[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 144 (Monday, July 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45225-45226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16151]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCOF02400.L16100000.DO0000.LXSSC0100000.20X]


Notice of Availability of the Records of Decision for the Browns 
Canyon National Monument Resource Management Plan, Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest 
Service (USFS) have prepared separate Records of Decision (ROD) for the 
joint Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Browns Canyon 
National Monument (BCNM) located in Chaffee County, Colorado.

DATES: The BLM Colorado State Director signed the BLM ROD on July 21, 
2020, and the Approved RMP is effective immediately on monument lands 
administered by the BLM. The Forest Supervisor of the Pike and San 
Isabel National Forest Comanche Cimarron Grasslands (PSICC) also signed 
the USFS ROD on July 21, 2020, and the Approved RMP will be effective 
on monument lands administered by the USFS 30 days after publication of 
this notice.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the BLM and USFS RODs and the Approved RMP are 
available upon request from the Field Manager, Royal Gorge Field 
Office, Bureau of Land Management (BLM RGFO), 3028 E. Main St., 
Ca[ntilde]on City, CO 81212, and from the District Ranger, PSICC Salida 
Ranger District, 5575 Cleora Road, Salida, CO 81201 or via the internet 
at https://go.usa.gov/xn2eC. Copies of the RODs and Approved RMP are 
available for public inspection by appointment at BLM RGFO, 3028 E. 
Main St., Ca[ntilde]on City, CO 81212, and at the PSICC Salida Ranger 
District, 5575 Cleora Road, Salida, CO 81201.

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 per day, 7 days per week, to leave a message or 
question. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM and USFS have worked cooperatively 
with the public, stakeholders, interest

[[Page 45226]]

groups, cooperating agencies in State and local government, tribes, the 
Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
to develop an Approved RMP that provides for the long-term conservation 
and protection of the monument resources, objects, and values (ROV) 
identified in Presidential Proclamation 9232. These values include the 
``landscape's canyons, rivers, and backcountry forests, . . . diversity 
of plants and wildlife, including a significant herd of bighorn sheep, 
. . . scientifically significant geological, ecological, riparian, 
cultural, and historic resources.'' The Presidential Proclamation 
states that the monument will ``preserve its prehistoric and historic 
legacy and maintain its diverse array of scientific resources, ensuring 
that the prehistoric, historic, and scientific values remain for the 
benefit of all Americans,'' while recognizing its ``world class river 
rafting and outdoor recreation opportunities, including hunting, 
fishing, hiking, camping, mountain biking, and horseback riding.'' The 
Presidential Proclamation also provides that the monument shall be 
subject to valid existing rights, and directs that laws, regulations, 
and policies followed by the BLM or USFS in the administration of 
grazing shall continue to apply, consistent with the care and 
management of the monument ROVs.
    Management decisions outlined in the Approved RMP apply only to 
lands managed within the boundaries of the BCNM (approximately 21,600 
acres). The Approved RMP represents a new management plan for 9,790 
acres administered by the BLM under the National Landscape Conservation 
System and amends the Pike and San Isabel National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan covering 11,810 acres administered by the 
USFS. The Approved RMP also includes a portion of the Arkansas 
Headwaters Recreation Area, a cooperatively managed area along the 
Arkansas River administered by the USFS, the BLM, and Colorado Parks 
and Wildlife (CPW). The Approved RMP establishes goals, objectives, BLM 
management actions/USFS standards and allowable uses for monument 
resources and lands including, but not limited to, the BLM wilderness 
study area, eligible and suitable wild and scenic rivers, and lands 
subject to USFS wilderness suitability determination. The Approved RMP 
also balances recreation, livestock grazing, travel and transportation, 
and realty use in a manner consistent with ROV conservation and 
protection. The Approved RMP includes planning level decisions and land 
and resource use allocations and allowances, but it does not include 
decisions that implement components of the land use plan.
    The BLM and USFS conducted pre-planning public involvement work 
sessions and compiled best available scientific information from 
October 2016 to April 2019. The agencies initiated a joint scoping 
effort for the RMP in May 2019 and collected information and input via 
public meetings and cooperating agency meetings with CPW, Chaffee 
County, the City of Salida, and the Town of Buena Vista to develop the 
Draft RMP/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) released in October 
2019. The BLM and USFS developed the Proposed Plan Alternative based 
upon the Draft Preferred Alternative and public comments on the Draft 
RMP/EIS. The Proposed RMP/Final EIS published in the Federal Register 
on April 17, 2020 (84 FR 21454), which initiated a 30-day protest 
period. The agencies received 10 protests on a variety of issues, which 
were resolved by the BLM Director and the USFS Deputy Regional 
Forester. In accordance with its regulations, the BLM also provided the 
Governor an opportunity to review the Proposed RMP/Final EIS to promote 
consistency with State government plans or policies. The Governor did 
not identify any inconsistency with State government plans or policies. 
Based on further internal review, the BLM and USFS made minor editorial 
modifications to the Approved RMP to provide further clarification of 
some of the decisions.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6)

Jamie E. Connell,
Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2020-16151 Filed 7-24-20; 8:45 am]
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