80 FR 51303 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Grand Junction Field Office Approved Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement, Colorado

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 163 (August 24, 2015)

Page Range		51303-51304
FR Document		2015-20706

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Grand Junction Field Office (GJFO) located in Mesa, Garfield, Montrose, and Rio Blanco counties, Colorado. The Colorado State Director signed the ROD on August 24, 2015, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 163 (Monday, August 24, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 163 (Monday, August 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51303-51304]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20706]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCON03000 L16100000.DR0000 15x]

Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Grand
Junction Field Office Approved Resource Management Plan/Final
Environmental Impact Statement, 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 Grand Junction Field Office (GJFO) located in Mesa,
Garfield, Montrose, and Rio Blanco counties, Colorado. The Colorado
State Director signed the ROD on August 24, 2015, which constitutes the
final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved RMP effective
immediately.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD and Approved RMP are available upon
request from the Field Manager, GJFO, BLM, 2815 H Road, Grand Junction,
CO 81506 or via the Internet at http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gjfo/rmp/rmp.html under the ``RMP Documents'' link. Copies of the ROD and
Approved RMP are available for public inspection at the GJFO (see
address above) and the Mesa County libraries in Grand Junction,
Collbran, De Beque, Fruita and Gateway, Colorado.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Stark, Planning and
Environmental Coordinator; telephone 970-244-3027; GJFO (see address
above); email cstark@blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during
normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days
a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You
will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The GJFO has worked cooperatively with the
public, interest groups, stakeholders, cooperating agencies, Native
American tribes, the Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council, the
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, and neighboring BLM offices for the past seven years
developing the approved RMP. The result is an Approved RMP that seeks
to provide a balance between the protection, restoration and
enhancement of natural and cultural values, while allowing resource use
and development in existing or reasonable locations. Goals and
objectives focus on environmental, economic and social outcomes
achieved by strategically addressing demands across the landscape.
Management direction is broad to accommodate a variety of values and
uses. Management decisions outlined in the Approved RMP apply only to
BLM-managed surface lands (approximately 1,061,400 acres) and BLM-
managed Federal mineral estate (approximately 1,231,300 acres) that
lies beneath BLM-managed surface lands, and lands managed by other
Federal, State, and private owners, including National Forest System
lands.
The Approved RMP will replace the 1987 Grand Junction Resource Area
RMP. The Approved RMP outlines goals, objectives, management actions
and allowable uses for resources and land uses including, but not
limited to: Air, soil, water, upland and riparian vegetation, fish and
wildlife, cultural and paleontological resources, visual resources,
recreation, livestock grazing, energy development, minerals, forestry
and realty.
The BLM initiated scoping for the RMP revision in 2008 and
collected information and public input via public meetings in order to
develop the Draft RMP/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which was
published in December 2012. Based on public and agency comments, the
BLM developed the Proposed RMP by combining various elements of all the
alternatives considered in the Draft RMP/EIS.
The BLM published the Proposed RMP/Final EIS on April 10, 2015, and
made it available for a 30-day public protest period. During the
protest period for the Proposed RMP/Final EIS, the BLM received 19
protests on a variety of issues. Following the protest resolution, the
BLM made minor editorial modifications to the Approved RMP to provide
further clarification on some of the decisions being made. The BLM
dismissed all protests.
The BLM regulations also require a 60-day Governor's Consistency
Review period for the Proposed RMP/Final EIS to ensure consistency with
officially approved or adopted state or local government plans,
policies or programs. The Governor did not identify any inconsistencies
as part of this review.
While the Approved RMP contains some conservation management
measures for the Greater Sage-Grouse habitat, final decisions on how to
manage Greater Sage-Grouse habitat within the GJFO administrative

[[Page 51304]]

boundaries will be made in the Record of Decision for the Northwest
Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse Plan Amendment and EIS. The Northwest
Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse Plan Amendment and EIS will fully analyze
applicable Greater Sage-Grouse conservation measures, consistent with
BLM Instruction Memorandum No. 2012-044. The BLM expects to make a
comprehensive set of decisions for managing Greater Sage-Grouse on
lands administered by the GJFO in the ROD for the Northwest Colorado
Greater Sage-Grouse Plan Amendment. That decision will amend the
Approved RMP. In the interim, leasing in Greater Sage-Grouse habitat
will continue to be deferred until a final decision has been made on
the Northwest Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse Plan Amendment.
The Approved RMP includes some implementation decisions, which are
displayed and numbered as implementation decisions in the Approved RMP.
Implementation decisions are generally appealable to the Interior Board
of Land Appeals under 43 CFR 4.410. For example, the decisions
designating routes of travel are implementation decisions and are
appealable under 43 CFR part 4. The route decisions are displayed as an
attachment to Appendix M of the Approved RMP. Any party adversely
affected by the route designations may appeal within 30 days of
publication of this Notice of Availability pursuant to 43 CFR, part 4,
subpart E. The appeal should state the specific route(s), as identified
in Appendix M of the Approved RMP, on which the decision is being
appealed. The appeal must be filed with the Grand Junction Field
Manager at the address listed above. Please consult the appropriate
regulations (43 CFR, part 4, subpart E) for further appeal
requirements.

Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6.

