[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 210 (Tuesday, November 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-26985]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: November 1, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[NM-060-05-1610-00] (600)
Availability of Draft Roswell Resource Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement, Draft Carlsbad Resource Management Plan
Amendment/Environmental Impact Statement, and Public Hearing Schedule
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability
for public review of the Draft Roswell Resource Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS) and the Draft Carlsbad
Resource Management Plan Amendment/Environmental Impact Statement
(RMPA/EIS). The Draft RMP/EIS and Draft RMPA/EIS have been combined in
a single document.
The Carlsbad RMPA/EIS addresses the management of oil and gas
resources on about 2.2 million acres of public surface and subsurface,
and an additional 1.6 million acres of federal mineral estate, in Lea
and Eddy counties, and the ``bootheel'' of Chaves County, in southeast
New Mexico. The Roswell RMP/EIS addresses the comprehensive management
of all resources and uses on about 1.5 million acres of public surface
and subsurface, and an additional 8.4 million acres of federal mineral
estate, in the remainder of Chaves County and all of Lincoln, DeBaca,
Roosevelt, Curry, Quay, and Guadalupe counties, in east-central and
southeast New Mexico.
The Roswell RMP/EIS focuses on resolving three key issues that were
identified with public involvement early in the planning process. These
issues are: (1) oil and gas operations; (2) land tenure adjustment;
and, (3) access. Additionally, two management opportunities (non-issue
related practices or land-use allocations that need modification) were
identified. These are: (1) recreation; and (2) wildlife habitat
management. The Carlsbad RMPA/EIS is focused solely on resolving the
oil and gas operations issue.
Notice also is given that two public hearings will be held to seek
public comment on the adequacy of the Draft Roswell RMP/EIS and the
Draft Carlsbad RMPA/EIS, including alternatives and the impacts of
those alternatives.
DATES: Written comments on the Draft Roswell RMP/EIS and the Draft
Carlsbad RMPA/EIS will be accepted for 90 days following the date the
Environmental Protection Agency publishes the Notice of Availability of
these drafts in the Federal Register. Public hearings on the drafts
will be held on: Jan. 10, 1995, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00
p.m., at the Pearson Auditorium on the New Mexico Military Institute
campus, Roswell, New Mexico; and, Jan. 11, 1995, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., at the BLM's Carlsbad Resource Area office, 620
East Greene, Carlsbad, New Mexico.
Oral and written testimony will be accepted at the hearings. Oral
comments will be limited to five minutes and should be accompanied with
written text, if possible.
In addition to the public hearings, three open houses are scheduled
for:
Jan 3, 1995, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the
office of the Ruidoso Chamber of Commerce, 720 Sudderth, Ruidoso, New
Mexico;
Jan 4, 1995, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the BLM's
Carlsbad Resource Area office, 620 East Greene, Carlsbad, New Mexico;
and,
Jan 5, 1995, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the BLM's
Roswell District Office conference room, 1717 West 2nd Street, Roswell,
New Mexico.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the document should be addressed to:
David Stout, RMP/EIS Team Leader, Bureau of Land Management, Roswell
District Office, 1717 West 2nd Street, Roswell, New Mexico, 88201-2019,
telephone: 505-627-0272. Copies of the combined RMP/EIS and RMPA/EIS
are available at the Roswell District Office (address immediately
above), the Roswell Resource Area Office, 500 North Richardson Avenue,
Roswell, New Mexico, 88201, and the Carlsbad Resource Area Office, 620
East Greene, Carlsbad, New Mexico, 88220.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Stout, RMP/EIS Team Leader, at the address listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Five alternative management options have
been proposed and analyzed in detail in the document. Alternative A is
the continuation of current management and is also the ``No Action''
alternative. Alternative B emphasizes environmental values, while
Alternative C emphasizes production and development. Alternative D
attempts to balance use and development of resources while maintaining
or improving important environmental values. The BLM's preferred
alternative, identified in the RMP/EIS and RMPA/EIS as Alternative E,
is a combination of portions of the other four alternatives, plus
management that is common to all alternatives.
