[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 230 (Friday, November 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67748-67750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-23190]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-040-1610-DQ]


Notice of Availability of the Proposed Resource Management Plan 
and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Ely Field Office, 
Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and under the authority of 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 Proposed 
Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (PRMP/
FEIS) for public lands and resources administered by the Ely Field 
Office, Nevada.

DATES: The BLM Planning Regulations set forth the provisions applicable 
to protests (43 CFR 1610.5-2). A person who meets the conditions as 
described in the regulations cited above, and who wishes to file a 
protest must file said protest within 30 days of the date this notice 
is published in the Federal Register. Additional information on 
protests is set forth in the Dear Reader letter of the Ely Proposed RMP 
and Final EIS and in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this 
notice. To ensure compliance with the protest regulations, please 
consult the BLM's Planning regulations at 43 CFR 1610.5-2.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to the mailing list, contact

[[Page 67749]]

Jeff Weeks, RMP Project Manager, 702 North Industrial Way, Ely, Nevada 
89301, (775) 289-1825, or correspond by e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Ely RMP planning area is located in 
east-central Nevada in Lincoln, White Pine and a portion of Nye 
counties. The planning area addressed in the RMP/EIS contains 
approximately 11,500,000 acres of public lands administered by the BLM 
Ely Field Office and the Caliente Field Station. The PRMP/FEIS focuses 
on the principles of multiple use and sustained yield as prescribed by 
section 202 of the FLPMA. The following entities participated in 
development of the RMP as cooperating agencies with special expertise: 
Great Basin National Park; Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest; Nellis Air 
Force Base; Nevada Department of Transportation; Nevada Division of 
Minerals; Nevada Department of Wildlife; Nevada State Historic 
Preservation Office; Lincoln County; Nye County; White Pine County; 
Duckwater Shoshone Tribe; Ely Shoshone Tribe; Moapa Band of Paiutes; 
and the Yomba Shoshone Tribe.
    The public involvement and collaboration process implemented for 
this effort included six open houses during scoping; presentations to 
interested organizations upon their invitation; presentations to and 
suggestions from the Mojave/Southern Great Basin and the Northeastern 
Great Basin resource advisory councils; distribution of information via 
the Ely RMP website and periodic newsletters; six public meetings on 
the Draft RMP/EIS; and public and agency review and comment on the 
Draft RMP/EIS. A copy of the PRMP/FEIS will be sent to individuals, 
groups, and agencies who requested a copy, or as required by regulation 
or policy.
    The PRMP/FEIS considers and analyzes five (5) alternatives, 
including the BLM's Proposed RMP, the No Action Alternative 
(continuation of existing management), and alternatives that emphasize 
restoration of ecological systems, commodity production, and exclusion 
of permitted discretionary uses. These alternatives were developed 
based on public input including public scoping comments; numerous 
meetings with local, county, state, tribal, and federal agencies 
(cooperating agencies); informal meetings with interested organizations 
upon their request; and public and agency comments on the Draft RMP/
EIS. The alternatives provide for an array of alternative land use 
allocations and variable levels of commodity production and resource 
protection and restoration. After any protests are resolved and any 
pertinent adjustments are made, an approved RMP and Record of Decision 
are expected to be available by the end of 2007.
    The issues addressed in the formulation of alternatives include 
maintenance and restoration of resiliency of vegetation within the 
Great Basin and Mojave Desert, protection and management of habitats 
for special status species, upland and riparian habitat management, 
noxious weed control, commercial uses (including livestock grazing, 
special recreation permits, mineral development, oil and gas leasing, 
rights-of-way, and communication use areas), designation of areas of 
