Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 207 / Friday, October 26, 2007 / Notices 60879 

• Soil, Water, and Air: Concerns 

included the protection/preservation of 

soil, water, and air quality. 

Sally Wisely, 

Colorado State Director. 

[FR Doc. E7–21011 Filed 10–25–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[UT050–1610–012J] 

Notice of Availability of the Draft 

Resource Management Plan (DRMP) 

and Draft Environmental Impact 

Statement (DEIS) for the Richfield Field 

Office in Garfield, Piute, Sanpete, 

Sevier, and Wayne Counties, UT 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and 

the Federal Land Policy and 

Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 

U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) hereby gives notice 

that the Richfield Draft Resource 

Management Plan and Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement 

(DRMP/DEIS) is available for a 90-day 

public review and comment period. 

This notice also meets requirements in 

part 1610, 7–2(b) concerning potential 

Areas of Critical Environmental Concern 

(ACECs). 

DATES: To ensure that they will be 

considered, BLM must receive written 

comments on the DRMP/DEIS within 90 

days following the date the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

publishes its notice of availability in the 

Federal Register. The BLM will 

announce public meetings and other 

public-involvement activities at least 15 

days in advance through public notices, 

news releases, direct mailings, and on 

the project Web site at: http:// 

www.blm.gov/rmp/ut/richfield/. Public 

meetings will be held in Junction, Loa, 

Manti, Richfield, and Salt Lake City, 

and in other locations if warranted. 

ADDRESSES: Address written comments 

to: RMP Comments, Richfield Field 

Office, Bureau of Land Management 

(BLM), 150 East 900 North, Richfield, 

Utah 84701. Comments may also be 

faxed to the Field Office at 435–896–

1550, or submitted electronically by 

e-mail: 

UT_Richfield_Comments@blm.gov. 

Comments and information submitted 

on the Supplement to the Vernal Field 

Office DRMP/DEIS, including names, email addresses, and street addresses of 

respondents, will be available for public 

review and disclosure at the Vernal 

Field Office address listed below. The 

BLM will not accept anonymous 

comments. Before including your 

address, phone number, e-mail 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. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information, or to have your 

name added to the Richfield RMP 

mailing list, visit the RMP Web site: 

http://www.blm.gov/rmp/ut/richfield/. 

Or, you may contact Cornell 

Christensen, RMP Project Manager, 

Richfield BLM Field Office, 150 East 

900 North, Richfield, Utah 84701, phone 

435–896–1532. The DRMP/DEIS can be 

viewed and downloaded in portable 

document format (PDF) at the project 

Web site: http://www.blm.gov/rmp/ut/ 

richfield/. Copies of the DRMP/DEIS are 

also available at the Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) Richfield Field 

Office. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

DRMP/DEIS addresses public lands and 

resources managed by the Richfield 

Field Office in Garfield, Piute, Sanpete, 

Sevier, and Wayne Counties, Utah. 

These lands and resources are currently 

managed under six old land use plans: 

Cedar-Beaver-Garfield-Antimony RMP 

(1986), Forest Management Framework 

Plan (MFP) (1982), Henry Mountains 

MFP (1982), Mountain Valley MFP 

(1981), Parker Mountain MFP (1983), 

and San Rafael RMP (1991). The 

planning area includes approximately 

2.1 million acres of BLM-administered 

surface lands and additional Federallyowned minerals under Federal, state, 

and private lands in the area. Decisions 

in the Richfield RMP will only apply to 

BLM-administered public lands and 

Federally-owned minerals. The DRMP/ 

DEIS proposes and analyzes five 

alternatives for future management of 

the public lands and resources in the 

planning area. Alternative B is BLM’s 

proposed action and the preferred 

alternative. Major issues considered in 

the DRMP/DEIS include oil and gas 

leasing, mining, range and livestock 

management, access and transportation, 

recreation and off-highway vehicle 

management, special status species, 

special designations (including Areas of 

Critical Environmental Concern 

[ACECs] and wild and scenic rivers), 

and lands with wilderness 

characteristics, among others. When 

completed, the new RMP will replace 

management decisions in the existing 

land use plans. As required by law, the 

DRMP/DEIS considers the designation 

and protection of ACECs. ACEC values 

and resource use limitations vary by 

ACEC, and the ACECs themselves vary 

by alternative. See table below. 

ACRES OF PUBLIC LAND TO BE MANAGED AS ACECS UNDER THE ALTERNATIVES IN THE RICHFIELD DRMP/DEIS 

Values and use limitations Alt. N 

(no action) Alt. A Alt. B (preferred) Alts. C and D 

Badlands ACEC Values: Outstanding scenery, special status 

species, natural processes (wind erosion), riparian areas, 

relict vegetation. Limitations: Designate scenic areas outside Wilderness study Areas (WSAs) as Visual Resource 

Management (VRM) II, limit or close to Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) use, close to oil and gas leasing, propose withdrawal from mineral entry.

0 0 0 88,900. 

Beaver Wash ACEC Values: Desert riparian community. 