For the Roswell Resource Area, any of the alternatives could be
chosen as the proposed management for the Resource Area and would
provide for realistic, comprehensive management of the public lands.
For the Carlsbad Resource Area, any of the alternatives could be chosen
and would provide for realistic management of oil and gas resources on
the public lands. However, in an effort to standardize the management
of oil and gas resources between the two Resource Areas and to provide
improved customer service, each alternative in the Carlsbad RMPA/EIS
corresponds with a similar alternative for oil and gas management in
the Roswell RMP/EIS. Management proposed for each Resource Area under a
specific alternative is essentially the same. Thus, for oil and gas
management, the alternatives are essentially Roswell District
alternatives. Because of the tie between the two Resource Areas, the
alternative selected for the management of oil and gas resources in the
Carlsbad Resource Area will be the same alternative selected for oil
and gas management in the Roswell Resource Area.
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern: The Roswell RMP/EIS
evaluates the proposed designation of five areas of critical
environmental concern (ACEC). The proposed ACECs total 61,629 acres.
This acreage represents a total acreage based on the presence of
resources and opportunities for efficient management. The total acreage
figure includes 9,227 acres of private land and 4,680 acres of state
land. The designation of an ACEC would pertain to the surface and
mineral estate managed by the BLM and to the BLM-administered federal
mineral estate under private or state lands. Private or state
inholdings within the boundaries of the proposed ACECs would not be
designated as part of an ACEC, nor would the management proposed for an
ACEC be applied to those lands. The inholdings would be acquired,
however, if opportunities for acquisition arise. If inholdings in an
ACEC are acquired, they would be included in the ACEC without
conducting additional land use planning, and would be managed according
to the management in place for the ACEC.
The management emphasis for each proposed ACEC under the preferred
alternative is described below. Also listed are brief descriptors of
significant uses of the public lands within the proposed ACECs that may
be emphasized, limited, or otherwise affected. These descriptors or
topics are: A--oil and gas; B--salable minerals; C--leasable minerals;
D--locatable minerals; E--rights-of-way; F--land tenure adjustment; G--
livestock grazing; H--vegetation management; I--off-highway vehicle
use; J--recreation use and development; and, K--riparian management.
Management of the proposed Overflow Wetlands ACEC (6,814 acres)
emphasizes the protection of the biological and scenic values of the
area, including critical habitat for threatened or endangered fish and
significant riparian/wetland values. Topics of significant management
emphasis are A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; and, K.
Management of the proposed North Pecos River ACEC (6,400 acres)
emphasizes the protection of the biological and scenic values of the
area, including critical habitat for threatened or endangered fish and
significant riparian/wetland values. Topics of significant management
emphasis are: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; and, K.
Management of the proposed Mescalero Sands ACEC (10,007 acres)
emphasizes the protection of the biological, archeological and scenic
values of the area with emphasis on a portion of the shinnery oak-dune
plant community to enhance the biodiversity of the ecosystem. Topics of
significant management emphasis are: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; and, I.
Management of the proposed Fort Stanton ACEC (24,630 acres)
emphasizes the protection of the biological, archeological and scenic
values of the area, while providing for quality recreation opportunity.
Topics of significant management emphasis are: A; C; D; E; F; G; H; I;
J; and, K.
Management of the proposed Roswell Cave Complex ACEC (16,818 acres)
emphasizes the protection of the natural and scenic values of caves,
while allowing for limited recreational, commercial, scientific and
educational use. Topics of significant management emphasis are: A; C;
D; E; F; G; I; and, J.
Copies of the combined Roswell RMP/EIS and Carlsbad RMPA/EIS are
available at the Roswell District Office, the Roswell Resource Area
Office, and the Carlsbad Resource Area Office, at the addresses listed
above.
Dated: October 25, 1994.
Leslie M. Cone,
District Manager.
[FR Doc. 94-26985 Filed 10-31-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-M