critical environmental concern (ACECs), travel management, land 
disposal, and management of wild horses.
    The Proposed RMP would retain three existing ACECs: Beaver Dam 
Slope ACEC (36,800 acres), Kane Springs ACEC (61,680 acres), Mormon 
Mesa ACEC (109,680 acres) and would designate 17 new ACECs (114,270 
acres) for a total of 322,430 acres, which is less than 3 percent of 
the planning area. The new ACECs include:
    Baker Archaeological Site ACEC (80 acres).
    Baking Powder Flat ACEC (13,640).
    Blue Mass Scenic Area ACEC (950 acres).
    Condor Canyon ACEC (4,500 acres).
    Hendry's Creek/Rock Animal Corral ACEC (3,650 acres).
    Highland Range ACEC (6,900 acres).
    Honeymoon Hills/City of Rocks ACEC (3,900 acres).
    Lower Meadow Valley Wash ACEC (25,000 acres).
    Mount Irish ACEC (15,100 acres).
    Pahroc Rock Art ACEC (2,400 acres).
    Rose Guano Bat Cave ACEC (40 acres).
    Schlesser Pincushion ACEC (4,930 acres).
    Shooting Gallery ACEC (15,600 acres).
    Shoshone Ponds ACEC (1,240 acres).
    Snake Creek Indian Burial Cave ACEC (40 acres).
    Swamp Cedar ACEC (3,200 acres).
    White River Valley ACEC (13,100 acres).
    The following types of resource use limitations would generally 
apply to these ACECs: (1) Motorized travel would be limited to 
designated roads and trails; (2) limited collection of plants in ACECs 
designated for the protection of special status plants; (3) limitations 
on livestock grazing in ACECs designated for protection of special 
status plants and animals; (4) limits on land disposal and rights-of-
way; and (5) closure or limits on new mineral development (mineral 
leasing, locatable minerals and mineral material disposal) to protect 
unique cultural values, special status plants and animals. For detailed 
information, see Section 2.4.22 of the PRMP/FEIS.
    Documents pertinent to the PRMP/FEIS will be available for public 
review at the Ely Field Office, 702 North Industrial Way, Ely, Nevada 
during regular business hours, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. Review copies of the PRMP/FEIS are available 
at the following locations in and near the planning area:
    BLM Caliente Field Station.
    BLM Elko Field Office.
    BLM Ely Field Office.
    BLM Las Vegas Field Office.
    BLM Nevada State Office.
    Forest Service Ely Ranger District.
    Great Basin National Park.
    Lincoln County Courthouse.
    Lincoln County Public Library.
    Nye County Courthouse.
    Nye County Public Library.
    White Pine County Courthouse.
    White Pine County Public Library.
    The PRMP/FEIS may also be viewed and downloaded in PDF format at 
the Ely RMP Web site at http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/ely_field_office.html.
    As noted above, instructions for filing a protest with the Director 
of the BLM regarding the PRMP/FEIS may be found at 43 CFR 1610.5-2. 
Electronic mail and facsimile protests will be considered only if the 
protesting party provides BLM with the original letter by either 
regular or overnight mail postmarked by the close of the protest 
period. Under those conditions, the BLM will consider the electronic or 
facsimile version as an advance copy and it will receive full 
consideration. If you wish to provide the BLM with such advance 
notification, please direct faxed protests to the attention of the BLM 
protest coordinator at (202) 452-5112, and e-mails to [email protected]. All protests must be in writing and mailed to one of 
the following addresses:
    Regular Mail: Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 
66538, Washington, DC 20035.
    Overnight Mail: Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, 1620 L 
Street, NW., Suite 1075, Washington, DC 20036.

Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other 
personal identifying information in your protest, you should be aware 
that your entire protest--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your protest to

[[Page 67750]]

withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    As provided in 43 CFR 1610.5-2(a)(3), ``The Director shall promptly 
render a decision on the protest. The decision shall be in writing and 
shall set forth the reasons for the decision. The decision shall be 
sent to the protesting party by certified mail, return receipt 
requested. The decision of the Director shall be the final decision of 
the Department of the Interior.''

Ron Wenker,
State Director.
 [FR Doc. E7-23190 Filed 11-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P