[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 111 (Thursday, June 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32963-32968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-13959]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNMF02000 L16100000.DP0000 LXSS026G0000]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan and 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Taos Field Office, New 
Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a 
Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Taos Field Office and by this notice is 
announcing the opening of the comment period.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Draft RMP/EIS within 90 days following the date 
the Environmental Protection Agency publishes this Notice of 
Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future 
meetings or hearings and any other public participation activities at 
least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or 
mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Taos Draft RMP/EIS by 
any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/fo/Taos_Field_Office/taos_rmpr.html.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Attention: Brad Higdon, 
226 Cruz Alta, Taos, New Mexico 87571.
    Copies of the Taos Draft RMP and EIS are available at the Taos 
Field Office at the above address and at the New Mexico State Office at 
301 Dinosaur Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87508.

[[Page 32964]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Brad 
Higdon, Planning and Environmental Coordinator, Taos Field Office, 
telephone (575) 751-4725; address 226 Cruz Alta, Taos, New Mexico 
87571; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Taos Draft RMP/EIS analyzes the 
environmental consequences of four alternative land use plans under 
consideration by the BLM for managing approximately 595,100 acres of 
surface estate and 1.5 million acres of mineral estate administered by 
the Taos Field Office within Colfax, Harding, Los Alamos, Mora, Rio 
Arriba, Santa Fe, Taos, and Union counties in northern New Mexico. This 
land use plan would replace the current Taos RMP approved in 1988 and 
is needed to provide updated management decisions including, but not 
limited to, land tenure adjustments, land use authorizations, mineral 
resources, recreation, renewable energy, special designations, 
transportation and access, and visiual resources. Upon approval, the 
Taos RMP will apply only to BLM-administered public lands and Federal 
mineral estate.
    The four alternatives analyzed in detail in the Draft RMP/EIS 
include the No Action Alternative, or a continuation of the existing 
management decisions; Alternative A, the BLM's preferred alternative, 
which provides for a balance of resource uses with protections; 
Alternative B, which emphasizes resource conservation and protection; 
and Alternative C, which allows for a greater opportunity for resource 
use and development. Among the special designations under consideration 
within the range of alternatives, Areas of Critical Environmental 
Concern (ACECs) are proposed to protect certain natural resource 
values. Pertinent information regarding these ACECs, including proposed 
designation acreages and resource use limitations per alternative, are 
sumarized in the table below.

                                        Proposed ACEC Designation Summary
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           ACEC & values               Summary of proposed resource use limitations      Variance by alternative
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Black Mesa                           Rights-of-way would be excluded.           No Action: 1,430 acres.
Cultural                             Livestock grazing would be excluded from   Alternative A: ACEC
Vegetation                           pueblo sites and areas where other conflicts with   rescinded; area would
                                     cultural resources are apparent, as well as the     be incorporated into
                                     325-acre Ojo Caliente Demonstration Area.           Ojo Caliente ACEC with
                                     Closed to fluid mineral leasing.            the identified resource
                                     Withdrawn from locatable mineral entry.     use limitations.
                                     Closed to mineral material sales.          Alternative B: Same as
                                                                                         Alternative A.
                                                                                        Alternative C: ACEC
                                                                                         would be rescinded.
                                     Closed to wind and solar energy.
                                     Portions would be closed to motorized
                                     travel, while the remaining area would be limited
                                     to designated roads.
                                     A portion would be managed to protect its
                                     wilderness characteristics.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chama Canyons                        Rights-of-way would be excluded.           No Action: 6,140 acres
Riparian                             Livestock grazing would not be available    would continue to be
Scenic                               along the Rio Cebolla. The availability of          managed as a Special
Water quality                        grazing within the wilderness study area would be   Management Area (SMA).
Wildlife                             subject to the Interim Management Policy for       Alternative A: 7,680
                                     Lands Under Wilderness Review (H-8550-1). Lands     acres.
                                     within the Chama Wild and Scenic River corridor    Alternative B: Same as
                                     and acquired lands would not be unavailable under   Alternative A.
                                     the no action alternative.                         Alternative C: ACEC
                                     Closed to fluid mineral leasing.            would not be designated
                                     Withdrawn from locatable mineral entry.     and SMA would be
                                                                                         rescinded.
                                     Closed to mineral material sales.
                                     Closed to wind and solar energy.
                                     Closed to motorized travel.
                                     Visual Resource Management (VRM) Class I
                                     would apply.
                                     A portion outside of the wilderness study
                                     area would be managed to protect its wilderness
                                     characteristics (Alternatives A and B only).
                                     No surface disturbing activities would be
                                     permitted.
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La Cienega                           Livestock grazing would be excluded from   No Action: 3,730 acres.
Cultural                             pueblo ruins and other areas where substantial     Alternative A: 13,390
Riparian                             conflicts with cultural resources are apparent to   acres.
Scenic                               protect these resources, as well as from Santa Fe  Alternative B: Same as
Wildlife habitat                     River canyon (Alternatives A and B only) to         Alternative A.
                                     protect riparian vegetation.                       Alternative C: Same as
                                     A no surface occupancy stipulation would    the no action
                                     be applied to fluid mineral leasing under the no    alternative.
                                     action alternative and Alternative C. Most of the
                                     area would be subject no surface occupancy under
                                     Alternatives A and B, while control surface use
                                     would be applied within the remainder of the
                                     area.
                                     Withdrawn from locatable mineral entry.
                                     Closed to mineral material sales.
                                     Closed to wind energy development
                                     (Alternatives A and B only).
                                     VRM Class I would apply to a portion of
                                     the area (Alternatives A and B only).

