64584 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 214 / Friday, November 5, 2004 / Notices 

central and eastern Idaho, has prepared 

a Fire, Fuels, and Related Vegetation 

Management Direction Draft Plan 

Amendment and Environmental Impact 

Statement (Draft Plan Amendment/EIS) 

to consider management direction for 

fire, fuels, and related uses of 

vegetation. This planning process is in 

conformance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act (FLPMA), and the Federal Wildland 

Fire Management Policy (USDI et al.

1995, reviewed and updated in 2001). 

The Draft Plan Amendment/EIS is 

available for public review and 

comment.

DATES: Written comments will be 

accepted for 90 days following the date 

the Environmental Protection Agency 

publishes this Notice of Availability in 

the Federal Register. Future meetings 

and any other opportunities for public 

involvement will be announced at least 

15 days in advance through public 

notices, media news releases, and/or 

mailings. In addition, information on 

public meetings will be posted on the 

Internet at http://www.id.blm.gov/

planning/fmda/index.htm. To receive 

full consideration, comments must be 

postmarked no later than the last day of 

the written comment period. (The last 

day of the written comment period will 

be also be identified in the internet 

address above, after publication of the 

Notice in the Federal Register.)

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Draft Plan 

Amendment/EIS are available upon 

request from the Pocatello Field Office, 

Bureau of Land Management, 4350 

Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, 

phone 208–478–6340, or at http://

www.id.blm.gov/planning/fmda/

index.htm via the Internet. You may 

submit written comments on the draft 

document by any of the following 

methods: 

• Mail: FMDA Planning Team, 

Pocatello Field Office, Bureau of Land 

Management, 4350 Cliffs Drive, 

Pocatello, Idaho 83204. 

• E-mail: ID_USRD_FMDA@blm.gov.

• Fax: 208–478–6376. 

All public comments, including the 

names and mailing addresses of 

respondents, will be available for public 

review at the BLM Pocatello Field 

Office, in Pocatello, Idaho during 

regular business hours from 7:45 a.m. to 

4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except holidays, and may be published 

as part of the final plan amendment/EIS. 

Individual respondents may request 

confidentiality. If you wish to withhold 

your name or address from public 

review or from disclosure under the 

Freedom of Information Act, please state 

this prominently at the beginning of 

your written correspondence. The BLM 

will honor such requests to the extent 

allowed by law. All submissions from 

organizations and businesses, and from 

individuals identifying themselves as 

representatives or officials of 

organizations or businesses, will be 

available for public inspection in their 

entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric 

Limbach, FMDA Project Manager, 4350 

Cliffs Drive, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, 

phone 208–478–6392, e-mail 

Eric_Limbach@blm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Fire, 

Fuels, and Related Vegetation 

Management Direction Draft Plan 

Amendment/EIS was developed with 

broad public participation through a 

three year collaborative planning 

process. It addresses management on 

approximately 5.4 million acres of 

public land in the Upper Snake River 

District of the BLM, comprising the 

Burley, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, and 

Shoshone Field Offices in south-central 

and eastern Idaho. 

The Draft Plan Amendment/EIS 

would incorporate the National Fire 

Plan’s Cohesive Strategy and the Federal 

Wildland Fire Management Policy into 

existing BLM land use plans. The draft 

EIS displays the environmental effects 

of implementing those amended plans. 

The purpose of the proposed fire 

management plan amendment is to: 

• Establish fire management 

guidance, objectives, policies, and 

management actions; 

• Identify resource goals and 

methods, including desired future 

condition of the fire-related vegetation 

resources, and management actions 

necessary to achieve objectives; 

• Form the basis to update fire 

management plans and integrate them 

with allotment management plans, 

wildlife management plans, recreation 

management plans, Idaho Standards for 

Rangeland Health and Guidelines for 

Livestock Grazing, and other applicable 

plans, to the greatest extent possible; 

and 

• Provide LUP level direction to 

enable incremental steps toward a longterm resource goal of conditions that 

minimize risk to human life and 

property and maintain or restore 

vegetation that is resistant to 

catastrophic wildfire. 

