[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 239 (Friday, December 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80143-80144]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27253]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[20X.LLAKF03000 L16100000.PN0000]


Notice of Availability for the Central Yukon Draft Resource 
Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, Alaska

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) releases the 
Central Yukon Draft Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact 
Statement (RMP/EIS) for public review and comment. The BLM will hold 
virtual public meetings and Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation 
Act (ANILCA) Section 810 subsistence-related hearings regarding the 
Central Yukon Draft RMP/EIS. Copies or notification of the electronic 
availability for the Central Yukon Draft RMP/EIS are being sent to 
affected federal, state, tribal, and local government agencies and to 
other stakeholders.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the 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 virtual public meetings, 
subsistence-related hearings, and any other public participation 
activities at least 15 days in advance on the NEPA Register program 
page, https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/35315/510, as well 
as through public notices, press releases, social media posts, and/or 
mailings.

ADDRESSES: You can review and download the Central Yukon Draft RMP/EIS 
online from the BLM's NEPA Register at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/35315/510. Select the ``Documents'' tab to find 
the electronic version of this material. Hard copies of the Draft RMP/
EIS are also available for public inspection at the offices listed in 
this section in compliance with current COVID-19 protocols.
    You may provide comments by mail, fax, email, or in person. Mail 
comments to: BLM Central Yukon Field Office, Attention: Central Yukon 
Draft RMP/EIS, 222 University Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99709. Fax comments 
to (907) 474-2282 or email comments to [email protected]. Hand-
deliver comments to any of the locations listed in this section in 
compliance with current COVID-19 protocols.
    Please contact each of the following facilities before visiting to 
determine their specific COVID-19 protocols, which might include 
needing an appointment and face mask to enter:
BLM Fairbanks District Office, 222 University Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 
99709, (907) 474-2200.
BLM Alaska Public Information Center, James M. Fitzgerald Federal 
Building, 222 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99513, (907) 271-5960.
Alaska Resources Library & Information Services, 3211 Providence Drive, 
Suite 111, Anchorage, AK 99508, (907) 272-7547.
Alaska Public Lands Information Center, 101 Dunkel Street Suite 110, 
Fairbanks, AK 99701, (907) 459-3730.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Ethun, BLM Central Yukon 
Field Office, at (907) 474-2253 or [email protected]. People 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 with the above individual. You 
will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Central Yukon Draft RMP/EIS is a 
comprehensive framework for future public land management actions in 
the Central Yukon region of Alaska. The planning area consists of about 
55.7 million acres of land, including approximately 13.3 million acres 
of public lands managed by the BLM Central Yukon Field Office.
    The Record of Decision for the Central Yukon RMP/EIS will guide 
management of these public lands for the next 15 to 20 years for the 
benefit of current and future generations as part of BLM's multiple-use 
mission. This planning effort is updating management decisions for 
public land uses and resources, including subsistence resources, 
mineral exploration and development, and recreation. When complete, the 
updated Central Yukon RMP will replace the Utility Corridor RMP (1991), 
the original Central Yukon RMP (1986), and portions of the Southwest 
Management Framework Plan (1981), as well as provide RMP-level 
decisions for unplanned lands west of Fairbanks. Although still draft, 
it provides:
     Consolidated direction under one resource management plan 
to address land and resource use and development on BLM-managed public 
lands within the planning area.
     An analysis of the environmental effects that could result 
from implementing the alternatives proposed in the Central Yukon Draft 
RMP/EIS. This Central Yukon Draft RMP/EIS evaluates five alternatives 
for managing the planning area. Alternative A, the no action 
alternative, represents existing management described by current land 
use plans and provides the benchmark against which to compare the other 
alternatives. Alternative B emphasizes reducing the potential for 
competition between development uses and subsistence resources by 
identifying key areas for additional management actions. Alternative C1 
emphasizes a blend of resource protection and development at the 
planning level to maintain the long-term sustainability of resources 
while providing for multiple resource uses. Alternative C2, which is 
the agency preferred alternative, emphasizes management to facilitate 
resource development while applying habitat management and 
administrative designations to accommodate multiple uses. Alternative D 
focuses on maximizing BLM-managed public lands for development 
potential with fewer management restrictions at the planning level. 
Alternatives B, C1, C2, and D were developed using input from the 
public, tribes, stakeholders, and cooperating agencies. Major planning 
issues addressed include subsistence resources, water resources, 
fisheries, and wildlife; forestry; minerals and mining; recreation; 
travel management and access; and areas of critical environmental 
concern. Section 810 of ANILCA requires the BLM to evaluate the effects 
of all alternatives presented in the Draft EIS on subsistence resources 
and activities, as well as hold public hearings if it finds that any 
alternative may significantly restrict subsistence uses. The 
preliminary evaluation of impacts analyzed in the Central Yukon Draft 
RMP/EIS found that associated impacts may significantly restrict 
subsistence uses. Therefore, the BLM will hold virtual public hearings 
on subsistence resources and activities in conjunction with the Central 
Yukon

[[Page 80144]]

Draft RMP/EIS virtual public meetings for potentially affected 
communities. Before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personally identifying information in your comment, 
be aware that your entire comment--including your personally 
identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask the BLM in your comment to withhold your personally 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 3120(a); 40 CFR 1506.6(b)

Chad B. Padgett,
State Director, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2020-27253 Filed 12-10-20; 8:45 am]
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