm.gov/rmp/id/cottonwood/).

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Web Site: http://www.blm.gov/rmp/id/cottonwood/
     E-mail: [email protected]
     Mail: Attn: RMP, BLM Cottonwood Field Office, 1 Butte 
Drive, Cottonwood ID 83522-9498
     Fax: (208) 962-3275

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carrie Christman at the Cottonwood 
Field Office (see above address), telephone (208) 962-3245.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Cottonwood RMP planning area is located 
in the southern portion of the Idaho panhandle. The BLM administers 
scattered parcels of lands totaling 143,830 acres within the following 
Idaho counties: Latah, Clearwater, Nez Perce, Lewis, Idaho and Adams. 
The Cottonwood Field Office planning area lies within the ceded 
territory of the Nez Perce Tribe. The Nez Perce Reservation lies within 
the planning area, and there are about 17,586 acres of BLM-administered 
land within the reservation boundary. Management of the BLM 
administered lands will involve trust and treaty resources.
    The BLM-administered public lands within the planning area are 
currently managed in accordance with the decisions of the 1981 Chief 
Joseph Management Framework Plan (MFP) as amended. BLM will continue to 
manage these lands in accordance with the MFP and amendments until the 
Cottonwood RMP is completed and the Record of Decision is signed.
    The Cottonwood RMP will provide future broad-scale management 
direction for land use allocations and allowable uses on public lands 
within the planning area. In the Draft EIS, four alternatives were 
analyzed, including a no action alternative. These alternatives were 
developed through issue identification during the scoping process. Such 
issues include: Watershed management, forestry, fuels treatments, 
recreation, land tenure, special designations, invasive plant species, 
travel management and special status species. The agency preferred 
alternative is alternative B.
    The preferred alternative proposes the designation of five new 
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) and the continuation of 
six ACEC/Research Natural Areas (RNAs) totaling 34,528 acres and 
ranging in size from 18 acres to 16,199 acres. Two existing ACECs 
totaling 3,986 acres would be dropped under the preferred alternative. 
Resource use limitations that apply to the proposed ACECs include no 
surface occupancy for mineral extraction activities and some 
restrictions on timber harvesting, livestock grazing, and road 
construction (See Table 1).

                                             Table 1.--Evaluation of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern
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                                                                                         Resource use                             Preferred alternative
              Area name                               Values of concern                   limitations            Acres                  direction
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Wapshilla Ridge (Existing RNA/ACEC--  Natural processes, designated RNA for canyon                1, 2  401 existing...........  Continue as RNA/ACEC
 1989).                                grasslands and BLM Idaho Watch List plant                                                  401 acres.
                                       (Idaho RNA cell for basalts).
Lower and Middle Cottonwood Islands   Natural processes, designated RNA, riparian,                   3  43 existing............  Continue as RNA/ACEC 43
 (Existing RNA/ACEC--1989).            Palouse prairie remnant, Clearwater River                                                  acres.
                                       islands.
Captain John Creek (Existing RNA/     Natural processes, designated RNA for canyon                   1  1,321 existing.........  Continue as RNA/ACEC
 ACEC--1989).                          grasslands, Douglas fir, and riparian (Idaho                                               1,321 acres.
                                       cell). Captain John Creek provides habitat for
                                       listed steelhead and spring/summer chinook
                                       Salmon, and Idaho BLM sensitive wildlife,
                                       amphibians, reptiles, and plants.
Long Gulch (Existing RNA/ACEC--1989)  Natural processes, designated RNA for Federally                4  47 existing............  Continue as RNA/ACEC 47
                                       listed MacFarlane's four-o'clock.                                                          acres.
Lucile Caves (Existing RNA/ACEC--     Natural processes, designated RNA, Federally                   4  404 existing...........  Continue as RNA/ACEC
 1989).                                listed MacFarlane's four-o'clock, Idaho BLM                                                136 acres/
                                       sensitive plants, wildlife and snails;
                                       limestone cave and spring; geology.
Skookumchuck (Existing RNA/ACEC--     Natural processes, designated RNA for Federally                4  18 existing............  Continue as RNA/ACEC 18
 1989).                                listed MacFarlane's four-o'clock.                                                          acres.
Craig Mountain (Existing ACEC--1989)  Designated ACEC, scenic, cultural, Federally                   2  3,956 existing.........  Discontinue ACEC.
                                       listed fish, bald eagle, and Spalding's silene;
                                       Idaho BLM sensitive wildlife, amphibians,
                                       reptiles, and plants.
Elk City/American Hill Lake           Natural hazards, designated ACEC because of                 5, 6  30 existing............  Discontinue ACEC.
 (Existing ACEC--1989).                concerns for safety and public welfare.
Lower Lolo Creek (Existing ACEC--     Designated ACEC, cultural, scenic, Federally             7, 8, 9  3,678 existing.........  Continue as ACEC 3,678
 1989.                                 listed fish; Idaho BLM sensitive wildlife,                                                 acres.
                                       amphibians, reptiles, and plants; National
                                       historic trail.
Lower Salmon River (Confluence to     Designated ACEC, cultural, scenic, Federally                3, 4  15,702 existing........  Continue as ACEC 16,199
 White Bird Creek) (Existing ACEC--    listed fish, bald eagle, and Spalding's silene;                                            acres.
 1989).                                Idaho BLM sensitive wildlife, amphibians,
                                       reptiles, and plants; geology, natural
                                       processes.
Upper Lolo Creek....................  Idaho BLM sensitive wildlife, amphibians,                  7, 10  1,625 proposed.........  Do not add ACEC.
                                       reptiles and plants, cultural, scenic.

