[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 219 (Friday, November 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70252-70253]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-28877]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWO210000.16X.L11100000.PH0000 LXSISGST0000]


Extension of Public Comment Period and Schedule of Public Scoping 
Meetings and Public Meetings for the Proposed Withdrawal of Sagebrush 
Focal Areas in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming, and 
an Associated Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On September 24, 2015, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
published a Notice of Proposed Withdrawal; Sagebrush Focal Areas; 
Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming and Notice of Intent 
to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed 
Withdrawal in the Federal Register. This notice extends the comment 
period for both the proposed withdrawal and initial scoping for the 
environmental impact statement (EIS) being prepared to consider the 
merits of the proposed withdrawal and announces the times, dates, and 
locations of public meetings.

DATES: Written or emailed comments for scoping for the EIS and on the 
proposed withdrawal may be submitted through January 15, 2016. In 
addition, through this Notice the BLM is also announcing that it will 
hold public meetings in December 2015 to focus on relevant issues and 
environmental concerns, identify possible alternatives, help determine 
the scope of the EIS, and provide an opportunity for public comments on 
the proposed withdrawal. For dates and locations for the scoping 
meetings, please see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the BLM Director, 1849 C 
Street NW. (WO-200), Washington, DC 20240 or emailed to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Mark Mackiewicz, BLM, by 
telephone at 435-636-3616. Persons who use a telecommunications device 
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service 
(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to reach the BLM contact person. 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: The BLM filed an application requesting the 
Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management to 
withdraw, subject to valid existing rights, approximately 10 million 
acres of BLM-managed public and National Forest System lands located in 
the States of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming from 
location and entry under the United States mining law, but not from 
leasing under the mineral or geothermal leasing or mineral materials 
laws.
    Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (NEPA), the BLM will prepare an EIS and conduct public 
scoping meetings on the withdrawal from the mining law of approximately 
10 million acres of BLM- and United States Forest Service-administered 
public lands, in 6 western states as identified in the Federal Register 
notice of September 24, 2015 (80 FR 57635). The period for initial 
scoping comments from the public has been extended from December 23, 
2015, to January 15, 2016. These public scoping meetings will also meet 
the requirements under 43 CFR 2310 to provide public meetings for 
comment on the Notice of Proposed Withdrawal that published on 
September 24, 2015.
    The dates, times, and locations of the meetings are as follows:

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         Dates & times                 Locations           BLM contact
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Dec. 14, 2051:
    5 p.m. to 7 p.m...........  Harney County Chamber   Jody Weil, 503-
                                 of Commerce, 484        808-6287.
                                 North Broadway,
                                 Burns, OR 97720.
    5 p.m. to 7 p.m...........  Lakeview BLM District   Jody Weil, 503-
                                 Office, 1301 South G    808-6287.
                                 Street, Lakeview, OR
                                 97630.
    5 p.m. to 7 p.m...........  Salt Lake City BLM      Megan Crandall,
                                 Office, 2370 South      801-539-4020.
                                 Decker Lake Drive,
                                 West Valley City, UT
                                 84119.
Dec. 15, 2015:
    4 p.m. to 6 p.m...........  Best Western Vista Inn  Erin Curtis, 208-
                                 & Conference Center,    373-4016.
                                 2645 Airport Way,
                                 Boise, ID 83709.
    5 p.m. to 7 p.m...........  Rock Springs BLM Field  Kristen
                                 Office, 280 Highway     Lenhardt, 307-
                                 191 North, Rock         775-6015.
                                 Springs, WY 82901.
    5 p.m. to 7 p.m...........  The Nugget, 1100        Steve Clutter,
                                 Nugget Avenue,          775-861-6629.
                                 Sparks, NV 89431.
    Dec. 16, 2015.............
    2 p.m. to 4 p.m...........  Great Northern Hotel,   Al Nash, 406-896-
                                 2 South 1st Street      5260.
                                 East, Malta, MT 59538.
    4 p.m. to 6 p.m...........  Shiloh Suites           Erin Curtis, 208-
                                 Conference Hotel, 780   373-4016.
                                 Lindsay Blvd., Idaho
                                 Falls, ID 83402.

[[Page 70253]]

 
    5 p.m. to 7 p.m...........  Elko Conference         Steve Clutter,
                                 Center, 724 Moren       775-861-6629.
                                 Way, Elko, NV 89801.
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    The EIS will consider a No Action alternative and consider 
reasonably foreseeable mineral development activities. The EIS does not 
support a land-use plan or a land-use plan amendment. It will provide a 
comprehensive programmatic NEPA analysis for the proposed action of the 
Secretary of the Interior withdrawing these public lands from operation 
of the mining law for the conservation benefit of the Greater Sage-
grouse.
    The BLM has initially identified the following issues for analysis 
in this EIS: Air quality/climate, American Indian resources, cultural 
resources, wilderness and wilderness characteristics, mineral 
resources, public health and safety, recreation, social and economic 
conditions, soil resources, soundscapes, special status species, 
vegetation resources, visual resources, water resources, and fish and 
wildlife habitat.
    In addition, the BLM expects to address economic effects of 
withdrawing these public lands from operation of the mining law, 
wildlife habitat conservation; improvement, restoration of ecosystem 
processes; protection of cultural resources, watershed and vegetative 
community health, new listings of threatened and endangered species and 
consideration of other sensitive and special status species.

Steve Ellis,
Deputy Director, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. 2015-28877 Filed 11-12-15; 8:45 am]
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