Notice2024-26665
Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the Newcastle Field Office, Wyoming, and Nebraska Planning Area
Primary source
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Published
November 15, 2024
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentLand Management Bureau
Abstract
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLMPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Newcastle Field Office and Nebraska Resource Management Plans (Newcastle and Nebraska RMPs) and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period on the Draft RMP/EIS and the BLM's proposed areas of critical environmental concern (ACECs).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 221 (Friday, November 15, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 221 (Friday, November 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90309-90310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26665]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_WY_FRN_MO4500182754]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan and
Environmental Impact Statement for the Newcastle Field Office, Wyoming,
and Nebraska Planning Area
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended (FLMPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Newcastle Field Office and Nebraska
Resource Management Plans (Newcastle and Nebraska RMPs) and by this
notice is announcing the opening of the comment period on the Draft
RMP/EIS and the BLM's proposed areas of critical environmental concern
(ACECs).
DATES: This notice announces the opening of a 90-day comment period for
the Draft RMP/EIS beginning with the date following the Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA) publication of its Notice of Availability
(NOA) of the Draft RMP/EIS in the Federal Register. The EPA usually
publishes its NOAs on Fridays.
To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider comments in the
Proposed RMP/Final EIS, please ensure that the BLM receives your
comments prior to the close of the 90-day public comment period or 15
days after the last public meeting, whichever is later.
In addition, this notice also announces the opening of a 90-day
comment period for ACECs. The BLM must receive your ACEC-related
comments by February 13, 2025.
The BLM will be holding multiple public meetings during the public
comment period and the dates, times, and locations of these public
meetings will be announced through public notices, news releases,
social media, and mailings at least 15 days prior to the meetings.
ADDRESSES: The Draft RMP/EIS is available for review on the BLM
ePlanning project website at <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510</a>.
Written comments related to the Newcastle and Nebraska RMPs may be
submitted by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Website: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510</a>.
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#82c0cecfddd5dbddcce7f5e1e3f1f6eee7ddcce7e0f0e3f1e9e3ddd0cfd2c2e0eeeface5edf4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="17555b5a48404e48597260747664637b72485972756576647c7648455a4757757b7a39707861">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Mail: BLM, High Plains District Office, 2987 Prospector
Drive, Casper, WY 82604, OR BLM, Newcastle Field Office, 1101
Washington Boulevard, WY 82701.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at
<a href="http://blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510">blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510</a> and at the Newcastle Field
Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen T. Lacko, Project Manager,
telephone (307) 261-7536; address BLM High Plains District Office, 2987
Prospector Drive, Casper, WY 82604; email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1d7f7170426a644273786a7e7c6e6971784273787f6f7c6e767c426f706d5d7f7170337a726b">[email protected]</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 Ms. Lacko. 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
Wyoming State Director has prepared a Draft RMP/EIS and announces the
comment period on the Draft RMP/EIS and the BLM's proposed ACECs. The
planning area includes Crook, Weston, and Niobrara Counties in Wyoming
and all counties in Nebraska, and encompasses approximately 287,900
acres of surface public lands and 1,738,900 acres of Federal mineral
estate in Wyoming, and approximately 5,100 acres of surface public
lands and 223,900 acres of Federal mineral estate in Nebraska. In
addition to BLM-managed surface lands, the planning area includes the
mineral estate beneath the following:
Newcastle Field Office, Wyoming: One National Monument,
administered by the National Park Service; one National Forest and one
National Grassland administered by the US Forest Service; one State
Park, administered by Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources; and
historic and indigenous trails.
Nebraska: Seven National Wildlife Refuges administered by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service; five National Historic Trails, two National
Monuments, one National Recreational River, and one National Scenic
River administered by the National Park Service; two designated
wilderness areas and two proposed wilderness areas; three Indian
Reservations and three American Indian Trust Lands; two National
Forests and three National Grasslands administered by US Forest
Service; and seventy-three State Parks, State Historic Parks, or State
Recreation Areas administered by the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission.
Purpose and Need for the Planning Effort
The purpose of the Newcastle and Nebraska RMPs/EIS is to provide a
comprehensive framework to guide management of BLM-administered surface
land in the planning area. The RMPs/EIS will incorporate new data,
address land use issues and conflicts, and specify where and under what
circumstances activities will be allowed on BLM-administered surface
lands. The objectives, land use allocations, and management decisions
will be based on the principals of multiple use and sustained yield,
except where a tract of such public land has been dedicated to specific
uses according to another provision of law. All management direction
must meet the objectives of the BLM's multiple use management
[[Page 90310]]
mandate and responsibilities under FLPMA Section 202(c) and (e) and is
subject to valid existing rights. These include all valid leases,
permits, patents, rights-of-way (ROWs), or other land use rights or
authorizations in place at the time the RMP decision is approved.
