[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 126 (Friday, June 29, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30771-30772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13813]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLAZG02200.L16100000.DO0000.LXSS206A0000]


Notice of Availability of the Draft San Pedro Riparian National 
Conservation Area Resource Management Plan and Associated Environmental 
Impact Statement, Arizona

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tucson Field 
Office (TFO) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the San Pedro Riparian 
National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) and by this notice is announcing 
the opening of the comment period.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the Draft RMP/Draft EIS within 90 days following 
the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of 
Availability of the Draft RMP/Draft EIS in the Federal Register. The 
BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public 
participation activities at least 15 days in advance through public 
notices, media releases, and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the SPRNCA Draft RMP/
Draft EIS by any of the following methods:
     Website: https://go.usa.gov/xQKFU.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 520-258-7238.
     Mail: Tucson Field Office Attn: Amy Markstein, 3201 East 
Universal Way, Tucson, AZ 85756.
    Copies of the SPRNCA Draft RMP/Draft EIS are available in the 
Tucson Field Office at the above address and at the San Pedro Project 
Office, 4070 S Avenida Saracino, Hereford, AZ 85615.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Markstein, Planning & 
Environmental Specialist, telephone 520-258-7231; address 3201 East 
Universal Way, Tucson, AZ 85756; email [email protected].
    Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the 
above individual during

[[Page 30772]]

normal business hours. FRS 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 SPRNCA was established by Public Law 
100-696 on November 18, 1988. The planning area is located in Cochise 
County in southeastern Arizona, and encompasses approximately 55,990 
acres of public land administered by the BLM TFO. The SPRNCA is located 
adjacent to the City of Sierra Vista and is near Fort Huachuca, 
Arizona.
    The SPRNCA is currently managed under the Safford District RMP 
(1992 and 1994), which incorporated RMP level decisions from the San 
Pedro River Riparian Management Plan (1989). This planning effort would 
update management guidance from the previous plans and create a new RMP 
for the SPRNCA. The planning effort is needed to identify goals, 
objectives, and management actions for the SPRNCA's resources and uses 
identified in the enabling legislation, including aquatic; wildlife; 
archaeological; paleontological; scientific; cultural; educational; and 
recreational resources and values.
    The BLM used public scoping comments to help identify planning 
issues that directed the formulation of alternatives and framed the 
scope of analysis in the Draft RMP/Draft EIS. Issues identified 
included management of water, vegetation, and soil resources, fire 
management, Threatened and Endangered species management, livestock 
grazing, access, recreation, socio-economics, and lands and realty. The 
planning effort also considers lands with wilderness characteristics, 
wild and scenic rivers, and Areas of Critical Environmental Concern 
(ACECs).
    The Draft RMP/Draft EIS evaluates four alternatives in detail. 
Alternative A is the No Action Alternative, which is a continuation of 
current management in the existing Safford District RMP and San Pedro 
River Riparian Management Plan. It is a continuation of current public 
use, resource protection, and conservation prescriptions without 
change. It neither sets desired outcomes for resource management or 
most uses, nor addresses new issues unforeseen or nonexistent when the 
Safford District RMP was prepared. Alternative B provides opportunities 
for increased public access, includes livestock grazing in sensitive 
riparian and cultural areas, allows recreation uses, and focuses on 
active resource management using the broadest array of management 
tools. This would include use of heavy equipment, herbicide, hand 
tools, and prescribed fire to achieve goals and objectives, to mitigate 
any effects from increased use, and for ecosystem restoration. 
Alternative B places an emphasis on opportunities for motorized access. 
Alternative C is the BLM's preferred alternative. Alternative C 
represents a balance between resource protection and public access, 
authorizes livestock grazing in areas compatible with the established 
conservation values, and provides for a diverse mix of recreation 
opportunities. As in Alternative B, Alternative C focuses on active 
resource management and would allow for use of the broadest array of 
management tools for ecosystem restoration and to meet goals and 
objectives. Alternative D emphasizes resource protection and 
conservation. It emphasizes primitive recreational experiences with 
limited motorized access, protection of wilderness characteristics, 
ACECs, and management of the San Pedro and Babocomari Wild and Scenic 
Rivers. It focuses on natural processes and use of ``light on the 
land'' management methods, such as the use of hand tools and prescribed 
fire, to help meet goals and objectives.
    Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b), this notice announces a concurrent 
public comment period for potential ACECs. There are three existing 
ACECs under Alternative A, and three expanded and two new potential 
ACECs under Alternative D. ACECs are not proposed under Alternatives B 
and C. Pertinent information regarding these ACECs, including proposed 
designation acreage and resource use limitations are listed below.

                                                 Proposed ACECs
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                                    Alternative A   Alternative D                                Resource use
                                       (acres)         (acres)       ACEC resource values        limitations
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Saint David Cienega ACEC.........             380           2,710  Cienega habitat,          Visual Resource
                                                                    Cultural and historical   Management (VRM)
                                                                    values.                   class II.
San Pedro ACEC...................           1,420           7,230  Upland and riparian       VRM class II.
                                                                    areas, Rare plants,
                                                                    Cultural and historical
                                                                    values.
San Rafael ACEC..................             370             560  Rare plants, Giant        VRM class II.
                                                                    sacaton grasslands,
                                                                    Mesquite bosques.
Curry-Horsethief ACEC............  ..............           2,540  Cultural, historical,     VRM class II, land
                                                                    and paleontological       use authorizations
                                                                    values.                   would be excluded.
Lehner Mammoth ACEC..............  ..............              30  Cultural, historical,     VRM class II, land
                                                                    and paleontological       use authorizations
                                                                    values.                   would be excluded.
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    Please note that public comments and information submitted 
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who 
submit comments will be available for public review and disclosure at 
the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), 
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: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2.

Raymond Suazo,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2018-13813 Filed 6-28-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-32-P