[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 13 (Friday, January 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3689-3690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00745]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_CO_FRN_MO4500176823]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Approved 
Eastern Colorado Resource Management Plan for the Royal Gorge Field 
Office, Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the approved Resource Management 
Plan (RMP) for the Royal Gorge Field Office located in eastern 
Colorado. The Colorado State Director signed the ROD on January 9, 
2024, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the 
approved RMP effective immediately.

DATES: The Colorado State Director signed the ROD on January 9, 2024.

ADDRESSES: The ROD/approved RMP is available online at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/39877/510. Printed copies of the 
ROD/approved RMP are available for public inspection at Royal Gorge 
Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 3028 E. Main, Ca[ntilde]on 
City, CO 81212 or can be provided upon request by contacting BLM 
Project Manager John Smeins at [email protected] or 719-252-8212.
    A copy of the Protest Resolution Report is available at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Smeins, Project Manager, 
telephone 719-252-8212; address 3028 E Main St., Ca[ntilde]on City, CO 
81212; email [email protected]. 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 Mr. Smeins. 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: The BLM prepared the Eastern Colorado 
proposed RMP/final environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate and 
revise the management strategy for resources, resource uses, and 
special designations on public lands managed by the Royal Gorge Field 
Office, which is the planning area for the RMP. Existing management 
decisions for public lands and resources in the Royal Gorge Field 
Office are currently described in two documents: the 1986 Northeast 
RMP, as amended; and the 1996 Royal Gorge RMP, as amended.
    The planning area encompasses approximately 35 million acres of 
land under various jurisdictions, including the BLM, U.S. Forest 
Service, National Park Service, State of Colorado, and local 
government, and private lands in 37 counties across south-central and 
eastern Colorado. The Browns Canyon National Monument is not part of 
the planning area for this RMP/EIS, as it is

[[Page 3690]]

the subject of a separate plan. The Eastern Colorado RMP will provide 
management direction for approximately 658,200 acres of BLM-
administered surface land and approximately 3,311,900 acres of BLM-
administered mineral estate. The decision area includes all BLM public 
lands and approximately 2,673,000 acres of split-estate Federal 
minerals on private, local government, and State lands. It does not 
include National Forest System land and other Federal land where the 
BLM does not make planning decisions about oil and gas management and 
other uses. The BLM typically adopts the requirements determined by 
those Federal surface-managing agencies when leasing the associated 
mineral estate; while such lands are within the planning area, they are 
outside the decision area for this RMP.
    The approved RMP emphasizes balancing resources and resource use 
among competing human interests, land uses, and the conservation of 
natural and cultural resource values, while sustaining and enhancing 
ecological integrity across the landscape, including plant, wildlife, 
and fish habitat. This plan has four geographic landscapes with 
distinct management and incorporates a balanced level of protection, 
restoration, and enhancement, as well as the use of resources and 
services to meet ongoing programs and land uses with an emphasis on 
local community visions for the future of public lands.
    Through this collaborative planning effort, the approved RMP 
describes the actions to guide future management and meet desired 
resource conditions. The preferred alternative for the draft plan was 
carried forward into the final with modifications.
    The BLM provided the proposed RMP/final EIS on July 7, 2023, for a 
30-day public protest period and received five protest letters. The 
BLM's Assistant Director for Resources and Planning resolved all 
protests. Responses to protest issues have been compiled and documented 
in a Protest Resolution Report (see ADDRESSES). No changes to the 
Eastern Colorado proposed RMP/EIS were necessary as a result of 
protests.
    The BLM provided the proposed RMP/final EIS to the Governor of 
Colorado for a 60-day Governor's consistency review. No inconsistencies 
with State or local plans, policies, or programs were identified during 
the Governor's consistency review of the proposed RMP/final EIS. No 
changes to the Eastern Colorado proposed RMP/EIS were necessary as a 
result of the Governor's consistency review.
    The decisions limiting camping are implementation decisions and are 
appealable under 43 CFR part 4. These decisions are contained in Tables 
II-16 and II-17 of the approved RMP. Any party adversely affected by 
the proposed camping limitations may appeal within 30 days of 
publication of this Notice of Availability pursuant to 43 CFR, part 4, 
subpart E. The appeal must be filed with the Royal Gorge Field Manager 
at the above listed address. Please consult the appropriate regulations 
(43 CFR, part 4, subpart E) for further appeal requirements.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2)

Douglas J. Vilsack,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-00745 Filed 1-18-24; 8:45 am]
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