Notice2023-01971
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan for the San Juan Islands National Monument, Washington
Primary source
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Published
January 31, 2023
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentLand Management Bureau
Abstract
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the San Juan Islands National Monument (SJINM), located in San Juan County in Washington State. The BLM Oregon/Washington State Director signed the ROD on January 26, 2023, which constitutes the decision of the BLM and makes the approved RMP effective immediately.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 20 (Tuesday, January 31, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 31, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6311-6312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01971]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLORW04000.L16100000.DR0000.LXSSH0930000.223L1109AF; 4500164887;
HAG22-0024]
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision and Approved
Resource Management Plan for the San Juan Islands National Monument,
Washington
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 San Juan Islands National Monument (SJINM), located
in San Juan County in Washington State. The BLM Oregon/Washington State
Director signed the ROD on January 26, 2023, which constitutes the
decision of the BLM and makes the approved RMP effective immediately.
DATES: The Oregon/Washington State Director signed the ROD on January
26, 2023.
ADDRESSES: The ROD/approved RMP is available online at <a href="https://go.usa.gov/xucJE">https://go.usa.gov/xucJE</a>. Printed copies of the ROD/approved RMP are available
for public inspection at the following locations:
<bullet> BLM Lopez Island Office, 37 Washburn Place, Lopez Island,
WA 98261;
<bullet> BLM Spokane District Office, 1103 North Fancher Road,
Spokane Valley, WA 99212;
<bullet> BLM Oregon/Washington State Office, 1220 SW 3rd Avenue,
Portland, OR 97204.
Printed copies can be provided upon request by contacting Kurt
Pindel (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT below).
A copy of the Protest Resolution Report is available at: <a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports">https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kurt Pindel, Spokane District Manager,
telephone (208) 769-5040; address BLM Spokane Office, 1103 North
Fancher Road, Spokane Valley, WA 99212; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#aac1dac3c4cecfc6eac8c6c784cdc5dc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e48f948d8a808188a4868889ca838b92">[email protected]</span></a>.
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. Pindel. 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 SJINM RMP provides long-term management
for approximately 1,000 acres of BLM-administered public lands. The
approved RMP describes the goals, objectives, and management actions
for the objects of historic and scientific interest identified in
Presidential Proclamation 8947, which designated the area as a National
Monument in 2013.
The approved RMP provides an effective approach to protecting the
objects and values for which the SJINM was designated while still
providing the public with opportunities to observe, study, and enjoy
these public lands. The approved RMP is consistent with all applicable
laws, regulations, and policies, including Presidential Proclamation
8947 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The BLM expects
implementation of the approved RMP to improve resource conditions and
result in more consistent management of recreation and public access.
In order to meet the purpose and need of the planning effort and
the mandate of Presidential Proclamation 8947, the BLM has developed
allowable and prohibited use decisions for public lands within the
SJINM. As with all decisions in the approved RMP, the BLM has
considered input from consulting Tribes, cooperating agencies, the
Office of the Governor of Washington, the Monument Advisory Committee,
and the public. Based on the consideration of this input, the BLM made
two changes and one clarification to the allowable uses that were
included in the proposed RMP; all three of these modifications were
analyzed in the alternatives considered by the BLM in both the draft
RMP/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the proposed RMP/final
EIS. Specifically, the approved RMP prohibits dispersed camping and
removed small BLM-administered rocks from inclusion in a recreation
management area. Access to these rocks will be limited to authorized
educational, spiritual, or scientific purposes. The approved RMP also
includes clarified language related to the proposed RMP's prohibition
of recreational target shooting to ensure that lawful hunting practices
will continue to be allowed on these public lands. These changes do not
constitute significant changes and therefore do not require that the
BLM provide the public with further opportunity to comment, as
discussed in 43 CFR 1610.2(f)(5) and 1610.5-1(b). The ROD summarizes
all clarifications and modifications made between the publication of
the proposed RMP and the approved RMP. There are no appealable
decisions included in the ROD.
The approved RMP includes allowable and prohibited use decisions
that the BLM believes will protect the cultural and ecological values
for which the SJINM was designated, while also maintaining the
recreational activities that inspired the public to advocate for the
designation of the SJINM. Recreational opportunities under the approved
RMP include hiking, hunting, designated site camping, trail-based
equestrian use, and road-based equestrian and bicycling use. Based on
current visitor use patterns and input provided on the draft and
proposed RMPs, the approved RMP's restrictions on dispersed camping,
target shooting, and access to rocks are not expected to substantially
impact any ongoing recreational activities taking place within the
monument.
The BLM developed the SJINM RMP with extensive stakeholder input
throughout the planning process. The BLM regularly communicated with,
and solicited input from, the public, non-governmental organizations,
and Tribal, Federal, State, and local governments.
The BLM provided the proposed RMP/final EIS on November 22, 2019,
(84 FR 64557) for a 30-day public protest period and received 236
protest letters, including 158 unique protest letters and 78 form
letters. The BLM Director resolved all protests. Responses to protest
issues were compiled and documented in a Protest Resolution Report (see
ADDRESSES).
The BLM provided the proposed RMP/final EIS to the Governor of
Washington for a 60-day Governor's consistency review. On January 15,
2020, the Office of the Governor of Washington identified some concerns
and potential inconsistencies between the proposed RMP and State and
local plans, policies, and programs. The BLM made all requested changes
that were within the scope of the RMP. These changes were all related
to recreation management under the RMP and were within the range of
alternatives analyzed in the EIS. The changes recommended by the
Governor were all
[[Page 6312]]
raised during the public participation process and therefore did not
require the BLM to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on
the recommendations, as provided for at 43 CFR 1610.3-2(e).
(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6; 43 CFR 1610.5-1)
Barry R. Bushue,
State Director, Oregon/Washington.
[FR Doc. 2023-01971 Filed 1-30-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-P
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