[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 202 (Friday, October 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55978-55979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22774]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[19X 1109AF LLUT930000 Ll6100000.DQ0000.LXSSJ0640000]


Notice of Error in Proposed Resource Management Plans and 
Associated Environmental Impact Statement for the Grand Staircase-
Escalante National Monument-Grand Staircase, Kaiparowits, and Escalante 
Canyon Units and Federal Lands Previously Included in the Monument That 
Are Excluded From the Boundaries; New Protest Period, Utah

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of error and protest period.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Grand Staircase-Escalante 
National Monument (GSENM) and Kanab Field Office have published 
modified Proposed Resource Management Plans (RMPs) and an associated 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the GSENM-Grand Staircase, 
Kaiparowits, and Escalante Canyon Units and Federal lands previously 
included in the Monument that are excluded from the boundaries, 
referred to as the Kanab-Escalante Planning Area (KEPA). This action 
corrects an error related to Appendix W within the Proposed RMPs and 
Final EIS that the BLM had published on August 23, 2019. The BLM is 
modifying the Proposed RMPs and Final EIS to respond to certain public 
comments that the BLM received during the Draft EIS public-comment 
period that were not addressed in the Appendix W-Comment Analysis 
Report. By this Notice, the BLM is announcing the opening of a protest 
period concerning the modified Proposed RMPs and Final EIS.

DATES: The BLM planning regulations state that any person who meets the 
conditions as described in the regulations may protest the BLM's 
Proposed RMPs 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 for the modified Proposed RMPs and Final EIS in the 
Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: The modified Proposed RMPs and Final EIS and accompanying 
errata sheet are available on the BLM ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xVCGJ. 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 modified Proposed RMPs and Final EIS are available 
for public inspection at the Kanab Field Office, 669 South Highway 89A, 
Kanab, UT 84741.
    Instructions for filing a protest with the BLM regarding the 
Proposed RMPs may be found online at https://www.blm.gov/filing-a-plan-protest and at 43 CFR 1610.5-2.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harry Barber, Monument Manager, 
telephone (435) 644-1200; address 669 S Hwy 89A, Kanab, UT 84741; 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. Barber 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: On December 4, 2017, President Donald J. 
Trump signed Presidential Proclamation 9682 modifying the boundaries of 
the GSENM to exclude from designation and reservation approximately 
861,974 acres of land. Lands that remain part of the GSENM are included 
in three units, known as the Grand Staircase, Kaiparowits, and 
Escalante Canyons Units, and are reserved for the care and management 
of the objects of historic and scientific interest described in 
Proclamation 6920, as modified by Proclamation 9682. Lands that are 
excluded from the Monument boundaries are now referred to as the KEPA 
and are managed in accordance with the BLM's multiple-use mandate.
    The planning area is located in Kane and Garfield Counties, Utah, 
and encompasses approximately 1.87 million acres of public land. For 
the GSENM-Grand Staircase, Kaiparowits, and Escalante Canyons Units, 
this planning effort is needed to identify goals, objectives, and 
management actions necessary for the proper care and management of the 
objects and values identified in Proclamation 6920, as modified by 
Proclamation 9682. For lands in the KEPA, this planning effort is 
needed to identify goals, objectives, and management actions necessary 
to ensure that public lands and their various resource values are 
utilized in the combination that will best meet the present and future 
needs of the American people.
    The entire planning area is currently managed by the BLM and under 
the GSENM Plan (BLM 2000), as amended. This planning effort would 
replace the existing Monument Management Plan with four new RMPs.

[[Page 55979]]

    The BLM reviewed public scoping comments to identify planning 
issues that directed the formulation of alternatives and frames the 
scope of analysis in the Draft RMPs/EIS. Issues identified include 
management of recreation and access; paleontological and cultural 
resources; livestock grazing; mineral resources; and wildlife, water, 
vegetation, and soil resources. This planning effort also considers 
management of lands with wilderness characteristics and designation of 
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.
    The formal public-scoping process for the RMPs and EIS began on 
January 16, 2018, with the publication of a Notice of Intent in the 
Federal Register (83 FR 2179) and ended on April 11, 2018. The BLM held 
public scoping meetings in Kanab and Escalante, Utah, in March 2018. 
The Notice of Availability for the Draft RMPs/EIS was published on 
August 17, 2018 (83 FR 41108), followed by a Notice of Error published 
on August 31, 2018, that extended the public comment period on the 
Draft RMPs/EIS (83 FR 44659). The BLM accepted public comments on the 
range of alternatives, effects analysis, and Draft RMPs for 105 days, 
ending on November 30, 2018. During the public-comment period, public 
meetings were held in Kanab and Escalante, Utah.
    The Draft RMPs/EIS evaluated four alternatives in detail. 
Alternative A is the No Action alternative, which is a continuation of 
existing decisions in the 2000 Monument Management Plan. Alternative B 
generally focuses on protection of resources (e.g., wildlife, 
vegetation, cultural, etc.) while providing for targeted resource use 
(e.g., rights-of-way, travel, mineral development). Alternative C 
generally represents a balance of resource protection and resource use. 
Alternative D generally focuses on maximizing resource use (e.g., 
rights-of-way, minerals development, livestock grazing) while still 
providing for resource protection as required by applicable 
regulations, laws, policies, plans, and guidance, including protection 
of Monument objects within the GSENM Units. Comments on the Draft RMPs/
EIS received from the public, the Utah Resource Advisory Council, 
cooperating agencies and tribes, and internal BLM review were 
considered and incorporated as appropriate into the Proposed RMPs/Final 
EIS. Public comments resulted in the addition of clarifying text, but 
did not significantly change the range of alternatives considered. The 
BLM developed Alternative E in response to comments received on the 
Draft RMPs/EIS and includes elements of Alternatives A, B, C, and D.
    The BLM has identified Alternative E as the agency's Proposed RMPs. 
Identification of this alternative, however, does not represent final 
agency direction. The Notice of Availability for the Proposed RMPs and 
Final EIS published in the Federal Register on August 23, 2019 (84 FR 
44326), initiating a protest period that ended on September 23, 2019.
    The modified Proposed RMPs and Final EIS and an accompanying errata 
sheet that includes a summary of all of the changes made are available 
on the BLM's ePlanning website at: https://go.usa.gov/xVCGJ. The BLM is 
providing a 30-day protest period for the modified Proposed RMPs and 
Final EIS. All protests must be in writing and submitted, as set forth 
in the DATES and ADDRESSES sections earlier. The BLM will accept 
protests pertaining to new information identified in the modified 
Proposed RMPs and Final EIS. Please do not resubmit protests previously 
submitted during the protest period that was open from August 23 
through September 23, 2019. The BLM will render a written decision on 
valid protests received during both protest periods.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personally identifiable information in your comment, you should 
be aware that your entire comment--including your personally 
identifiable information--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you may request that the BLM withhold your personally 
identifiable information from public review, we cannot guarantee that 
we will be able to do so.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, and 43 CFR 1610.2.

Edwin L. Roberson,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2019-22774 Filed 10-17-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P