[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 98 (Friday, May 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 24033]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-11897]



[[Page 24033]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[MT-066-09-1610-DR-024E]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision and Approved 
Resource Management Plan for the Butte Field Office, Montana

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Record of Decision (ROD) and Approved Resource Management Plan 
(RMP) for the Butte Field Office, Montana. The Montana State Director 
signed the ROD, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and 
makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD and Approved RMP are available upon 
request from the Field Manager, Butte Field Office, BLM, 106 North 
Parkmont, Butte, MT 59401-3388, or via the Internet at http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/butte_field_office.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim La Marr, Project Manager, BLM, 106 
North Parkmont, Butte, MT 59701; or by calling (406) 533-7645.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Butte Field Office manages about 307,000 
acres of public land and about 661,000 acres of Federal mineral estate 
in Beaverhead, Broadwater, Deerlodge, Gallatin, Jefferson, Lewis and 
Clark, Park, and Silver Bow Counties in western Montana. The planning 
process for the RMP addressed the following five major issues: (1) How 
will vegetation on the BLM lands be managed to achieve healthy 
ecosystems while providing for a broad range of multiple uses? (2) How 
will the BLM lands be managed to protect wildlife and fish habitat, and 
to conserve and recover special status and priority species? (3) How 
should the BLM manage motorized public travel to meet the needs of 
public access and resource uses while minimizing user conflicts and 
impacts to air, soil, watershed, vegetation, wildlife, and other 
resource values? (4) How should recreation be managed to accommodate 
the full range of recreational uses enjoyed by the public on the BLM 
lands? (5) Which areas, if any, should be managed as special 
designations, and how should such areas be managed to protect values 
that warrant this status?
    The Approved RMP was prepared under the authorities of the Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) and the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The Approved RMP is nearly 
identical to the Proposed Plan (Alternative B) presented in the 2008 
Proposed RMP/Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Decisions in 
the ROD are either land use planning decisions that were protestable 
under the planning regulations (43 CFR subpart 1610), or implementation 
decisions that are now appealable under the regulations discussed 
below.
    The BLM received six valid protest letters during the 30-day 
protest period provided for the Proposed RMP/Final EIS in accordance 
with 43 CFR 1610.5-2. The BLM Director addressed all the protests 
without making significant changes to the Proposed RMP; minor 
corrections and clarifications are included in the ``Clarifications'' 
section of the ROD.
    Site-specific travel route decisions for the Helena Travel Planning 
Area (TPA), East Helena TPA, Lewis and Clark County NW TPA, Boulder/
Jefferson City TPA, and Upper Big Hole River TPA are subject to a 
separate appeals process. These decisions are implementation decisions 
contained in the ``Implementation Decisions Covered Under this Record 
of Decision'' section of the ROD and are appealable under 43 CFR part 
4, subpart E. Any party adversely affected by site-specific travel 
route decisions in these five TPAs may appeal within 30 days of 
publication of this Notice of Availability. The appeal should state the 
specific travel route(s), as identified in the ROD and Approved RMP, on 
which the decision is being appealed. The appeal must be filed with the 
Butte Field Manager at the above listed address. Please consult the 
cited regulations for further appeal requirements.

    Authority:  43 U.S.C. 1712; 42 U.S.C. 4332.

Gene R. Terland,
State Director.
[FR Doc. E9-11897 Filed 5-21-09; 8:45 am]
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