[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 234 (Monday, December 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76033-76034]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30805]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[167A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900 253G]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Integrated Resource Management Plan for the 
Nez Perce Reservation in North Central Idaho

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs (BIA) as lead agency intends to prepare a programmatic 
environmental impact statement (PEIS) and conduct public scoping 
meetings to evaluate potential environmental impacts of the proposed 
Integrated Resource Management Plan (IRMP) for the Nez Perce 
Reservation located in north central Idaho. The PEIS will be prepared 
in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA).

DATES: The dates and locations of public scoping meetings will be 
published in the Lewiston Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Ta'c 
Tito'oqan, Clearwater Tribune, Idaho County Free Press, Lewis County 
Herald, The Clearwater Progress, and Cottonwood Chronicle. Additional 
information will also be posted on the Tribe's Web site at 
www.nezperce.org. Written comments to this notice must be received by 
February 5, 2016.

ADDRESSES: The public is invited to submit written comments to this 
Notice. Written comments may be submitted by mail, email, hand carry, 
or fax to: Ms. Anna Schmidt, Wildlife Biologist, BIA Northwest Regional 
Office, 911 NE. 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97232-4169, Phone: (503) 231-
6808, Fax: (503) 231-6774, Email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Anna Schmidt at (503) 231-6808 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is the preparation of an 
IRMP for the Nez Perce Reservation and BIA approval of long-term 
natural and cultural resource planning goals and objectives for the Nez 
Perce Reservation. The Tribe may use the Programmatic EIS (PEIS) for 
tiered, project-specific environmental assessments to cover specific 
actions as the IRMP is implemented. The Tribe has managed its natural 
and cultural resources under the goals and objectives of various 
department-specific plans under the direction of the Nez Perce Tribal 
Executive Committee. The PEIS will consider a proposed strategy in the 
IRMP to provide a framework for all Nez Perce Tribal agencies to manage 
natural and cultural resources within the Nez Perce Reservation.
    It is anticipated that the PEIS will assess four management 
strategy alternatives and a No Action Alternative. Under the Maximum 
Resource Development Alternative, the Tribe's resource management 
strategy would be to maximally promote human land uses, growth, and the 
use of natural and cultural resources to generate revenue for the 
Tribe. Under the Development Emphasis Alternative, the Tribe's resource 
management strategy would be to emphasize human land use, growth, and 
the use of natural and cultural resources to generate revenue for the 
Tribe, while ensuring a moderate level of natural and cultural resource 
conservation, protection, and enhancement. Under the Conservation 
Emphasis Alternative, the Tribe's resource management strategy would be 
to emphasize natural and cultural resource conservation, protection, 
and enhancement, while ensuring a moderate level of human land use, 
growth, and the use of natural and cultural resources to generate 
revenue for the Tribe. Under the Maximum Conservation Alternative, the 
Tribe's resource management strategy would be to maximally promote 
natural and cultural resource conservation, protection, and 
enhancement. Under the No Action Alternative, the existing resource 
management strategies will be assessed. Additional strategies or 
alternatives or variations of those proposed above may be developed as 
a result of public scoping. Significant issues to be covered during the 
scoping process may include, but will not be limited to, air quality, 
geology and soils, surface and groundwater resources, wildlife habitat, 
threatened and endangered species, cultural resources, socioeconomic 
conditions, land use, aesthetics, and Indian trust resources.
    Directions for Submitting Public Comments: Please include your 
name, return address, and the caption `` `Programmatic EIS, Nez Perce 
Reservation IRMP' '' on the first page of any written comments you 
submit. You may also submit comments at the public scoping meetings. 
The public scoping meetings will be held to seek comments from all 
parties concerning the use of natural and cultural resources on the Nez 
Perce Reservation, concerns regarding impacts to those resources, and 
preferred management strategies. The meetings will be held at various 
Nez Perce Reservation communities, and notices will be published in the 
Lewiston Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Ta'c Tito'oqan, Clearwater 
Tribune, Idaho County Free Press, Lewis County Herald, the Clearwater 
Progress, and Cottonwood Chronicle. Additional information will also be 
posted at the Tribe's Web site at www.nezperce.org.
    Public Comment Availability: Comments, including names and 
addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the 
BIA address shown in the ADDRESSES section of this notice, during 
regular business hours, Monday through Friday, except holidays. 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.

    Authority:  This notice is published in accordance with sections 
1503.1 of the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR 
parts 1500 through 1508) and Sec. 46.305 of the Department of the 
Interior Regulations (43 CFR part 46), implementing the procedural 
requirements of NEPA, as amended (42 U.5.C. 4321 et seq.), and is in 
the exercise of authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary--
Indian Affairs, by part 209 of the Departmental Manual.


[[Page 76034]]


    Dated: November 30, 2015.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-30805 Filed 12-4-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P