Gregory P. Shoop,
BLM Colorado Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2015-20706 Filed 8-21-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P

51304 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 163 / Monday, August 24, 2015 / Notices

boundaries will be made in the Record Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
of Decision for the Northwest Colorado Gregory P. Shoop, A. Purpose and Background
Greater Sage-Grouse Plan Amendment BLM Colorado Associate State Director.
and EIS. The Northwest Colorado In October 2013, Congress passed the
[FR Doc. 2015–20706 Filed 8–21–15; 8:45 am]
Greater Sage-Grouse Plan Amendment HSA (Pub. L. 113–40). The HSA
BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P
and EIS will fully analyze applicable requires the Department of the Interior,
Greater Sage-Grouse conservation through the BLM Director, to offer for
measures, consistent with BLM DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR sale and auction annually a portion of
Instruction Memorandum No. 2012– the helium reserves owned by the
044. The BLM expects to make a Bureau of Land Management United States and stored underground
comprehensive set of decisions for in the Cliffside Gas Field, near Amarillo,
[LLNM006200 L99110000.EK0000 XXX Texas (50 U.S.C. 167d(b)). On July 22,
managing Greater Sage-Grouse on lands L4053RV]
administered by the GJFO in the ROD 2014, the BLM published a ‘‘Final
for the Northwest Colorado Greater Notice of Final Action: Crude Helium Notice for Implementation of Helium
Sage-Grouse Plan Amendment. That Sale and Auction for Fiscal Year 2016 Stewardship Act Sales and Auctions’’ in
decision will amend the Approved Delivery the Federal Register, (79 FR 42808)
(2014 Final Notice). The 2014 Final
RMP. In the interim, leasing in Greater AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Notice contained information about the
Sage-Grouse habitat will continue to be Interior. HSA, definitions of terms used in the
deferred until a final decision has been ACTION: Notice. Notice, the reasons for the action, and
made on the Northwest Colorado a process for conducting the auctions
Greater Sage-Grouse Plan Amendment. SUMMARY: The Secretary of the Interior and sales in FY 2014. The 2014 Final
The Approved RMP includes some (Secretary), through the Bureau of Land Notice is available at the BLM helium
implementation decisions, which are Management (BLM) New Mexico State operations Web site at: http://
displayed and numbered as Office, is issuing this Final Notice to
www.blm.gov/nm/helium.
conduct a sale and auction from the
implementation decisions in the The BLM published a ‘‘Notice of
Federal Helium Program, administered
Approved RMP. Implementation Proposed Action: Crude Helium Sale
by the BLM New Mexico Amarillo Field
decisions are generally appealable to the Office. The BLM will use the sale and and Auction for Fiscal Year 2016
Interior Board of Land Appeals under 43 auction process outlined in this Notice Delivery’’ in the Federal Register on
CFR 4.410. For example, the decisions for the sale and auction that the Helium June 12, 2015 (80 FR 33548). The BLM
designating routes of travel are Stewardship Act of 2013 (HSA) requires requested comments regarding elements
implementation decisions and are the BLM to conduct during fiscal year of the FY 2016 sale and auction. These
appealable under 43 CFR part 4. The (FY) 2015 for delivery in FY 2016. This elements included:
route decisions are displayed as an action takes into consideration public a. The process for arriving at the price
attachment to Appendix M of the comments received as a result of the for helium to be sold at the Phase B
Approved RMP. Any party adversely Notice of Proposed Action published in auction and sale, as described in section
affected by the route designations may the Federal Register on June 12, 2015. 1.01 of this Notice;
appeal within 30 days of publication of DATES: This Notice is effective on b. The format of the auction, as
this Notice of Availability pursuant to August 24, 2015. described in section 1.04 of this Notice;
43 CFR, part 4, subpart E. The appeal FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: c. Who will be allowed to purchase
should state the specific route(s), as Robert Jolley, Amarillo Field Manager, helium in the FY 2016 Phase B sale, as
identified in Appendix M of the at 806–356–1002. Persons who use a described in section 2.01 of this Notice;
Approved RMP, on which the decision telecommunications device for the deaf and
is being appealed. The appeal must be (TDD) may call the Federal Information d. The process for allocating helium
filed with the Grand Junction Field Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877– for the FY 2016 Phase B sale, as
Manager at the address listed above. 8339. The FIRS is available 24 hours a described in section 2.02 of this Notice.
Please consult the appropriate day, 7 days a week, to leave a message. A summary of changes made as a
regulations (43 CFR, part 4, subpart E) You will receive a reply during normal result of those comments is provided
for further appeal requirements. business hours. below:

SUMMARY OF CHANGES
Affected text Explanation of change

Volumes Offered in the FY 2016 He- Added non-allocated and adjusted sale volumes.
lium Auction and Sale.
Section 1.01 .......................................... Added the additional three criteria from the statute regarding pricing.
Section 1.03 .......................................... The BLM set the auction date as August 26, 2015, with auction results published on the BLM Web site
on August 27, 2015; the BLM set the sale date for September 1, 2015.
Section 2.01 .......................................... The BLM re-instituted the non-allocated sale.
Section 2.02 .......................................... Added explanation for decision to reinstitute non-allocated sale.
Section 2.03 .......................................... Added information on how FY 2016 Phase B sale will be allocated among those participating in the
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

non-allocated sale.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:48 Aug 21, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00109 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\24AUN1.SGM 24AUN1

Document Created: 2015-12-15 10:54:54
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 10:54:54

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of availability.
Contact		Christina Stark, Planning and
FR Citation		80 FR 51303

80 FR 51303 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Grand Junction Field Office Approved Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement, Colorado

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 163 (August 24, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management