81 FR 90865 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment/Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Recreational Target Shooting in the Sonoran Desert National Monument, AZ
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 241 (December 15, 2016)
Bureau of Land Management
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 241 (December 15, 2016)
| Page Range | 90865-90866 | |
| FR Document | 2016-30166 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 241 (Thursday, December 15, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 90865-90866] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-30166] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [AZ-P040-2017-1711-PH-1000-241A 17X.LLAZP04000.L1711.PH0000] Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment/Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Recreational Target Shooting in the Sonoran Desert National Monument, AZ AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 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) Lower Sonoran Field Office, Phoenix, Arizona, has prepared a draft resource management plan (RMP) amendment/draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Sonoran Desert National Monument (SDNM). By this notice the BLM is announcing the opening of the public comment period. DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the draft RMP amendment/draft EIS within 90 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the draft RMP amendment/ draft EIS addressing Recreational Target Shooting in the SDNM by any of the following methods:Web site: http://1.usa.gov/1ZPyFSA. Email: [email protected]. Fax: 623-580-5580 Mail: Wayne Monger, Project Manager, Lower Sonoran Field Office, 21605 North 7th Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85027 Copies of the draft RMP amendment/draft EIS addressing Recreational Target Shooting in the SDNM are available in the Lower Sonoran Field Office at the above address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Scarbrough, Monument Manager, telephone 623-580-5651 or, Wayne Monger, Project Manager, telephone 623-580-5683; address 21605 North 7th Avenue, Phoenix Arizona 85027; email [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The Service 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 planning area covers nearly 496,400 surface acres of south-central Arizona and lies within Maricopa and Pinal Counties. Population centers adjacent to the planning area include metropolitan Phoenix, and the communities of Ajo, Goodyear, Buckeye, Gila Bend, Mobile, and Maricopa. The planning area [[Page 90866]] encompasses Federal- and State-administered lands as well as private lands. The BLM manages 486,400 surface acres of public lands in the planning area, as well as 461,000 acres of (sub surface) mineral estate. The State of Arizona manages 3,900 surface acres in the planning area, and the remaining 6,100 surface acres are privately owned land. The BLM has prepared the SDNM draft RMP amendment/draft EIS to address the management of recreational target shooting within the SDNM. The draft RMP amendment/draft EIS is needed to analyze recreational target shooting within the SDNM due to a ruling by the U.S. District Court-District of Arizona. The court vacated portions of the 2012 Record of Decision, approved RMP, and final EIS pertaining to the management of recreational target shooting throughout the SDNM and remanded the decision to the BLM for reconsideration. Pursuant to the court order, the BLM must complete the plan amendment by September 30, 2017. The formal public scoping process for the draft RMP amendment/ draft EIS began on January 21, 2016, with the publication of a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register (81 FR 3463), and ended on March 21, 2016. The BLM held three public scoping meetings in February 2016. The BLM used public scoping comments to help identify planning issues that directed the formulation of alternatives and framed the scope of analysis in the draft RMP amendment/draft EIS. The BLM also used the scoping process to introduce the public to preliminary planning criteria, which set limits on the scope of the draft RMP amendment/ draft EIS. Issues identified included, priority wildlife species and habitat, special status species, vegetation resources, lands with wilderness characteristics, designated wilderness, recreation, monument objects, hazardous materials, and public safety. The draft RMP amendment/draft EIS evaluates five alternatives in detail, including the No Action Alternative (Alternative A) and four action alternatives (Alternatives B, C, D and E). All alternatives provide for a hierarchy of mitigation that includes: 1) Avoiding impacts to the maximum extent compatible with the goals of the alternative; 2) Minimizing any impacts that are not avoided; and 3) Providing a range of responses commensurate to the level of unavoidable impacts. Alternative A, the No Action Alternative, provides that recreational target shooting on the SDNM will continue to be managed in accordance with the Lower Gila South RMP of 1988, which does not include management restrictions on recreational target shooting. Under Alternative B, an area temporarily restricted from recreational target shooting, by order of the U.S. District Court, District of Arizona (approximately 10,599 acres or 2.1 percent of the SDNM) would be permanently restricted from recreational target shooting. Alternative C would make recreational target shooting