Intent To Prepare A Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Public Land in Otero and Sierra Counties, NM

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM-030-1310-00]

Intent To Prepare A Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Public Land in Otero and

Sierra Counties, NM

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an RMPA/EIS and invitation to

participate in identification of issues and planning criteria.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)

regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), and the Federal Land Policy and

Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, the BLM, Las Cruces Field Office will

direct preparation of a Fluid Minerals Leasing RMPA/EIS by Dames and

Moore, Inc., a qualified consultant. The RMPA/EIS will address fluid

minerals (oil, gas, and geothermal) leasing and subsequent activities

(e.g., exploration, development, and/or production) on public land in

Otero and Sierra Counties, New Mexico. Planning efforts for the RMPA

will determine which public land and fluid minerals should be made

available for leasing and subsequent activities, and what requirements

(stipulations) may be needed to protect other resource values. The EIS

will identify the potential impacts that fluid minerals leasing and

subsequent activities could have on the environment and identify

appropriate measures to mitigate those impacts.

The BLM will conduct three public scoping meetings. All of the

public meetings will be informal to foster public attendance and input.

The dates, times, and locations for these meetings are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date Location

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, November 2, 1998, 6:30 p.m. to Best Western Sally Port Inn,

8:30 p.m. 2000 N. Main, Roswell, New

Mexico.

Wednesday, November 4, 1998, 6:30 p.m. to Civic Center, 800 E. First

8:30 p.m. St., Alamogordo, New

Mexico.

Thursday, November 5, 1998, 6:30 p.m. to Civic Center, 400 W. Fourth

8:30 p.m. St., Truth of Consequences,

New Mexico.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

DATES: Written comments will be accepted through November 16, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Theresa Hanley, BLM, Las Cruces

Field Office, 1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, NM 88005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theresa Hanley, Team Leader, at (505)

525-4342 or Russ Jentgen at (505) 525-4351.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of issuing Federal fluid mineral

leases is to provide the opportunity to explore for and produce

domestic resources of fluid minerals to meet the National demand for

fluid minerals leasing through the Minerals Leasing Act of 1920, as

amended. Previous environmental and planning documents were prepared to

address fluid minerals leasing for this area (public land in Sierra and

Otero Counties), including the Environmental Assessment for Oil and Gas

and Geothermal Leasing in the White Sands Resource Area completed in

1981, and the White Sands RMP completed in 1986. However, large

increases in oil and gas lease nominations in 1998 prompted the BLM to

review the RMP. It was found to lack information to make leasing

decisions commensurate with the increased leasing nominations and

potential subsequent exploration and development. BLM is developing

this RMPA/EIS to be consistent with current laws, regulations, and

supplemental program guidance (BLM Manual Section 1624.2) for fluid

minerals leasing and providing the public an opportunity to review the

leasing decision-making. The RMPA/EIS will determine where and under

what conditions fluid minerals leasing and subsequent activities will

be permitted. The determinations will provide the basis for timing,

surface use, and no surface occupancy stipulations that will be

attached to Federal fluid mineral leases. The RMPA/EIS also will

identify the circumstances necessary for granting waivers, exceptions,

or modifications to stipulations. The RMPA/EIS will be a Category 2

Amendment as defined in BLM Manual Section 1617.42.

The planning area will include public land in Otero and Sierra

Counties, encompassing 2.4 million surface acres administered by BLM

and 3.7 acres of Federal mineral estate.

It is anticipated that the RMPA/EIS process will require 24 months

to complete and will include public and agency scoping, coordination

and consultation with Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies,

public review and public hearings on the published draft RMPA/draft

EIS, a published proposed RMPA/final EIS, published Record of Decision,

and Plan Amendment. Publication of the Record of Decision is

anticipated in September 2000.

BLM public information and scoping will include notification to the

public and Federal, state, tribal, and local agencies of the proposed

action; identification by the public of the range of issues and

concerns to be considered in the EIS; development of planning criteria;

and the solicitation of assistance from the public to identify

reasonable alternatives. In addition, the public will have the

opportunity to ask questions regarding the proposed project at

scheduled public scoping meetings (see SUMMARY section of this notice).

Written comments should address: (1) Issues to be considered, (2)

if the planning criteria are adequate for the issues, (3) feasible and

reasonable alternatives to examine, and (4) relevant information having

a bearing on the RMPA/EIS. BLM will maintain a mailing list of parties

and persons interested in being kept informed about the progress of the

RMPA/EIS.

Description of Possible Alternatives

A range of reasonable alternatives, including an alternative

considering no action as required by NEPA, will be developed and

analyzed in the EIS. Through scoping, the public will assist in

developing the alternatives. One alternative will be selected as the

agency-preferred alternative.

Anticipated Decisions and Criteria

The anticipated decisions will include answers to the following:

[[Page 55405]]

Which public land and fluid minerals should be available

for leasing and subsequent activities?

On which lands are standard lease terms and conditions

sufficient?

Which public land should be available for leasing with

constraints (e.g., timing limitations, no surface occupancy, controlled

surface use)?

Which leasing stipulations from existing plans are

appropriate and sufficient to protect other resource values?

Which public land should be closed to fluid minerals

leasing?

Preliminary planning criteria for guiding the development of the

RMPA/EIS include the following. Actions must:

Comply with laws, executive orders, and regulations.

Provide for orderly leasing and development of fluid

minerals while providing for the protection of environmental resources

and minimizing the extent of impact on the environment.

Provide for the conservation of mineral resources.

Provide for rehabilitation of affected land.

Minimize soil erosion.

Provide for protection of water resources.

Provide for protection and management of plant and animal

special status species.

Provide for protection and management of wildlife and

wildlife habitat.

Provide for protection of cultural and paleontological

resources.

Provide for availability of recreation opportunities.

Protect and enhance visual quality.

Provide for public health and safety.

Consider social and economic effects.

Resource concerns to be addressed include lands and access,

minerals, soils, water resources, wilderness study areas, air quality,

vegetation, wildlife, special status species, livestock grazing,

cultural and paleontological resources, recreation, visual resources,

and social and economic conditions.

Dated: October 8, 1998.

Josie Banegas,

Acting Field Manager, Las Cruces.

[FR Doc. 98-27640 Filed 10-14-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-VC-P