[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 122 (Friday, June 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 36442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-15363]



[[Page 36442]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-840-1610-DR]


Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Canyons of 
the Ancients National Monument Resource Management Plan/Environmental 
Impact Statement

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)/Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) 
for the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument located in Montezuma 
and Dolores counties in southwest Colorado. The Colorado State Director 
signed the ROD on June 14, 2010, which constitutes the final decision 
of the BLM and makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD/Approved RMP are available upon request 
from the Field Manager, Anasazi Heritage Center, Bureau of Land 
Management, 27501 Highway 184, Dolores, Colorado 81323. Copies of the 
ROD/Approved RMP are available for public inspection at:

     Anasazi Heritage Center, 27501 Highway 184, Dolores, 
Colorado 81323
     Dolores Public Lands Center, 29211 Highway 184, Dolores, 
Colorado 81323
     San Juan Public Lands Center, 15 Burnett Court, Durango, 
Colorado 81301
     Dolores Public Library, 420 Railroad Ave., Dolores, 
Colorado 81323
     Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park, Cortez, Colorado 81321
     Mancos Public Library, 111 N. Main, Mancos, Colorado 81328
     Dolores County Extension Office, 409 N. Main, Dove Creek, 
Colorado 81324
     Durango Public Library, 1188 E. 2nd Ave., Durango, 
Colorado 81301
Interested persons may also review the ROD/Approved RMP at the 
following Web site: http://www.blm.gov/rmp/canm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Musclow, Monument Planner, 
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, 27501 Highway 184, Dolores, 
Colorado 81323, Phone: (970) 882-5632.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning effort for the Canyons of the 
Ancients National Monument officially began in April 2002 with an 
extended public scoping period. Since then the BLM has maintained 
public interest and input through meetings and workshops, open houses, 
field trips, presentations, newsletters, public notices and 
announcements, and a planning Web site. In addition, an 11-member 
Monument Advisory Committee was established in June 2003, and continues 
today as a Monument Sub-Group of the Southwest Resource Advisory 
Council, to provide recommendations on management of the Monument. The 
Plan is a result of a collaborative process that involved local, state, 
Federal and tribal interests. The plan provides a framework to guide 
subsequent management decisions on approximately 170,730 acres managed 
by the BLM. Within the Monument boundary, there are approximately 400 
acres of National Park Service lands (Hovenweep National Monument) and 
12,200 acres of private inholdings. Until the signing of the ROD, the 
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument was being managed under the 
BLM 1985 San Juan/San Miguel RMP and the Interim Guidance provided 
after the National Monument was established. The current Approved RMP 
now provides the management direction for the National Monument. The 
Monument was established to protect nationally and internationally 
significant cultural and natural resources on a landscape scale, and is 
a component of the BLM's National Landscape Conservation System. The 
Plan balances this primary focus with ongoing multiple-uses including 
fluid mineral extraction, livestock grazing, recreation use, and 
transportation needs. The Proposed RMP/Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) was published in July 2009, and identified a proposed 
plan which has been carried forward in the ROD. Fourteen protests were 
received on the Proposed RMP/Final EIS. No inconsistencies were 
identified with state plans during the Governor's consistency review of 
the Proposed RMP/Final EIS. The Montezuma County Comprehensive Plan, 
however, ``places the highest priority on the continuation of 
traditional and historic uses such as grazing, timber harvesting, 
mining, and energy development'' (Pg. 12-2, No 4). No changes to the 
proposed plan occurred as a result of these reviews. Minor 
clarifications were made in preparing the Approved RMP and are 
highlighted in the ROD. The decisions identifying routes of travel 
within designated areas are implementation decisions and are appealable 
under 43 CFR Part 4. These decisions are contained on Map 5 of the 
Approved RMP. Any party adversely affected by the proposed route 
identifications may appeal within 30 days of publication of this Notice 
of Availability pursuant to 43 CFR part 4, subpart E. The appeal should 
state the specific route(s), as identified on Map 5 of the Approved 
RMP, on which the decision is being appealed. The appeal must be filed 
with the Monument Manager at the above listed address. Please consult 
the appropriate regulations (43 CFR part 4, subpart E) for further 
appeal requirements.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6.

Helen M. Hankins,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-15363 Filed 6-24-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P