available in the Desert Back Country Recreational Management Zone (RMZ) only, resulting in approximately 54,817 acres, or 11 percent of the SDNM restricted from this activity. Under Alternative D, recreational target shooting would be available only outside of designated wilderness areas managed for wilderness characteristics and the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (NHT) RMZ resulting in approximately 320,317 acres, or 66 percent of the SDNM restricted for this activity. Alternative E, would restrict recreational target shooting from occurring across the entire SDNM. Following the public comment period, comments will be used to prepare the proposed RMP amendment and final EIS. The BLM will respond to substantive comments by making appropriate revisions to the document, or by explaining why a comment did not warrant a change. 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. Raymond Suazo, State Director. [FR Doc. 2016-30166 Filed 12-14-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-32-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices 90865
mixed ownership pattern of lands closure boundary, especially along 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land
managed by the BLM, Utah School and private property and in areas receiving Policy and Management Act of 1976, as
Institutional Trust Lands recurring violations, such as the Little amended, the Bureau of Land
Administration (SITLA), and several Cove area. In 2014, Utah County Management (BLM) Lower Sonoran
private property owners. The area installed a six-mile fence along the west Field Office, Phoenix, Arizona, has
encompassed by the closure is primarily side of Highway 68 with gates to allow prepared a draft resource management
used by residents of Utah County and public access on a few controlled routes. plan (RMP) amendment/draft
southern Salt Lake County for target Utah County also has started planning environmental impact statement (EIS)
shooting. for development of a nearby managed for the Sonoran Desert National
The target shooting closure is target shooting range. In April 2014, Monument (SDNM). By this notice the
necessary to protect persons, property, SITLA closed approximately 1,500 acres BLM is announcing the opening of the
and the public lands and resources in of state lands adjacent to and near the public comment period.
the area. An existing target shooting BLM closure to recreational access. DATES: To ensure that comments will be
closure of the area will expire on Additionally, the BLM is nearing considered, the BLM must receive
December 15, 2016 (see 79 FR 74111, completion of an amendment to its land written comments on the draft RMP
December 15, 2014). The Eastern Lake use plan to develop a long-term solution amendment/draft EIS within 90 days
Mountains Target Shooting Plan for the target shooting issues in this following the date the Environmental
Amendment (plan amendment) is area. With the closure and these Protection Agency publishes its Notice
currently underway and is expected to subsequent actions, volunteers have of Availability in the Federal Register.
be completed by March 2017. This plan been able to clean up the large amounts The BLM will announce future meetings
amendment process is analyzing of trash and household appliances in or hearings and any other public
management of target shooting in the these areas. involvement activities at least 15 days
Lake Mountains. Following the final This closure is made under the in advance through public notices,
agency decision on the plan authority of the regulations in 43 CFR media releases, and/or mailings.
amendment, the promulgation of 8364.1 which states: ‘‘To protect ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
supplementary rules may be necessary persons, property, and public lands and
to implement the plan amendment. related to the draft RMP amendment/
resources, the authorized officer may draft EIS addressing Recreational Target
Prior to the 2012 closure, the Lake issue an order to close or restrict use of
Mountains received about 4,000 target Shooting in the SDNM by any of the
designated public lands.’’ The closure following methods:
shooters each month; on weekends, as only applies to the discharge or use of
many as 400 shooters concentrated into • Web site: http://1.usa.gov/1ZPyFSA.
5 areas, and other dispersed locations.
firearms or dangerous weapons for the • Email: blm_az_
purposes of recreational target shooting sdnmtargetshooting@blm.gov.
The slopes of the Lake Mountains
provide a natural backstop that is ideal
and does not affect legal hunting. • Fax: 623–580–5580
Any person who violates the above • Mail: Wayne Monger, Project
for target shooting; however, some restriction may be tried before a United Manager, Lower Sonoran Field Office,
shooters chose to target practice in the States Magistrate and fined in 21605 North 7th Avenue, Phoenix AZ
relatively flat terrain on the lower accordance with 18 U.S.C. 3571, 85027
slopes. Given the topography of the area imprisoned for no more than 12 months Copies of the draft RMP amendment/
and the number of people who visit it, under 43 U.S.C. 1733(a) and 43 CFR draft EIS addressing Recreational Target
the area subject to this Order is not 8360.0–7, or both. Such violations also Shooting in the SDNM are available in
conducive to safe target shooting. Target
may be subject to the enhanced fines the Lower Sonoran Field Office at the
shooting in the area has resulted in
provided for in 18 U.S.C. 3571. above address.
