[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 206 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59747-59750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23464]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[212L1109AF.LLUTG00000.L12200000.DU0000.LXSSJ0730000]


Notice of Intent To Amend the Moab, Price, and Vernal Resource 
Management Plans and Prepare Environmental Assessments To Comply With 
the 2019 Dingell Act

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
intends to prepare up to six Environmental Assessments (EA) to amend 
the Resource Management Plans (RMP) for the Moab Field Office, Price 
Field Office, and Vernal Field Office, which were approved in 2008. By 
this notice, the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process 
to solicit public comments and identify issues.

DATES: This Notice of Intent (NOI) initiates the public scoping process 
for up to six amendments and associated EAs affecting three RMPs and 10 
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The BLM requests 
comments concerning the scope of the analysis, planning criteria, 
potential alternatives, and identification of relevant information, 
studies, and analyses. All comments must be received in writing by 
November 29, 2021. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings 
will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media 
outlets and the BLM websites at http://go.usa.gov/xV7yu and https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/plans-in-development/utah/green-river-dingell-act. In order to be included in the analyses, all 
comments must be received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping 
period as described above or within 15 days after the last public 
scoping meeting, whichever is later. The BLM may later hold individual 
project scoping periods for each of the six amendments before the 
publication of the Draft RMP amendments/EAs for public comment, to be 
announced through the above websites.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to the BLM Green River 
District, 170 South 500 East, Vernal, Utah 84078. Comments may also be 
sent via email to [email protected] or the ePlanning 
project specific websites. Documents pertinent to this project may be 
examined during regular business hours upon request using the email 
listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to the mailing list, contact Amber Koski, Planning and 
Environmental Coordinator, BLM Green River District, 170 South 500 
East, Vernal, Utah 84078; email [email protected]; 
telephone (435) 781-4465. Persons who use a telecommunications device 
for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
to leave a message or question for the above individual. The FRS is 
available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided 
during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action will ensure consistency with 
Public Law 116-9, the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, 
and Recreation Act's (Dingell Act), designation of Jurassic National 
Monument, John Wesley Powell National Conservation Area, McCoy Flats 
Trail System, three Green River Wild and Recreational River segments, 
San Rafael Swell Recreation Area and 14 surrounding Wilderness Area 
designations, and release of areas in Emery County from wilderness 
study and three adjacent Wilderness Area designations.

Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

    This document provides notice that the BLM Utah Moab Field Office, 
Price Field Office, and Vernal Field Office plan to prepare up to six 
amendments for each field office's associated RMPs to ensure compliance 
with applicable laws, policies, and regulations. The Dingell Act 
requires the BLM to develop either a comprehensive management plan 
(Jurassic National Monument) or a management plan (John Wesley Powell 
National Conservation Area, McCoy Flats Trail System, and San Rafael 
Swell Recreation Area) for the long-term protection and management of 
these areas. Similarly, Public Law 99-590, the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
Act Amendment of 1986 (WSR Act), requires the BLM to develop a 
management plan to provide for protection of the designated river

[[Page 59748]]