[[Page 32965]]

 
                                     Portions would be closed to motorized
                                     travel, while the remaining area would be limited
                                     to designated roads (Alternatives A and B only).
                                     No tree removal in a portion of the area.
                                     Santa Fe River canyon would be closed to
                                     target shooting (Alternatives A, B, and C only).
                                     No tree removal in T. 16 N., R. & E.,
                                     Sec. 7 to protect Gray Vireo habitat.
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Copper Hill                          Livestock grazing would be excluded from   All alternatives:
Cultural                             lands within allotments 518, 519, and 520, while    177,200 acres.
Fish habitat                         grazing would become excluded on allotment 521
Riparian                             when the permit is no longer used.
Scenic                               Rights-of-way would be excluded from Agua
Watershed                            Caliente, Rio Embudo, and Lower Embudo zones.
Wildlife habitat                     Closed to fluid mineral leasing under
                                     Alternative B, while only certain zones would be
                                     closed and/or subject to no surface occupancy
                                     under the other alternatives.
                                     Withdrawn from locatable mineral entry.
                                     Closed to mineral material sales except
                                     at Piedra Lumbre and Hilltop.
                                     Closed to wind and solar energy.
                                     Visual Resource Management Class I would
                                     apply to a portion of the area under the no
                                     action alternative and Alternatives A and B.
                                     Fire suppression methods causing surface
                                     disturbance would not be allowed in the Lower
                                     Embudo zone.
                                     Soil and vegetation disturbing activities
                                     would be prohibited within 100-year floodplains.
                                     Vehicle access to pueblo ruins in Lower
                                     Embudo zone by permit only.
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Galisteo Basin                       450 acres of public lands would be         No Action: 80 acres
Cultural                             managed according to the provisions of the          would continue to be
                                     Galisteo Basin Archaeological Sites Protection      managed as an SMA.
                                     Act of 2004 under all alternatives.                Alternative A: 450
                                     Livestock grazing would be excluded from    acres.
                                     cultural sites (i.e., pueblo ruins).               Alternative B: 450
                                     Rights-of-way would be excluded.            acres.
                                     Closed to fluid mineral leasing.           Alternative C: ACEC
                                                                                         would not be
                                                                                         designated.
                                     Withdrawn from locatable mineral entry.
                                     Closed to mineral material sales.
                                     Closed to wind and solar energy.
                                     Closed to target shooting.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lower Gorge                          Withdrawn from public land laws.           No Action: 16,510 acres
Cultural                             Rights-of-way would be excluded except      (includes designated
Riparian                             for road upgrades to improve safety or to provide   Wild and Scenic River
Special Status Species               access or utility service to non-federal lands      corridor).
Wildlife habitat                     where no practicable alternative exists.           Alternative A: 21,150
                                     Livestock grazing would be excluded from    acres.
                                     riparian and wetland areas.                        Alternative B: Same as
                                     Closed to fluid mineral leasing.            Alternative A.
                                     Withdrawn from locatable mineral entry.    Alternative C: 14,490
                                                                                         acres (does not include
                                                                                         designated Wild and
                                                                                         Scenic River corridor).
                                     Closed to mineral material sales.
                                     Closed to wind and solar energy.
                                     A portion of the area would be managed as
                                     VRM Class I (Alternatives A and B only).
                                     Soil- and vegetation-disturbing
                                     activities would be prohibited within 100-year
                                     floodplains to prevent the degradation of aquatic
                                     habitat.
                                     Southwestern willow flycatcher habitat
                                     would be protected.
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Ojo Caliente                         Rights-of-way would be excluded from the   No Action: 13,370 acres.
Cultural                             Rincon del Cuervo area under Alternatives A and    Alternative A: 66,150
Ecological Processes                 B, as well as the Cerro Colorado area under         acres.
Riparian                             Alternative B.                                     Alternative B: 66,150
Scenic                               Livestock grazing would be excluded from    acres.
Special Status Species               pueblo ruins and other areas where substantial     Alternative C: 13,370
Wildlife habitat                     conflicts with cultural resources are apparent,     acres.
                                     as well as from the 325-acre Ojo Caliente
                                     Demonstration Area.
                                     Closed to fluid mineral leasing under
                                     Alternatives A and B, while nearly a third of the
                                     area would be closed under the no action
                                     alternative and Alternative C.
                                     Withdrawn from locatable mineral entry
                                     (Alternatives A and B only).

