[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 175 (Friday, September 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55344-55345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-22607]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLUTC01000--16100000--LXSS005J0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan for the 
Cedar City Field Office, Utah, and Associated Environmental Impact 
Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance 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) Cedar City Field 
Office, Cedar City, Utah, intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan 
(RMP) with an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
Cedar City Field Office. This notice announces the beginning of the 
scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues. The RMP 
will replace the existing Cedar-Beaver-Garfield-Antimony RMP (1986) and 
Pinyon Management Framework Plan (1983).

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the RMP 
with associated EIS. Comments on issues may be submitted in writing 
until December 9, 2010. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping 
meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local 
media outlets and through the Cedar City BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/cedar_city.html. In order to be included in 
the Draft RMP/EIS, 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/EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to the Cedar City RMP/EIS by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/cedar_city.html.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 435-865-3058.
     Mail: 176 East DL Sargent Drive, Cedar City, Utah 84721.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Cedar 
City Field Office.

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: 176 East DL Sargent Drive, 
Cedar City, Utah 84721; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM 
Field Office, Cedar City, Utah, intends to prepare an RMP with an 
associated EIS for the Cedar City Field Office; announces the beginning 
of the scoping process; and seeks public input on issues and planning 
criteria. The planning area is located in Beaver, Iron, and Washington 
Counties, Utah, and encompasses approximately 2.1 million 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 to guide the planning process. 
Preliminary issues for the planning area have been identified by BLM 
personnel; Federal, state, and local agencies; and other stakeholders. 
The issues include: Renewable energy development for geothermal, wind, 
and solar power; management of [site type] rights-of-way for renewable 
energy and other uses; visual resource management; evaluation of 
potential new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC); Wild and 
Scenic River recommendations; Off-Highway Vehicle Area Designations; 
Special Recreation Management Areas; Wild Horse and Burro management; 
consideration of non-Wilderness Study Area lands with wilderness 
characteristics; and fluid and solid minerals management, including 
stipulations to protect sensitive

[[Page 55345]]

resources. Preliminary planning criteria include:
    1. Lands addressed in the RMP will be public lands (including split 
estate lands) managed by the BLM. There will be no decisions in the RMP 
for lands not managed by the BLM.
    2. The BLM will use a collaborative and multi-jurisdictional 
approach, where possible, to determine the desired future condition of 
public lands.
    3. The BLM will ensure compliance with all applicable local, state, 
tribal, and Federal air quality laws, statutes, regulations, standards, 
and implementation plans and include an analysis of climate change.
    4. Areas potentially suitable for ACECs and other special 
management designations will be identified and brought forward for 
analysis in the RMP. Public nominations will be requested.
    5. All river segments will be considered, and determinations of 
eligibility, suitability, tentative classification, and protective 
management will be made in accordance with Section 5(d) of the Wild and 
Scenic Rivers Act and BLM Manual Section 8351. Public nominations will 
be requested.
    6. Herd Areas will be identified and boundaries for Wild Horse Herd 
Management Areas will be addressed in the plan.
    7. Decisions of the RMP will be consistent with the goals and 
objectives of the legislation designating the Old Spanish National 
Historic Trail.
    Parties interested in leasing and development of Federal coal in 
the planning area should provide coal resource data for their area(s) 
of interest. Specifically, information is requested on the location, 
quality, and quantity of Federal coal with development potential, and 
on surface resource values related to the 20 coal unsuitability 
criteria described in 43 CFR part 3461. This information will be used 
for any necessary updating of coal screening determinations (43 CFR 
3420.1-4) in the Decision Area and in the environmental analysis. 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 before the close of the 
comment period or within 15 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; 
or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the Draft RMP/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 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, air quality, 
minerals and geology, forestry, outdoor recreation, archaeology, 
paleontology, wildlife and fisheries, lands and realty, hydrology, 
soils, sociology and economics, wildland fire, and public affairs.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2. Approved:

Jeff Rawson,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-22607 Filed 9-9-10; 8:45 am]
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