values; therefore, an RMP amendment is being prepared for these 
designations. BLM RMPs are land use plans that establish goals and 
objectives to guide future land and resource management actions 
implemented by the BLM. Subsequent site-specific planning will occur to 
identify goals and objectives to develop on the ground management 
actions.
    The approved RMP amendments will each contain an appendix that 
combines the land use planning decisions for the approved RMP amendment 
with any needed implementation guidance. This appendix will serve as 
the management plan required by the Dingell Act and the WSR Act. The 
RMP amendments will recognize valid existing rights. This notice also 
serves as a 30-day public scoping period for possible modification of 
existing ACEC boundaries within management plan areas for the Jurassic 
National Monument, San Rafael Swell Recreation Area and 14 surrounding 
Wilderness Areas, and release of areas in Emery County from wilderness 
study and three adjacent Wilderness Area designations pursuant to the 
Dingell Act. Following are the sections of the Dingell Act pertaining 
to the planned RMP amendments and how they relate to existing plan 
decisions:
    RMP amendment 1: Section 1252 of the Dingell Act designates 
Jurassic National Monument (JNM) on 850 acres of public land in Emery 
County, Utah, also known as the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry (CLDQ). 
The Dingell Act specifies that the purpose of the JNM is to ``conserve, 
interpret, and enhance for the benefit of present and future 
generations the paleontological, scientific, educational, and 
recreational resources of the area subject to valid existing 
rights[.]'' The Price Field Office RMP currently manages the CLDQ under 
several special designations including a Special Recreation Management 
Area (SRMA), a National Natural Landmark, and the CLDQ ACEC. The CLDQ 
represents the densest collection of bones of Allosaurus fragilis, a 
large meat-eating dinosaur, and special management attention had been 
required to protect known and unknown paleontological resources located 
within the existing ACEC. This RMP amendment will reflect the Dingell 
Act's withdrawal of the Monument from public land laws, mining laws, 
mineral leasing laws, geothermal leasing laws, and mineral material 
laws in order to conserve, protect, and enhance the resources and 
values of the Monument. In addition, the RMP amendment may consider 
modifying the boundaries of the CLDQ ACEC and SRMA, and may update the 
Price Field Office RMP goals, objectives, and/or management actions for 
fire and drought, livestock grazing, paleontological resources, 
recreation resources, transportation, and/or other resources to ensure 
consistency with the purposes of the Dingell Act designation and BLM 
policy.
    RMP amendment 2: Section 1118 of the Dingell Act designates the 
John Wesley Powell (JWP) National Conservation Area (NCA) on 29,868 
acres of public land in Uintah County, Utah. The Dingell Act specifies 
that the purpose of the JWP NCA is to ``conserve, protect, and enhance 
for the benefit of present and future generations the nationally 
significant historic, cultural, natural, scientific, scenic, 
recreational, archaeological, educational, and wildlife resources'' of 
the NCA. The Vernal Field Office RMP currently describes management of 
the JWP NCA as the Diamond Mountain BLM Natural Area. The JWP NCA lies 
within a big game migration corridor, and current management is focused 
on conservation of habitat, wildlife, and access to backcountry 
recreation opportunities. This RMP amendment will reflect the Dingell 
Act's withdrawal of the NCA from public land laws, mining laws, mineral 
leasing laws, geothermal leasing laws, and mineral materials laws in 
order to conserve, protect, and enhance the resources of the JWP NCA. 
In addition, the RMP amendment may update the Vernal Field Office RMP 
goals, objectives, and/or management actions for abandoned mine lands, 
cultural resources, fire and fuels management, forage, livestock and 
grazing management, non-WSA (Wilderness Study Area) lands with 
wilderness characteristics, paleontological resources, rangeland 
improvements, recreation resources (i.e., special recreation management 
areas and trail maintenance and development), riparian resources, soil 
and water resources, special status species, travel management (i.e., 
roads and trails), vegetation, visual resource management, wildlife and 
fisheries, woodlands and forest resources, and/or other resources to 
ensure consistency with the purposes of the Dingell Act designation and 
BLM policy.
    RMP amendment 3: Section 1115 of the Dingell Act designates the 
McCoy Flats Trail System (Trail System) on public land located near 
Vernal City in Uintah County, Utah. The Dingell Act specifies that the 
purpose for the Trail System is to provide new non-motorized mountain 
bike routes and trail construction to increase recreational 
opportunities within the area. The Trail System area is currently 
managed as public lands open to multiple use under the Vernal Field 
Office RMP, including but not limited to dispersed camping and mineral 
and right-of-way development. This RMP amendment will establish a 
boundary for the trail system and may update the Vernal Field Office 
RMP goals, objectives, and/or management actions for forage, lands and 
realty management, livestock and grazing management, minerals and 
energy resources (i.e., leasable minerals, locatable minerals, saleable 
minerals, and mineral materials), rangeland improvements, recreation 
resources (i.e., special recreation management areas and trail 
maintenance and development), special status species, travel management 
(i.e., roads and trails), vegetation, visual resource management, 
wildlife and fisheries, and/or other resources to ensure consistency 
with the purposes of the Dingell Act designation and BLM policy.
    RMP amendment 4: Section 1241 of the Dingell Act designates a 63-
mile segment of the Green River, through Emery County, Utah, as a Wild 
and Scenic River. The Dingell Act specifies that the purpose of the 
Green River Wild and Scenic River is to manage the 5.3-mile segment 
from the boundary of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation south to the 
Nefertiti boat ramp as a wild river; the 8.5-mile segment from the 
Nefertiti boat ramp south to the Swasey's boat ramp as a recreational 
river; and the 49.2-mile segment from Bull Bottom, south to the county 
line between Emery and Wayne Counties, as a scenic river. The Moab 
Field Office and Price Field Office RMPs currently describe management 
of the area as suitable for wild, recreational, and scenic river 
management. This RMP amendment will reflect the Wild and Scenic River 
Act's withdrawal of the designated segments from public land laws, 
mining laws, mineral leasing laws, geothermal leasing laws, and mineral 
material laws in order to provide for the protection of the river 
values. In addition, the RMP amendment will establish the final 
boundary for the river segments, and may update the Moab Field Office 
and Price Field Office RMP goals, objectives, and/or management actions 
for soil, water, riparian, vegetation, cultural resources, 
paleontological resources, visual resources management, special status 
species, fish and wildlife, fuels management, fire and drought, 
livestock grazing, recreation and off-highway vehicles, special 
designations (i.e., WSAs and wild and scenic rivers), transportation, 
and/or other resources to ensure consistency with the purposes of

