[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 9, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10811-10813]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4974]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNMP01000 L16100000 DO0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan Amendment 
to the Roswell Resource Management Plan for the Fort Stanton--Snowy 
River Cave National Conservation Area and Associated Environmental 
Assessment, New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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

SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Federal

[[Page 10812]]

Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, and the 
Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) Roswell Field Office, Roswell, New Mexico, intends to 
prepare an amendment to the Roswell Resource Management Plan (RMP) with 
an associated Environmental Assessment (EA) to guide management of the 
Fort Stanton--Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area (NCA), and by 
this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to 
solicit public comments and identify issues.

DATES: Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until April 8, 
2010. The dates and locations of any scoping meetings will be announced 
at least 15 days in advance through local media and the BLM Web site 
at: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en.html. In order to be included in the 
Draft RMP amendment and EA, all comments must be received prior to the 
close of the scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, 
whichever is later. We will provide additional opportunities for public 
participation upon publication of the Draft RMP amendment and EA.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to the Fort Stanton--Snowy River Cave RMP amendment and EA by 
any of the following methods:
     Web Site: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en.html;
     E-mail: [email protected];
     Fax: 575-627-0276; and
     Mail: Roswell Field Office, 2909 W. 2nd St., Roswell, New 
Mexico 88201.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Roswell 
Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Howard Parman, Planning 
Team Leader, telephone 575-627-0212; address: Roswell Field Office, 
2909 W. 2nd St., Roswell, New Mexico 88201; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area is located in Lincoln 
County, New Mexico, and encompasses approximately 25,000 acres of 
public land. The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine 
relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental 
analysis, including alternatives, and guide the planning process. BLM 
personnel, Federal, State and local agencies, and other stakeholders 
have identified preliminary issues for the planning area. These issues 
include balancing protection of the Snowy River passages with access to 
Fort Stanton Cave, and coordinating with State and local agencies for 
more effective management of the NCA. Parts of Snowy River passages are 
unexplored, and may be within other governmental jurisdictions, 
specifically U.S. Forest Service lands (Lincoln National Forest) and 
lands owned by the Village of Ruidoso (Sierra Blanca Regional Airport).
    Preliminary planning criteria include the following:
    1. Management decisions set forth in the Fort Stanton--Snowy River 
Cave RMP amendment and EA will be in compliance with the Omnibus Public 
Land Management Act of 2009, FLPMA, and NEPA;
    2. Decisions in the Fort Stanton--Snowy River Cave RMP amendment 
and EA will apply to the surface and subsurface estate managed by the 
BLM;
    3. For program-specific guidance for decisions at the land use 
planning level, the process will follow the BLM's policies in the Land 
Use Planning Handbook, H-1601-1;
    4. Public participation and collaboration will be an integral part 
of the planning process;
    5. The BLM will strive to make decisions in the plan compatible 
with the existing plans and policies of adjacent local, State, and 
Federal agencies, and local American Indian tribes, as long as the 
decisions are consistent with the laws, regulations and policies 
governing the public lands;
    6. The Fort Stanton--Snowy River Cave RMP amendment and EA will 
recognize valid existing rights;
    7. The Fort Stanton--Snowy River Cave RMP amendment and EA will 
incorporate, where applicable, management decisions brought forward 
from existing planning documents;
    8. The BLM staff will work cooperatively and collaboratively with 
cooperating agencies and all other interested groups, agencies, and 
individuals;
    9. The BLM and cooperating agencies will jointly develop 
alternatives for resolution of resource management issues and 
management concerns;
    10. Fire management strategies will be consistent with the Roswell 
Field Office Fire Management Plan (2004);
    11. The BLM will consider public safety and welfare when addressing 
hazardous materials and fire management;
    12. GIS and metadata information will meet Federal Geographic Data 
Committee standards, as required by Executive Order 12906, and all 
other applicable BLM data standards will be followed;
    13. The planning process will provide for ongoing consultation with 
Tribes to identify strategies for protecting recognized traditional 
uses;
    14. Planning and management direction will focus on the relative 
values of resources and not the combination of uses that will give the 
greatest economic return or economic output;
    15. The BLM will consider the quantity and quality of non-commodity 
resource values;
    16. The best available scientific information, research, and new 
technologies will be used in this planning effort;
    17. Management decisions must allow for flexibility while 
supporting adaptive management principles; and
    18. The Economic Profile System will be used as one source of 
demographic and economic data for the planning process, which will 
provide baseline data and contribute to estimates of existing and 
projected social and economic conditions.
    You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing 
to the BLM at any public scoping meeting, or you may submit them to the 
BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. To 
be most helpful, you should submit comments within 30 days after the 
last public meeting. Before including your address, phone number, e-
mail address, or other personal identifying information in your 
comment, you should be aware 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 your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so. The minutes and list of attendees for each 
scoping meeting will be available to the public and open for 30 days 
after the meeting to any participant who wishes to clarify the views he 
or she expressed. The BLM will evaluate identified issues to be 
addressed in the plan, and will place them into one of three 
categories:
    1. Issues to be resolved in the plan;
    2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
and
    3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the Draft RMP amendment and 
EA as to why it placed an issue in category 2 or 3. The public is also 
encouraged to help identify any management questions and concerns that 
should be addressed in the plan. The BLM will work

[[Page 10813]]

collaboratively with interested parties to identify the management 
decisions that are best suited to local, regional, and national needs 
and concerns.
    The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan 
in order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns 
identified. Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines 
will be involved in the planning process: Rangeland management, 
minerals and geology, outdoor recreation, archaeology, paleontology, 
wildlife, lands and realty, hydrology, soils, sociology, economics, and 
cave resources.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.3, 40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 1610.2.

Linda S. C. Rundell,
New Mexico State Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-4974 Filed 3-8-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VA-P