[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 29 (Tuesday, February 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6740-6741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2421]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY 050-07-1610-DO]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan Revision 
and Associated Environmental Impact Statement, for the Lander Field 
Office, Wyoming

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lander Field Office, 
Wyoming intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan revision with an 
associated Environmental Impact Statement (RMP\EIS) for the Lander 
Field Office planning area and by this notice is announcing public 
scoping meetings. The RMP will replace the existing Lander RMP.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. Comments and

[[Page 6741]]

resource information should be submitted to the BLM within 60 days of 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register. The BLM will 
announce public scoping meetings to identify relevant issues through 
local news media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site (http://www.wy.blm.gov/lfo/lfoplan.htm) at least 15 days prior to the first 
meeting.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.wy.blm.gov/lfo/lfoplan.htm.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 307-332-8444.
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Lander Field Office, P.O. 
Box 589, Lander, WY 82520.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Lander 
Field Office. Respondents' comments, including names and street 
addresses, will be available for public review at the Lander Field 
Office during regular business hours 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except holidays, and may be published as part of the 
EIS. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Carol-Anne Murray, Lander 
Field Office, at 307-332-8448 or by e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area is located in Fremont, 
Natrona, Sweetwater, Carbon, and Hot Springs Counties, Wyoming. This 
planning activity encompasses approximately 2.5 million surface acres 
of BLM-administered public lands and 2.7 million acres of subsurface 
mineral estate. The plan will fulfill the needs and obligations set 
forth by the National Environmental Policy Act, the Federal Land Policy 
and Management Act, and BLM management policies. The BLM will work 
collaboratively with interested parties to identify the management 
decisions that are best suited to local, regional, and national needs 
and concerns.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis and 
EIS alternatives. These issues will also guide the planning process. 
You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing to 
the BLM at any public scoping meeting, or you may submit them to the 
BLM using one of the methods listed under ADDRESSES above.
    To be most helpful, you should submit formal scoping comments 
within 30 days after the last public meeting.
    Preliminary issues and management concerns have been identified by 
BLM personnel, other agencies, and in meetings with individuals and 
user groups. They represent the BLM's knowledge to date regarding the 
existing issues and concerns with current land management. The EIS will 
describe and analyze a range of alternatives, comprised of the No 
Action alternative (continued management) and a number of action 
alternatives, each of which will describe options for addressing the 
major issues. The major issue themes that will be addressed in the plan 
effort include:
     Energy and minerals management;
     Management of riparian areas and water quality concerns;
     Livestock grazing management;
     Recreation/visitor use and safety management;
     Travel management, including Off Highway Vehicles;
     Management of wildlife habitat including protection of 
sensitive species habitat;
     Land tenure adjustments, realty leases, and utility 
corridor right-of-ways;
     Management of areas with special values; and,
     Management and protection of public land resources while 
allowing for multiple uses.
    At this time, there are no areas identified during preplanning for 
consideration as new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.
    After gathering public comments on what issues the plan should 
address, the suggested issues will be placed in one of four categories:
    1. Issues to be resolved in the plan;
    2. Issues resolved through policy or administrative action;
    3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan; or
    4. Issues that have already been addressed but should be better 
communicated to the issue holder.
    Rationale will be provided in the plan for each issue placed in 
category two, three, or four. In addition to these major issues, a 
number of management questions and concerns will be addressed in the 
plan. The public is encouraged to help identify these questions and 
concerns during the scoping phase. An interdisciplinary approach will 
be used to develop the plan in order to consider the variety of 
resource issues and concerns identified. Disciplines involved in the 
planning process will include specialists with expertise in rangeland 
management, minerals and geology, wildland fire and fuels management, 
outdoor recreation, archaeology, paleontology, wildlife, fisheries, 
lands and realty, soils, water and air, wild horses, environmental 
justice, and sociology and economics.
    The following planning criteria have been proposed to guide 
development of the plan, avoid unnecessary data collection and 
analyses, and to ensure the plan is tailored to the issues. Other 
criteria may be identified during the public scoping process. After 
gathering comments on planning criteria, the BLM will finalize the 
criteria and provide feedback to the public on the criteria to be used 
throughout the planning process. Some of the planning criteria that are 
under consideration include:
     The plan will be completed in compliance with the Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and the 
National Environmental Policy Act;
     The plan will recognize valid existing rights;
     Public participation will be encouraged throughout the 
process by collaborating and building relationships with tribes, state 
and local governments, Federal agencies, local stakeholders, and others 
with interest in the plan. Collaborators are regularly informed and 
offered timely and meaningful opportunities to participate in the 
planning process.

    Dated: December 8, 2006.
Robert A. Bennett,
State Director, Wyoming.
 [FR Doc. E7-2421 Filed 2-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P