81 FR 32773 - Notice of Availability of the Proposed Cottonwood Resource Management Plan Amendment for Domestic Sheep Grazing and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Idaho

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 100 (May 24, 2016)

Page Range		32773-32774
FR Document		2016-12360

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment for Domestic Sheep Grazing and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Cottonwood Field Office and by this notice is announcing its availability.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 100 (Tuesday, May 24, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32773-32774]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12360]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLIDC00000.15XL1109AF.L10200000.DS000.LXSSD0090000.241A;4500075335]


Notice of Availability of the Proposed Cottonwood Resource 
Management Plan Amendment for Domestic Sheep Grazing and Final 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Idaho

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a 
Proposed Resource Management Plan

[[Page 32774]]

(RMP) Amendment for Domestic Sheep Grazing and Final Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Cottonwood Field Office 
and by this notice is announcing its availability.

DATES: BLM planning regulations state that any person who meets the 
conditions as described in the regulations may protest the BLM's 
Proposed RMP Amendment/Final Supplemental EIS. A person who meets the 
conditions and files a protest must file the protest within 30 days of 
the date that the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice 
of availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Proposed RMP Amendment/Final Supplemental EIS 
have been sent to affected Federal, State, and local government 
agencies and to other stakeholders, including the Nez Perce Tribe. 
Copies of the Proposed RMP Amendment/Final Supplemental EIS are 
available for public inspection at the Cottonwood Field Office, 1 Butte 
Drive, Cottonwood, ID 83522, phone 208-962-3245. Interested persons may 
also review the Proposed RMP/Final EIS on the Internet at http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/Districts-Idaho/CDA.html. All protests must be in 
writing and mailed to one of the following addresses:
     Regular Mail: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest 
Coordinator, P.O. Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024-1383.
     Overnight Delivery: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest 
Coordinator, 20 M Street SE., Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Pavey, telephone: (208) 769-
5059; address: BLM Coeur d'Alene District, Schreiber Way, Coeur 
d'Alene, ID 83815; email: [email protected]. 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 
individual above during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 
hours a day, 7 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 BLM proposes to amend the 2009 
Cottonwood RMP by providing new management direction and allocations 
for livestock grazing on 19,405 acres of BLM lands within four BLM 
allotments in Idaho and Adams Counties in Idaho.
    In August 2008, the BLM published the Proposed Cottonwood RMP and 
Final EIS and subsequently received a number of protests on the 
proposed decision. The Director of the BLM denied all protest issues 
except one, which was in regard to the adequacy of the range of 
alternatives for management of domestic sheep grazing on four BLM 
allotments that are within bighorn sheep habitat. Specifically, the 
Director found that the Final EIS did not include an adequate range of 
alternatives to address potential disease transmission from domestic 
sheep and goats to bighorn sheep, and remanded decisions in the 
Proposed RMP for managing grazing in four allotments to the State 
Director to complete a Supplemental EIS that would include a reasonable 
range of alternatives for planning decisions for managing livestock 
grazing and that would analyze the impacts of domestic sheep and goat 
grazing within the four allotments. The Director further specified that 
the Supplemental EIS would be for the limited purpose of analyzing the 
impacts of domestic sheep and goat grazing within the four allotments.
    The Supplemental EIS identifies and analyzes three related planning 
issues:
    (1) Bighorn Sheep--Domestic sheep and goats may contact and 
transmit diseases to bighorn sheep, which may be a contributing factor 
to the downward trend in bighorn populations.
    (2) Native American Tribal Interests and Treaty Rights--BLM 
management of livestock grazing, specifically domestic sheep and goats, 
may affect the availability of resources and uses (specifically related 
to bighorn sheep) that are important to the interests and rights of the 
Nez Perce Tribe.
    (3) Livestock Grazing and Social and Economic Interests--Changes to 
BLM management of livestock grazing may affect the local economy.
    Comments on the Draft RMP Amendment/Draft Supplemental EIS received 
from the public and internal BLM review were considered and 
incorporated as appropriate into the proposed plan amendment. Analysis 
of public comments did not result in significant changes to the 
proposed land use plan decisions, but did lead to the following changes 
in the analysis: (1) Elimination of an analytical assumption that 
identified a threshold for inter-species contact resulting in disease 
outbreak; (2) Replacement of reference to effects on bighorn sheep 
``population persistence'' with effects on population ``trends'' and 
``sustainability;'' (3) Consideration of two additional alternatives 
which were eliminated from detailed analysis; (4) Updates to modeling 
data; (5) Citations of additional and current scientific literature; 
(6) Clarifications regarding how an area along the Little Salmon River, 
which does not have a distinct herd, was considered; and (7) 
Information regarding the recent designation of bighorn sheep as a BLM 
Idaho sensitive species. Instructions for filing a protest with the 
Director of the BLM regarding the Proposed RMP/Final EIS may be found 
in the ``Dear Reader'' Letter of the Proposed RMP Amendment/Final 
Supplemental EIS and at 43 CFR 1610.5-2. All protests must be in 
writing and mailed to the appropriate address, as set forth in the 
ADDRESSES section above. Emailed protests will not be accepted as valid 
protests unless the protesting party also provides the original letter 
by either regular or overnight mail postmarked by the close of the 
protest period. Under these conditions, the BLM will consider the 
emailed protest as an advance copy and it will receive full 
consideration. If you wish to provide the BLM with such advance 
notification, please direct emails to [email protected].
    Before including your phone number, email address, or other 
personal identifying information in your protest, you should be aware 
that your entire protest--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your protest 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 
1610.5

