[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 117 (Wednesday, June 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 33102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15921]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[MT-962-1020-00]
Notice of Availability for the Montana/Dakotas Standards for
Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management Final
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for
Livestock Grazing Management (standards and guidelines) Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) addresses three alternatives.
Alternative 1 is the No Action Alternative (continuation of current
management), Alternative 2 is the Preferred Alternative (the proposed
standards and guidelines), and Alternative 3 analyzes the Fallback
standards and guidelines. Based on written and oral comments received
on the Draft and Supplement to the Draft EIS, Alternative 2 was
selected as the Preferred Alternative. The Preferred Alternative would
be incorporated into 10 BLM land use plans in Montana and the Dakotas.
The Standards and Guidelines Final EIS was made available to the public
on June 6, 1997. This Notice announces a 30-day protest period and
provides information on the protest procedures.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Brooks, Project Manager, BLM
Montana State Office, P.O. Box 36800, Billings, Montana 59107-6800, or
406-255-2929.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning process includes an opportunity
for administrative review via a plan protest to the BLM's Director. Any
person who participated in the planning process and has an interest
which is or may be adversely affected by the approval of the Preferred
Alternative may protest such approval. Careful adherence to the
following guidelines will assist in preparing a protest that will
assure the greatest consideration to your point of view.
Only those persons or organizations who participated in the
planning process may protest. A protesting party may raise only those
issues which were commented on during the planning process. New issues
may be raised at any time but should be directed to the Montana State
Office for consideration in plan implementation, as potential plan
amendments, or as otherwise appropriate.
The protest period extends for 30 days, starting from the date this
notice is published in the Federal Register. There is no provision for
any extension of time. To be considered ``timely,'' your protest must
be postmarked no later than the last day of the protest period. Also,
although not a requirement, we suggest that you send your protest by
certified mail, return receipt requested. Protests may be filed in
writing to: Director (WO-210), Bureau of Land Management, Attn: Brenda
Williams, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240.
In order to be considered complete, your protest must contain, at a
minimum, the following information:
1. The name, mailing address, telephone number and interest of the
person filing the protest.
2. A statement of the issue or issues being protested.
3. A statement of the part or parts of the Preferred Alternative
being protested. To the extent possible, this should be done by
reference to specific pages, paragraphs, sections, tables, maps, etc.,
included in the final EIS.
4. A copy of all documents addressing the issue or issues submitted
during the planning process by the protesting party or an indication of
the discussion date of the issue(s) for the record.
5. A concise statement explaining why the proposed decision is
believed to be incorrect. This is a critical part of your protest. Take
care to document all relevant facts. As much as possible, reference or
cite the planning documents, environmental analysis documents,
available planning records (i.e., meeting minutes or summaries,
correspondence, etc.). A protest which merely expresses disagreement
with the proposed decision, without any data, will not provide us with
the benefit of your information and insight. In this case, the
Director's review will be based on the existing analysis and supporting
data.
At the end of the 30-day protest period, the BLM may issue a Record
of Decision approving the implementation of any portions of the
preferred alterative not under protest. Approval will be withheld on
any portion of the plan under protest until the protest has been
resolved.
Dated: June 12, 1997.
Thomas P. Lonnie,
Deputy State Director, Division of Resources.
[FR Doc. 97-15921 Filed 6-17-97; 8:45 am]
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