[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 1 (Friday, January 2, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52-53]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30598]


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DEPARMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[14XLLAKF02000.L16100000. DQ0000.LXSS094L0000]


Notice of Availability of Additional Information on Proposed 
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern and Associated Resource Use 
Limitations Identified in the Draft Eastern Interior Resource 
Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Alaska

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: On February 24, 2012, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
published a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Eastern Interior Draft 
Resource Management Plan (RMP)/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for 
public review and comment in the Federal Register. BLM planning 
regulations require the BLM to notify the public of proposed Areas of 
Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and specify the resource use 
limitations which would occur if the ACECs were formally designated 
through approval of the Eastern Interior RMP. Based on public comment 
on the Draft RMP, the BLM proposes the reconfiguration of the Fortymile 
ACEC and proposes a new ACEC on the Mosquito Flats. These specific 
proposed ACEC boundaries were not noticed in the Draft RMP/EIS. Thus, 
the BLM is providing this notice and public comment period for these 
two proposed ACECs.

DATES: You may submit comments related to the new ACEC information in 
this notice until March 3, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the new ACEC information 
by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 907-474-2282.
     Mail: Eastern Interior Field Office, Attention--Eastern 
Interior RMP, Bureau of Land Management, 1150 University Avenue, 
Fairbanks, Alaska 99709.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeanie Cole, telephone 907-474-2340 or 
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: Comments on the Draft RMP/EIS received from 
the public and internal BLM analyses on ACECs were reviewed and 
considered for incorporation into the proposed plan. As a result, the 
BLM now proposes the addition of the 30,000 acre Mosquito Flats ACEC 
and reconfiguration of the Fortymile ACEC to 685,000 acres. It is 
unnecessary to issue a supplement to the Draft EIS pursuant to 40 CFR 
1502.9 because the proposed land management direction for these ACECs 
was within the spectrum of alternatives analyzed in the Draft EIS. The 
following description details the information for these two proposed 
ACECs. Maps of both ACECs are available on the BLM's Eastern Interior 
RMP Web site at www.blm.gov/ak/eirmp.

Mosquito Flats ACEC (30,000 Acres)

    During the public comment period for the Eastern Interior RMP, the 
BLM received two nominations for an ACEC on the Mosquito Flats. The 
proposed Mosquito Flats ACEC is a large wetland complex unique to BLM 
lands in the planning area; it consists of a wetland basin situated in 
the upper portion of the drainage, at relatively high elevation (~2250 
ft), and surrounded by mountains. Mosquito Flats provides unique 
wetland and aquatic habitats and supports a variety of wildlife 
species.
    The proposed ACEC is comprised of a complex of floating bog wetland 
vegetation partially surrounded by mountains. The Mosquito Fork River 
flows over continuous sand beds that are uncharacteristically clean, 
light colored, well-sorted, and low in organics. These sand beds 
provide unique aquatic habitat essential for maintaining diverse 
species within the planning area.
    Mosquito Flats is an important moose calving area and summer 
habitat for the regional moose population. The area also supports 
short-eared owls and nesting trumpeter swans, both BLM-Alaska sensitive 
species. It may also support other BLM-sensitive species, including 
olive-sided flycatcher, rusty blackbird, and blackpoll warbler.
    Proposed Use Limitations: Closed to locatable mineral entry and 
mineral leasing, subject to valid existing rights. Off-Highway Vehicle 
(OHV) use is

[[Page 53]]

limited by season with no summer use, except by permit.

Fortymile ACEC (685,000 Acres)

    The BLM proposes modifying the boundary of the Fortymile ACEC that 
was presented in Alternative B in the Draft RMP/EIS to improve 
manageability by including additional small parcels between the 
calving/post-calving distribution and the Fortymile National Wild and 
Scenic River Corridor. The Fortymile ACEC is proposed to maintain 
effective caribou and Dall sheep habitat and mineral licks. The 
Fortymile caribou herd is an important subsistence resource in interior 
Alaska and calving and postcalving habitats are considered the most 
sensitive seasonal habitats.
    Proposed Use Limitations: Closed to locatable mineral entry and 
mineral leasing, subject to valid existing rights. Limited OHV 
designation: Seasonal limitation on uses within 1 mile of mineral 
licks.
    Consistent with 43 CFR 1610.7-2, the BLM is providing this notice 
and public comment period for these two proposed ACECs. (Supplemental 
information can be found in the original Notice of Availability (NOA) 
published in the Federal Register and on the Eastern Interior RMP Web 
site at www.blm.gov/ak/eirmp).
    You may submit comments related to the new ACEC information on this 
notice until March 3, 2014 using any of the methods listed in the DATES 
section above.
    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.

Bud C. Cribley,
State Director.

    Authority:  43 CFR 1610.7-2

[FR Doc. 2014-30598 Filed 12-31-14; 8:45 am]
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