Battle Mountain District Fire Management Plan Amendment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-010-2811-01]

Battle Mountain District Fire Management Plan Amendment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a plan amendment and environmental

analysis and invitation for public participation.

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SUMMARY: The Battle Mountain District Office of the Bureau of Land

Management proposes to amend the Shoshone-Eureka Resource Management

Plan (RMP) to address the management of fire within the former

boundaries of the Shoshone-Eureka Resource Area of the Battle Mountain

District. Fire is an integral part of the ecosystem of the Battle

Mountain District. The Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and

Program Review states: ``* * * wildland fire is a natural occurrence

that plays a fundamental role in natural resource management.'' The

current RMP does not address fire management and its role in the

natural ecosystem. The land use plan amendment and its associated

National Environmental Policy Act environmental assessment provides the

opportunity for the public to share their thoughts and concerns related

to implementation of this proposal. Ultimately, the final RMP

amendment, having taken into account public input, will provide the

basis for decisions on the management of fire in the Shoshone-Eureka

planning unit.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: Written comments on the plan amendment and the

proposed environmental analysis are welcomed until September 30, 1997.

Comments on the land use plan amendment, as well as issues the public

feel should be addressed in the environmental assessment should be sent

to Dave Davis, Team Leader, U.S.D.I. Bureau of Land Management, P.O.

Box 1420, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, NV 89820. Comments should

be received by the BLM by the close of business, September 30th.

Four public meetings soliciting public input related to the fire

management proposal are scheduled:

(1) Battle Mountain BLM Office, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain,

Nevada September 2, 1997.

(2) Eureka Opera House, 10201 Main Street, Eureka, Nevada,

September 4, 1997.

(3) Crescent Valley Senior Center, 6024 Ruby Way, Crescent Valley,

Nevada, October 1, 1997.

(4) Austin High School, Highway 305 North, Austin, Nevada, October

2, 1997. All meetings are to be held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. each

evening.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The public is invited to participate in the

identification of issues related to the management of fire in the

Battle Mountain District, the Shoshone-Eureka Planning Unit.

Anticipated issues for the plan amendment include: protection of human

life, protection of property, protection of natural/cultural resources,

safe reintroduction of fire into natural ecosystems, reducing the cost

of fire suppression, integration of fire and resource management

strategies, air quality, recreation, watershed management, livestock

grazing, visual resources, wildlife habitat.

The plan amendment will focus on the following proposed management

strategies for fire management in the Planning Unit:

Wildland fire is not desired at all. Full suppression of

all wildland fire is warranted.

Unplanned wildland fire is likely to cause negative

effects, but these effects may be mitigated through fuels management,

i.e. prescribed fire, green stripping, chaining.

Fire is desired, but there are constraints.

Fire is desired and there are no constraints.

Planning documents and other pertinent materials may be examined at

the Bureau of Land Management office in Battle Mountain between 7:30

a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Dated this 12th day of August, 1997.

Gerald M. Smith,

District Manager, Battle Mountain District.

[FR Doc. 97-21914 Filed 8-18-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P