[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 125 (Friday, June 28, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39010-39012]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15381]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWYP0700.L16100000.DP0000.LXSS041K0000]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan and 
Associated Environmental Impact Statement for the Buffalo Resource 
Management Plan Revision, Buffalo Field Office, WY

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act (FLPMA) 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 Buffalo Field Office and 
by this notice is announcing the opening of a 90-day 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 its Notice of 
Availability (NOA) of the Draft RMP/EIS 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 the project Web site:  http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/Planning/rmps/buffalo.html.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/Planning/rmps/buffalo.html.
     Email: [email protected];
     Fax: (307) 684-1122;
     Mail: Buffalo RMP, BLM Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort 
Street, Buffalo, WY 82834; or
     By personal delivery to the Buffalo Field Office or at a 
BLM-hosted public meeting.
    Copies of the Draft RMP/EIS are available in the Buffalo Field 
Office at

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the above address and at the following locations:
     Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353 
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, WY 82003
     Bureau of Land Management, High Plains District Office, 
2987 Prospector Drive, Casper, WY 82604
    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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Bills, Buffalo RMP Team Leader, 
BLM Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo, WY 82834; 
telephone 307-684-1133; or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area includes lands within the 
BLM Buffalo Field Office's administrative boundaries, including all of 
Campbell, Johnson, and Sheridan counties in Wyoming. The planning area 
includes all lands, regardless of jurisdiction, totaling approximately 
7.35 million acres; however, the BLM will only make decisions on lands 
that fall under the BLM's jurisdiction. BLM-administered surface, 
totaling approximately 782,000 acres, and Federal mineral estate, 
totaling approximately 4.8 million acres, make up the decision area. 
BLM issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) on November 14, 2008, for the 
Buffalo RMP Revision Project and associated EIS, which initiated public 
scoping. Public meetings were held December 1-5, 2008. Approximately 
130 members of the public attended the public scoping meetings held in 
Wright, Buffalo, Gillette, Sheridan, and Kaycee. The revised RMP will 
replace the 1985 Buffalo RMP as amended. The Draft RMP/EIS includes a 
series of management actions, within four management alternatives, 
designed to address management challenges and issues raised during 
scoping. These include, but are not limited to, energy development 
(coal, oil and gas, renewable energy, and uranium), wildlife habitat 
management including that of the greater sage-grouse, livestock 
grazing, air quality, lands with wilderness characteristics, 
suitability for wild and scenic river designation, special management 
areas including Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), and 
travel management. The four alternatives are:
    A. Alternative A: (No Action): Continues existing management;
    B. Alternative B: Emphasizes conservation of natural and cultural 
resources while providing for compatible development and use;
    C. Alternative C: Emphasizes resource development and use while 
protecting natural and cultural resources; and
    D. Alternative D (Preferred): Provides development opportunities 
while protecting sensitive resources.
    The preferred alternative has been identified as described in 40 
CFR 1502.14(e). However, identification of a preferred alternative does 
not represent the final agency decision. The proposed RMP and final EIS 
will reflect changes or adjustments based on information received 
during public comment, new information, or changes in BLM policies or 
priorities. The proposed RMP may include portions of alternatives 
analyzed in the draft RMP/EIS. For this reason, the BLM encourages 
comments on all alternatives and management actions described in the 
Draft RMP/EIS.
    In accordance with 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b) and BLM Manual 1613, this NOA 
announces a concurrent public comment period on proposed Areas of 
Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs). There are no designated ACECs 
in the existing BFO land use plan (Alternative A) and Alternative C 
does not propose designating any ACECs. Alternative B proposes eight 
ACECs and Alternative D proposes three ACECs. The management 
restrictions which would occur if areas proposed for designation were 
formally designated are different in alternatives B and D. In 
Alternative B, management for all ACEC's would prohibit all surface-
disturbing activities not compatible with the area's values, including 
closing to all forms of solid and fluid mineral leasing and 
development; recommending withdrawal of all ACECs from locatable 
mineral entry; excluding ROWs; and either closing or limiting motorized 
vehicles to designated roads and trails. ACECs would be managed as 
visual resource management (VRM) class II, retention, under Alternative 
B.
    Alternative D proposes ACEC specific management for the values of 
concern. The values of concern and the acres that would be designated 
under Alternatives B and D are as follows:
     Burnt Hollow, (Alternative B 17,208 acres, Alternative D 
not designated) Values: Visual resources, geologic features, and 
fragile watersheds.
     Cantontment Reno, (Alternative B 523 acres, Alternative D 
not designated) Value: Historic resources.
     Dry Creek Petrified Tree, (Alternative B 2,567 acres, 
Alternative D not designated) Value: Geologic features.
     Fortification Creek, (Alternatives B & D 32,602 acres) 
Values: Visual resources, wildlife resources, and fragile watersheds. 
Alternative D management would prohibit all surface-disturbing 
activities not compatible with the area's values; close the area to all 
forms of mineral activity including solid and fluid mineral leasing; 
recommend withdrawal from locatable mineral entry; exclude Rights of 
Ways (ROWs); and limit motorized vehicles to designated roads and 
trails.
     Hole-in-the-Wall, (Alternative B 11,952 acres, Alternative 
D not designated) Values: Visual and cultural resources.
     Pumpkin Buttes, (Alternatives B & D 1,733 acres) Value: 
Cultural resources. Alternative D management would prohibit surface-
disturbing activities not compatible with the area's values including a 
No Surface Occupancy stipulation for new fluid mineral leases; 
recommend withdrawal from locatable mineral entry; exclude ROWs; and 
close the area to motorized vehicles.
     Sagebrush Ecosystem, (Alternative B 467,897 acres, 
Alternative D not designated) Value: Sagebrush ecosystems with 
dependent rare and sensitive species.
     Welch Ranch, (Alternatives B 1,748 acres, Alternative D 
1,116 acres) Values: Visual resources, wildlife resources, and presence 
of a natural hazard. Alternative D management would prohibit all 
surface-disturbing activities not compatible with the area's values 
including closing the area to all forms of mineral leasing and 
development including solid minerals; recommend withdrawal from 
locatable mineral entry and exclude ROWs. Travel would be limited to 
administrative use on designated routes.
    You may submit comments in writing to the BLM at any public 
meeting, or you may submit them to the BLM using one of the methods 
listed in the ADDRESSES section above. In order to reduce the use of 
paper and control costs, the BLM strongly encourages the public to 
submit comments electronically at the project Web site or via email. 
Only comments submitted using the methods described in the ADDRESSES 
section above will be accepted. Comments submitted must include the 
commenter's name and street address. Whenever possible, please include 
reference to either the page or section in the Draft RMP/EIS to which 
the comment applies. Before including your address, phone number,

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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.
    All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses, are available for public inspection in 
their entirety.

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

Donald A. Simpson,
State Director, Wyoming.
[FR Doc. 2013-15381 Filed 6-27-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P