[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 89 (Monday, May 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25876-25877]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-10990]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLUTC03000-16100000-LXSS004J0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare Resource Management Plans for the 
Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs National Conservation Areas and an 
Amendment to the St. George Field Office Resource Management Plan, and 
an Associated Environmental Impact Statement, Utah

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended; Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
(FLPMA) of 1976, as amended; and the Omnibus Public Land Management Act 
of 2009 (Pub. L 111-11), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) St. George 
Field Office (SGFO), St. George, Utah, intends to prepare Resource 
Management Plans (RMP) for the Beaver Dam Wash and the Red Cliffs 
National Conservation Areas and an amendment to the St. George Field 
Office RMP. The BLM SGFO will prepare a single Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to satisfy the NEPA requirements of this planning 
process. By this notice, the BLM is announcing the beginning of the 
scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates public scoping for this planning process 
and associated EIS. Comments on issues may be submitted in writing 
until June 9, 2010. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings 
will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media and 
at the following BLM Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george.html. In order to be considered in the Draft RMPs and Draft RMP 
Amendment/EIS (hereinafter Draft Plans and Amendment/EIS), all comments 
must be received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period or 30 
days after the last public meeting, whichever is later. We will provide 
additional opportunities for public participation upon publication of 
the Draft Plans and Amendment/EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to this planning effort by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george.html.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 435-688-3252.
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Attn: Project Manager, 
345 E. Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah, 84770.

Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the SGFO.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Keith Rigtrup, Project 
Manager, telephone (435) 586-2401, address Bureau of Land Management, 
345 E. Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah 84770; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM 
SGFO, St. George, Utah intends to prepare RMPs for the Beaver Dam Wash 
and the Red Cliffs National Conservation Areas and an amendment to the 
SGFO RMP with an associated EIS; announces the beginning of the scoping 
process; and seeks public input on issues and planning criteria. On 
March 30, 2009, Public Law 111-11 was signed into law. Section O of 
this legislation designated new units of BLM's National Landscape 
Conservation System in Washington County, Utah, including two National 
Conservation Areas (NCAs)--the approximately 63,500-acre Beaver Dam 
Wash NCA and the approximately 45,000-acre Red Cliffs NCA. The new NCAs 
have as their identified purposes, the conservation, protection, and 
enhancement of their ecological, natural, cultural/historical, 
recreational, scenic, educational, wildlife and scientific values, and 
to protect each species located in the NCA that is listed as a 
threatened or endangered species. The preparation of management plans 
for the two NCAs is mandated by Public Law 111-11 and will be completed 
through this planning effort. To bring the existing SGFO RMP into 
compliance with the new designations and mandates from Public Law 111-
11, the SGFO proposes to amend the RMP to address specific issues and 
public land uses. 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. The plan amendment will be guided by the planning criteria and 
will identify the issues to be resolved, explain or identify the 
current management situation, desired resource conditions to be 
maintained or achieved, and the management actions necessary to achieve 
those objectives. Specifically, the plan amendment will consider 
changes to the Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) area designations (Open, 
Closed, and Limited) approved through the 1999 SGFO RMP. The plan 
amendment will also consider nominations for Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern on public lands in Washington County ``where 
biological conservation is a priority,'' pursuant to section 1979 of 
Public Law 111-11. Preliminary issues for the planning area have been 
identified by BLM personnel; Federal, state, and local agencies; and 
other stakeholders. The issues include: Air quality, management of 
Beaver Dam Wash NCA, management of Red Cliffs NCA, and priority 
biological conservation areas.
    Preliminary planning criteria include:
    1. The public planning process for these NCAs will be guided by 
Public Law 111-11, in addition to FLPMA and NEPA.
    2. The BLM will use current scientific information, research, 
technologies, and results of inventory, monitoring, and coordination to 
determine appropriate local and regional management strategies that 
will enhance or restore impaired systems.
    3. The Joshua Tree Instant Study Area within the Beaver Dam Wash 
NCA will be carried forward in all alternatives for management of the 
Beaver Dam Wash NCA and the area will continue to be managed under 
Interim Management Policy for Lands Under Wilderness Review.
    4. The Joshua Tree National Natural Landmark within the Beaver Dam 
Wash NCA continues to be a valid designation and will be carried 
forward in all alternatives for management of Beaver Dam Wash NCA.
    5. New Wild and Scenic River proposals will not be evaluated or 
analyzed in this plan amendment process. One suitable river segment 
under SGFO administration that was not designated into the National 
System of Wild and Scenic Rivers by Public Law 111-11 will continue to 
be managed in accordance with BLM Manual 8351 Wild and Scenic Rivers--
Policy and Program Direction for Identification, Evaluation, and 
Management.
    6. Area designations (Open, Closed, or Limited Use) for motorized 
recreation will be consistent with the BLM

[[Page 25877]]

National Management Strategy for Motorized OHV Use on Public Lands and 
transportation and travel management policy.
    7. The designated OHV ``Open'' area of the Sand Mountain Special 
Recreation Management Area will remain Open under all alternatives of 
the plan amendment, consistent with the agreement for joint management 
by the State of Utah's Sand Hollow Reservoir State Park.
    8. Motorized travel routes designated through the Red Cliffs Desert 
Reserve Public Use Plan (2001) will be carried forward under one or 
more alternatives.
    9. At least one alternative will identify a ``northern 
transportation corridor,'' as mandated by Public Law 111-11.
    You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria to the BLM 
in writing, at any public scoping meeting, or you may submit them to 
the BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. 
In order to be considered in this planning process, all comments must 
be received prior to the close of the scoping period or 30 days after 
the last public meeting, whichever is later. 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 planning process;
    2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of this planning process.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the Draft Plans and 
Amendment/EIS as to why an issue was placed in category two or three. 
The public is also encouraged to help identify any management questions 
and concerns that should be addressed in the plan. The BLM will work 
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 team approach in the planning 
process to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns 
identified. Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines 
will be involved in the planning process: Air quality, archeology, 
biology, botany, climate change, ecology, lands and realty, 
paleontology, recreation, socio-economics, and soils and vegetation.

Approved:
Selma Sierra,
State Director.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 1610.2.
[FR Doc. 2010-10990 Filed 5-7-10; 8:45 am]
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