[[Page 32966]]

 
                                     Mostly closed to mineral material sales
                                     (Alternative A and B only).
                                     Closed to wind and solar energy.
                                     A portion would be closed to motorized
                                     travel, while the remaining area would be limited
                                     to designated roads (Alternatives A, B, and C
                                     only).
                                     VRM Class I would apply to the Rincon del
                                     Cuervo under Alternatives A and B, as well as
                                     Cerro Colorado under Alternative B.
                                     Rincon del Cuervo would be managed to
                                     protect its wilderness characteristics under
                                     Alternatives A and B, as well as the Cerro
                                     Colorado area under Alternative B.
                                     Soil- and vegetation-disturbing
                                     activities would be prohibited within 100-year
                                     floodplains to prevent the degradation of aquatic
                                     habitat.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pueblos                              Rights-of-way would be excluded.           No Action: Six pueblos
Cultural                             Livestock grazing would be excluded from    on 315 acres would
                                     pueblo ruin sites.                                  continue to be managed
                                     Closed to fluid mineral leasing.            as an SMA.
                                     Withdrawn from locatable mineral entry.    Alternative A: 240 aces
                                     Mostly closed to mineral material sales.    (two sites included in
                                     Closed to wind and solar energy             the SMA under the no
                                     (Alternatives A and B).                             action alternative are
                                     Other resource uses, except for site        incorporated into other
                                     recordation or research, would not be allowed at    ACECs).
                                     the pueblo ruin sites.                             Alternative B: Same as
                                                                                         Alternative A.
                                                                                        Alternative C: 335 acres
                                                                                         (includes six sites
                                                                                         included in the SMA
                                                                                         under the no action
                                                                                         alternative plus two
                                                                                         additional sites).
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Riparian/Aquatic                     Rights-of-way would be excluded unless     No Action: 2,250 acres.
Riparian                             impacts can be mitigated, based on site-specific   Alternative A: ACEC
Aquatic                              analysis.                                           would be rescinded.
                                     Livestock grazing would be excluded from   Alternative B: 1,275
                                     select riparian areas or where livestock grazing    acres (limited to
                                     is determined to degrade the resource and cannot    riparian areas not
                                     be mitigated otherwise.                             within other ACECs or
                                     Portions would be closed to fluid mineral   along designated Wild
                                     leasing, while others would have no surface         and Scenic Rivers).
                                     occupancy or controlled surface use stipulations   Alternative C: ACEC
                                     attached to leases.                                 would be rescinded.
                                     Withdrawn from locatable mineral entry.
                                     Mostly closed to mineral material sales.
                                     Closed to wind and solar energy under
                                     Alternative B.
                                     Much of the area would be closed to
                                     motorized travel under the no action alternative.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sabinoso                             Rights-of-way would be excluded.           No Action: 19,570 acres
Riparian                             Livestock grazing would be excluded in      would continue to be
Scenic                               riparian areas.                                     managed as an SMA.
Wildlife habitat                     Closed to fluid mineral leasing (within    Alternative A: 19,780
                                     designated wilderness only under the no action      acres.
                                     alternative).                                      Alternative B: Same as
                                     Withdrawn from locatable mineral entry      Alternative A.
                                     (within designated wilderness only under the no    Alternative C: ACEC
                                     action alternative).                                would be rescinded.
                                     Closed to mineral material sales (within
                                     designated wilderness only under the no action
                                     alternative).
                                     Closed to wind and solar energy (within
                                     designated wilderness only under the no action
                                     alternative).
                                     The designated wilderness would be closed
                                     to motorized travel.
                                     VRM Class I would apply.
                                     A portion of the area adjacent to
                                     Sabinoso Wilderness would be managed to protect
                                     its wilderness characteristics (Alternatives A
                                     and B only).
                                     Soil- and vegetation-disturbing
                                     activities would be restricted in order to reduce
                                     soil loss and degradation to water quality.
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[[Page 32967]]

