[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 144 (Friday, July 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36118-36119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15905]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[19X 1109AF LLUT930000 Ll6100000.DQ0000.LXSSJ0650000]


Notice of Availability of the Bears Ears National Monument Indian 
Creek and Shash J[aacute]a Units Proposed Monument Management Plans and 
Final Environmental Impact Statement, Utah

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) Canyon Country 
District Office, in coordination with the United States Forest Service 
(USFS), Manti-La Sal National Forest, has prepared the Proposed 
Monument Management Plans (MMPs) and Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Bears Ears National Monument (BENM) Indian 
Creek and Shash J[aacute]a Units and by this notice is announcing its 
availability and the opening of a protest period concerning the 
Proposed MMPs. In accordance with the John D. Dingell, Jr. 
Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019, this notice also 
announces the opening of a 60-day public comment period regarding the 
proposed closure of recreational target shooting (referred to as 
``target shooting'' in the MMPs) at campgrounds, developed recreation 
sites, petroglyph sites, and structural cultural sites within the Bears 
Ears National Monument.

DATES: The BLM planning regulations state that any person who meets the 
conditions as described in the regulations may protest the BLM's 
Proposed MMPs and Final EIS. A person who meets the conditions and 
files a protest must file the protest within 30 days of the date that 
the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of 
Availability in the Federal Register.
    To ensure that comments on the proposed target shooting closure 
will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments within 
September 24, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The Proposed MMPs and Final EIS is available on the BLM 
ePlanning project website at https://goo.gl/uLrEae. Click the Documents 
and Report link on the left side of the screen to find the electronic 
versions of these materials. Hard copies of the Proposed MMPs and Final 
EIS are available for public inspection at the Canyon Country District 
Office.
    Instructions for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM 
regarding the Proposed MMPs may be found online at https://www.blm.gov/filing-a-plan-protest and at 43 CFR 1610.5-2.
    You may submit comments on the proposed target shooting closure 
using either of the following methods:
    Email: [email protected].
    Mail: BLM, Canyon Country District Office, 82 East Dogwood, Moab, 
Utah 84532, Attn: Lance Porter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lance Porter, District Manager, at BLM 
Canyon Country District Office, 82 East Dogwood, Moab, UT 84532; by 
telephone, 435-259-2100; or by 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 normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week, to leave a message or question for the above individual. 
You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 4, 2017, President Donald J. 
Trump signed Proclamation 9681 modifying the Bears Ears National 
Monument designated by Proclamation 9558 to exclude from its 
designation and reservation approximately 1,150,860 acres of land. The 
revised BENM boundary includes two units--Shash J[aacute]a and Indian 
Creek Units--that are reserved for the care and management of the 
objects of historic and scientific interest within their boundaries. 
The planning area is located entirely in San Juan County, Utah, and 
encompasses 169,289 acres of BLM managed lands and 32,587 acres of 
National Forest System Lands. All of the National Forest System Lands 
are within the Shash J[aacute]a Unit.
    The BLM is the lead agency for the preparation of the EIS, and the 
U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is participating as a cooperating agency.
    The planning effort is needed to identify goals, objectives, and 
management actions necessary for the proper care and management of the

[[Page 36119]]

Monument objects and values identified in Proclamations 9558, as 
modified by Proclamation 9681. The BENM is jointly administered by the 
BLM and USFS under the Monticello Resource Management Plan (BLM 2008), 
as amended, and the Manti-La Sal Land and Resource Management Plan 
(LRMP), as amended (USFS 1986).
    Each agency will continue to manage their lands within the Monument 
pursuant to their respective applicable legal authorities. The 
responsible official for the BLM is the Utah State Director; the 
responsible official for the USFS is the Manti-La Sal Forest 
Supervisor. These MMPs would amend the existing Monticello Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) to remove the BENM from the Monticello RMP 
decision area, and would replace the management from the Monticello RMP 
for the BLM-administered lands within the Monument. The USFS would use 
the information in the MMPs/EIS to amend the existing Manti-La Sal LRMP 
to guide future management of USFS-administered lands within the BENM. 
The USFS will use the BLM's administrative review procedures, as 
provided by the USFS 2012 Planning Rule, at 36 CFR 219.59(b).
    The BLM and USFS have reviewed public scoping comments to identify 
planning issues that directed the formulation of alternatives and 
framed the scope of analysis in the Draft MMPs/EIS. Issues identified 
include management of cultural resources, including protection of 
American Indian sacred sites, traditional cultural properties, and 
access by members of Indian tribes for traditional cultural and 
customary uses; recreation and access; livestock grazing; and wildlife, 
water, vegetation, and soil resources. This planning effort also 
considers the management of lands with wilderness characteristics.
    The formal public scoping process for the MMPs and EIS began on 
January 16, 2018, with the publication of a Notice of Intent in the 
Federal Register (83 FR 2181) and ended on April 11, 2018. The BLM held 
public scoping meetings in Blanding and Bluff, Utah, in March 2018. The 
Notice of Availability for the Draft MMPs/EIS was published on August 
17, 2018 (83FR 41111), and the BLM accepted public comments on the 
range of alternatives, effects analysis and draft MMPs for 90 days, 
ending on November 15, 2018. During the public comment period, the BLM 
and USFS hosted public meetings in Blanding, Bluff, and Montezuma 
Creek, Utah.
    The Draft MMPs/EIS evaluated four alternatives in detail. 
Alternative A is the No Action alternative, which is a continuation of 
existing decisions in the Monticello RMP, as amended, and the Manti-La 
Sal Forest Plan, as amended, to the extent that those decisions are 
compatible with the proclamations. Alternative B emphasizes resource 
protection and conservation. This alternative imposes the greatest 
restrictions on recreation and other uses to ensure the proper care and 
management of objects and values. Alternative C represents a balance 
among levels of restriction on recreation and other uses and emphasizes 
adaptive management to protect the long-term sustainability of Monument 
objects and values while providing for other multiple uses. Alternative 
D applies the least restrictive management prescriptions and allows for 
more discretion for multiple uses and review of proposed actions on a 
case-by-case basis. Comments on the Draft MMPs/EIS received from the 
public, the Bears Ears Monument Advisory Committee, cooperating 
agencies and tribes, and internal BLM review were considered and 
incorporated as appropriate into the Proposed MMPs/Final EIS. Public 
comments resulted in the addition of clarifying text, but did not 
significantly change the range of alternatives considered. Alternative 
E was developed in response to comments received on the Draft MMPs/EIS 
and includes elements of Alternatives A, B, C, and D. Alternatives B, 
C, D, and E were developed using input from the public, stakeholders, 
and cooperating agencies. The BLM and USFS have identified Alternative 
E as the agencies' Proposed MMPs. Identification of this alternative, 
however, does not represent final agency direction.
    In the Proposed MMPs, the BLM proposes that recreational target 
shooting (referred to as ``target shooting'' in the MMPs) shall not be 
allowed on certain lands managed by the BLM in both the Indian Creek 
and Shash J[aacute]a units of BENM. As proposed, target shooting would 
generally be allowed, but would be prohibited at campgrounds, developed 
recreation sites, petroglyph sites, and structural cultural sites. The 
proposed closure would help protect the cultural objects and values for 
which the BENM was designated, and provide for public safety at 
campgrounds and developed recreation sites. The proposed closure would 
ensure that irreplaceable petroglyphs and structural cultural sites 
would not inadvertently, or purposefully, be damaged by target shooting 
activities in the Monument. In addition, the proposed closure would 
enhance the safety of the public visiting campgrounds and developed 
recreation sites in the BENM, which would improve their experience. The 
proposed closure does not apply to the USFS-managed land in the BENM.
    In accordance with John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, 
and Recreation Act of 2019 (Dingell Act, Pub. L. 116-9, Section 4103), 
the BLM is announcing the opening of a 60-day public comment period on 
the proposed target shooting closure. As such, the BLM is only 
accepting comments on the proposed target shooting closure. All 
comments must be received by the date set forth in the DATES section 
earlier and must be submitted using one of the methods listed in the 
ADDRESSES section earlier. All protests must be in writing and 
submitted, as set forth in the DATES and ADDRESSES sections earlier.
    The BLM Director will render a written decision on each protest. 
The decision will be mailed to the protesting party. The decision of 
the BLM Director shall be the final decision of the Department of the 
Interior on each protest. Responses to protest issues will be compiled 
and formalized in a Director's Protest Resolution Report made available 
following issuance of the decisions.
    Upon resolution of all protests, the BLM and USFS will issue 
Records of Decision and Approved MMPs (BLM), and an approved LRMP 
(USFS). Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your protest, please be aware 
that your entire protest--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 and 36 CFR 
219.59.

Edwin L. Roberson,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019-15905 Filed 7-25-19; 8:45 am]
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