[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 158 (Wednesday, August 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49015-49016]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20022]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVE030000.L10600000.DI0000 241A; 12-08807; MO 4500035685; 
TAS: 14X1109]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
Proposed Wild Horse Eco-Sanctuary in Elko County, Nevada, and an 
Associated Resource Management Plan Amendment for the Wells Field 
Office

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 (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wells Field 
Office, Elko, Nevada, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) and an associated Resource Management Plan (RMP) 
amendment for a proposed privately operated wild horse eco-sanctuary 
and by this notice, is announcing the beginning of the scoping process 
to solicit public comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS and 
associated RMP amendment. Comments on issues may be submitted until 
September 14, 2012. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings 
will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local news media, 
mailings to interested individuals, and the BLM Elko District Web site 
at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/elko_field_office.html. In order 
to be included in the analysis, all comments must be received prior to 
the close of the 30-day scoping period or 15 days after the last public 
meeting, whichever is later. The BLM will provide additional 
opportunities for public participation as appropriate.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to the EIS and RMP amendment by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]
     Fax: 775-753-0255
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Wild Horse Sanctuary RMP 
Amendment, Wells Field Office, 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the BLM 
Elko District Office, 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, Nevada, during 
regular business hours of 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. Pertinent documents are also available on-line 
at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/elko_field_office.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Judy May, resource 
assistant, BLM Wells Field Office, telephone: 775-753-0267; address: 
3900 East Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801; email: [email protected]. Persons 
who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the 
Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact 
the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is 
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question 
with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal 
business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM 
Wells Field Office, Elko, Nevada, intends to prepare an EIS with an 
associated RMP amendment to the Wells RMP, and announces the beginning 
of the scoping process and seeks public input on issues and planning 
criteria. The planning area is located in Elko County, Nevada, and 
encompasses approximately 510,000 acres of public land. The 
organization Saving America's Mustangs (SAM) proposes to establish a 
privately operated eco-sanctuary to accommodate up to 900 non-
reproducing wild horses (all one sex or sterilized) on a mixture of 
public and private lands in Elko County, Nevada, about 25 miles 
southeast of Wells. The proposed eco-sanctuary is in response to the 
BLM's request for applications for funding (Funding Opportunity 
L11AS0043) to assist in the development of a Wild Horse Partnership for 
an Eco-Sanctuary on Public and Private Land. Preliminarily, the BLM 
expects that the EIS will address the impacts of the proposed eco-
sanctuary and reasonable alternatives to that proposal, and an RMP 
amendment that may: (1) Adjust the boundaries and management objectives 
of existing wild horse herd management areas (HMAs) within or near the 
proposed eco-sanctuary; and (2) reduce and potentially eliminate 
livestock grazing within the portion of the Spruce Allotment east of 
Highway 93. 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 process for developing 
the EIS. At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary 
issues:
    (a) Potential effects to archaeological resources.
    (b) Potential effects to greater sage-grouse and other sensitive 
species.
    (c) Potential effects to important elk, mule deer, and other 
wildlife habitats.
    (d) Ability to meet standards for rangeland health.
    (e) Ability to manage healthy wild horse populations within the 
eco-sanctuary.
    (f) Ability to provide public access for recreational purposes.
    (g) Potential effects of reducing public lands available for 
livestock grazing.
    (h) Ability to manage non-reproducing herd.
    Preliminary planning criteria for the RMP amendment include:
    1. Any amendment to the Wells RMP will comply with FLPMA (43 U.S.C 
1701) and the BLM's land use planning regulations (43 CFR 1600).
    2. Public participation would be encouraged throughout the process. 
The Wells Field Office managers and interdisciplinary team members will 
work cooperatively with the State of Nevada, tribal governments, county 
and municipal governments, other Federal agencies, local resource 
advisory councils, appellants, affected permittees, and any other 
interested groups, agencies, and individuals.
    3. The EIS will comply with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4332 et seq.) and its 
implementing regulations, as well as other Federal regulations.
    4. Any amendment to the Wells RMP will appropriately recognize the 
State's authority to manage wildlife and water.
    5. Any amendment to the Wells RMP will recognize valid existing 
rights.
    6. The State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) will be consulted 
under the NHPA and kept involved throughout the planning process, 
consistent with the National Programmatic Agreement (February 2012) and 
the State of Nevada Protocol Agreement between the BLM

[[Page 49016]]

and SHPO (revised February 2012). Integration of the public involvement 
provisions of the NHPA and NEPA will follow the guidance in Washington 
Office Instruction Memorandum 2012-108.
    7. The BLM will address transportation and access within the 
planning area, if appropriate, to meet the objectives identified for 
the eco-sanctuary.
    8. Existing planning decisions in the Wells RMP not modified by 
this amendment would remain valid.
    9. All proposed management activities, including adjusting wild 
horse levels would be based upon current scientific information, and 
research and technology, as well as existing inventory and monitoring 
information.
    10. Adaptive management principles will be used in development of 
the plan amendment to provide management direction if additional 
actions or modified actions would be needed for the protection of wild 
horses or the sustainability of the land and its resources.
    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. 
You should submit comments by the close of the 30-day scoping period or 
within 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later.
    The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA public participation 
requirements to assist the agency in satisfying the public involvement 
requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470f) pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). The 
information about historic and cultural resources within the area 
potentially affected by the proposed action will assist the BLM in 
identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources in the context of 
both NEPA and Section 106 of the NHPA.
    The BLM will consult with Indian tribes on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other 
policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and 
potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due 
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with tribes 
and other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the 
proposed action that the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate 
in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by 
the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis 
as a cooperating agency.
    Before including your address, phone number, email 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 amendment;
    2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan amendment.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the Draft 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 
amendment 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: Wild horse and 
burro, rangeland management, outdoor recreation, archaeology, wildlife 
and fisheries, lands and realty, hydrology, soils, sociology, and 
economics.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.

Bryan K. Fuell,
Manager,
    Wells Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2012-20022 Filed 8-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P