Notice2021-23464
Notice of Intent To Amend the Moab, Price, and Vernal Resource Management Plans and Prepare Environmental Assessments To Comply With the 2019 Dingell Act
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Published
October 28, 2021
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentLand Management Bureau
Abstract
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.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 206 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 206 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59747-59750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[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 <a href="http://go.usa.gov/xV7yu">http://go.usa.gov/xV7yu</a> and <a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/plans-in-development/utah/green-river-dingell-act">https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/plans-in-development/utah/green-river-dingell-act</a>. 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e0828c8dbf9594bf9685928e818cbf838f8d8d858e9493a0828c8dce878f96"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="67050b0a3812133811021509060b3804080a0a0209131427050b0a49000811">[email protected]</span></a> 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b9dbd5d4e6cccde6cfdccbd7d8d5e6dad6d4d4dcd7cdcaf9dbd5d497ded6cf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d2b0bebf8da7a68da4b7a0bcb3be8db1bdbfbfb7bca6a192b0bebffcb5bda4">[email protected]</span></a>;
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
<a href="http://go.usa.gov/xV7yu">http://go.usa.gov/xV7yu</a> and <a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/plans-in-development/utah/green-river-dingell-act">https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/plans-in-development/utah/green-river-dingell-act</a>.
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
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This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.