[[Page 59749]]

the Dingell Act designation and BLM policy.
    RMP amendment 5: Sections 1221 and 1222 of the Dingell Act 
designate the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area (Recreation Area), a 
unit encompassing approximately 217,000 acres of public land in Emery 
County, Utah. The Dingell Act specifies that the purpose for the 
Recreation Area is ``to provide for the protection, conservation, and 
enhancement of the recreational, cultural, natural, scenic, wildlife, 
ecological, historical, and educational resource values'' of the 
location. The Dingell Act Section 1231 designated the following 
Wilderness Areas surrounding the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area: Big 
Wild Horse Mesa, Cold Wash, Devil's Canyon, Eagle Canyon, Horse Valley, 
Little Ocean Draw, Little Wild Horse Canyon, Lower Last Chance, Mexican 
Mountain, Middle Wild Horse Mesa, Muddy Creek, Red's Canyon, San Rafael 
Reef, and Sid's Mountain. Under the Price Field Office RMP, the 
Recreation Area and surrounding Wilderness Areas currently include 
several special designations including eight ACECs (listed below) and 
the San Rafael SRMA. The Recreation Area also includes public land open 
to multiple use, including but not limited to dispersed camping and 
mineral and right-of-way development. This RMP amendment will reflect 
the Dingell Act's withdrawal of the Recreation Area and Wilderness 
Areas from public land laws, mining laws, mineral leasing laws, 
geothermal leasing laws, and mineral material laws for the protection 
of the wilderness character of the land. In addition, the RMP amendment 
may consider modifying or removing the boundaries of the San Rafael 
SRMA and the following ACECs: Uranium Mining Districts (Hidden 
Splendor, Lucky Strike, and Little Susan Mine), Heritage Sites (Copper 
Globe, Hunt Cabin, Smith Cabin, Shepherd's End, Swasey's Cabin, and 
Temple Mountain), Rock Art Sites (Cottonwood Canyon, Pictographs, and 
Wild Horse), Seger's Hole, San Rafael Reef, I-70 Scenic Corridor, San 
Rafael Canyon, and Muddy Creek. Finally, the RMP amendment may update 
the Price Field Office RMP goals, objectives, and/or management actions 
for soil, water, riparian, vegetation, cultural resources, 
paleontological resources, visual resources management, special status 
species, fish and wildlife, fuels management, fire and drought, 
forestry and woodland products, livestock grazing, non-WSA lands with 
wilderness characteristics, recreation and off-highway vehicles, 
special designations (i.e., WSAs and national trails and backways), 
transportation, and/or other resources to ensure consistency with the 
purposes of the Dingell Act designations, the Dingell Act WSA release, 
and BLM policy. For the released WSAs outside of the Recreation Area 
and the Wilderness Areas, the RMP amendment may also update the Price 
Field Office RMP goals, objectives, and/or management actions for lands 
and realty, mineral and energy resources, locatable minerals, saleable 
minerals, and mineral materials.
    RMP amendment 6: Section 1231 of the Dingell Act designated the 
following Wilderness Areas adjacent to the Green River: Desolation 
Canyon, Labyrinth Canyon, and Turtle Canyon. Section 1234 releases 
4,400 acres of existing wilderness study areas near the Turtle Canyon 
Wilderness, and releases 2,200 acres of existing wilderness study areas 
near Desolation Canyon. This RMP amendment will reflect the Dingell 
Act's withdrawal of the Wilderness Areas from public land laws, mining 
laws, mineral leasing laws, geothermal leasing laws, and mineral 
material laws for the protection of the wilderness character of the 
land. The Price Field Office RMP currently manages the area as WSA and 
the Bowknot ACEC. The RMP amendment may update the Price Field Office 
RMP goals, objectives, and/or management actions for soil, water, 
riparian, vegetation, cultural resources, paleontological resources, 
visual resources management, special status species, fish and wildlife, 
fuels management, fire and drought, forestry and woodland products, 
livestock grazing, non-WSA lands with wilderness characteristics, 
recreation and off- highway vehicles, special designations (i.e., WSAs 
and national trails and backways), transportation, and/or other 
resources, and may consider modifying or removing the Bowknot ACEC to 
ensure consistency with the purposes of the Dingell Act designations, 
the Dingell Act WSA release, and BLM policy. For the released WSAs, the 
RMP amendment may also update the Price Field Office RMP goals, 
objectives, and/or management actions for lands and realty, mineral and 
energy resources, locatable minerals, saleable minerals, and mineral 
materials.