Four alternatives are analyzed. 

Alternative A, the No Action alternative, 

reflects current Land Use Plan direction, 

emphasizes wildland fire suppression, 

and minimizes the use of wildland fire 

for resource benefit. Alternative B 

emphasizes the increased use of fire, 

including prescribed fire and wildland 

fire use to more closely approximate the 

historical role of fire and prepare sites 

for restoration treatments. Alternative C 

would fully implement the Cohesive 

Strategy from the National Fire Plan 

(treats more acres with prescribed fire 

than the other alternatives). Alternative 

D, the Preferred Alternative, focuses on 

maintaining or restoring the sagebrush 

steppe ecosystem and its associated 

wildlife species, including sage grouse.

Dated: August 12, 2004. 

K Lynn Bennett, 

Bureau of Land Management, Idaho State 

Director.

[FR Doc. 04–23793 Filed 11–4–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–66–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service 

Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental 

Shelf, Central Planning Area, Oil and 

Gas Lease Sale 194 (2005) 

Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an 

environmental assessment. 

SUMMARY: The Minerals Management 

Service (MMS) has prepared an 

environmental assessment (EA) for 

proposed Gulf of Mexico Outer 

Continental Shelf (OCS) Central 

Planning Area (CPA) Lease Sale 194. In 

this EA, MMS reexamined the potential 

environmental effects of the proposed 

action and its alternatives based on any 

new information regarding potential 

impacts and issues that were not 

available at the time the Gulf of Mexico 

OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2003–

2007; Central Planning Area Sales 185, 

190, 194, 198, and 201; Western 

Planning Area Sales 187, 192, 196, and 

200; Final Environmental Impact 

Statement; Volumes I and II (Multisale 

EIS) was completed in November 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Minerals Management Service, Gulf of 

Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood 

Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 

70123–2394, Mr. Dennis Chew, 

telephone (504) 736–2793.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Multisale EIS analyzed the effects of a 

typical lease sale by presenting a set of 

ranges for resource estimates, project 

exploration and development activities, 

and impact-producing factors for any of 

the proposed CPA lease sales. The level 

of activities projected for proposed 

Lease Sale 194 falls within these ranges. 

No new significant impacts were 

identified for proposed Lease Sale 194 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 214 / Friday, November 5, 2004 / Notices 64585

that were not already assessed in the 

Multisale EIS. Proposed CPA Lease Sale 

194 is the third CPA lease sale 

scheduled in the Outer Continental 

Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program: 

2002–2007. As a result, MMS 

determined that a supplemental EIS is 

not required and prepared a Finding of 

No New Significant Impact (FONNSI). 

Public Comments: Interested parties 

may submit written comments on this 

EA/FONNSI within 30 days of this 

Notice’s publication to the Regional 

Supervisor, Leasing and Environment 

(MS 5410), Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 

Minerals Management Service, 1201 

Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, 

Louisiana 70123–2394. Comments 

should be enclosed in an envelope 

labeled ‘‘Comments on CPA Lease Sale 

194 EA/FONNSI.’’ You may also send 

comments to the MMS e-mail address: 

environment@mms.gov. All comments 

received will be considered in the 

decisionmaking process for CPA Lease 

Sale 194. 

EA Availability: To obtain a copy of 

the EA, you may contact the Minerals 

Management Service, Gulf of Mexico 

OCS Region, Attention: Public 

Information Office (MS 5034), 1201 

Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114, 

New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394 (1–

800–200–GULF). You may also view the 

EA on the MMS Web site at http://

www.gomr.mms.gov.

Dated: September 13, 2004. 

Chris C. Oynes, 

Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.

[FR Doc. 04–24761 Filed 11–4–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service 

Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental 

Shelf, Eastern Planning Area, Oil and 

Gas Lease Sale 197 (2005) 

Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an 

environmental assessment. 

