[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 228 (Monday, November 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 85632]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28519]



[[Page 85632]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCON04000 L16100000.DT0000-17X]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Roan 
Plateau Planning Area Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Approved Resource Management 
Plan (RMP) Amendment for the Roan Plateau planning area in Garfield and 
Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado. The BLM Director signed the ROD on 
November 16, 2016, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and 
makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD/Approved RMP Amendment are available upon 
request at the BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office, 2300 River 
Frontage Road, Silt, CO 81652; at the BLM White River Field Office, 220 
East Market Street, Meeker, CO 81641; or via the Internet at https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/nepa/nepa_register.do.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Larson, Project Manager, at 970-
876-9000; Colorado River Valley Field Office (see address above), or 
[email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the 
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 to 
contact the above individual during normal business hours. The Service 
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 planning area, which is in west-central 
Colorado, includes approximately 73,602 acres of land (Federal surface, 
Federal mineral estate, or both). It is located primarily in Garfield 
County with a small portion in southern Rio Blanco County. The Roan 
Plateau RMP Amendment amends the Glenwood Springs and White River RMPs 
to address resource management decisions within the planning area. The 
BLM prepared the Roan Plateau Proposed RMP Amendment/Final Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate a range of management 
decisions for resources, resource uses, and special designations within 
the planning area, and to respond to a June 22, 2012, ruling by the 
United States District Court for the District of Colorado remanding the 
2007 Roan Plateau RMP Amendment. The Court set aside the 2007 Roan 
Plateau RMP Amendment and remanded the matter to the BLM for further 
action in accordance with the Court's decision.
    In particular, the Court found that the Final EIS supporting the 
2007 Roan Plateau RMP Amendment was deficient insofar as it: (i) Failed 
to sufficiently address the ``Community Alternative'' that various 
local governments, environmental organizations and individual members 
of the public recommended; (ii) Failed to sufficiently address the 
cumulative air quality impacts of the 2007 RMP Amendment in conjunction 
with anticipated oil and gas development on private lands outside the 
Roan Plateau planning area; and (iii) Failed to adequately address the 
issue of potential ozone impacts from proposed oil and gas development. 
Based on the Court's ruling and new information available since the BLM 
developed the 2007 Final EIS, the BLM determined that a new RMP 
Amendment and supplemental analysis under NEPA were warranted.
    Additionally, the parties involved in the litigation reached a 
settlement agreement in November 2014. In the settlement agreement, the 
BLM agreed to consider an alternative that included closing certain 
lands on top of the Roan Plateau to new oil and gas leasing while 
keeping other lands in the planning area open for leasing, exploration, 
and development subject to certain conditions. As part of the 
settlement agreement, the BLM cancelled 17 leases held by Bill Barrett 
Corporation.
    The Roan Plateau Approved RMP Amendment adopts the Settlement 
Alternative that was identified in the November 2014 settlement 
agreement. The Approved RMP Amendment contains management actions to 
meet desired resource conditions for fluid minerals management; social 
and economic impacts; riparian habitat; recreation; and air, water and 
ecological resources. The Approved RMP Amendment also addresses 
decisions regarding Wild and Scenic Rivers, Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern, and lands with wilderness characteristics. 
Greater Sage-Grouse decisions in the Approved RMP Amendment are 
consistent with the Northwest Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse RMP 
Amendment ROD.
    The BLM's Preferred Alternative (the Settlement Alternative) for 
the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft Supplemental EIS was carried forward into 
the Proposed RMP Amendment/Final Supplemental EIS published on July 1, 
2016. The BLM did not receive any protests on the Proposed RMP 
Amendment/Final Supplemental EIS and the Govenor did not identify any 
inconsistencies with State or local plans, policies or programs during 
the Governor's consistency review.
    As a result, the BLM made only minor editorial modifications in 
preparing the Approved RMP Amendment. These modifications provide 
further clarification of some of the decisions, and are discussed in 
Section 1.3 of the Approved RMP Amendment/ROD. The Approved RMP 
Amendment/ROD also includes certain implementation decisions that are 
immediately appealable under 43 CFR part 4. These decisions involve the 
desgination of the following individual travel routes--TRR-IMP-01, TRR-
IMP-02, and TRR-IMP-03.
    Any party adversely affected by these route designation decisions 
may appeal within 30 days of publication of this Notice of Availability 
pursuant to 43 CFR, part 4, subpart E. The appeal should state the 
specific route(s), as identified in Chapter 2 of the Approved RMP 
Amendment/ROD, on which the decision is being appealed. The appeal must 
be filed with the Colorado River Valley Field Manager at the above 
listed address. Please consult the appropriate regulations (43 CFR, 
part 4, subpart E) for further appeal requirements.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6.

Ruth Welch,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-28519 Filed 11-25-16; 8:45 am]
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