[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 119 (Thursday, June 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40846-40849]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-13233]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNML00000.L16100000.DP0000.234L1109AF]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan for the 
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument and an Associated 
Environmental Impact Statement, New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) New Mexico 
State Director intends to develop a Resource Management Plan (RMP) with 
an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Organ 
Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument (Monument) and by this notice 
is announcing the beginning of the scoping period to solicit public 
comments and identify issues, is providing the planning criteria for 
public review, and is issuing a call for nominations for areas of 
critical environmental concern (ACECs). The Mimbres RMP currently 
provides for BLM management in this new planning area. The RMP revision 
would replace the existing Mimbres RMP within the now-established 
National Monument.

DATES: The BLM requests the public submit comments concerning the scope 
of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant 
information, studies, and ACEC nominations by July 24, 2023. To afford 
the BLM the opportunity to consider issues ACEC nominations raised by 
commenters in Draft RMP/EIS, please ensure your comments are received 
prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period or 15 days after the 
last public meeting, whichever is later.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument Resource 
Management Plan and nominations of new ACECs by any of the following 
methods:
     Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/92170/.
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: BLM Las Cruces District Office, Attention: Mara 
Weisenberger, 1800 Marquess Street, Las Cruces, NM 88005.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at 
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/92170/510 and at the Las 
Cruces District Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: BLM RMP/EIS Team Lead Mara 
Weisenberger, telephone: 575-525-4358; address: 1800 Marquess Street, 
Las Cruces, New Mexico, 88005; email: [email protected]. Contact 
Mara Weisenberger to have your name added to our mailing list. 
Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of 
hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services for contacting 
Ms. Weisenberger. Individuals outside the United States should use the 
relay services offered within their country to make international calls 
to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM 
New Mexico State Director intends to prepare an RMP with an associated 
EIS for the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, announces 
the beginning of the scoping process, seeks public input on issues and 
planning criteria, and invites the public to nominate ACECs. The 
planning area is located in Do[ntilde]a Ana and Luna counties, New 
Mexico, and encompasses approximately 573,613 of public land. The Organ 
Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument RMP would replace the existing 
Mimbres RMP for this new planning area.

Purpose and Need for the RMP

    In determining the suite of management actions necessary to 
protect, restore, and enhance the Monument for the benefit of all 
Americans, this RMP responds to four important sources of overarching 
requirements and guidance:
    (1) Presidential Proclamation 9131 of May 21, 2014, which created 
the Monument and identified the objects of scientific and historic 
interest for protection, restoration, and enhancement. The Proclamation 
identified six primary resources, objects, and values: visual 
resources, cultural resources, geological resources, paleontological 
resources, educational values, and scientific values. The Proclamation 
also provided that the use of motorized vehicles in the Monument would 
be allowed only on roads and trails designated for use by motorized 
vehicles under the Monument's RMP. Existing rights-of-way will continue 
to be authorized, and other rights-of-way will be authorized only if 
they are necessary for the care and management of the six resources, 
objects, and values. All Federal lands and interests within the 
boundaries of the Monument are withdrawn from all forms of entry, 
location, selection, sale, leasing, or other disposition.
    (2) Section 2002 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, 
which established the National Landscape Conservation System, of which 
the Monument is a unit, ``in order to conserve, protect, and restore 
nationally significant landscapes.'' This section also provides that 
the BLM manage these lands ``in a manner that protects the values for 
which the components of the system were designated.''
    (3) The Federal Land Policy and Management Act, which directs the 
BLM to develop land use plans to manage the public lands and resources 
to allow for multiple uses while assuring the sustained yield, 
diversity, and productivity of those lands for present and future 
generations. Section 302 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
provides that the BLM is to manage public lands under the principles of 
multiple use and sustained yield, ``except that where a tract of such 
public land has been dedicated to specific uses according to any other 
provision of law it shall be managed in accordance with such law.'' 
This tract of public land has been designated as a national monument 
and is part of the National Conservation Lands network managed by the 
BLM.
    (4) The 2019 John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and 
Recreation Act (Pub. L. 116-9) designated ten new wilderness areas in 
the Monument encompassing approximately 241,554 acres of wilderness. 
The ten wilderness areas include the Aden Lava Flow Wilderness Area, 
Broad Canyon Wilderness Area, Cinder Cone Wilderness Area, East 
Potrillo Mountains Wilderness Area, Organ Mountains Wilderness Area, 
Robledo Mountains Wilderness Area, Sierra de las Uvas Wilderness Area, 
Potrillo Mountains Wilderness Area, Whitethorn Wilderness Area, and the 
Mount Riley Wilderness Area. Public Law 116-9 imposed additional 
requirements for land acquisitions, while the Wilderness Act itself 
provides additional requirements on how these wilderness areas are 
managed.
    The Federal Land Policy and Management Act and Presidential 
Proclamation 9131 establish the need for this action within the 
Monument. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act requires the BLM 
to

