[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 75 (Tuesday, April 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23006-23007]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09040]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCON02000 L51010000.ER0000 LVRWC16C8700 16X]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Blue Valley Land Exchange, Grand and Summit Counties, 
Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
Kremmling Field Office, Kremmling, Colorado intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate a proposed land 
exchange under section 206 of FLPMA, 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. 
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until May 19, 2016. The 
date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced at 
least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers and the BLM 
Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/kfo.html. In order to be 
included in the Draft EIS, 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. We will provide additional opportunities 
for public participation upon publication of the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Blue Valley Land 
Exchange by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/kfo.html
     Email: [email protected]
     Fax: 970-724-3006
     Mail: 2103 E. Park Avenue, P.O. Box 68, Kremmling, CO 
80459
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the 
Kremmling Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Monte Senor, Assistant Field Manager; 
telephone 970-724-3002; see address above; email [email protected]. 
Contact Annie Sperandio at 970-724-3062 to have your name added to our 
mailing list. 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, seven days a week, to leave a 
message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply 
during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: After coordination with the BLM, Galloway, 
Inc., owner of Blue Valley Ranch, submitted a land exchange proposal to 
the BLM whereby approximately 1,489 acres of Federal lands managed by 
the BLM in Grand County, Colorado would be conveyed to Blue Valley 
Ranch in exchange for approximately 1,832 acres of non-Federal lands in 
Summit and Grand counties, Colorado. Of the 1,832 acres, approximately 
300 acres would be acquired within the White River National Forest 
administrative boundary. The Forest Service will participate as a 
cooperating agency on the EIS.
    Pursuant to section 206 of the Federal Land Management and Policy 
Act of 1976, as amended, the proposed land exchange must be determined 
to be in

[[Page 23007]]

the public interest and appraisals of the Federal and non-Federal 
parcels must show that the exchange parcels are equal in value. The EIS 
will provide BLM with the information necessary to make these 
determinations. The BLM has found that the proposed land exchange is 
appropriate for processing and is in conformance with land tenure 
decisions in the Kremmling Resouce Management Plan.
    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 preliminary issues from internal 
scoping and public comments received on the Notice of Exchange Proposal 
released in June 2005. The issues that were raised during the informal 
scoping process and feasibility analysis include changes to public 
fishing access, perceived changes to float boating on the Blue River, 
concerns about changes to public access for hunting, and concerns about 
large land owners realizing a benefit from the exchange. The BLM will 
address these preliminary issues, along with the other issues 
identified during the public scoping process and preparation of the 
EIS. The BLM will identify, analyze and require mitigation, as 
appropriate, to address the reasonably foreseeable impacts to resources 
if this project is approved. Mitigation may include avoidance, 
minimization, rectification, reduction or elimination over time and 
compensatory mitigation. These potential measures may be considered at 
multiple scales, including the landscape-scale.
    The BLM will use and coordinate the NEPA scoping process to help 
fulfill the public involvement process under the National Historic 
Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). 
The information about historic and cultural resources within the area 
potentially affected by the proposed Blue Valley Land Exchange will 
assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources.
    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 Blue Valley Land Exchange 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.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7

Ruth Welch,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-09040 Filed 4-18-16; 8:45 am]
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