[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 72 (Monday, April 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19018-19019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7020]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM-120-06-1610-AL]


Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Socorro Draft Resource 
Management Plan Revision and Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DRMPR/DEIS), New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976 (FLPMA) (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), and Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) planning regulations, the BLM hereby gives notice that 
the Socorro DRMPR/DEIS is available for public review and comment.

DATES: To ensure that they will be considered, BLM must receive written 
comments on the DRMPR/DEIS within 90 days following the date the 
Environmental Protection Agency publishes its NOA in the Federal 
Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any 
other public involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through 
public notices, local media, and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be mailed to Socorro Field Office, 
Attention: Brian Bellew, 901 S. Highway 85, Socorro, New Mexico 87801. 
You may also comment via e-mail at: [email protected]; or by fax 
at (505) 835-0223. Comments that are e-mailed or faxed must include 
``Comments on Draft RMPR/DEIS'' in the subject line. You may also hand 
deliver comments to the address listed above. A minimum of two public 
meetings will be held during the 90-day public review and comment 
period during which oral comments will be accepted and recorded. Exact 
dates, places, and times of public meetings will be posted on the New 
Mexico BLM web page (http://www.nm.blm.gov) and advertised in local 
media.
    Individual respondents may request confidentiality. Before 
including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal 
identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire 
comment--including your personal identifying information--may be made 
publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to 
withhold from public review your personal identifying information, we 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. 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: Brian Bellew, Planning Team Leader, at 
the Socorro Field Office (see address above), telephone (505) 838-1273.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area encompasses all lands, 
regardless of jurisdiction, within Socorro and Catron counties, New 
Mexico totaling 8.7 million acres. A map of the planning area is 
available on the Web site (http://www.nm.blm.gov). The decision area 
for the DRMPR/DEIS includes 1.5 million acres of BLM-administered 
public lands and 6.1 million acres of Federal mineral estate located in 
both counties.
    The DRMPR/DEIS describes the physical, cultural, historic, and 
socioeconomic resources in and around the planning area and documents 
the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts of four 
alternatives for BLM-administered lands and resources within the 
planning area. The impact analysis focuses on resource issues and 
concerns identified during scoping and public involvement activities. 
Issues identified during scoping (not in priority order) include areas 
of special designation, soil and vegetation conditions, energy 
development, transportation and access, land use, and recreation and 
heritage tourism opportunities.
    Four alternatives were analyzed in detail. The No-Action 
Alternative, Alternative A represents the continuation of existing 
management, which is defined by the 1989 Socorro RMP and subsequent 
amendments. Alternative B, BLM's preferred alternative, proposes 
managing the public lands for multiple uses and sustaining the health, 
diversity, and productivity of the lands for present and future 
generations. Alternative C emphasizes resource protection, while 
Alternative D emphasizes commodity production and use while still 
complying with applicable law, regulation, and BLM policy. Within all 
alternatives, Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) have been 
identified to protect resources. These ACECs and associated acreages 
are listed in the table below. More detailed management prescriptions 
in these areas are provided in Table 2-2 of the DRMPR/DEIS.

                      Acres of BLM-Managed Surface Estate Proposed To Be Managed as ACECs Under the Alternatives in the DRMPR/DEIS
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                                                                      Preferred  alternative
        ACEC use limitations                 Alternative A                (Alternative B)                Alternative C               Alternative D
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Agua Fria..........................  9,571.......................  Incorporate into Cerro Pomo   Incorporate into Zuni Salt    Eliminate.
                                                                    ACEC.                         Lake ACEC.
Cerro Pomo: Limit motor vehicle      ............................  26,284......................  Incorporate into Zuni Salt    449.
 travel to designated routes.                                                                     Lake ACEC.
 Exclude ROW. Apply fluid mineral
 leasing stip. S-VRM-11.
Horse Mountain: Limit motor vehicle  7,490.......................  5388........................  5388........................  2596.
 travel to designated routes.
 Exclude ROW. Apply fluid mineral
 leasing stip. S-NSO-W. Exclude
 vegetative material sales. Exclude
 grazing on unalloted lands.

[[Page 19019]]

 
Ladron Mountain-Devil's Backbone     57,195......................  57,474......................  57,474......................  20,155.
 Complex: Limit motor vehicle
 travel to designated routes.
 Exclude ROW. Apply fluid mineral
 leasing stip. S-NSO-W. Exclude
 grazing on unalloted lands.
 Withdraw from location and entry
 for locatable minerals on 23,567
 for protection of desert bighorn
 sheep. Exclude vegetative material
 sales from San Lorenzo Canyon
 (2320 acres).
Mockingbird Gap: Limit motor         ............................  8,685.......................  8,685.......................  .........................
 vehicle travel to designated
 routes, apply fluid mineral
 leasing stip. S-CSU-C3.
Pelona Mountain: Limit motor         ............................  51,091......................  52,336......................  34,547.
 vehicle travel to designated
 routes. Exclude ROW. Apply fluid
 mineral leasing stip S-CSU-W1 and
 S-VRM-11.
Sawtooth: Limit motor vehicle        125.........................  125.........................  125.........................  125.
 travel to designated routes.
 Exclude ROW. Apply fluid mineral
 leasing stip S-NSO-T&E. Maintain
 withdrawal from mineral entry.
 Exclude vegetative material sales.
Tinajas: Limit motor vehicle travel  3,463.......................  40..........................  6745........................  22.
 to designated routes. Exclude ROW.
 Exclude mineral material disposals
 and mineral leasing.
Zuni Salt Lake: Limit motor vehicle  Managed as a 4,839-acre       46,746......................  156,601.....................  2107.
 travel to designated routes.         special management area.
 Exclude fluid mineral leasing.
 Withdraw locatable minerals on
 2881 acres of federal mineral
 estate within the 4839 acre Zuni
 Salt Lake Protection Zone. Exclude
 ROW within the 4839 acre Zuni Salt
 Lake Protection Zone. Exclude
 woodcutting.
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    Total Acres....................  77,844......................  195,833.....................  287,354.....................  68,686.
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    Since the publication of the Notice of Intent to prepare an RMPR/
EIS in the Federal Register on May 8, 2002, scoping meetings, off-
highway vehicle workshops, and mailings have been conducted to inform 
the public and solicit input. Three scoping meetings were held in 
Socorro, Quemado, and Zuni, New Mexico on August 27, 28, and 29, 2002, 
respectively, resulting in approximately 76 oral comments from the 
public. In addition, 214 letters and comment forms were received during 
the scoping period. Catron County and the Zuni Tribe are cooperating 
agencies for development of the RMPR/EIS.
    The Socorro DRMPR/DEIS is available for review via the Internet 
from a link at http://www.nm.blm.gov and in electronic (on CD-ROM) and 
paper format at the BLM, Socorro Field Office. Electronic (on CD-ROM) 
and paper copies may also be obtained by contacting Brian Bellew at the 
aforementioned address and phone number.

    Dated: January 30, 2007.
Jesse J. Juen,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. E7-7020 Filed 4-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-P