nearby private residences being shot
and near-misses of automobiles and Authority: 43 CFR 8364.1. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
people. An additional danger is the Dave Scarbrough, Monument Manager,
Edwin Roberson, telephone 623–580–5651 or, Wayne
annual threat from target shooting- State Director.
related wildfires adjacent to private Monger, Project Manager, telephone
[FR Doc. 2016–30268 Filed 12–14–16; 8:45 am] 623–580–5683; address 21605 North 7th
residences, a major power line,
communication towers on the ridge top, BILLING CODE 4310–DQ–P Avenue, Phoenix Arizona 85027; email
and public land resources. blm_az_sdnmtargetshooting@blm.gov.
The previous two-year closure proved Persons who use a
effective in redirecting target shooting to DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR telecommunications device for the deaf
safer locations, allowing cleanup of the (TDD) may call the Federal Relay
Bureau of Land Management Service at 1–800–877–8339 to contact
area, eliminating illegal dumping and
significantly reducing target shooting- [AZ–P040–2017–1711–PH–1000–241A the above individual during normal
related wildfires. Since the 17X.LLAZP04000.L1711.PH0000] business hours. The Service is available
implementation of the closure in August 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave
Notice of Availability of the Draft a message or question with the above
2012, no near-misses from errant gunfire
Resource Management Plan individual. You will receive a reply
have been reported to law enforcement.
Since the implementation of the 2012 Amendment/Draft Environmental during normal business hours.
target shooting closure, several Impact Statement for Recreational SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
additional actions have been taken by Target Shooting in the Sonoran Desert planning area covers nearly 496,400
rmajette on DSK2TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
private landowners, other agency National Monument, AZ surface acres of south-central Arizona
partners and the BLM to augment the AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, and lies within Maricopa and Pinal
closure. Regular patrols have been Interior. Counties. Population centers adjacent to
conducted by the Utah County Sheriff’s ACTION: Notice the planning area include metropolitan
Office, BLM law enforcement rangers Phoenix, and the communities of Ajo,
and private property owners. Barricades SUMMARY: In accordance with the Goodyear, Buckeye, Gila Bend, Mobile,
have been installed to identify the National Environmental Policy Act of and Maricopa. The planning area
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![90866 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices
encompasses Federal- and State- which does not include management SUMMARY: In accordance with the
administered lands as well as private restrictions on recreational target Federal Land Policy and Management
lands. The BLM manages 486,400 shooting. Under Alternative B, an area Act and the Federal Advisory
surface acres of public lands in the temporarily restricted from recreational Committee Act of 1972, and the U.S.
planning area, as well as 461,000 acres target shooting, by order of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of
of (sub surface) mineral estate. The State District Court, District of Arizona Land Management (BLM), the San Juan
of Arizona manages 3,900 surface acres (approximately 10,599 acres or 2.1 Islands National Monument Advisory
in the planning area, and the remaining percent of the SDNM) would be Committee (MAC) will meet as
6,100 surface acres are privately owned permanently restricted from recreational indicated below:
land. target shooting. Alternative C would
The BLM has prepared the SDNM make recreational target shooting DATES: The MAC will hold a public
draft RMP amendment/draft EIS to available in the Desert Back Country meeting Monday, January 30th, 2017.
address the management of recreational Recreational Management Zone (RMZ) The meeting will run from 8:00 a.m. to
target shooting within the SDNM. The only, resulting in approximately 54,817 3:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at
draft RMP amendment/draft EIS is acres, or 11 percent of the SDNM the Lopez Library at 2225 Fisherman
needed to analyze recreational target restricted from this activity. Under Bay Rd, Lopez Island, WA 98261. A
shooting within the SDNM due to a Alternative D, recreational target public comment period will be available
ruling by the U.S. District Court-District shooting would be available only in the afternoon from noon until 1 p.m.
