81 FR 93707 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision and the Approved Resource Management Plans for the Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs National Conservation Areas; and Approved Amendment to the St. George Field Office Resource Management Plan in Washington County, Utah

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 245 (December 21, 2016)

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Records of Decision (RODs) and the Approved Resource Management Plans (RMPs) for the Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs National Conservation Areas (NCA RMPs); and Approved Amendment to the St. George Field Office RMP (RMP Amendment) located in Washington County, Utah. The Utah State Director signed the RODs on December 21, 2016, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved NCA RMPs and RMP Amendment effective.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 21, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 93707-93708]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30755]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[17X L1109AF LLUTC03000.L16100000.DR0000.LXSS004J0000 24-1A]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision and the Approved 
Resource Management Plans for the Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs 
National Conservation Areas; and Approved Amendment to the St. George 
Field Office Resource Management Plan in Washington County, Utah

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Records of Decision (RODs) and the Approved Resource Management 
Plans (RMPs) for the Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs National 
Conservation Areas (NCA RMPs); and Approved Amendment to the St. George 
Field Office RMP (RMP Amendment) located in Washington County, Utah. 
The Utah State Director signed the RODs on December 21, 2016, which 
constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved NCA 
RMPs and RMP Amendment effective.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the RODs and Approved NCA RMPs/RMP Amendment are 
available upon request from Interagency Public Information Center, 345 
East Riverside Drive, St. George, UT 84790, or via the Internet at 
http://bit.ly/2fhtN3P. Copies of the RODs and Approved NCA RMPs/RMP 
Amendment are available for public inspection at the BLM Utah State 
Office Public Room, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, UT 
84101, during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday 
through Friday, except holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Rigtrup, RMP Planner, telephone 
435-865-3000; address 345 East Riverside Drive, St. George, UT 84790; 
email [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to 
contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FRS 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 Approved NCA RMPs provide comprehensive 
management plans for the long-term conservation and management of the 
Beaver Dam Wash NCA (63,480 acres of public land) and the Red Cliffs 
NCA (44,859 acres of public land). The NCA RMPs prescribe appropriate 
uses and conservation measures and are consistent with the planning 
process and other provisions directed by the Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-11, at Title 1, Subtitle O, 
hereinafter OPLMA). The need to amend the St. George Field Office RMP 
(approved in 1999) is also derived from OPLMA. Section 1977(b)(1) of 
OPLMA, directed the BLM to develop a comprehensive travel management 
plan for public lands in Washington County. The 1999 St. George Field 
Office RMP needed to be amended to modify certain existing off-highway 
vehicle (OHV) area designations (open, limited or closed) before this 
comprehensive travel management plan could be developed. The decisions 
contained in the Approved NCA RMPs and RMP Amendment do not apply to 
private and State lands within the boundaries of the NCAs or the St. 
George Field Office planning area.
    The Approved NCA RMPs and RMP Amendment were developed from the 
Proposed NCA RMPs and RMP Amendment that were released, along with the 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), on September 2, 2016. The 
Proposed RMPs and RMP Amendment combined components of the four 
alternatives that were presented in the Draft NCA RMPs and RMP 
Amendment, and associated Draft EIS, released for public review on July 
17, 2015. The NCA RMPs address the long-term management of public land 
resources and land uses, while fulfilling the conservation purpose of 
the NCAs for which the public lands received Congressional designation 
through OPLMA.
    There were 41 protests of the Proposed NCA RMPs and RMP Amendment. 
All valid protests were resolved during the BLM Director's Plan Protest 
Resolution Process, prior to the signing of the RODs. The Governor's 
Consistency Review, which also took place after the release of the 
proposed plans, identified three concerns. The

[[Page 93708]]

BLM provided the Utah Governor with a detailed response and made 
editorial modifications in preparing the Approved NCA RMPs and RMP 
Amendment to address issues raised by the Governor. The NCA RMPs are 
the culmination of a significant effort by the BLM and interested 
members of the public, community stakeholders, and other local, state 
and federal partners to provide long-term management direction for the 
first NCAs designated by Congress in Utah.
    Certain decisions in the Approved NCA RMPs are implementation 
decisions and are appealable to the Interior Board of Land Appeals. 
These implementation level decisions are noted in the RODs for the 
Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs NCAs (under livestock grazing and 
recreation) and are appealable under 43 CFR part 4. Any party adversely 
affected by the implementation level decisions may appeal within 30 
days of publication of this Notice of Availability in accordance with 
the provisions of 43 CFR, part 4, subpart E. The appeal should state 
the specific numbered decision and the rationale for the appeal. Within 
30 days of the posting of this decision (``date of service''), a Notice 
of Appeal must be filed in writing to: State Director-BLM Utah State 
Office 440 West 200 South, Suite 500 Salt Lake City, Utah 84101-1345. 
At the same time, a copy of the Notice of Appeal must also be sent to: 
Regional Solicitor--U.S. Department of the Interior, 6201 Federal 
Building, 1235 South State Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1180.
    Please consult the appropriate regulations (43 CFR, part 4, subpart 
E) for further appeal requirements.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6.

Edwin L. Roberson,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-30755 Filed 12-20-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P