 
San Antonio (includes the San        Livestock grazing would be unavailable     No Action: 57,750 acres
 Antonio Gorge and Winter Range      within the Rio San Antonio corridor.                would continue to be
 ACEC units)                         The San Antonio Wilderness Study Area       managed as an SMA and
Ecological Processes                 (WSA), Rio San Antonio corridor, and Warm Springs   include smaller ACEC
Riparian                             area would be closed to fluid mineral leasing,      units.
Scenic                               while the remaining area would be subject to       Alternative A: ACEC
Wildlife habitat                     controlled surface use, including timing            rescinded, but area
                                     limitations.                                        would be incorporate
                                     Withdraw the San Antonio Gorge and Los      into Taos Plateau ACEC.
                                     Cerritos de la Cruz areas from locatable mineral   Alternative B: ACEC
                                     entry.                                              rescinded, but area
                                     Close the San Antonio WSA, San Antonio      would be incorporate
                                     Gorge, and Los Cerritos de Taos to mineral          into Taos Plateau ACEC.
                                     material sales.                                    Alternative C: The SMA
                                     The San Antonio WSA and Rio San Antonio     and its ACEC units
                                     corridor would be closed to motorized travel        would be rescinded, but
                                     (Alternative C only).                               the whole area would be
                                     Visual Resource Management Class I would    designated a single
                                     apply to San Antonio WSA and the Rio San Antonio    ACEC.
                                     corridor (Alternative C only).
                                     Soil- and vegetation-disturbing
                                     activities would be prohibited within 100-year
                                     floodplains to prevent the degradation of aquatic
                                     habitat.
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Santa Fe Ranch                       Rights-of-way would be excluded with       No Action: No existing
Cultural                             certain exceptions.                                 ACEC.
Geological Scenic                    A portion would be closed to fluid         Alternative A: 21,032
Special Status Species               mineral leasing while the majority would have       acres.
Wildlife habitat                     controlled surface use stipulations attached to    Alternative B: 21,032
                                     leases.                                             acres.
                                     The Buckman-Diablo Canyon area would be    Alternative C: ACEC
                                     withdrawn from locatable mineral entry.             would not be
                                     Closed to mineral material sales.           designated.
                                     Closed to wind energy.
                                     A portion would be closed to motorized
                                     travel. Vehicular use of the arroyo in Diablo
                                     Canyon would be allowed by permit only.
                                     Visual Resource Management Class I would
                                     apply to a portion on the area, but to a larger
                                     portion under Alternative B.
                                     Ephemeral stream channels would be
                                     protected to maintain stable hydrological
                                     processes and appropriate vegetative communities
                                     as measured by diversity and cover density.
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Sombrillo                            A 115-acre Off-Highway Vehicle staging     No Action: 8,600 acres.
Cultural                             area would be unavailable to livestock grazing     Alternative A: 17,440
Paleontological                      (Alternative A only).                               acres.
Scenic                               Controlled surface use stipulations would  Alternative B: 17,440
                                     be applied to fluid mineral leases under the no     acres.
                                     action alternative and Alternative C, while no     Alternative C: 8,600
                                     surface occupancy would be applied under            acres.
                                     Alternatives A and B.
                                     The 60-acre traditional cultural property
                                     would be withdrawn from locatable mineral entry
                                     (Alternatives A and B only).
                                     Closed to mineral material sales
                                     (Alternatives A and B only).
                                     Ephemeral stream channels would be
                                     protected to maintain stable hydrological
                                     processes and appropriate vegetative communities
                                     as measured by diversity and cover density.
                                     Soil- and vegetation-disturbing
                                     activities would be restricted in order to reduce
                                     soil loss and degradation to water quality.
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Taos Plateau                         Rights-of-way would be excluded from the   No Action: No existing
Scenic                               Wild Rivers, Ute Mountain, and San Antonio areas.   ACEC.
Special Status Species               Livestock grazing would be limited and     Alternative A: 222,500
Water quality and quantity           managed to ensure enhancement of critical elk and   acres.
Wetlands                             pronghorn winter range. No increase in grazing     Alternative B: 222,500
Wildlife habitat                     preference would be permitted.                      acres.
                                     The Ute Mountain, San Antonio, and Wild    Alternative C: ACEC not
                                     Rivers areas would be closed to fluid mineral       designated.
                                     leasing under Alternative A, while the entire
                                     ACEC would be closed under Alternative B.
                                     The North Unit, Ute Mountain, and Wild
                                     Rivers areas would be withdrawn from locatable
                                     mineral entry under Alternatives A and B, while
                                     the San Antonio area would also be withdrawn
                                     under Alternative B.
                                     Closed to mineral material sales.
                                     Closed to wind and solar energy.
                                     Cerro de la Olla, the San Antonio area,
                                     and Ute Mountain would be closed to motorized
                                     travel.
                                     Visual Resource Management Class I would
                                     apply to the Ute Mountain and San Antonio areas.
                                     Cerro de la Olla, the San Antonio area,
                                     and Ute Mountain would be managed to protect
                                     their wilderness characteristics.

