McGregor Range : record of decision and resource management plan amendment for McGregor Range in Otero County, New Mexico

2006·25.9 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Las Cruces District Office

Record of Decision and
Resource Management Plan Amendment
United States Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Las Cruces District office
HD
243
.N6 MAY 1006
M347
2006
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the balanced management of the public
lands and resources and their various values so that they are considered in a combination that
will best serve the needs of the American people. Management is based upon the principals of
multiple use and sustained yield, a combination of uses that takes into account the long-term
needs of future generations for renewable and nonrenewable resources. These resources include
recreation, range, timber, minerals, watershed, fish and wildlife, wilderness and natural, scenic,
scientific, and cultural values.
BLM/NM/PL-06-09-1610
United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Las Cruces District Office
1800 Marquess Street
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005
www.nm.blm.gov Take Pride*
,N/\M ERICA
IN REPLY REFER TO:
1610
Dear Reader:
In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared this
Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and Record of Decision (ROD) to address
the management of public land within the boundaries of McGregor Range in southern Otero
County, New Mexico. The RMPA amends BLM’s 1986 White Sands Resource Management
Plan (RMP) and replaces BLM’s 1990 RMPA for McGregor Range.
The planning process to update the RMP was initiated in May 2001 with scoping, which
included public meetings and other activities to identify issues to be considered throughout the
analysis. At that time, the BLM also began an extensive data collection effort to characterize the
existing condition of the environmental resources and resource uses on McGregor Range. BLM
issued a Draft RMPA and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to the public in January 2005
for a review period of 90 days. Responses to the public’s comments were incorporated into the
Proposed RMPA/Final EIS, which was published in December 2005. BLM received no protests
on the Proposed RMPA/Final EIS during the 30-day protest period, which ended on February
13, 2006. Concurrently, the Governor of New Mexico was provided a formal 60-day review
period to comment on the Proposed RMPA/Final EIS, and BLM received no comments.
The ROD provides the approval for the RMPA, and was prepared in accordance with BLM’s
planning regulations at 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1505.2, which require a
concise document linking final land use plan decisions to the analysis presented in the
Proposed RMPA/Final EIS.
The RMPA sets forth the management objectives and land-use decisions for managing
resources and resource uses on withdrawn public land within McGregor Range. Land use plan
decisions in the RMPA are effective as of the date of this ROD. Subsequent implementation
decisions will be put into effect by developing implementation plans, such as activity-level or
project-specific plans. These implementation decisions will require site-specific planning and
additional analysis in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
Implementation decisions are subject to an administrative appeals process.
We appreciate your assistance in this planning effort and look forward to your continued
participation as the plan is implemented. To obtain additional hard copies or CD-ROM versions
of this document, or for additional information regarding this document or the planning process,
please contact:
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Tom Phillips, RMPA/EIS Team Leader
Bureau of Land Management
Las Cruces District Office
1800 Marquess
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005
[phone]
The ROD and RMPA also will be available on the BLM’s web site, www.nm.blm.gov.
Sincerely,
Edwin L. Roberson
District Manager
lb 5
RECORD OF DECISION
AND
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT
for McGregor Range in
Otero County, New Mexico
May 2006
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Las Cruces District Office
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Date
New Mexico State Director

TABLE OF CONTENTS
RECORD OF DECISION
1.0 Introduction.1
2.0 Decision.1
3.0 Alternatives.2
4.0 Management Considerations.3
5.0 Mitigation Measures.3
6.0 Plan Monitoring.3
7.0 Public Involvement.4
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT
1.0 Introduction.6
2.0 Management Decisions.12
3.0 Management Plan Amendment Implementation and Adaptive Management.32
4.0 References.36
List of Tables
Table 1 Agency Responsibilities for Environmental Resource
Management of McGregor Range.33
Table C-l Applicable Major Laws, Regulations, and Policies.C-l
List of Maps
Map 1 Decision Area and Planning Area.8
Map 2 Resource Management Decisions.14
Map 3 Visual Resource Management Classes and Special Management Areas.31
Appendix A - Best Management Practices
Appendix B - Title XXX, Military Land Withdrawals
Appendix C - Applicable Major Laws, Regulations, and Policies
Appendix D - Noxious Weed Management Plan
McGregor Range Record of Decision and i Record of Decision
Resource Management Plan Amendment May 2006

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