Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
Notice.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Eastern Interior Planning Area in Alaska, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended. By this notice, the BLM is announcing the plan's availability.
BLM planning regulations state that any person who meets the conditions as described in the regulations may protest a Proposed RMP/Final EIS. A person who meets those regulatory conditions and wishes to file a protest, must file the protest within 30 days of the date that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes its Notice of Availability in the
The BLM sent copies of the Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS to affected Federal, State, and local government agencies, tribal governments, Alaska Native corporations, and other stakeholders. Copies of the Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS are available for public inspection in both Fairbanks and Anchorage. You can view a copy at the BLM Fairbanks District Office, 222 University Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99709, and at the BLM Alaska State Office, Public Information Center, 222 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99513. You can also review a copy of the Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS on the Internet at
All protests to the Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS must be in writing and mailed to one of the following addresses:
Jeanie Cole, BLM Planning and Environmental Coordinator, 907–474–2340, email
The Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS covers approximately 6.5 million acres of BLM-administered lands in interior Alaska. The plan is divided into four subunits: The Fortymile, Steese, Upper Black River, and White Mountains subunits. BLM manages four areas in the planning area as National Conservation Lands (NCL): The Birch Creek, Beaver Creek, and Fortymile Wild and Scenic Rivers and the Steese National Conservation Area. In addition to the four NCL areas, the planning area includes the White Mountains National Recreation Area. The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980, as amended (ANILCA), designated and applied special provisions for the four NCL areas and the White Mountains National Recreation Area.
The following BLM plans currently guide management decisions for 4 million acres of the planning area: Fortymile Management Framework Plan (1980), Fortymile River Management Plan (1983), Birch Creek River Management Plan (1983), Beaver Creek River Management Plan (1983), Steese National Conservation Area RMP and Record of Decision (ROD) (1986), and White Mountains National Recreation Area RMP and ROD (1986). No land use plans currently cover the remaining 2.5 million acres of the planning area, including the upper Black River area
The Eastern Interior RMP will replace the Fortymile Management Framework Plan (1980), Steese National Conservation Area RMP (1986), and the White Mountains National Recreation Area RMP (1986). The Eastern Interior RMP will provide further direction for management of the three Wild and Scenic River planning areas.
Specifically, the three River Management Plans (Fortymile, Birch Creek, and Beaver Creek) will be evaluated for consistency with the Eastern Interior RMP and may be modified in the future through additional public engagement.
Following release of the Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS, the BLM will prepare four RODs: One ROD for each of the four subunits within the planning area (Fortymile, Steese, White Mountains, and Upper Black River).
The EPA published a Notice of Availability for the Eastern Interior Draft RMP/Draft EIS in the
On January 2, 2015, the
The Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS presents five alternatives, including the No Action Alternative. The BLM's Alternative E (Proposed RMP) balances the level of protection, use, and enhancement of resources and services for the planning area. The BLM believes the Proposed RMP represents the best mix and variety of actions to resolve issues and management concerns in consideration of all resource values and programs. Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7–2, the BLM considers areas with potential for designation as ACECs and protective management during its planning processes. The Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS considers the designation of five potential ACECs. Boundaries, size, and management direction within potential ACECs vary by Alternative. Of the five potential ACECs, Table 1 lists the three ACECs the BLM is considering for designation in the Proposed RMP. All alternatives considered in the plan will retain the four existing Research Natural Areas.
The Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS considers and incorporates comments that the BLM received on the Eastern Interior Draft RMP/Draft EIS, the Supplement, and the Notice of Availability of information about the ACECs from the public and through internal BLM and cooperating agency reviews, as appropriate. The addition of Alternative E (Proposed RMP) and minor clarifications to text and maps in the Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS resulted from these comments. Alternative E (Proposed RMP) combines planning decisions from different alternatives analyzed in the Eastern Interior Draft RMP/Draft EIS, and is qualitatively within the spectrum of alternatives analyzed in that Draft RMP/Draft EIS.
Instructions to file a protest with the Director of the BLM regarding the Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS are in the “Dear Reader” Letter of the Eastern Interior Proposed RMP/Final EIS and at 43 CFR 1610.5–2. All protests must be in writing and mailed to the appropriate address, as set forth in the
Before including your phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your protest, you should be aware that your entire protest—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your protest to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2, 43 CFR 1610.5