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Partridge/Elkhorn...................  Natural processes, old growth ponderosa pine,                 14  576 proposed...........  Do not add ACEC.
                                       Idaho BLM sensitive wildlife.
Little Salmon.......................  Natural processes, old growth ponderosa pine,                 14  590 proposed...........  Do not add ACEC.
                                       Idaho BLM sensitive wildlife.
Upper Salmon River (White Bird Creek  Cultural, scenic, Federally listed fish, bald                  4  5,759 proposed.........  Add as ACEC 5,759
 to French Creek).                     eagle, and MacFarlane's four-o'clock; Idaho BLM                                            acres.
                                       sensitive wildlife, amphibians, reptiles, and
                                       plants; geology, natural processes.
East Fork of American River.........  Listed fish, Idaho BLM sensitive wildlife,             3, 11, 12  570 proposed...........  Add as ACEC 570 acres.
                                       amphibians, reptiles, fish, and plants; natural
                                       processes; riparian and wetlands; and old
                                       growth Engelmann spruce.
American River Historic Sites         Cultural resources, historic mining.............              13  6,356 proposed.........  Add as ACEC 6,356
 District.                                                                                                                        acres.
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Use Limitations:
1 = Timber harvest only to support stand health.
2 = Exclude livestock grazing.
3 = Prohibit soil or vegetation disturbance not supporting improved condition (long term).
4 = No actions resulting in long-term adverse impacts to listed plants.
5 = Closed to OHV use.
6 = No ground disturbing activities other than rehab.
7 = No construction of hydroelectric facilities.
8 = No new road construction within 300' of Lolo Creek or on slopes exceeding 50%.
9 = Custodial timber management.
10 = Timber harvest activities on slopes over 50% utilize aerial or high lead systems.
11 = Decommission temporary roads within 3 years of construction.
12 = No road construction within Riparian Conservation Areas.
13 = Use mining plan of operations.
14 = Minimize road construction.

    Additionally, BLM would recommend the continuation of the mineral 
withdrawal of the Lower Salmon River corridor. The preferred 
alternative recommends four suitable segments of river for inclusion in 
the National Wild and Scenic River system; one segment (totaling 24 
miles) is suitable for inclusion under the scenic classification, three 
segments (totaling 5.34 miles) are suitable for inclusion under the 
recreational classification. Resource use limitations that apply to the 
suitable river segments include no surface occupancy for mineral 
extraction activities. The 750 acre portion of the Frank Church/River 
of No Return Wilderness will continue to be managed to maintain 
wilderness characteristics under all alternatives. Two previously 
designated Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) (totaling 10,872 acres) will 
continue to be managed under the BLM's Interim Management Policy for 
Lands Under Wilderness Review. 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 of organizations 
or businesses, will be available for public inspection in their 
entirety. A copy of the Draft RMP/EIS is available for review via the 
Internet Web site at http://www.blm.gov/rmp/id/cottonwood/. You may 
also obtain a copy on CD-ROM, or paper copy at the BLM Cottonwood Field 
Office at the address listed above, or by contacting Carrie Christman 
at (208) 962-3245.

    Dated: June 7, 2006.
Bud Cribley,
Acting State Director, Idaho.
 [FR Doc. E6-14542 Filed 8-31-06; 8:45 am]
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