Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement; Notice of Public Meetings; Montana, Wyoming

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

[MT-960-1990-00-CCAM; MTM 84500]

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement;

Notice of Public Meetings; Montana, Wyoming

AGENCY: Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management,

with concurrence from the Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,

proposes to withdraw, for 20 years, approximately 22,000 acres of

Federal mineral estate, and any non-Federal minerals that may be

acquired in the future, from location and entry under the mining laws.

This mineral withdrawal is being proposed to protect the watersheds

within the drainages of

[[Page 50804]]

the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone, Soda Butte Creek, and the

Stillwater River, and the water quality and fresh water fishery

resources within Yellowstone National Park. Based on comments received

during the earlier public scoping period and preliminary analysis of

environmental impacts, the BLM and FS will jointly prepare an EIS that

displays the effects of the proposed mineral withdrawal in Park County,

Montana.

DATES: Public meetings will be held in Cody, Wyoming, on Oct. 23, 1996,

at the Cody Club Room, and in Livingston, Montana, on Oct. 24, 1996, at

the Yellowstone Motor Inn. Both meetings will use an Open House format

and the BLM and FS officials will be present from 3:00 p.m. until 7:30

p.m. each day to discuss the proposed mineral withdrawal and answer

questions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Comments about the proposed mineral

withdrawal may be sent to the Cooke City Area Mineral Withdrawal Team,

P.O. Box 36800, Billings, Montana 59107.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Intent to prepare a NEPA

analysis was published in the Federal Register, 61 FR 27366, May 31,

1996. Notice was given that a series of meetings would be held to

provide an opportunity for public involvement regarding the proposed

withdrawal and the preparation of a NEPA analysis. Based on comments

received in letters and at the public scoping meetings, as well as the

preliminary analysis of issues and environmental impacts, the BLM and

FS have determined that it is appropriate to prepare an EIS for the

proposed mineral withdrawal.

Dated: September 18, 1996.

Thomas P. Lonnie,

Deputy State Director, Division of Resources.

Dated: September 18, 1996.

Sherry L. Milburn,

Acting Forest Supervisor, Custer National Forest.

[FR Doc. 96-24759 Filed 9-26-96; 8:45 am]

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