Timothy M. Murphy,
Idaho State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-12360 Filed 5-20-16; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 4310-GG-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 100 / Tuesday, May 24, 2016 / Notices 32773

title 43 of the Code of Federal in the Perdue Unit of Bon Secour Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8229
Regulations (43 CFR 46.205, 46.210, and National Wildlife Refuge, in Gulf to contact the above individual during
46.215). Shores, Alabama. normal business hours. The FIRS is
We base our determination that available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
issuance of each ITP qualifies as a low- Next Steps
to leave a message or question with the
effect action on the following three We will evaluate the ITP applications, above individual. You will receive a
criteria: (1) Implementation of the including the HCP’s and any comments reply during normal business hours.
project would result in minor or we receive, to determine whether the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 10-
negligible effects on federally listed, application meets the requirements of member Pecos District RAC advises the
proposed, and candidate species and section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act. We will Secretary of the Interior, through the
their habitats; (2) Implementation of the also evaluate whether issuance of a BLM, on a variety of planning and
project would result in minor or section 10(a)(1)(B) ITP complies with management issues associated with
negligible effects on other section 7 of the Act by conducting an public land management in the BLM’s
environmental values or resources; and intra-Service section 7 consultation. We Pecos District. Planned agenda items
(3) Impacts of the plan, considered will use the results of this consultation, include: A presentation of the Draft
together with the impacts of other past, in combination with the above findings, Carlsbad Resource Management Plan/
present, and reasonably foreseeable in our final analysis to determine Environmental Impact Statement; a
similarly situated projects, would not whether or not to issue the ITP. If we review of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken
result, over time, in cumulative effects determine that the requirements are ACEC Activity Plan; modifications to
to environmental values or resources met, we will issue the ITPs for the the business plan for the Rob Jaggers
that would be considered significant. As incidental take of ABM habitat. Campground; a discussion of BLM
more fully explained in our
Authority workload changes due to drop in oil
environmental action statement and
prices; the status of public land along
associated Low-Effect Screening Form, We provide this notice under Section the upper Black River; a presentation of
the applicant’s proposed project 10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) BLM’s proposed venting and flaring
qualifies as a ‘‘low-effect’’ project. This and NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). rule; and a presentation of proposed
preliminary determination may be Dated: May 18, 2016 projects under the Restore New Mexico
revised based on our review of public
William J. Pearson, program.
comments that we receive in response to
Field Supervisor, Alabama Field Office. All RAC meetings are open to the
this notice.
[FR Doc. 2016–12159 Filed 5–23–16; 8:45 am] public. There will be a half-hour public
Public Comments BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
comment period at 9:30 a.m. for any
Before including your address, phone interested members of the public who
number, email address, or other wish to address the RAC. Depending on
personal identifying information in your DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR the number of persons wishing to speak
comment, you should be aware that and time available, the time for
your entire comment—including your Bureau of Land Management individual comments may be limited.