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                                     Modification of playa surface and
                                     adjacent uplands would be prohibited.
                                     Coordinate with U.S. Forest Service to
                                     close Forest Road 1016 on a seasonal basis.
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    The land use planning process was initiated on May 26, 2006, 
through a Notice of Intent published in the Federal Register (Volume 
71, Number 102, Page 30446), notifying the public of a formal scoping 
period and soliciting public participation in the planning process. 
Four scoping meetings were held in June 2006 in Taos, Las Vegas, 
Espanola, and Santa Fe. A scoping presentation was also made at an 
Eight Northern Pueblos Council meeting to engage the Governors of the 
eight Northern Pueblos. In addition, two Economic Profile System 
workshops were held in July 2006 to work with local citizens and 
community leaders to develop a common understanding of the local 
economies and the ways in which land use planning decisions might 
affect them. During the scoping period, which ended August 31, 2006, 
the public provided the Taos Field Office with input on relevant issues 
to consider in the planning process. Based on this public input and the 
BLM's goals and objectives, the Taos Field Office was able to formulate 
the four alternatives for consideration and analysis in the Draft RMP/
EIS. Following the close of the public review and comment period, 
public comments will be used to revise the Draft RMP/EIS in preparation 
for its release to the public as the Taos Proposed Resource Management 
Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement. The BLM will respond to 
each substantive comment by making appropriate revisions to the 
document or by explaining why a comment did not warrant a change. 
Notice of the availability of the Proposed RMP and Final EIS will be 
posted in the Federal Register.
    Please note that public comments and information submitted, 
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of respondents, 
will be available for public review and disclosure at the above address 
during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through 
Friday, except holidays.
    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.

Jesse Juen,
Acting State Director.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6; 40 CFR 1506.10; 43 CFR 1610.2.

[FR Doc. 2010-13959 Filed 6-9-10; 8:45 am]
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