21806 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 70 / Wednesday, April 11, 2012 / Notices 

2930, visitors would obtain an 

individual SRP to camp within the 

Ruby-Horsethief Special Area. This SRP 

would be required to be displayed at 

each campsite. Permits would expire at 

the beginning of the subsequent 

calendar day. 

Suggested fees for campsite usage 

would be based on group size: $20 for 

a small group (1–5), $50 for a medium 

group (6–14) and $100 for a large group 

(15–25). The BLM’s goal for the RubyHorsethief fee program is to provide a 

quality recreational experience and 

maintain the area in a naturally 

appearing condition consistent with the 

recreation setting established by the 

RMP; manage visitor use under existing 

rules and regulations by providing for 

increased law enforcement presence; 

develop additional services, such as 

expanding interpretive/educational 

programming; and protect resources. All 

fees collected would be used for 

expenses within the river corridor. 

In November and December 2011, the 

BLM completed and made available two 

documents to provide information to the 

public: The Ruby-Horsethief Business 

Plan (posted in November 2011) and the 

Ruby-Horsethief Environmental 

Assessment (EA) Decision Record and 

Finding of No Significant Impact 

(signed December 21, 2011). The 

Business Plan outlines operational goals 

of the area and the purpose of the fee 

program. The EA, Decision Record and 

Finding of No Significant Impact 

conclude three full years of public 

involvement and outreach related to the 

fee and permit. Both the Business Plan 

and the EA provide management 

direction for public enjoyment of these 

public lands through the recreational 

experience of overnight camping while 

minimizing the potential for resource 

damage from authorized uses. The 

Business Plan also provides a market 

analysis of local recreation sites and sets 

the basis for the fee proposal. Both 

documents are available online at: 

http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nca/ 

mcnca/what_s_news_.html. 

The Business Plan addresses 

recreation opportunities, the issuance of 

SRPs, and the charging of fees according 

to group size for camping within the 

special area. This Business Plan, 

prepared pursuant to the REA and BLM 

recreation fee program policy, also 

addresses the establishment of a permit 

process and the collection of user fees. 

It establishes the rationale for charging 

recreation fees, explains the fee 

collection process, and outlines how the 

fees would be used at the RubyHorsethief Special Area. The BLM has 

notified and involved the public at each 

stage of the planning process, including 

the proposal to collect fees, through onsite notifications and several public 

meetings to present and gather ideas 

concerning fees within the special area. 

The Northwest Colorado Resource 

Advisory Committee (NW RAC) 

considered the proposal at its December 

1, 2011, meeting and recommended 

approval. Future adjustments in the fee 

amount would be made in accordance 

with the Business Plan and through 

consultation with the NW RAC and the 

public prior to a fee increase. Fee 

amounts will be posted on-site and 

online at the MCNCA Web site at: 

http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nca/ 

mcnca.html. Copies of the Business 

Plan will be available at the Grand 

Junction Field Office and online at the 

MCNCA Web site. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 6803(b) and 43 CFR 

2932.13. 

Steven Hall, 

Acting State Director. 

[FR Doc. 2012–8615 Filed 4–10–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLAK910000 L13100000.DB0000 

LXSINSSI0000] 

Notice of Public Meeting, North Slope 

Science Initiative—Science Technical 

Advisory Panel 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Alaska State Office, North Slope Science 

Initiative, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. 

Department of the Interior, North Slope 

Science Initiative (NSSI)—Science 

Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) will 

meet as indicated below. 

DATES: The meeting will be held May 8– 

9, 2012, in Anchorage, Alaska. The 

meetings will begin at 9 a.m. in the 

Subsistence Board Room (second floor), 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 

East Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska. 

Public comment will be received 

between 3 and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 

May 9, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John 

F. Payne, Executive Director, North 

Slope Science Initiative, AK–910, c/o 

Bureau of Land Management, 222 W. 

Seventh Avenue, #13, Anchorage, AK 

99513, (907) 271–3431 or email 

jpayne.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 NSSI 

STAP provides advice and 

recommendations to the NSSI Oversight 

Group regarding priority information 

needs for management decisions across 

the North Slope of Alaska. These 

priority information needs may include 

recommendations on inventory, 

monitoring, and research activities that 

contribute to informed resource 

management decisions. This meeting 

will include continued dialog for 

developing scenario models for the 

North Slope and adjacent marine 

environments. Additionally, the STAP 

will begin designing a long-term 

monitoring strategy for the North Slope. 

All meetings are open to the public. 

The public may present written 

comments to the Science Technical 

Advisory Panel through the Executive 

Director, North Slope Science Initiative. 

Each formal meeting will also have time 

allotted for hearing public comments. 

Depending on the number of persons 

wishing to comment and time available, 

the time for individual oral comments 

may be limited. Individuals who plan to 

attend and need special assistance, such 

as sign language interpretation, 

transportation, or other reasonable 

accommodations, should contact the 

Executive Director, North Slope Science 

Initiative. 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. 

Dated: April 5, 2012. 

Ron Dunton, 

Acting State Director. 

[FR Doc. 2012–8680 Filed 4–10–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 1310–JA–P 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES