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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 10 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4778-4779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00863]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

[PO4820000251]

Records of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan for 
Bears Ears National Monument and Approval of the Amendment to the 
Manti-La Sal National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan in Utah

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior; Forest Service, 
Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA Forest Service) (jointly ``the 
Agencies'') announce the availability of the Records of Decision (ROD) 
for the Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for BLM-administered 
portions of the Bears Ears National Monument (BENM) and a ROD for the 
Approval of the Amendment to the 1986 Manti-La Sal National Forest Land 
and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) that adopts the Approved RMP for 
USDA Forest Service-administered portions of BENM located in 
southeastern Utah. The Department of the Interior Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management signed the BLM 
ROD, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the 
Approved RMP effective immediately on BLM-administered lands. The 
Manti-La Sal National Forest Supervisor signed the USDA Forest Service 
ROD approving an amendment to the LRMP to adopt the Approved RMP. The 
amendment to the LRMP will become effective 30 days after the 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: The RODs and Approved RMP are available online at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2020347/510. Printed copies of 
the BLM ROD/Approved RMP are available for public inspection at the BLM 
Monticello Field Office, 365 North Main, Monticello, Utah 84535, and 
BLM Utah Public Room, 440 West 200 South, Ste. 500, Salt Lake City, UT 
84101 or can be provided upon request by contacting BLM Project Manager 
Jill Stephenson at [email protected] or 435-259-2141. The USDA Forest 
Service ROD/Approved RMP are available for public inspection at the 
Manti-La Sal National Forest Monticello Ranger District, 397 North Main 
Street, Monticello, Utah 84535 or can be provided upon request by 
contacting Michael Engelhart at [email protected].
    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: Jill Stephenson, Project Manager, 
telephone 435-259-2100; address Bureau of Land Management Canyon 
Country District 82 E Dogwood, Moab, Utah 84532; email 
[email protected] regarding the BLM ROD. Michael Engelhart, District 
Ranger, telephone 435-636-3341; address Manti-La Sal National Forest 
Monticello District PO Box 820, Monticello, UT 84535; email 
[email protected], regarding the USDA Forest Service ROD. 
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 
Ms. Stephenson. 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 planning area encompasses approximately 
1.36 million acres of Federal land administered by the BLM and USDA 
Forest Service in San Juan County, Utah. Presidential Proclamation 
10285 directs the Agencies to ``prepare and maintain a new management 
plan for the entire monument'' for the specific purposes of 
``protecting and restoring the objects identified [in Proclamation 
10285] and in Proclamation 9558.'' The RMP's purpose is to provide a 
management framework, including goals, objectives, and management 
direction to guide BENM management consistent with the protection of 
BENM objects and the management direction provided in Proclamation 
10285. The USDA Forest Service amendment's purpose is to incorporate 
the approved BENM RMP and update land management allocations of the 
BENM boundary area into the Manti-La Sal LRMP.
    The Approved RMP is based on the Proposed RMP from the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), with minor changes to management 
actions, goals, and best practices. All changes are described in each 
Agency's ROD (section 1.2 in the BLM ROD and section 3 and 6 in the 
USDA Forest Service ROD). The Agencies were informed in the development 
of the Approved RMP by input from the public, including from the 
scoping and public comment periods on the EIS and from the protest 
period, cooperating agencies, State and local governments, including 
the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, government-to-government 
consultation with Tribal Nations, the Monument Advisory Committee, the 
National Historic Preservation Act consultation, the Endangered Species 
Act consultation, and the Governor's consistency review. The Approved 
RMP includes designation of the Aquifer Protection Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern, retains other existing Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern, and closes portions of BENM to recreational 
shooting, among other management direction.
    The BLM and USDA Forest Service provided the Proposed RMP/Final EIS 
to the public on October 4, 2024, for a 30-day protest period and 
received 40 protest letters. The USDA Forest Service adopted the BLM's 
administrative review protest procedures, as provided by 36 CFR 
219.59(a). The BLM and USDA Forest Service jointly signed a memorandum 
documenting the resolutions of all protests for both Agencies. The BLM 
Assistant Director for Resources and Planning resolved all protests. 
Responses to protest issues were compiled and documented in a Protest 
Resolution Report (see ADDRESSES). While no protests were granted, the 
Agencies 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 October 4, 2024. The 
Governor's Office identified concerns and inconsistencies between the 
Proposed RMP/FEIS and the State and local plans, policies, and programs 
in a

[[Page 4779]]

letter received December 3, 2024. The BLM considered the concerns, and 
where not in conflict with the purposes, policies and programs of 
Federal laws and regulations applicable to public lands, accepted 
recommendations, which are described in sections 1.2 of the BLM ROD. As 
the changes were within the range of alternatives considered in the 
RMP/EIS, the BLM did not seek public comments on the recommendations 
that were accepted.
    On January 8, 2025, the Governor appealed to the BLM Director the 
Acting State Director's decision not to accept or address all the 
State's recommendations, consistent with 43 CFR 1610.3-2. After careful 
review and consideration of the Governor's points, the Department of 
the Interior determined that the planning effort properly considered 
all applicable State and local plans, policies, and programs, and that 
no further changes are necessary to provide for a reasonable balance 
between the national interest and the State's interest. The BLM has 
published the reasons for the Department of the Interior's 
determination to reject the Governor's appeal and recommendations on 
its website (see ADDRESSES).
    The Department of the Interior Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary 
for Land and Minerals Management signed the BLM ROD. The Manti-La Sal 
National Forest Supervisor signed the USDA Forest Service ROD.

(Authority: 36 CFR 219.13, 36 CFR 219.16, 36 CFR 219.17, 40 CFR 
1501.9, 43 CFR 1610.2, and 43 CFR 1610.5-1)

Matthew A. Preston,
BLM Utah State Director, Acting.
Barbara Van Alstine,
Manti-La Sal National Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2025-00863 Filed 1-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-25-P
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