[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 193 (Friday, October 5, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 57065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19699]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-220-05-1020-JA-VEIS]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Final 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Vegetation Treatments 
Using Herbicides on Bureau of Land Management Lands in 17 Western 
States

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby 
gives notice that the Record of Decision for the Final Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement (FPEIS) for vegetation treatments using 
herbicides on public lands administered by BLM in 17 western states, 
including Alaska, is available. The BLM is the lead Federal agency for 
the preparation of this FPEIS, in compliance with the requirements of 
NEPA. The decision selects for use the four herbicides identified in 
Alternative B of the FPEIS. These herbicides are: Diquat, diflufenzopyr 
(in formulation with dicamba), fluridone, and imazapic. The BLM also 
selects for continued use the following 14 Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) registered active ingredients: 2,4-D, bromacil, 
chlorsulfuron, clopyralid, dicamba, diuron, glyphosate, hexazinone, 
imazapyr, metsulfuron methyl, picloram, sulfometuron methyl, 
tebuthiuron, and triclopyr. The BLM does not select for use the 
following six-herbicide active ingredients: 2,4-DP, asulam, atrazine, 
fosamine, mefluidide, and simazine. As part of the Proposed Action and 
this decision, the BLM also adopts the protocol for identifying, 
evaluating and approving herbicides. The Record of Decision identifies 
best management practices, standard operating procedures and mitigation 
measures for all vegetation treatment projects involving the use of 
herbicides.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Record of Decision are available in hard copy 
or CD upon request from Brian Amme, Nevada State Office, P.O. Box 
12000, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, NV 89520, or via the Internet at the 
BLM National Web site http://www.blm.gov/. The Record of Decision is 
available for review in either hard copy or on compact disks (CDs) at 
all BLM State, District, and Field Office public rooms.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Amme, Project Manager at (775) 
861-6645 or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This national, FPEIS provides a 
comprehensive analysis of BLM's use of chemical herbicides in its 
various vegetation treatment programs related to hazardous fuels 
reduction; noxious weed, invasive terrestrial and aquatic plant species 
management; resource rehabilitation following catastrophic fires, and 
other disturbances. The FPEIS addresses human health and ecological 
risk for use of chemical herbicides on public lands and provides a 
cumulative impact analysis of the use of chemical herbicides in 
conjunction with other treatment methods. The decision area includes 
public lands administered by 11 BLM state offices: Alaska, Arizona, 
California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana (North Dakota/South Dakota), New 
Mexico (Oklahoma/Texas/Nebraska), Nevada, Oregon (Washington), Utah and 
Wyoming.
    The BLM issued a Notice of Availability November 10, 2005, of BLM's 
Draft Vegetation Treatments Using Herbicides Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement and Draft Programmatic Environmental Report. The BLM 
held ten public hearings in late 2005, and extended the public comment 
period an additional 30 days to February 10, 2006.
    The BLM responded to over 5,500 individual public comments during 
the Draft Programmatic EIS public review period. Comment responses and 
resultant changes in the impact analysis are documented in this FPEIS 
and Environmental Report per requirements under 40 CFR 1503.4. 
Additional information and analysis is included in the FPEIS addressing 
comments related to degradates, use of Polyoxyethylene-amine (POEA) OEA 
and R-11 surfactants and risks associated with endocrine disrupting 
chemicals. In addition, the FPEIS contains Subsistence analysis 
required under Section 801(a) of the Alaska National Interest Lands 
Conservation Act (ANILCA). This decision was approved by the Department 
of the Interior, Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management; 
therefore, no administrative review through the Interior Board of Land 
Appeals pursuant to 43 CFR 4.5 will be available on the decisions made 
by this Record of Decision.

Todd S. Christensen,
Acting Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning.
[FR Doc. E7-19699 Filed 10-4-07; 8:45 am]
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