Availability of the Brown/Howe Dinosaur Area Environmental Assessment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-017-4331-08]

Availability of the Brown/Howe Dinosaur Area Environmental

Assessment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Brown/Howe Dinosaur Area

Environmental Assessment (EA) for public review and comment.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Assessment for the planning review of the

Brown/Howe Dinosaur Area documents the analysis of four alternatives

for managing the area, including the Bureau of Land Management's

preferred alternative. The planning review area encompasses 5,457 acres

of BLM-administered public land in the Cody Resource Area of the BLM's

Worland District in Big Horn County, Wyoming.

The planning review is being conducted to evaluate the management

needs and issues associated with the discovery of an Allosaurus

skeleton in the review area. The discovery was made approximately 1

year after the approval of the Cody Resource Management Plan (RMP) and

a review of the RMP is needed to evaluate the adequacy of existing

management decisions for the management and protection of

paleontological resources in the review area. Management actions being

considered include designation of the review area as an Area of

Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and closure of the area to the

staking and development of mining claims and closure to entry under the

land laws.

Based on preliminary analysis, BLM has established a temporary

closure to the staking of mining claims in the planning review area. As

part of the planning review, BLM has collected information and

conducted analyses described in this Environmental Assessment to

determine whether a long-term closure is necessary for the protection

of paleontological resources. Based on the results, the Cody RMP will

be amended, if necessary.

DATES: Comments must be received by November 14, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Hare, Team Leader, Cody Resource

Area, P.O. Box 518, Cody, Wyoming 82414-0518, 307-587-2216; or Bob

Ross, Worland District Planner, P.O. Box 119, Worland, Wyoming 82401-

0119, 307-347-9871.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Following the discovery of the Allosaurus

skeleton, the BLM completed a temporary management plan for the lands

in and around the fossil discovery area. Protective measures have been

initiated and have been in effect pending completion of this planning

review. This planning review includes opportunities for public

participation.

The steps followed for this planning review are:

1. An interdisciplinary planning team described and analyzed the

existing management in the planning review area and described the

affected environment.

2. A notice was published in the Federal Register informing the

public of known and anticipated issues and of opportunities for public

participation and comment.

3. Public contracts and meetings were held for scoping and

development of the preliminary issues and alternatives.

4. With the help of the public, management alternatives for the

area were formulated and analyzed and the BLM's preferred alternative

was identified.

5. The alternatives, including the BLM's preferred alternative, and

their environmental consequences are described in the EA and the EA is

now being issued for public review and comment.

6. A 60-day period will be provided for reviewing and commenting on

the EA and for submitting protests on any proposed decisions to be

added to or changed in the Cody RMP.

7. The EA will then be revised, as necessary, and a decision record

will be issued. If necessary, this decision record will identify and

include any needed amendment to the Cody RMP.

Based on the public's input and analysis by the BLM

interdisciplinary team, the following issues were identified:

1. Whether or not there is a need to protect important

paleontological resources from being damaged by potential surface-

disturbing activities in the planning review area, including closure to

and withdrawal from possible mining claim and mining-related activities

and from possible entry under the land laws (for example, Desert Land

Entry).

2. Whether or not the area should be designated an ACEC with

management emphasis primarily for research, public education, and

recreation, associated with the significant paleontological resources

in the area.

The four alternatives analyzed in the EA are:

1. No Action (continuation of existing management).

2. Designating an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) of

about 5,457 acres with management emphasis on protection of fossils for

scientific research and public education.

3. Designating an ACEC of about 5,457 acres with management

emphasis on protection of fossils for scientific research and public

education, and with mineral location and land law withdrawals of the

known fossil concentration area (120.9 acres).

4. Designating an ACEC of about 5,457 acres with management

emphasis on protection of fossils for scientific research and public

education, and with mineral location and land law withdrawals of the

fossil concentration areas and adjacent lands (approximately 4,182

acres). The BLM's preferred alternative is Alternative 3.

Designating the planning review area an ACEC with a 120.9-acre

mineral withdrawal under the 1872 Mining Law and withdrawal from

operation of land laws represents what the BLM believes is the best

balance between the public land and resource uses and environmental

protection in the planning review area. The various impacts that would

be expected from implementing each of the Alternatives is also

presented in the EA.

At the end of the comment/protest period, any of the decisions

mentioned above or similar decisions based on public comment would

amend the Cody RMP at the time a Decision Record is issued.

Based on the analysis of potential environmental impacts contained

in the EA, it has been determined that impacts are not expected to be

significant and an Environmental Impact Statement is not needed.

Dated: September 1, 1994.

Robert A. Bennett,

Acting State Director.

[FR Doc. 94-22388 Filed 9-9-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-22-M