Preliminary Proposed Actions and Alternatives

No Action Alternative

    Under the No Action Alternative, management of the designated areas 
would continue to follow the decisions of the existing Moab Field 
Office, Price Field Office, and Vernal Field Office RMPs. Under this 
alternative, the outcomes for the designations in the Dingell Act would 
likely not be achieved.

Proposed Action

    The BLM will review current RMP outcomes and modify goals and 
objectives to meet outcomes described in the Dingell Act. The BLM will 
develop legal descriptions and refinements as needed to boundaries 
established by the Dingell Act and modify or remove any unnecessary 
land use designations established under the current RMPs. The BLM will 
modify, add, or remove current RMP allowable uses to meet the outcomes 
described in the Dingell Act and reduce resource conflicts. The BLM 
will modify or remove current RMP management actions and develop new 
actions to meet the outcomes described in the Dingell Act.

Summary of Expected Impacts

    The BLM will develop a list of specific issues for which an 
interdisciplinary team will analyze the impacts of each RMP amendment. 
Generally, issues will focus on the difference between the Dingell 
Act's designations, including desired outcomes and existing or absent 
RMP direction. These differences will likely center around recreation 
use, visual resource management, motorized and non-motorized travel, 
mineral development, etc. Specific issues will be discussed during 
public involvement for each amendment.

Anticipated Permits and Authorizations

    No permits or authorizations are anticipated to be required under 
any alternative.

Schedule for the Decision-Making Process

    This NOI announces a public scoping period for all six RMP 
amendments and the need for potential changes to existing ACECs to 
conform with the Dingell Act. The BLM may also hold future individual 
project scoping periods before the publication of Draft RMP amendments/
EAs for public comment.

Public Scoping Process

    This NOI initiates the public scoping process which guides 
development of the RMP amendments and EAs. The BLM requests that the 
public submit electronically or in writing any information, 
alternatives, or concerns relevant to one or more of the RMP amendments 
that the BLM should consider during the planning process.

[[Page 59750]]

Comments may be submitted in writing to the BLM at any public scoping 
meeting, or they may be submitted to the BLM using one of the methods 
listed in the ADDRESSES section above. Interested parties may submit 
comments by the close of the 30-day scoping period or within 15 days 
after the last public meeting, whichever is later. The BLM will use the 
NEPA scoping process to fulfill the public involvement process under 
section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 
306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3) and the public involvement 
requirements of the Dingell Act. The date(s) and location(s) for any 
public scoping meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance 
though local media outlets, and on the BLM's project website(s) at 
http://go.usa.gov/xV7yu and https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/plans-in-development/utah/green-river-dingell-act.
    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.
    The BLM will consult with American Indian Tribes on a government-
to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other 
policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and 
potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due 
consideration.
    Federal, State, and local agencies, along with Tribes and other 
stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the proposed 
action that the BLM is evaluating are invited to participate in the 
scoping process and, if eligible, may request, or be requested by the 
BLM, to participate in development of the EAs as cooperating agencies.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the BLM. Therefore, comments 
should be provided prior to the close of the comment period and be 
clearly articulated.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record 
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered.

