[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 212 (Friday, October 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64983-64984]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26089]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[UT-110-1610-029J, UT-060-1610-016J, UT-070-1610-011J, UT-050-1610-
012J, UT-080-1610-010J]


Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Kanab, Moab, 
Price, Richfield, and Vernal Approved Resource Management Plans

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The BLM announces the availability of the Approved Resource 
Management Plans (RMPs)/Records of Decision (RODs) for the Kanab, Moab, 
Price, Richfield, and Vernal Field Offices located in Utah. The 
Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals 
Management signed the RODs for the Kanab, Moab, Price, Richfield, and 
Vernal planning areas on October 31, 2008, which constitute the final 
decisions of the Department of the Interior and makes the Approved RMPs 
effective immediately.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Approved RMPs/RODs are available upon request 
at each of the five BLM Field Offices:
     BLM Kanab Field Office, 318 North 100 East, Kanab, Utah 
84741, or via the Internet at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/kanab/planning/html
     BLM Moab Field Office, 82 East Dogwood, Moab, UT 84532, or 
via the Internet at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/planning/html 
     BLM Price Field Office, 125 South 600 West, Price, Utah 
84501, or via the Internet at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/price/planning/html
     BLM Richfield Field Office, 150 East 900 North, Richfield, 
Utah 84701, or via the Internet at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/richfield/planning/html
     BLM Vernal Field Office, 170 South 500 East, Vernal, Utah 
84078, or via the Internet at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/vernal/planning/html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
     BLM Kanab Field Office, Harry Barber, Field Office 
Manager, telephone (435) 644-4600; 318 North 100 East, Kanab, Utah 
84741.
     BLM Moab Field Office, Brent Northrup, RMP Project 
Manager, telephone (435) 259-2100; 82 East Dogwood, Moab, Utah 84532.
     BLM Price Field Office, Floyd Johnson, Assistant Field 
Office Manager, telephone (435) 636-3600; 125 South 600 West, Price, 
Utah 84501.
     BLM Richfield Field Office, John Russell, Land Use 
Planner, telephone (435) 896-1532; 150 East 900 North, Richfield, Utah 
84701.
     BLM Vernal Field Office, Howard Cleavinger, Assistant 
Field Office Manager, telephone (435) 781-4480; 170 South 500 East, 
Vernal, Utah 84078.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These five Approved RMPs were developed with 
multiple opportunities for public participation through multi-year 
collaborative planning processes. The BLM sought participation from the 
public, tribes, and local, State, and Federal agencies in the 
development of these five RMPs and will continue to pursue partnerships 
in the management of public lands. No inconsistencies with State or 
local plans, policies, or programs were identified during the 
Governor's consistency review of the five Proposed RMPs and Final 
Environmental Impact Statements (EIS). The Approved RMPs are designed 
to achieve or maintain desired future conditions identified through the 
planning processes.
    The Kanab Field Office Approved RMP/ROD addresses management of 
approximately 550,000 acres of BLM-administered surface lands and an 
additional 96,600 acres of federally owned mineral estate in Kane and 
Garfield Counties, Utah. The planning effort addressed a variety of 
management issues, including: Visual resources; recreation and off-
highway vehicle management; special designations including Areas of 
Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and suitability recommendations 
for wild and scenic rivers; cultural resources; lands with wilderness 
characteristics;

[[Page 64984]]

range management and livestock grazing; mineral resources; and special 
status species, among others. The Kanab Approved RMP/ROD is nearly the 
same as Alternative B in the Kanab Proposed RMP/Final EIS, published in 
July 2008, and carries forward the designation decisions for two ACECs, 
as described in the Proposed RMP/Final EIS.
    The Moab Field Office Approved RMP/ROD addresses management of 
approximately 1.8 million acres of BLM-administered surface lands and 
1.9 million acres of federally owned mineral estate in Grand County and 
a small portion of San Juan County, Utah. The planning effort addressed 
a variety of management issues, including: Recreation opportunities 
especially within Special Recreation Management Areas; off-highway 
vehicle management; cultural resources; special designations including 
ACECs and suitability recommendations for wild and scenic rivers; lands 
with wilderness characteristics; visual resources; range management and 
livestock grazing; oil, gas and mining; and special status species, 
among others. The Moab Approved RMP/ROD is nearly the same as 
Alternative C in the Moab Proposed RMP/Final EIS, published in August 
2008, and carries forward the designation decisions for five ACECs, as 
described in the Proposed RMP/Final EIS.
    The Price Field Office Approved RMP/ROD addresses management of 
approximately 2.5 million acres of BLM-administered surface lands and 
2.8 million acres of federally owned mineral estate in Emery and Carbon 
Counties, Utah. The planning effort addressed a variety of management 
issues, including: Oil and gas leasing; management of recreation 
opportunities in Special Recreation Management Areas; visual resources; 
off-highway vehicle management; special designations, including ACECs 
and suitability recommendations for wild and scenic rivers; range 
management and livestock grazing; lands with wilderness 
characteristics; and cultural resources, among others. The Price 
Approved RMP/ROD is the nearly the same as Alternative D in the Price 
Proposed RMP/Final EIS, published in August 2008, and carries forward 
the designation decisions for 13 ACECs, as described in the Proposed 
RMP/Final EIS.
    The Richfield Field Office Approved RMP/ROD addresses management of 
approximately 2.1 million acres of BLM-administered surface lands and 
3.0 million acres of federally owned mineral estate in Garfield, Piute, 
Sanpete, Sevier and Wayne Counties, Utah. The planning effort addressed 
a variety of resource issues, including: Visual resources; recreation 
and off-highway vehicle management; lands with wilderness 
characteristics; cultural resources; special designations, including 
ACECs and suitability recommendations for wild and scenic rivers; range 
management and livestock grazing; minerals and energy resources; and 
special status species, among others. The Richfield Approved RMP/ROD is 
the nearly the same as Alternative B in the Richfield Proposed RMP/
Final EIS, published in August 2008, and carries forward the 
designation decisions of two ACECs, as described in the Proposed RMP/
Final EIS.
    The Vernal Field Office Approved RMP/ROD addresses management of 
approximately 1.7 million acres of BLM-administered surface lands and 
2.8 million acres of federally owned mineral estate in Daggett, 
Duchesne, and Uintah Counties, Utah. The planning effort addressed a 
variety of management issues, including: Oil and gas leasing; rights-
of-way; recreation and off-highway vehicle management; cultural 
resources; special designations, including ACECs and suitability 
recommendations for wild and scenic rivers; range management and 
livestock grazing; and special status species, among others. The Vernal 
Approved RMP/ROD is the nearly the same as Alternative A in the Vernal 
Proposed RMP/Final EIS, published in August 2008, and carries forward 
the designation decisions for seven ACECs, as described in the Proposed 
RMP/Final EIS.
    The BLM Director's Office has dismissed or resolved each of the 87 
protests received, thus allowing for immediate implementation of the 
Approved RMPs. These RODs serve as the final decision by the Department 
of the Interior for the land use plan and implementation-level 
decisions in the Approved RMP.

Jeff Rawson,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. E8-26089 Filed 10-30-08; 8:45 am]
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