Limitations: Close to OHV use, close to oil and gas leasing, close to livestock grazing, propose withdrawal from 

mineral entry.

3,400 0 0 (Included in Dirty Devil/North 

Wash ACEC). 

Bull Creek ACEC Value: Cultural resources. Limitations: 

Limit off-highway vehicles to designated routes.

0 0 0 4,800. 


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60880 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 207 / Friday, October 26, 2007 / Notices 

ACRES OF PUBLIC LAND TO BE MANAGED AS ACECS UNDER THE ALTERNATIVES IN THE RICHFIELD DRMP/DEIS—

Continued 

Values and use limitations Alt. N 

(no action) Alt. A Alt. B (preferred) Alts. C and D 

Dirty Devil/North Wash ACEC: Values: Outstanding scenery, 

cultural resources, paleontological resources, wildlife, special status species, relict vegetation, riparian areas. Limitations: Designate scenic areas outside WSAs as VRM II, 

close to oil and gas leasing or lease with no surface occupancy and propose withdrawal from mineral entry. Permit 

no domestic sheep grazing. Close to OHV use or limit to 

designated routes.

0 0 0 205,300. 

Fremont Gorge/Cockscomb Values ACEC: Cultural resources, outstanding scenery, riparian areas, special status plant species, wildlife. Limitations: Designate scenic 

areas outside WSAs as VRM II, open to oil and gas leasing with no surface occupancy and propose withdrawal 

from mineral entry. Close to OHV or limit to designated 

routes.

0 0 0 34,300. 

Gilbert Badlands ACEC Values: Badlands geology. Limitations: Close to OHV use, designate open to oil and gas 

leasing with no surface occupancy, and propose withdrawal from mineral entry.

3,700 0 0 (Included in Badlands ACEC). 

Henry Mountains ACEC Values: Outstanding scenery, cultural resources, wildlife, special status species, ecological 

values, riparian areas. Limitations: Designate scenic areas 

outside WSAs as VRM II, close to off-highway vehicles or 

limit to designated routes, close to oil and gas leasing, 

and propose withdrawal from mineral entry.

0 0 0 288,200. 

Horseshoe Canyon ACEC Values: Outstanding scenery, cultural resources, special status species, riparian areas. 

Limitations: Designate scenic areas outside WSAs as 

VRM II, open to oil and gas leasing with no surface occupancy, and propose withdrawal from mineral entry.

0 0 0 40,900. 

Kingston Canyon ACEC Values: Wildlife habitat and riparian 

areas. Limitations: Limit off-highway vehicles to designated routes and suppress unwanted fires.

0 0 0 22,100. 

Little Rockies ACEC Values: Outstanding scenery, wildlife, 

special status species, riparian areas. Limitations: Designate scenic areas outside WSAs as VRM II, open to oil 

and gas leasing with no surface occupancy and propose 

withdrawal from mineral entry. Change class of livestock 

from sheep to cattle.

0 0 0 49,200. 

Lower Muddy Creek ACEC Values: Outstanding scenery, 

special status plants, riparian areas. Limitations: Designate scenic areas as VRM Class II and close to oil and 

gas leasing.

0 0 0 16,200. 

No Man Mesa ACEC Value: Relict vegetation. Limitations: 

Close to OHV use, close to oil and gas leasing, and propose withdrawal from mineral entry.

0 0 0 (Included in Henry Mountains 

ACEC). 

North Caineville Mesa ACEC Value: Relict vegetation. Limitations: Close to OHV use, open to oil and gas leasing 

with no surface occupancy, close to livestock grazing, 

identify as unsuitable for coal leasing, and propose withdrawal from mineral entry.

3,800 0 3,800 (Included in Badlands ACEC). 

Old Woman Front ACEC Value: Relict vegetation. Limitations: Close to livestock grazing, close to OHV use, close 

to oil and gas leasing and propose withdrawal from mineral entry.

0 0 330 330. 

Parker Mountain ACEC Value: Sagebrush-steppe habitat, 

special status species. Limitations: Limit off-highway vehicles to designated routes, suppress unwanted wildfires, 

and implement proper grazing practices.

0 0 0 107,900. 

Quitchupah Creek ACEC Values: Cultural resources, Native 

American values, riparian areas. Limitations: Limit offhighway vehicles to designated routes.

0 0 0 180. 

Rainbow Hills ACEC Values: Wildlife habitat and special status plants. Limitations: Suppress unwanted wildfires, close 

to OHV use, and open to oil and gas leasing with no surface occupancy.

0 0 0 4,000. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 207 / Friday, October 26, 2007 / Notices 60881 

ACRES OF PUBLIC LAND TO BE MANAGED AS ACECS UNDER THE ALTERNATIVES IN THE RICHFIELD DRMP/DEIS—

Continued 

Values and use limitations Alt. N 

(no action) Alt. A Alt. B (preferred) Alts. C and D 

Sevier Canyon ACEC Values: Wildlife habitat, special status 

species, riparian areas. Limitations: Suppress unwanted 

wildfires, limit off-highway vehicles to designated routes 

and close routes seasonally.