The Newcastle Field Office (NFO) has determined the need to update
the two RMPs it relies on to manage the public land and Federal mineral
estate in the planning areas. Assessments of these plans showed they
require updating to address new information and changes to resources
and resource uses within the planning area since the BLM completed the
NFO RMP/EIS in 2000 and the Nebraska RMP in 1992. The revised RMPs will
replace the existing Newcastle RMP/Record of Decision (ROD) and
Nebraska RMP/ROD.
Alternatives Including the Preferred Alternative
The BLM has analyzed four alternatives in detail, including the no
action alternative.
Alternative A--No Action Alternative
<bullet> Continue existing management under Newcastle (2000) and
Nebraska (1992) RMPs
<bullet> Approximately 286,500 acres are identified as available for
disposal (Newcastle)
Alternative B--Emphasize Resource Protection
<bullet> Conservation emphasis
<bullet> Emphasis on ACEC designations (Newcastle: 1 existing with
expansion, 1 BLM proposed)
<bullet> Approximately 3,300 acres are identified as available for
disposal (Newcastle)
<bullet> Most protected areas and use restrictions
Alternative C--Maximize Resource Use
<bullet> Resource use emphasis
<bullet> Fewest protected areas and restrictions to resource uses
<bullet> One ACEC brought forward from existing management without
expansion (Same as Alternative A)
<bullet> Approximately 30,300 acres are identified as available for
disposal (Newcastle)
Alternative D--Balance Resource Protection and Use (Preferred
Alternative)
<bullet> Balance of conservation and resource use
<bullet> Two ACECs in Special Designations (Newcastle: refined boundary
of proposed ACEC)
<bullet> One proposed Backcountry Conservation Area (Newcastle)
<bullet> Approximately 9,700 acres are identified as available for
disposal (Newcastle)
<bullet> Multiple use focus with prescriptive actions to allow
protections with more flexibility
The State Director has identified Alternative D as the preferred
alternative, as it. best meets the State Director's planning guidance
and the purpose and need. This alternative balances components
(objectives and management directions) of the other alternatives
considered (Alternatives A, B, and C) and allows for multiple use with
a variety of prescriptive actions to allow protections with
flexibility.
Mitigation
Appendix C in Volume 2 of the Draft EIS is the Wyoming BLM
Mitigation Guidelines for Surface Disturbing and Disruptive Activities.
Mitigation in Nebraska will be in accordance with BLM policy.
ACECs
Consistent with land use planning regulations at 43 CFR 1610.7-
2(b), the BLM is announcing the opening of a 90-day comment period on
the ACECs proposed for designation in the preferred alternative.
Comments may be submitted using any of the methods listed in the
ADDRESSES section earlier.
The proposed ACECs included in the preferred alternative for the
Newcastle RMP are:
<bullet> Whoopup Canyon ACEC is an existing ACEC that has
approximately 1,400 acres and contains rock art ranging from 2,400-
11,500 years old. The preferred alternative would expand the current
ACEC by approximately 200 acres, making it a total of approximately
1,600 acres.
<bullet> The Little Missouri Antelope Trap ACEC is a Native
American antelope trap complex containing trap structures and drive
lines, occupation sites, and ceremonial significance, located in Crook
County. Proposed for its rare and sensitive cultural resources, the
boundary of the Little Missouri Antelope Trap ACEC in Alternative B
(9,500 acres) encompasses adjacent non-contributing cultural sites and
includes an expanded boundary that would provide increased protection
of the cultural setting of the trap site. In Alternative D, the
Preferred Alternative, the ACEC would cover approximately 5,300 acres,
with the boundary of the ACEC refined based on information received
from Tribal field visits, academic studies, and public and cooperating
agency input. This information indicated the importance of not only the
physical trap features, but also the landscape, setting, and ceremonial
features directly contributing to the significance of the Little
Missouri Antelope Trap.
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 30-day public protest period and a 60-day Governor's
consistency review on the Proposed RMP. The Proposed RMP/Final EIS is
anticipated to be available for public protest July 2025 with an
Approved RMP and ROD October 2025.
The BLM will be holding five public meetings in the following
locations: in-person meetings will be held in Sundance, Newcastle, and
Lusk, Wyoming, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and one meeting will be held
virtually. The specific date(s) and location(s) of these meetings will
be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media,
newspapers, and the ePlanning project page: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2013064/510</a>.
The BLM will continue to 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. Government-to-
government meetings will continue, and field visits are planned for
interested Tribes.
During public review of this Draft RMPs/EIS, the BLM is seeking
constructive input regarding the proposals for managing resources and
resource uses.
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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR
1610.7-2)
Andrew S. Archuleta,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-26665 Filed 11-14-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-26-P
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