96-3655. Notice of Availability of Finding of No Significant Impacts (FONSI) and the Proposed White Canyon Plan Amendment/Final Environmental Assessment for the Phoenix and Safford District Resource Management Plans, Gila and Pinal Counties, Arizona  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 1996)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 6382-6383]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-3655]
    
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
    Bureau of Land Management
    [AZ-024-1220-00]
    
    
    Notice of Availability of Finding of No Significant Impacts 
    (FONSI) and the Proposed White Canyon Plan Amendment/Final 
    Environmental Assessment for the Phoenix and Safford District Resource 
    Management Plans, Gila and Pinal Counties, Arizona
    
    AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
    
    ACTION: Notice of availability.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management in response to a land exchange 
    proposal, has prepared a FONSI and Proposed Plan Amendment/Final 
    Environmental Assessment (Proposed Plan) to amend the Phoenix and the 
    Safford District Resource Management Plan (RMPs) in compliance with the 
    Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, and Section 
    102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. An analysis 
    of potential environmental impacts found that impacts would not be 
    significant leading to a FONSI. Because of the FONSI, an environmental 
    impact statement is not required to support the Proposed Plan 
    Amendment.
    
    DATES: Protests on the Proposed Plan must be postmarked on or before 
    March 21, 1996.
    
    ADDRESSES: Protests must be sent to the Director (480), BLM, Resource 
    Planning Team, Box 10, 1620 L Street (N.W.), Washington, D.C. 20036
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Shela McFarlin, Project Manager, 
    Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix District Office, 2015 West Deer 
    Valley Road, Phoenix, AZ 85027, or telephone (602) 780-8090.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    Description of the Proposed Action
    
        The Proposed Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Assessment 
    would make 4,561 acres of federal surface and 1,188 mineral estate 
    acres available for considering a land exchange proposal by ASARCO 
    Incorporated. The parcels would be reclassified from retention lands to 
    disposal by exchange. The Proposed Plan does not approve the transfer 
    of any land; a separate environmental impact statement would analyze 
    the proposed exchange. The Proposed Plan also changes the designation 
    of the White Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The 
    ACEC would retain 300 acres currently designated and delete 1,620 acres 
    which have since been designated as part of the White Canyon 
    Wilderness. The ACEC would expand by 480 acres through acquiring what 
    is now state land through appropriate mechanisms such as exchange, 
    donation or friendly condemnation with the state of Arizona or 
    subsequent land owners.
    
    Alternatives Analyzed
    
        Four plan amendment alternatives, including the no action 
    alternative, were analyzed. In addition to the Proposed Plan Amendment 
    (Preferred Alternative), the Proposed Plan analyzed an alternative 
    which would make 1,188 acres of federal estate and 4,721 acres of 
    public land available for exchange. This alternative would also remove 
    the White Canyon ACEC designation and permit these 160 acres to be 
    considered in an exchange. An additional alternative analyzed would 
    reduce the amount of public lands available for exchange by 1,280 
    surface acres and retain the White Canyon ACEC on 300 acres. Under the 
    no action alternative, the White Canyon ACEC would be retained and no 
    surface or mineral estate lands would be available for exchange. In any 
    exchange, public access would be maintained through easements, new 
    construction, realignments, rights of ways, deletions of parcels or 
    other means to continue public access to public lands.
        The Proposed Plan has a 30-day protest period as required by BLM 
    planning regulations (43 CFR 1610.5-2). Any person who participated in 
    this process and has an interest that may be adversely affected by the 
    proposed decision may submit a protest. Following the protest 
    resolution and the Governor's consistency review, the proposed plan 
    will be approved and implemented. A decision record which documents 
    BLM's decision will become available.
    
    Public Reading Copies May Be Reviewed at the Following BLM 
    Locations
    
    Phoenix District Office, 2015 West Deer Valley Road, Phoenix, Arizona 
    85027
    Arizona State Office, Public Room, 3707 N. 7th Street, Suite 300, 
    Phoenix, Arizona 85011.
    
        Dated: February 12, 1996.
    David J. Miller,
    Associate District Manager.
    [FR Doc. 96-3655 Filed 2-16-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4310-32-P
    
    

Document Information

Published:
02/20/1996
Department:
Land Management Bureau
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice of availability.
Document Number:
96-3655
Dates:
Protests on the Proposed Plan must be postmarked on or before March 21, 1996.
Pages:
6382-6383 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
AZ-024-1220-00
PDF File:
96-3655.pdf