[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29235-29236]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13087]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCOF02000.L16100000.DP0000.19X]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Eastern Colorado Resource 
Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Royal 
Gorge Field Office, Colorado

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) has prepared a 
Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Royal Gorge Field Office 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 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: Comments related to the Draft Eastern Colorado RMP/EIS must 
be submitted by the following methods:
     Electronic comments must be submitted via the ePlanning 
website at https://go.usa.gov/xQcZT.
     Hard copy comments must be submitted via mail or hand-
delivered to the Royal Gorge Field Office, 3028 E. Main St., 
Ca[ntilde]on City, CO 81212.

A copy of the Draft Eastern Colorado RMP/EIS is available at the Royal 
Gorge Field Office at the address above or on the RMP ePlanning website 
at: https://go.usa.gov/xQcZT. Click the Documents & Reports link on the 
left side of the screen to find the electronic version of these 
materials.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Smeins, Project Manager, 
telephone: 719-269-8581; 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 Mr. Smeins during normal 
business hours. FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to 
leave a message or question. You will receive a reply during normal 
business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM prepared the Draft Eastern Colorado 
RMP/EIS to evaluate and revise the management strategy for resources, 
resource uses, and special designations within the Royal Gorge Field 
Office, which is the planning area for the RMP. Existing management 
decisions for public lands and resources in the Royal Gorge Field 
Office are currently described in two documents: The 1986 Northeast 
RMP, as amended; and the 1996 Royal Gorge RMP, as amended.
    The Royal Gorge Field Office encompasses approximately 35 million 
acres of land under various jurisdictions, including the BLM, U.S. 
Forest Service, National Park Service, State of Colorado, and local and 
private lands in 37 counties across south-central and eastern Colorado. 
The

[[Page 29236]]

Browns Canyon National Monument is not part of the planning area for 
this RMP/EIS. The Eastern Colorado RMP will determine management for 
approximately 658,200 acres of BLM-administered surface land and 
approximately 3,311,900 acres of BLM-administered mineral estate 
located throughout south-central and eastern Colorado. Planning 
decisions for Federal minerals underlying National Forests and 
Grasslands are contained in separate documents prepared by the U.S. 
Forest Service.
    The formal public scoping process for the Eastern Colorado RMP/EIS 
began on June 1, 2015, with the publication of a Notice of Intent in 
the Federal Register (80 FR 31063). The BLM held eight open-house 
scoping meetings in June and July 2015. The BLM used public scoping 
comments to help identify planning issues to formulate alternatives and 
frame the scope of analysis in the Draft RMP/EIS. The BLM also used the 
scoping process to introduce the public to the preliminary planning 
criteria, which defined the scope of the Draft RMP/EIS. Following the 
formal scoping period, the BLM made the Preliminary Alternatives and 
Draft Basis for Analysis available for public review to obtain feedback 
on the alternatives and the analysis strategy. The BLM held eight 
public meetings to review the alternatives. Based on information 
received during this review, the BLM modified the alternatives and the 
analysis.
    Major issues considered in the Draft RMP/EIS are management of 
biological resources, special status species, renewable and 
nonrenewable energy, minerals, human activities, and uses including 
recreation and livestock grazing, utility/energy corridors and rights-
of-way, and cultural resources. The RMP also considers decisions 
regarding wild and scenic rivers, areas of critical environmental 
concern (ACECs), and management of lands with wilderness 
characteristics. The Draft RMP/EIS evaluates in detail the No Action 
Alternative (Alternative A) and three action alternatives (Alternatives 
B, C and D). The BLM identified Alternative D as the Preferred 
Alternative. This alternative, however, does not represent the final 
agency direction. After the public comment period closes, the BLM will 
prepare a Proposed RMP, which may reflect changes or adjustments based 
on information received during public comment on the Draft RMP/EIS, new 
information, or changes in BLM policies or priorities. The Proposed RMP 
may include objectives and actions described in any of the alternatives 
analyzed in the Draft.
    Alternative A retains the current management goals, objectives, and 
direction specified in the 1986 Northeast RMP and the 1996 Royal Gorge 
RMP. Alternative B emphasizes improving, rehabilitating, and restoring 
resources; sustaining the ecological integrity of habitats for all 
priority plant, wildlife and fish species; and allowing appropriate 
development scenarios for allowable uses (such as mineral leasing, 
recreation, communication sites and livestock grazing). Alternative C 
emphasizes a mix of uses that maximizes utilization of resources while 
protecting land health. The development scenarios for allowable uses in 
this alternative emphasize maximizing resource production in an 
environmentally responsible manner while maintaining the basic 
protection needed to sustain resources, including mitigating impacts on 
land health. Alternative D emphasizes balancing resources and resource 
use among competing human interests, land uses, and the conservation of 
natural and cultural resource values, while sustaining and enhancing 
ecological integrity across the landscape, including plant, wildlife, 
and fish habitat. This alternative has four geographic landscapes with 
distinct management, and incorporates a balanced level of protection, 
restoration and enhancement, as well as use of resources and services 
to meet ongoing programs and land uses with an emphasis on local 
community visions for the future of public lands.
    Pursuant to 43 CFR 3461.2-1(a)(2), this notice announces a 
concurrent public comment period on the application of unsuitability 
criteria to lands with coal development potential. Maps and other 
information describing the results of the application of unsuitability 
criteria are available on the RMP ePlanning website and at the BLM 
Royal Gorge Field Office (see contact information above).
    Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b), this notice announces a concurrent 
public comment period on the proposed designation of ACECs. The BLM 
analyzed ten potential ACECs meeting the relevance and importance 
criteria within the range of action alternatives:
     Alternative B would retain four ACECs in their current 
size--Arkansas Canyonlands (23,700 acres), Droney Gulch (700 acres), 
Grape Creek (16,600 acres) and Ruby Mountain/Railroad Gulch (1,800 
acres); would expand three existing ACECs--Cucharas Canyon (6,100 
acres), Garden Park (3,100 acres) and Top of the World (8,700 acres); 
and expand two existing ACECs into a single area--South Pikes Peak 
(40,400 acres).
     Alternative C would retain three current ACECs in their 
current size--Cucharas Canyon (1,400 acres), Garden Park (2,700 acres) 
and Top of the World (Mosquito Pass existing) (4,200 acres); reduce 
three existing ACECs--Arkansas Canyonlands (18,700 acres), Grape Creek 
(2,300 acres) and Phantom Canyon (5,500 acres); and eliminate three 
ACECs--Beaver Creek (12,100 acres), Droney Gulch (700 acres) and Ruby 
Mountain/Railroad Gulch (1,800 acres).
     Alternative D would retain one ACEC in its current size--
Droney Gulch (700 acres); propose one new ACEC--Castle Gardens (300 
acres); expand three existing ACECs--Cucharas Canyon (6,100), Garden 
Park (3,100 acres) and Top of the World (8,700 acres); reduce three 
existing ACECs--Arkansas Canyonlands (19,600 acres), Grape Creek (2,300 
acres) and Phantom Canyon (5,500 acres); and eliminate two existing 
ACECs--Beaver Creek (12,100 acres) and portions of the Browns Canyon 
ACEC outside the National Monument (Ruby Mountain/Railroad Gulch (1,800 
acres).
    The following management prescriptions may apply to the individual 
ACECs under consideration if designated: Avoid rights-of-way, close or 
restrict fluid mineral development, close to mineral material disposal, 
restrict vehicles and bicycles to designated roads and trails, prohibit 
fuelwood permits and retain in public ownership. 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)

Jamie E. Connell,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019-13087 Filed 6-20-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P