SUMMARY: The Minerals Management 

Service (MMS) has prepared an 

environmental assessment (EA) for 

proposed Gulf of Mexico Outer 

Continental Shelf (OCS) Eastern 

Planning Area (EPA) Lease Sale 197. In 

this EA, MMS reexamined the potential 

environmental effects of the proposed 

action and its alternative based on any 

new information regarding potential 

impacts and issues that were not 

available at the time the Gulf of Mexico 

OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales 189 and 

197; Eastern Planning Area; Final 

Environmental Impact Statement; 

Volumes I and II (Multisale EIS) was 

completed in May 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Minerals Management Service, Gulf of 

Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood 

Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 

70123–2394, Mr. Dennis Chew, 

telephone (504) 736–2793.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Multisale EIS analyzed the effects of a 

typical lease sale by presenting a set of 

ranges for resource estimates, project 

exploration and development activities, 

and impact-producing factors for either 

of the proposed EPA lease sales. The 

level of activities projected for proposed 

Lease Sale 197 falls within these ranges. 

No new significant impacts were 

identified for proposed Lease Sale 197 

that were not already assessed in the 

Multisale EIS. Proposed EPA Lease Sale 

197 is the second EPA lease sale 

scheduled in the Outer Continental 

Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program: 

2002–2007. As a result, MMS 

determined that a supplemental EIS is 

not required and prepared a Finding of 

No New Significant Impact (FONNSI). 

Public Comments: Interested parties 

may submit written comments on this 

EA/FONNSI within 30 days of this 

Notice’s publication to the Regional 

Supervisor, Leasing and Environment 

(MS 5410), Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 

Minerals Management Service, 1201 

Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans, 

Louisiana 70123–2394. Comments 

should be enclosed in an envelope 

labeled ‘‘Comments on EPA Lease Sale 

197 EA/FONNSI.’’ You may also send 

comments to the MMS e-mail address: 

environment@mms.gov. All comments 

received will be considered in the 

decisionmaking process for EPA Lease 

Sale 197. 

EA Availability: To obtain a copy of 

the EA, you may contact the Minerals 

Management Service, Gulf of Mexico 

OCS Region, Attention: Public 

Information Office (MS 5034), 1201 

Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 114, 

New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394 (1–

800–200–GULF). You may also view the 

EA on the MMS Web site at http://

www.gomr.mms.gov.

Dated: September 13, 2004. 

Chris C. Oynes, 

Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region.

[FR Doc. 04–24762 Filed 11–4–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service 

Notice of Availability of the Proposed 

Notice of Sale for Outer Continental 

Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 

194 in the Central Gulf of Mexico 

(GOM)

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, 

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the 

proposed notice of sale for proposed 

sale 194. 

SUMMARY: The MMS announces the 

availability of the proposed Notice of 

Sale for proposed Sale 194 in the 

Central GOM OCS. This Notice is 

published pursuant to 30 CFR 256.29(c) 

as a matter of information to the public. 

With regard to oil and gas leasing on the 

OCS, the Secretary of the Interior, 

pursuant to section 19 of the OCS Lands 

Act, provides the affected States the 

opportunity to review the proposed 

Notice. The proposed Notice sets forth 

the proposed terms and conditions of 

the sale, including minimum bids, 

royalty rates, and rentals.

DATES: Comments on the size, timing, or 

location of proposed Sale 194 are due 

from the affected States within 60 days 

following their receipt of the proposed 

Notice. The final Notice of Sale will be 

published in the Federal Register at 

least 30 days prior to the date of bid 

opening. Bid opening is currently 

scheduled for March 16, 2005.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

proposed Notice of Sale for Sale 194 and 

a ‘‘Proposed Sale Notice Package’’

containing information essential to 

potential bidders may be obtained from 

the Public Information Unit, Gulf of 

Mexico Region, Minerals Management 

Service, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, 

New Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394. 

Telephone: (504) 736–2519.

Dated: November 1, 2004. 

R.M. ‘‘Johnnie’’ Burton, 

Director, Minerals Management Service.

[FR Doc. 04–24763 Filed 11–4–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service 

Notice of Availability of the Proposed 

Notice of Sale for Outer Continental 

Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 

197 in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico 

(GOM)

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, 

Interior.