0 0 0 8,900. 

South Caineville Mesa ACEC Value: Relict vegetation. Limitations: Close to OHV use, open to oil and gas leasing 

with no surface occupancy, close to livestock grazing, propose withdrawal from mineral entry.

5,300 0 0 (Included in Badlands ACEC). 

Special Status Species ACEC Values: Special Status Species and habitat. Limitations: Close or limit OHV use to 

designated routes and open to oil and gas leasing with 

controlled surface use stipulations.

0 0 0 15,100. 

Thousand Lake Bench ACEC Values: Cultural resources, 

special status plants and riparian areas. Limitations: Close 

to off-highway vehicles or limit to designated routes.

0 0 0 500. 

Total ................................................................................. 16,200 0 4,130 886,810. 

The application of the Federal coal 

unsuitability criteria to the Henry 

Mountains and Emery Coal Fields is 

included in Appendix 8 of the DRMP/ 

DEIS. As required by 43 CFR 3461.2–

1(a)(2), the public is invited to comment 

on the results of the application of the 

criteria and the application process 

used. The criteria are listed under 43 

CFR 3461.5. Additionally, the BLM will 

conduct a public hearing on coal leasing 

potential in the DRMP/DEIS before it is 

finalized, if such a hearing is requested 

by any person who may be adversely 

affected by adoption of the proposed 

plan. 

Selma Sierra, 

Utah State Director. 

[FR Doc. 07–5283 Filed 10–25–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–DK–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[ID 320 7122 EO 7979] 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Notice of Availability of Final 

Environmental Impact Statement 

(FEIS) for the Smoky Canyon Mine, 

Panels F and G 

AGENCIES: DOI Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM), Lead Agency; 

USDA Forest Service (FS), Co-lead 

Agency; and the State of Idaho, Idaho 

Department of Environmental Quality, 

Cooperating Agency. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the 

Final Environmental Impact Statement 

for the Smoky Canyon Mine, Panels F 

and G Mine Expansion Project. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et. seq.) 

and the Federal Land Policy and 

Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 

U.S.C. 1701 et. seq.), the DOI Bureau of 

Land Management (Lead Agency) and 

the USDA Forest Service (Co-lead 

Agency) announce the availability of the 

FEIS for the Smoky Canyon Mine, 

Panels F and G Mine Expansion Project. 

DATES: The FEIS is now available for 

public review. The BLM Record of 

Decision will be released no sooner than 

30 days after publication of a Notice of 

Availability of the FEIS in the Federal 

Register by the Environmental 

Protection Agency. 

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS have 

been sent to affected Federal, State, and 

local Government agencies and to 

interested parties. The FEIS will be 

available in limited quantities at the 

Bureau of Land Management, Pocatello 

Field Office, 4350 Cliffs Drive, 

Pocatello, Idaho 83204, phone (208) 

478–6340 and the Caribou-Targhee 

National Forest, Soda Springs Ranger 

District, 410 E. Hooper Avenue, Soda 

Springs, Idaho 83276, phone (208) 547–

4356. It will also be available on the 

BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/ 

id/st/en/fo/pocatello/programs/ 

planning/smoky_canyon_mine.html and 

the Caribou-Targhee National Forest 

Web site at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/ 

caribou-targhee/phosphate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill 

Stout, Bureau of Land Management, 

phone (208) 478–6340; or Jeff Jones, 

Caribou-Targhee National Forest, phone 

(208) 236–7572. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS 

was prepared to provide decision 

makers and the public with a complete 

and objective evaluation of significant 

environmental impacts, beneficial and 

adverse, resulting from the proposed 

action and from all reasonable 

alternatives. 

The proposed extension of on-going 

mining operations, into Panels F and G, 

lies within the Caribou-Targhee 

National Forest in Southeast Idaho, on 

lands administered by the FS associated 

with two Federal phosphate leases held 

by the J.R. Simplot Company (the lessee, 

hereinafter referred to as the proponent) 

and are administered by the BLM under 

authority of the Mineral Leasing Act of 

1920. Mining, to recover phosphate ore, 

and reclamation would take place over 

an estimated 16-year period. The 

environmental impacts of the 

proponent’s Proposed Action, six 

mining alternatives, one no-mining 

alternative, and eight transportation 

alternatives are analyzed in the FEIS. 

The BLM Idaho State Director, or 

delegated official, will consult with the 

Caribou-Targhee National Forest 

Supervisor regarding surface 

management and mitigation on leased 

lands within the Caribou-Targhee 

National Forest and will make a 

decision regarding approval of the 

proposed Mine & Reclamation Plan and 

several proposed lease modifications. 

The FS will also make a decision 

whether to authorize off-lease facilities 

such as roads and power lines. 

The proposed Mine & Reclamation 

Plan was submitted by the proponent in 

April 2003. The plan consists of the 

development of two open mine pits 

(Panel F, to be located on Federal 

Phosphate Lease I–27512, and Panel G, 


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