Notice of Availability of Draft Wilderness Management Plan and Environmental Assessment; Notice of Public Comment Period; Notice of Public Meetings

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AZ-020-00-4333-04; AZA-25486, 25487, 25489, 25490]

Notice of Availability of Draft Wilderness Management Plan and

Environmental Assessment; Notice of Public Comment Period; Notice of

Public Meetings

AGENCY: Lower Gila Resource Area, Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: The Draft Maricopa Complex Wilderness Management Plan and

Environmental Assessment is available for public review and comment.

Two open public meetings will be held to facilitate and record public

comment. Written comments will also be accepted through November 2,

1994.

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SUMMARY: (1) Scope of Proposed Action and Alternatives: The draft plan

covers the management of four Wilderness Areas: the Sierra Estrella,

the North Maricopa Mountains, South Maricopa Mountains and the Table

Top for a period of ten years. The environmental assessment document

describes the impacts of the proposed action and three alternatives.

(2) Geographic Areas Involved: Four separate wilderness areas,

totaling 173,000 acres in the Lower Sonoran Desert of Southwestern

Arizona, southern Maricopa and western Pinal Counties, within a 45 mile

radius of Gila Bend, Arizona and 12 to 45 miles south of the

metropolitan Phoenix. Other towns in the vicinity are Maricopa,

Stanfield, Casa Grande, Avondale and Buckeye, Arizona.

(3) Summary of Proposed Actions: Seventy nine miles of former

vehicle ways reclaimed; 16 miles converted to pedestrian and/or

equestrian trails. Four access routes shortened. Seventeen vehicle

barriers constructed. Four new trails and seven trailheads established

and two existing trails and trailheads improved and maintained. Signs,

enlarged parking areas, and minimal camping facilities provided at some

trailheads. Two vehicle safety shoulders created along Interstate 8.

Trail and human encounter standards adopted, maps and other information

provided. Commercial recreation outfitters and guides permitted. Six

wildlife water catchments and associated fencing modified, and along

with two others, maintained. One new pump installed in a wildlife water

well. Transplants of desert bighorn sheep and aircraft telemetry

following allowed. Installation of new wildlife catchments to be

evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Animal damage control allowed. Five

earthen livestock water tanks abandoned. Thirteen livestock control

fences maintained. Coordination with multi-jurisdictional law

enforcement and search and rescue agencies and organizations improved.

Five thousand seven hundred and sixty acres of State of Arizona surface

and subsurface inholdings acquired plus some access easements. New

grazing standards established. All wildfire suppressed but related

activities restricted. Reduction in low-level civilian aircraft flights

encouraged. Twenty nine instances of motorized/mechanized use allowed

annually over 9 years dropping to 18 per year thereafter, to: maintain

8 livestock fences, modify 6 wildlife catchments, maintain and haul

water to these and two other catchments, respond to life-threatening

emergencies, rescue sick livestock, pursue felons or major game

violators, and census or track wildlife. Response actions if monitoring

standards are exceeded are identified.

(4) Proposed Restrictions: No campfires, charcoal fires, wood

gathering or wood cutting, and other surface disturbances. Pets

prohibited on one trail; horses on another. No camping within 200 feet

or sight of the established trails, five day camping limit of stay at

trailheads. Some pack stock activity restrictions.

(5) Summary of Alternatives: A visitor use and wildlife enhancement

alternative with additional hiking and/or riding trails and wildlife

developments; a naturalness enhancement alternative without maintained

trails, with most developments removed, and 10 instances of low level

aircraft use occurring yearly for wildlife census; and a no action

alternative maintaining the status quo.

(6) Kind and Extent of Public Involvement Provided: Two open public

meetings will be held to record comments on the draft proposals. These

will be held in Gila Bend and Phoenix, Arizona at the following times

and locations:

Wednesday, September 28, 1994, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Gila Bend Community

Center, 202 Euclid Ave., Gila Bend, Arizona.

Monday, October 3, 1994, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Phoenix District Office,

Bureau of Land Management, 2015 West Deer Valley Road, Phoenix,

Arizona.

Written comments on the draft plan and environmental assessment

will be accepted through November 2, 1994. Comments should be sent to

the address identified below. Comments received at that address, which

are postmarked on or before November 2, 1994, will be considered in the

development of the final plan.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft plan and environmental assessment are

available by contacting the Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix

District, Lower Gila Resource Area, 2015 W. Deer Valley Road, Phoenix,

Arizona, 85027. Written comments regarding these documents should be

mailed to this address. Address your written request to the attention

of John Jamrog. Requests for the document may also be made by phoning

the Phoenix District Office at (602) 780-8090.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Jamrog, Bureau of Land

Management, Phoenix District, Lower Gila Resource Area, Telephone 602-

780-8090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These four areas were added to the

Wilderness Preservation System by Public Law 101-628, of November 28,

1990, known as the Arizona Desert Wilderness Act of 1990. The

management and use of these areas is directed by this law, the Federal

Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the Wilderness Act of 1964.

All four areas share similar natural characteristics and generally are

subject to the same type and amounts of uses.

Dated: September 14, 1994.

William T. Childress,

Acting District Manager.

[FR Doc. 94-23201 Filed 9-19-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-32-M