personal identifying information—may [LLNMP0000 L91450000.PP0000 Melanie Barnes,
be made publicly available at any time. 16XL5573PF] Acting Deputy State Director, Lands and
While you can ask us in your comment Resources.
to withhold your personal identifying Notice of Public Meeting, Pecos
[FR Doc. 2016–12158 Filed 5–23–16; 8:45 am]
information from public review, we District Resource Advisory Council
BILLING CODE 4310–FB–P
cannot guarantee that we will be able to Meeting, New Mexico
do so. AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
If you wish to comment, you may DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Interior.
submit comments by any one of several
methods. Please reference TE84215B–0 ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
Bureau of Land Management
(West Beach LLC), or TE84216B–0 SUMMARY: In accordance with the
(Charles M. Smith) in such comments. [LLIDC00000.15XL1109AF.
Federal Land Policy and Management L10200000.DS000.LXSSD0090000.241A;
You may mail comments to the Fish and Act and the Federal Advisory 4500075335]
Wildlife Service’s Alabama Field Office Committee Act, Bureau of Land
(see ADDRESSES). You may also Management’s (BLM) Pecos District Notice of Availability of the Proposed
comment via the internet to william_ Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will Cottonwood Resource Management
lynn@fws.gov. Please include your name meet as indicated below. Plan Amendment for Domestic Sheep
and return address in your internet Grazing and Final Supplemental
DATES: The RAC will meet on June 30,
message. If you do not receive a Environmental Impact Statement,
confirmation from us that we have 2016, at Concho Resources, 2208 West
Main Street, Artesia, New Mexico, from Idaho
received your internet message, contact
us directly at either telephone number 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. The public may AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION send written comments to the RAC at Department of the Interior.
CONTACT. Finally, you may hand-deliver
the BLM Pecos District, 2909 West 2nd
ACTION: Notice.
Street, Roswell, New Mexico 88201.
sradovich on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

comments to the office listed under
ADDRESSES. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Howard Parman, Pecos District Office, National Environmental Policy Act of
Covered Area Bureau of Land Management, 2909 West 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land
The area encompassed by the HCPs 2nd Street, Roswell, New Mexico 88201, Policy and Management Act of 1976, as
and applications is the 1.02-acre lot 575–627–0212. Persons who use a amended, the Bureau of Land
located at 1932 West Beach Boulevard, telecommunications device for the deaf Management (BLM) has prepared a
and the 0.39-acre inholding lot located (TDD) may call the Federal Information Proposed Resource Management Plan

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:24 May 23, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\24MYN1.SGM 24MYN1

Document Created: 2016-05-24 05:21:52
Document Modified: 2016-05-24 05:21:52

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.
Dates		BLM planning regulations state that any person who meets the conditions as described in the regulations may protest the BLM's Proposed RMP Amendment/Final Supplemental EIS. A person who meets the conditions and files a protest must file the protest within 30 days of the date that the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice of availability in the Federal Register.
Contact		Scott Pavey, telephone: (208) 769-
FR Citation		81 FR 32773

81 FR 32773 - Notice of Availability of the Proposed Cottonwood Resource Management Plan Amendment for Domestic Sheep Grazing and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Idaho

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 100 (May 24, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management