of Arizona. The court vacated portions outside of designated wilderness areas
managed for wilderness characteristics FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
of the 2012 Record of Decision,
and the Juan Bautista de Anza National Marcia deChadenèdes, San Juan Islands
approved RMP, and final EIS pertaining
Historic Trail (NHT) RMZ resulting in National Monument Manager, P.O. Box
to the management of recreational target
shooting throughout the SDNM and approximately 320,317 acres, or 66 3, 37 Washburn Ave., Suite 101, Lopez
remanded the decision to the BLM for percent of the SDNM restricted for this Island, Washington 98261, (360) 468–
reconsideration. Pursuant to the court activity. Alternative E, would restrict 3051, or mdechade@blm.gov. Persons
recreational target shooting from who use a telecommunications device
order, the BLM must complete the plan
occurring across the entire SDNM. for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
amendment by September 30, 2017. The
Following the public comment period, Relay Service at 1 (800) 877–8339 to
formal public scoping process for the
comments will be used to prepare the contact the above individual during
draft RMP amendment/draft EIS began
proposed RMP amendment and final normal business hours. This service is
on January 21, 2016, with the
EIS. The BLM will respond to available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
publication of a Notice of Intent in the
substantive comments by making to leave a message or question with the
Federal Register (81 FR 3463), and
appropriate revisions to the document,
ended on March 21, 2016. The BLM above individual. You will receive a
or by explaining why a comment did
held three public scoping meetings in reply during normal business hours.
not warrant a change.
February 2016. The BLM used public Before including your address, phone SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
scoping comments to help identify number, email address, or other
planning issues that directed the twelve member San Juan Islands MAC
personal identifying information in your was chartered to provide information
formulation of alternatives and framed comment, you should be aware that
the scope of analysis in the draft RMP and advice regarding the development
your entire comment—including your of the San Juan Islands National
amendment/draft EIS. The BLM also personal identifying information—may
used the scoping process to introduce Monument’s RMP. Members represent
be made publicly available at any time. an array of stakeholder interests in the
the public to preliminary planning While you can ask us in your comment
criteria, which set limits on the scope of land and resources from within the local
to withhold your personal identifying
the draft RMP amendment/draft EIS. information from public review, we area and statewide. All advisory
Issues identified included, priority cannot guarantee that we will be able to committee meetings are open to the
wildlife species and habitat, special do so. public. At noon members of the public
status species, vegetation resources, will have the opportunity to make
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10,
lands with wilderness characteristics, 43 CFR 1610.2.
comments to the MAC during a one
designated wilderness, recreation, hour public comment period. Persons
monument objects, hazardous materials, Raymond Suazo, wishing to make comments during the
and public safety. The draft RMP State Director. public comment period should register
amendment/draft EIS evaluates five [FR Doc. 2016–30166 Filed 12–14–16; 8:45 am] in person with the BLM by 11 a.m. on
alternatives in detail, including the No BILLING CODE 4310–32–P the meeting day, at the meeting location.
Action Alternative (Alternative A) and Depending on the number of persons
four action alternatives (Alternatives B, wishing to comment, the length of
C, D and E). All alternatives provide for DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR comments may be limited. The public
a hierarchy of mitigation that includes: may send written comments to the MAC
1) Avoiding impacts to the maximum Bureau of Land Management
at San Juan Islands National Monument,
extent compatible with the goals of the [LLORW00000.L16100000.DF0000. Attn. MAC, P.O. Box 3, 37 Washburn
alternative; 2) Minimizing any impacts LXSS1080000.16XL1109AF. HAG17–0045]
Ave., Suite 101, Lopez Island,
that are not avoided; and 3) Providing
rmajette on DSK2TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Notice of Public Meeting for the San Washington 98261. The BLM
a range of responses commensurate to
the level of unavoidable impacts. Juan Islands National Monument appreciates all comments.
Alternative A, the No Action Advisory Committee Dennis Strange,
Alternative, provides that recreational AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Spokane District Manager.
target shooting on the SDNM will Interior [FR Doc. 2016–30111 Filed 12–14–16; 8:45 am]
continue to be managed in accordance
ACTION: Notice of public meeting BILLING CODE 4310–33–P
with the Lower Gila South RMP of 1988,
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Document Created: 2016-12-15 01:10:13
Document Modified: 2016-12-15 01:10:13
| 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 | To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the draft RMP amendment/draft EIS within 90 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public involvement activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings. | |
| Contact | Dave Scarbrough, Monument Manager, telephone 623-580-5651 or, Wayne Monger, Project Manager, telephone | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 90865 |
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