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develop RMPs that provide for the use of public lands. The Proclamation 
specifies that the BLM ``shall prepare and maintain a management plan 
for the Monument and shall provide for maximum public involvement in 
the development of that plan including, but not limited to, 
consultation with Tribal, State, and local governments.'' The BLM does 
not currently manage the Monument under a monument-specific RMP; the 
area encompassing the Monument is currently managed under the 1993 
Mimbres RMP. However, that RMP does not address changes that have 
occurred since 1993, nor does it account for expected future changes.
    The purpose of this plan is to protect, restore, and enhance the 
objects of scientific and historic interest in the Monument identified 
in Presidential Proclamation 9131, while respecting legal existing and 
traditional uses. The plan should also maintain and enhance 
recreational opportunities and other uses of the Monument through 
allocations, education, and interpretation.
    The RMP will also safeguard Tribal treaty rights, and will, as 
provided for in the Proclamation, ``in consultation with Indian tribes, 
ensure the protection of religious and cultural sites in the monument 
and provide access to the sites by members of Indian tribes for 
traditional cultural and customary uses, consistent with the American 
Indian Religious Freedom Act (92 stat. 496, 42 U.S.C. 1996) and 
Executive Order 13007 of May 24, 1996 (Indian Sacred Sites).'' The RMP 
will respond to continued urban growth and increased tourism in the Las 
Cruces metropolitan area, changes in recreational uses in the Monument 
units, designation of new wilderness areas in the Monument, imposition 
of additional requirements for land acquisitions under Public Law 116-
9, new scientific information, and the effects of climate change and 
livestock grazing.

Continued Urban Growth and Increased Tourism

    The purpose of the action includes responding to continuing urban 
growth and increased tourism in the Las Cruces metropolitan area, which 
has increased the need for public land to accommodate many forms of 
recreational activities. The population in the Las Cruces metropolitan 
area increased from 101,759 in 2016 to 217,696 in 2020, and this trend 
is expected to continue. The number of visits to the Monument increased 
from 190,934 in 2014 to 662,445 in 2021. Additionally, there are 
several communities within the Monument that have grown over the past 
several years and need continued and/or upgraded services such as 
broadband and utilities.
    Tribal members are important users of the Monument and use the 
Monument for traditional and ceremonial purposes. A new management plan 
must consider and respond to the needs of all users.

Changes in Recreational Uses

    The purpose of the action includes responding to changes in 
recreational uses in the Monument units, particularly after the 
Monument's designation in May 2014. For example, there is a growing 
network of all-terrain and other vehicle trails radiating out from the 
City of Las Cruces, the Mesilla Valley, and the Village of Hatch, 
particularly in the Do[ntilde]a Ana Mountains unit. Additionally, the 
Do[ntilde]a Ana Mountains ACEC is classified as Visual Resource 
Management Class I in the 1993 Mimbres RMP, and the volume of increased 
recreational use is an issue that needs to be explored. There are 
several recreational activities that are popular but possibly degrading 
to resources, such as bouldering and rock climbing, off-highway vehicle 
use, recreational shooting, and mountain biking. This may require that 
some areas within the Monument be considered for special designations, 
such as a special recreation management area. Additionally, popular 
recreation areas within the Monument include Kilbourne Hole, Dripping 
Springs Natural Area, Aguirre Spring Recreation Area, Soledad Canyon 
Day Use Area, Sierra Vista National Recreation Trail, Do[ntilde]a Ana 
Mountains unit, and the Organ Mountains Wilderness. As the demand for 
recreation increases in the Monument, there is a need to improve access 
and connectivity to other less-used areas to reduce pressure on these 
popular recreation areas. Education and interpretation may also be 
needed to reduce user conflicts, educate about sensitive resources and 
traditional uses, and create a culture of preservation among 
recreationists.

Designation of New Wilderness Areas Under Public Law 116-9

    The purpose of the action includes responding to the designation of 
new wilderness areas in the Monument and imposition of additional 
requirements for land acquisitions under Public Law 116-9. The 
Wilderness Act of 1964 (Pub. L. 88-577) provides for the establishment 
of wilderness areas (designated by Congress) that are administered for 
the use and enjoyment of the American people in such a manner that 
leaves them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness. BLM 
Manual 6340 provides the BLM with guidance for the management of 
designated wilderness areas. Public Law 116-9 designated ten new 
wilderness areas in the Monument encompassing approximately 241,554 
acres of wilderness. Public Law 116-9 also requires that any land or 
interest in land acquired by the BLM within the boundary of a 
wilderness area must become part of the wilderness area and be managed 
in accordance with the Wilderness Act, the provisions of Public Law 
116-9 1201, and any other applicable laws.

