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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 7 (Monday, January 13, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2741-2742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00428]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[PO4820000251]

Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision and Approved 
Resource Management Plan for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National 
Monument in Utah

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Approved Resource Management 
Plan (RMP) for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) 
in Utah. The Department of the Interior Principal Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Land and Minerals Management signed the ROD on Jan. 6, 
2025, which constitutes the decision of the BLM, makes the Approved RMP 
effective immediately, and replaces the 2020 GSENM and Kanab Escalante 
Planning Area RMPs.

DATES: The Department of the Interior Principal Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Land and Minerals Management signed the ROD on Jan. 6, 
2025.

ADDRESSES: The ROD/Approved RMP is available online at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2020343/510 and will also be 
available for public inspection at the BLM Paria River District Office, 
669 US-89A, Kanab, Utah 84741, and BLM Utah Public Room, 440 West 200 
South, Ste. 500 Salt Lake City, UT 84101.
    A copy of the Protest Resolution Report is available at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bryce Franklin, Project Manger, by 
phone: 435-644-1288; by mail: 669 US-89A, Kanab, Utah 84741; by email: 
[email protected]. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, 
deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 
(TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services 
for contacting Mr. Franklin. Individuals outside the United States 
should use the relay services offered within their country to make 
international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM prepared the ROD and Approved RMP in 
response to Presidential Proclamation 10286, which restored the 
boundaries and management direction for GSENM that existed prior to 
Dec. 4, 2017, and mandated that the BLM prepare and maintain a new 
management plan for the BLM-managed lands within the entirety of the 
restored monument boundaries for the specific purposes of ``protecting 
and restoring the objects identified [in Proclamation 10286] and in 
Proclamation 6920.'' The RMP's purpose is to provide a management 
framework, including goals, objectives, and management direction, to 
guide GSENM resource management consistent with the protection and 
restoration of GSENM objects and the management direction provided in 
Presidential Proclamations 10286 and 6920.
    The Approved RMP is based on the Proposed RMP (Alternative E) from 
the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), with minor changes to 
management actions, goals and best practices for forestry, grazing, 
recreation, vegetation, and wildlife. A full description of 
modifications and clarifications can be found in section 1.2.2 of the 
ROD.
    The BLM provided the Proposed RMP/Final EIS for public protest on 
Aug. 30, 2024, for a 30-day protest period and received 19 protest 
letters. The BLM Assistant Director for Resources and Planning resolved 
all protests. Responses to protest issues are compiled and documented 
in a Protest Resolution Report (see ADDRESSES). While no protests were 
granted, the BLM made several edits to the Approved RMP text to improve 
clarity based on input received during the protest period .
    The BLM provided the Proposed RMP/Final EIS to the Governor of Utah 
for a 60-day Governor's consistency review on Aug. 30, 2024. The 
Governor's Office identified concerns and inconsistencies between the 
Proposed RMP/FEIS and State and local plans, policies, and programs. 
The BLM

[[Page 2742]]

considered the concerns, and where not in conflict with the purposes, 
policies, and programs of Federal laws and regulations applicable to 
public lands, accepted several recommendations, which are described in 
sections 1.2.2 and 1.7.4 of the ROD. As the changes were within the 
range of alternatives considered in the Draft RMP/EIS, the BLM did not 
seek public comments on the recommendations that were accepted.
    On Dec. 20, 2024, the Governor appealed the State Director's 
decision not to accept all of the State's recommendations, consistent 
with 43 CFR 1610.3-2. On Jan. 6, 2025, after careful review and 
consideration of the Governor's points, the Department of the Interior 
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management 
determined the planning effort properly considered all applicable State 
and local plans, policies, and programs, and no further changes are 
necessary to provide for a reasonable balance between the national 
interest and the State's interest.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9, 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 1610.5-1)

Matthew A. Preston,
BLM Utah State Director, Acting.
[FR Doc. 2025-00428 Filed 1-10-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-25-P
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