[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 193 (Friday, October 4, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53168-53169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-21560]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCOF02400.L16100000. LXSSC0100000.DO0000.19X]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan and 
Associated Environmental Impact Statement for the Browns Canyon 
National Monument, CO

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended; the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 
as amended; and the National Forest Management Act of 1976, as amended; 
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Royal Gorge Field Office (RGFO), 
Ca[ntilde]on City, Colorado, and U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Pike-San 
Isabel National Forests and Comanche-Cimarron National Grasslands 
(PSICC), Pueblo, Colorado, have prepared a joint Resource Management 
Plan (RMP) and Forest Plan (FP) amendment, supported by an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), for the Browns Canyon National 
Monument (BCNM) and by this notice are 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-FP amendment/Draft EIS within 90 days 
following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its 
Notice of Availability of the Draft RMP-FP amendment/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: Comments related to the Draft BCNM RMP-FP amendment/Draft 
EIS must be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Electronic comments must be submitted via the BLM 
ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xn2eC.
     Hard-copy comments must be submitted via mail or hand-
delivered to BCNM RMP/EIS, 5575 Cleora Road, Salida, CO 81201.
    Copies of the Draft BCNM RMP-FP amendment and Draft EIS are 
available at the RGFO, 3028 E. Main St., Ca[ntilde]on City, CO 81212, 
at the PSICC Salida Ranger District, 5575 Cleora Road, Salida, CO 
81201, or on the BLM ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xn2eC. 
Click the Documents & Reports

[[Page 53169]]

link on the left side of the screen to find the electronic version of 
these materials.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Vieira, Project Manager, 
telephone 719-246-9966; address 5575 Cleora Road, Salida, CO 81201; 
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. Vieira during normal business hours. The 
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 and USFS have prepared the Draft 
BCNM RMP-FP amendment and Draft EIS to evaluate the management strategy 
for resources, resource uses, and special designations within the BCNM. 
The planning area is located in Chaffee County, Colorado, and 
encompasses approximately 21,600 acres. The BCNM RMP/FP amendment will 
determine management for approximately 9,790 acres of BLM-administered 
surface land and approximately 11,810 acres of national forest.
    The formal public scoping process for the BCNM Draft RMP-FP 
amendment/Draft EIS began May 14, 2019, with the publication of a 
Notice of Intent in the Federal Register (84 FR 21352). The BLM and 
USFS held three open-house scoping meetings in June 2019. The BLM and 
USFS used public scoping comments to help identify planning issues and 
frame the scope of analysis in the Draft EIS. The BLM and USFS also 
used the scoping process to introduce the public to the preliminary 
alternatives and the Draft Basis for Analysis to obtain feedback on the 
alternatives and the analysis strategy.
    Major planning issues considered in the Draft RMP-FP amendment/
Draft EIS are conserving and protecting monument resources and objects 
or values including bighorn sheep, peregrine falcon, terrestrial and 
avian wildlife habitat, cultural and historical resources, geological 
features and riparian values; maintaining monument values and settings; 
understanding and addressing tribal values including religious and 
other significant sites; addressing existing uses such as livestock 
grazing; managing for sustainable outdoor recreation, visitor growth 
and visitor enjoyment. The Draft RMP-FP amendment also considers 
decisions regarding wild and scenic rivers, areas of critical 
environmental concern (ACECs), and management of lands with wilderness 
characteristics.
    The Draft RMP-FP amendment/Draft EIS evaluates in detail the No 
Action Alternative (Alternative A) and two action alternatives 
(Alternatives B and C). The BLM identified Alternative C as the 
Preferred Alternative. This alternative, however, does not represent 
the final agency direction. After the public comment period closes, the 
BLM and USFS will prepare a Proposed RMP and Proposed FP amendment, 
which may reflect changes or adjustments based on information received 
during public comment on the Draft RMP-FP amendment/Draft EIS, new 
information, or changes in BLM or USFS policies or priorities. The 
Proposed RMP-FP amendment may include objectives and actions described 
in any of the alternatives analyzed in the Draft.
    Alternative A continues existing management in the Planning Area, 
as reflected in decisions from the Royal Gorge Resource Area Management 
Plan (BLM 1996) and Pike and San Isabel National Forests; Cimarron and 
Comanche National Grasslands Land and Resource Management Plan (USFS 
1984), as amended. In addition, Alternative A reflects management 
direction in Presidential Proclamation 9232. Alternative B focuses on 
protecting monument resources, objects, and values while providing 
primarily non-motorized recreation activities, such as hiking and 
boating, in a predominantly primitive and back-country setting. 
Alternative B limits future recreational infrastructure development 
while still allowing varied river-based and upland outdoor recreation 
experiences and outcomes. Alternative C focuses on a wider variety of 
river and upland recreation opportunities in backcountry, middle and 
front country settings to enhance the local economy and quality of life 
for residents and visitors. Alternative C includes protections for 
monument resources, objects, and values though emphasizes more 
proactive management of natural resources to address stressors and 
drivers, and a wider range of recreation opportunities and access as 
compared with management under Alternative B. 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 one potential 
ACEC meeting the relevance and importance criteria within the range of 
action alternatives:
    Alternative B would retain the BCNM portion of the Browns Canyon 
ACEC in its current size (9,755 acres). The following management would 
apply: Avoid rights-of-way, restrict vehicles and bicycles to existing 
designated roads and trails and prohibit new route construction, and 
allow seasonal wildlife closures.
    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)

Gregory P. Shoop,
Acting Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019-21560 Filed 10-3-19; 8:45 am]
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