[Federal Register: February 10, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 27)]
[Notices]
[Page 6770-6771]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10fe03-106]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan for the
Ely District and Associated Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Ely Field Office, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a comprehensive Resource Management
Plan (RMP) and associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the
Ely District, located within Lincoln and White Pine counties and the
northeast portion of Nye County, Nevada.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), and the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) will prepare a Resource Management Plan to
consider a range of alternatives for BLM management of public lands
within the Ely District. In conjunction with the RMP, an associated EIS
will be prepared to assess the environmental, social, and economic
effects of the alternatives considered in the RMP. The BLM will work
collaboratively with interested parties to identify the management
decisions that are best suited to local, regional, and national needs
and concerns. The public scoping process will identify planning
[[Page 6771]]
issues and develop planning criteria, including an evaluation of
existing land use plans in the context of the needs and interest of the
public.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. Comments on
issues and planning criteria can be submitted in writing to the address
listed below and will be accepted throughout the creation of the Draft
RMP/Draft EIS. All public meetings will be announced through the local
news media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://blm.ensr.com) at
least 15 days prior to the event. The minutes and list of attendees for
each meeting will be available to the public and open for 30 days to
any participant who wishes to clarify the views they expressed.
Public Involvement: Information on planning issues and planning
criteria can be obtained by accessing the BLM Web site (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://blm.ensr.com
) or by writing to the address listed below. Comments on
issues and planning criteria can be submitted in writing to the address
listed below and will be accepted throughout the creation of the Draft
RMP/Draft EIS. The public will be invited to participate in the scoping
process via attendance at public meetings and review of the draft RMP/
EIS. All public meetings will be announced through the local news
media, newsletters, and the BLM web site (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://blm.ensr.com.) The BLM
has scheduled six public scoping meetings to obtain input on the issues
to be addressed within the Ely RMP/EIS. The meetings will be held at
the following locations: BLM Las Vegas Field Office; Mesquite, NV; Ely,
NV; Reno, NV; Caliente, NV and Tonopah, NV.
These meetings will provide an opportunity for the public to learn
about the Ely RMP/EIS process and to comment directly on the scope of
the planning initiative. The public is encouraged to attend the scoping
meetings and/or send written comments and suggestions concerning the
preparation of the RMP/EIS by following the instructions below.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the Ely RMP should be
submitted within 60 days of the date of publication of this notice and
addressed to: Bureau of Land Management, Gene A. Kolkman, Ely Field
Manager, HC 33, Box 33500, Ely, NV 89301-9408; Fax 775-289-1910.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Ely Field
Office. Freedom of Information Act Considerations: Comments, including
names and street addresses of respondents, will be available for public
review at the Ely Field Office during regular business hours [7:30
a.m.-4:30 p.m. PST], Monday through Friday, except holidays, and may be
published as part of the EIS. Individual respondents may request
confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or street address
from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information
Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written
comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law.
All submissions from organizations and businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations
or businesses, will be available for public inspection in their
entirety.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to our mailing list, contact Gene Drais, Project
Manager for the Ely RMP/EIS, at the above address, telephone (775) 289-
1880 or e-mail gene_drais@nv.blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM's Ely District comprises about 11.4
million acres of public land in all of Lincoln and White Pine counties,
and the northeast portion of Nye County, Nevada. Comprehensive land use
plan (LUP) evaluations of the Egan Resource Management Plan in 2001 and
the Schell and Caliente Management Framework Plans (MFP) in 2002
indicated the need for LUP revisions to provide appropriate management
of all BLM programs and to address deteriorating ecological conditions.
A comprehensive RMP will be prepared for the entire Ely District.
Restoring and maintaining the ecological health of Great Basin
landscapes in eastern Nevada must be done in concert with collaborative
partners, resource users, and local communities. In addition, the RMP/
EIS will provide management direction for future implementation of the
Great Basin Restoration Initiative (GBRI) within the Ely District. The
restoration effort to implement the GBRI within the Ely District is
called the Eastern Nevada Landscape Restoration Project.
Key issues likely to be considered in developing and analyzing
alternatives to be addressed within the Ely RMP/EIS include: ecological
health; air quality; water resources; cultural and paleontological
resources; special status species of flora and fauna; fish and
wildlife; wild horses; fire management; livestock grazing; recreation;
lands and realty; minerals (including oil, gas, and geothermal);
special land use designations (i.e. Wild Horse Herd Management Areas,
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern); and socioeconomic effects of
plan implementation. Based on analysis of these multiple factors, the
BLM will select a preferred alternative for implementation in the final
RMP, which will provide management direction for all Ely District
programs. After gathering public comments on what issues the plan
should address, the suggested issues will be placed in one of three
categories:
1. Issues to be resolved in the plan;
2. Issues resolved through policy or administrative action; or
3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan.
Rationale will be provided in the plan for each issue placed in
category two or three. In addition to these major issues, a number of
management questions and concerns will be addressed in the plan. The
public is encouraged to help identify these questions and concerns
during the scoping phase.
Dated: December 18, 2002.
Gene A. Kolkman,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 03-3173 Filed 2-7-03; 8:45 am]