[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 81 (Tuesday, April 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23297-23298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11195]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[NV-040-1610-00]


Draft Caliente Management Framework Plan Amendment and 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Management of Desert Tortoise 
Habitat

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Caliente Management 
Framework Plan amendment and environmental impact statement for the 
management of desert tortoise habitat, Lincoln County, NV; and notice 
of 90 day public comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Draft Plan Amendment/Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Caliente Management Framework Plan would implement management goals 
and actions for Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-administered desert 
tortoise habitat in Lincoln County, Nevada. The Mojave desert tortoise 
(Gopherus agassizii) was listed as a threatened species in 1990, based 
on declining numbers in some areas of its range. These goals and 
actions, recommended in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's approved 
Desert Tortoise (Mojave Population) Recovery Plan, would assist the 
recovery and delisting of the desert tortoise in the Northeastern 
Mojave Recovery Unit. This amendment is required to comply with the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 which mandates that all federal agencies 
will conserve and recover listed species within their administrative 
units. The accompanying EIS satisfies the National Environmental Policy 
Act, which mandates that federal agencies analyze the environmental 
consequences of major federal action.
    The planning area for this amendment consists of approximately 
754,600 acres of public land in southern Lincoln County, administered 
by the Caliente Field Station, within BLM's Ely District. No private 
lands would be directly affected by management direction described 
under the Proposed Action or alternatives. The planning area is located 
within the Northeastern Mojave Recovery Unit, as defined by the 
Recovery Plan. The document discusses several alternatives for the 
protection of desert tortoise habitat and recovery of the species.

DATES: Public Meetings will be held on June 17, 1998 at the Texas 
Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane in North Las Vegas, NV between 7 p.m. to 
9 p.m. and on June 18, 1998 at the Caliente Youth Center in Caliente, 
NV between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. The Caliente public meeting will be held 
in conjunction with the Mojave-Southern Great Basin Resource Advisory 
Council. Written comments on the Draft EIS will be accepted until 
August 14, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Public comments may be sent to: Bureau of Land Management, 
Ely Field Office, Gene L. Drais, Project Manager, HC 33 Box 33500, Ely, 
NV 98301-9408.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Write to the above address or call Gene L. Drais, Project Manager at 
(702) 289-1880.

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
supplementary information: The Proposed Action would assist desert 
tortoise recovery, while minimizing effects on human activities that 
occur within Desert Tortoise habitat. It includes recommendations 
derived from the Recovery Plan and public input, multiple use 
considerations, as well as management actions designed to be consistent 
with those proposed by adjacent BLM districts. The Proposed Action 
would: (1) Designate three Areas of Critical Environmental Concern 
(ACECs); (2) implement management prescriptions for desert tortoise 
habitat outside of the ACECs; (3) ensure BLM participation in a USFWS-
developed environmental education program; and (4) implement a USFWS-
approved interagency monitoring program. The three ACECs, totaling 
212,500 acres, would protect 83 percent of designated critical habitat.
    Management prescriptions, designed to improve desert tortoise 
habitat, would modify or restrict some multiple uses, including 
livestock grazing, off-highway vehicle recreation, land use 
authorizations, and mineral development within the ACECs. Section 7 
consultation would continue to be conducted with the USFWS on any 
federal action that might affect listed species.
    Alternative A (Habitat Management Alternative) contains management 
goals

[[Page 23298]]

and actions that are similar to the Proposed Action, with the exception 
of the management direction proposed for livestock grazing and 
recreation. Under this alternative, three ACECs would be designated and 
managed to achieve the recovery of the desert tortoise through 
modifications to multiple use within those special management areas. 
Livestock grazing within the ACECs would be managed according to forage 
production criteria intended to meet the desert tortoise recovery 
objectives. Recreation management direction would also be modified to 
minimize conflicts with recovery efforts. Section 7 consultation would 
continue to be conducted with the USFWS on any federal action that 
might affect listed species.
    Alternative B (DWMA Alternative) contains most of the management 
goals and prescriptions recommended in the Recovery Plan, with less 
emphasis on multiple use management of the public lands. Two special 
management areas, labeled Desert Wildlife Management Areas (DWMAs), 
would protect 52 percent of the desert tortoise designated critical 
habitat. The DWMAs would contain approximately 300,800 acres and would 
be managed primarily for the recovery of the desert tortoise. 
Management prescriptions would not authorize livestock grazing, mineral 
development, many land use authorizations, and some types of 
recreational activities within the DWMAs. No special management 
attention, other than required Section 7 consultation on federal 
actions that might affect listed species, would be directed to the 
approximately 454,000 acres of desert tortoise habitat outside of the 
DWMAs, unless the desert tortoise populations occupying that habitat 
were in jeopardy.
    Alternative C (No Action Alternative) would continue management 
under the approved Caliente MFP. Management recommendations from the 
Recovery Plan either would not be implemented or would not be 
systematically or comprehensively implemented. Section 7 consultation 
with the USFWS would continue to be conducted prior to the 
authorization of any federal action affecting listed species. 
Management direction would also be provided through the issuance of 
Biological Opinions by the USFWS through Section 7 consultation. 
Current management directions for livestock grazing and off-highway 
vehicle events were developed as a result of Biological Opinions issued 
to minimize effects on desert tortoise habitat. The No Action 
Alternative forms the baseline against which to assess the effects of 
the alternatives and is required for a comprehensive NEPA analysis.

    Dated: April 15, 1998.
Robert V. Abbey,
State Director, Nevada.
[FR Doc. 98-11195 Filed 4-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-M