New Scientific Information

    The purpose of the action includes responding to new scientific 
information about the Monument. Since 1993, several studies have been 
completed that provide the BLM with new and updated data regarding the 
Monument, enabling the BLM to make better informed management decisions 
and improve practices. These include a 2017 visual resources inventory, 
2017 visitor satisfaction survey, 2018 recreation focus group study, 
2019 lichen and biological crust diversity studies, 2019/2020 U.S. 
Geological Survey watershed study and inventory of soil and water 
resources, 2016-2021 paleontological inventories, 2021 Analysis of 
Management Situation, and ongoing Tribal consultation, wilderness 
inventories, and an air emissions inventory.

Effects of Climate Change and Livestock Grazing

    The purpose of the action includes responding to the effects of 
climate change and loss of grassland habitat, increased wildfire 
frequency, and livestock grazing's interaction with ecosystem 
functionality. Many of the perennial grasslands in the Monument have 
already been converted to shrublands. Climate change is expected to 
further impact grassland habitat in the Monument by making it more 
difficult for grass species to reestablish during the growing season. 
This will also cause shrubs and other nonnative species to establish, 
which reduces or completely inhibits the chances of native grass 
species to reestablish in that area.

Preliminary Alternatives

    The BLM will be analyzing alternatives that explore and evaluate 
different ways of achieving the purpose and need listed above. The 
alternatives will explore different outcomes to be addressed during 
this planning effort to understand the trade-offs of different land 
management approaches. In

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addition to the No Action Alternative, the BLM will develop three 
action alternatives to analyze in detail. Alternative A is the No 
Action Alternative; it would continue current management direction and 
prevailing conditions derived from existing planning decisions. 
Alternative B would emphasize the greatest protections and conservation 
by maintaining or enhancing habitat. It would provide opportunities for 
recreation and travel with the most restrictions. Alternative C is 
similar to Alternative B but would emphasize the protection of 
resilient and intact landscapes while allowing for discretionary uses 
in identified management areas with fewer restrictions than Alternative 
B. Alternative D would have the fewest restrictions on recreation and 
travel management, while maintaining ecological function and meeting 
land capability to protect Monument resources, objects, and values. The 
BLM welcomes comments on all preliminary alternatives as well as 
suggestions for additional alternatives.

Planning Criteria

    The planning criteria guide the planning effort and lay the 
groundwork for effects analysis by identifying the preliminary issues 
and their analytical frameworks. Preliminary issues for the planning 
area have been identified by BLM personnel and from early engagement 
conducted for this planning effort with Federal, State, and local 
agencies; Tribes; and stakeholders. The BLM has identified sixteen 
preliminary issues for this planning effort's analysis. The planning 
criteria are available for public review and comment at the ePlanning 
website (see ADDRESSES).

Summary of Expected Impacts

    Consistent with protection of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks 
National Monument objects identified in Proclamation 9131, 
implementation of a new RMP may impact, either beneficially or 
adversely, resources and uses within the Monument, including visual 
resources, cultural resources, geological resources, paleontological 
resources, educational and scientific values, and other human and 
environmental resources. The Proclamation also provided that the use of 
motorized vehicles in the Monument will be allowed only on roads and 
trails designated for use by motorized vehicles under the Monument's 
RMP. Existing rights-of-way will continue to be authorized, and other 
rights-of-way will be authorized only if they are necessary for the 
care and management of the Monument's resources, objects, and values. 
All Federal lands and interests within the boundaries of the Monument 
are withdrawn from all forms of entry, location, selection, sale, 
leasing, or other disposition.

Schedule for the Decision-Making Process

    The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public 
participation consistent with the NEPA and land use planning processes, 
including a 90-day comment period on the Draft RMP/EIS, and a 
concurrent 30-day public protest period and 60-day Governor's 
consistency review on the Proposed RMP. The Draft RMP/EIS is 
anticipated to be available for public review in the Fall of 2023 and 
the Proposed RMP/Final EIS is anticipated to be available for public 
protest of the Proposed RMP in the spring of 2024 with an Approved RMP 
and Record of Decision expected in the summer of 2024.

Public Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping period and public 
review of the planning criteria, which guides the development and 
analysis of the Draft RMP/EIS.
    The BLM will be holding a total of six scoping meetings. All six 
scoping meetings will be conducted in-person: two in Las Cruces, one 
each in Anthony, Hatch, and Deming, New Mexico, and East El Paso, 
Texas. In compliance with Department of the Interior public health 
guidelines, the BLM may need to hold public meetings in a virtual 
format if county-level transmission of COVID-19 is ``high'' at the time 
of the public meetings. The specific date(s) and location(s) of these 
meetings and any additional scoping meetings will be announced at least 
15 days in advance through the local newspapers and radio stations, 
social media, and the ePlanning website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/92170/510.
    The ePlanning website https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/92170/510 also includes, or will include background information 
on Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, a planning process 
overview, preliminary planning criteria, and interim management 
guidance. You may submit comments on issues, potential alternatives, 
relevant information and analyses, and the preliminary planning 
criteria in writing to the BLM at any public scoping meeting or, to the 
BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section.

ACECs

    The following ACECs are currently designated in the planning area: 
the Organ/Franklin Mountains ACEC (54,817 acres), Robledo Mountains 
ACEC (7,829 acres), and Do[ntilde]a Ana Mountains ACEC (1,427 acres). 
Information about each existing ACEC, including the size, relevant and 
important values, and other helpful information is available in the 
December 2021 Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument Analysis 
of the Management Situation or on the project's website in the 
ADDRESSES section. The BLM will reevaluate existing designated ACECs in 
the Draft RMP/EIS to determine if relevant and important values still 
exist.
    This notice invites the public to nominate additional areas for 
ACEC consideration. To assist the BLM in evaluating nominations for 
consideration in the Draft RMP/EIS, please provide supporting 
descriptive materials, maps, and evidence of the relevance and 
importance of resources or hazards by the close of the public comment 
period in order to facilitate timely evaluation (see DATES and 
ADDRESSES). The BLM has identified the anticipated issues related to 
the consideration of ACECs in the planning criteria.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    Federal, State, and local agencies, along with federally recognized 
Tribal Nations, may request or be asked by the BLM to participate as a 
cooperating agency. At this time the BLM has identified the following 
potential cooperating agencies: City of Las Cruces; Do[ntilde]a Ana 
County; Do[ntilde]a Ana Soil and Water Conservation District; Deming 
Soil and Water Conservation District; Department of Defense Fort Bliss; 
Department of Defense White Sands Missile Range; New Mexico Department 
of Agriculture; New Mexico Department of Game and Fish; New Mexico 
State Land Office; Natural Resources Conservation Service New Mexico, 
South Area; National Park Service, White Sands National Park; and the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Andres National Wildlife Refuge. 
Thirteen federally recognized Tribes with interests in the Organ 
Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument were invited to participate as 
a cooperating agency in addition to the formal government-to-government 
consultation that will occur.

Responsible Official

    The New Mexico State Director is the deciding official for this 
planning effort.

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Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The nature of the decision to be made will be the State Director's 
selection of land use planning decisions for managing BLM-administered 
lands under the principles of multiple use and sustained yield in a 
manner that best addresses the purpose and need.

Interdisciplinary Team

    The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan 
in order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns 
identified. Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines 
will be involved in this planning effort: vegetation, lands and realty, 
renewable energy, wildlife fire ecology and management, wilderness, 
wildlife and special status species, public health and safety, geology 
and minerals, paleontology, water resources, recreation, 
transportation, visual resources, rangeland management, cultural 
resources, tribal resources, soils, sociology, and economics.

Additional Information

    The BLM will identify, analyze, and consider mitigation to address 
the reasonably foreseeable impacts to resources from the proposed plan 
and all analyzed reasonable alternatives and, in accordance with 40 CFR 
1502.14(e), include appropriate mitigation measures not already 
included in the proposed plan or alternatives. Mitigation may include 
avoidance, minimization, rectification, reduction or elimination over 
time, and compensation; it may be considered at multiple scales, 
including the landscape scale.
    The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA and land use planning 
processes for this planning effort to help support compliance with 
applicable procedural requirements under the Endangered Species Act (16 
U.S.C. 1536) and section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act 
(54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), including public 
involvement requirements of Section 106. The information about historic 
and cultural resources and threatened and endangered species within the 
area potentially affected by the proposed plan will assist the BLM in 
identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources.
    The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM MS 1780, 
and other Departmental 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 Indian Tribal Nations and other stakeholders that may be 
interested in or affected by the proposed Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks 
National Monument RMP 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 the development of the 
environmental analysis as a cooperating agency.
    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 1501.9 and 43 CFR 1610.2)

Sheila Hutcherson,
Acting Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2023-13233 Filed 6-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-23-P