Request for Identification of Potential Alternatives, Information, and 
Analysis Relevant to the Proposed Action

    The BLM invites public comments identifying alternatives, relevant 
data and information, planning criteria, and issues for analyses 
pertaining to each RMP amendment.
    Planning criteria are the standards, rules, and other factors 
developed by managers and interdisciplinary team members for use in 
forming judgements about decision making, analysis, and data collection 
during the planning process. The BLM has identified some preliminary 
planning criteria to guide development of the RMP amendments, to avoid 
unnecessary data collection and analysis, and to ensure the RMP 
amendments are tailored to the issues. These criteria may be modified 
and/or other criteria may be identified during the public scoping 
process. The following preliminary specific planning criteria will help 
guide the planning process.
    Criteria 1: The BLM will observe the principles of multiple use and 
sustained yield.
    Criteria 2: The BLM will use a systematic interdisciplinary 
approach to integrate physical, biological, economic, and other 
sciences.
    Criteria 3: The BLM will prioritize the designation and protection 
of ACECs.
    Criteria 4: The BLM will use the best available data regarding 
natural resources.
    Criteria 5: The BLM will consider the present and potential uses of 
public lands and where existing RMP decisions are valid, those 
decisions will remain unchanged.
    Criteria 6: The BLM will consider the relative scarcity of values 
and availability of alternative means and sites for recognizing those 
values.
    Criteria 7: The BLM will weigh the long-term benefits against 
short-term benefits.
    Criteria 8: The BLM will comply with Tribal, Federal, and State 
pollution laws, standards, and implementation plans.
    Criteria 9: The BLM will seek coordination and consistency with 
other government programs, plans, and policies.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Council on Environmental Quality regulations provide for and 
describe both lead and cooperating agency status and emphasize agency 
cooperation early in the NEPA process. Upon request of the lead agency, 
any other Federal agency which has jurisdiction by law shall be a 
cooperating agency. Jurisdiction by law means the other agency has 
authority to approve, veto, or finance all or part of the proposal. In 
addition, any other Federal agency which has special expertise with 
respect to an identified issue may participate as a cooperating agency. 
Special expertise means ``. . . statutory responsibility, agency 
mission, or related program experience'' (40 CFR 1508.26). When the BLM 
is a lead agency, another agency may request the BLM designate it as a 
cooperating or joint lead agency. Any State, Tribal, or local agency 
with jurisdiction by law or special expertise may, by agreement, be a 
cooperating agency. The BLM has extended cooperating agency status to 
the following agencies for one or more of the RMP amendments: Ute 
Indian Tribe; U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs--Uintah and Ouray Agency; 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service--Utah Field Office; U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service--Jones Hole Fish Hatchery; U.S. Geological Survey; 
National Park Service--Canyonlands National Park; National Park 
Service--Dinosaur National Monument; National Park Service--Glen Canyon 
National Recreation Area; National Park Service--National Natural 
Landmark Office; Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands; Utah 
Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining; Utah Division of Parks and 
Recreation; Utah Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office; Utah School 
and Institutional Trust Lands Administration; Daggett County, UT, Emery 
County, UT; Grand County, UT; Uintah County, UT; Ballard City, UT; 
Castle Dale City, UT; Cleveland Town, UT; Duchesne City, UT; Elmo Town, 
UT; Green River City, UT; Huntington City, UT; Moab City, UT; Naples 
City, UT; Roosevelt City, UT; and Vernal City, UT.

Decision Maker

    The Decision Maker for the RMP amendments is the Bureau of Land 
Management Utah State Director.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decisions resulting from these RMP amendments will specify land 
management consistent with Public Law 116-9, also known as the Dingell 
Act.

(Authority: 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 1610.5-5, and 40 CFR 1506.6)

Gregory Sheehan,
Bureau of Land Management, State Director, Utah.
[FR Doc. 2021-23464 Filed 10-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P