Rio Puerco resource management plan and record of decision : October 1992 update

217 Pages·1992·37.2 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Rio Puerco Resource Area

BLM LIBRARY
Resource
Maijagenjeijt
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OCTOBER
1992
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
ALBUQUERQUE DISTRICT OFFICE
RIO PUERCO RESOURCE AREA
BLM-NM-PT-87-002-4410 (Rev. 10/92)
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PUERCO
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RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN
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RECORD OF DECISION
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UPDATE
PREPARED BY:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
ALBUQUERQUE DISTRICT
RIO PUERCO RESOURCE AREA

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United States Department of the Interior PRIDE IN
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BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Rio Puerco ResourceArea
INRFIMYRF.FKR lO
435 Montano N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87107
1610 (017)
October 1992
Dear Reader:
This Resource Management Plan reprint brings together changes that have
occurred in resource management in the Rio Puerco Resource Area since the
original plan was completed in 1986. Over the past 6 years, BLM policies have
been modified to meet the ever-changing needs of the land and its users.
Programs such as Forestry, Minerals, and Wildlife have all been updated to
better reflect the current status.
With the creation of the El Malpais National Conservation Area (NCA) in 1987,
more emphasis has been placed on recreation, wilderness management, and
protection of historic homesteads. Considerable land ownership adjustment has
occurred in the NCA, consolidating federal ownership in most of the NCA and
wilderness areas.
Changes in administrative boundaries between the Farmington Resource Area and
the Rio Puerco Resource Area have also been made to better serve the public,
to gain more field presence and therefore, better manage the land. These
administrative changes, as well as land tenure adjustments within the Resource
Area, are reflected in the update.
The Resource Management Plan is a dynamic document that requires updates and
amendments as appropriate to insure efficiency of resource management
objectives. Ongoing initiatives such as the Rio Puerco Watershed
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the Ignacio Chavez 1103 Road
Management EIS will be incorporated into the plan upon completion.
If you desire further input or consultation on particular management
activities, please let us know. Continued public interest and involvement is
necessary to ensure that our management actions provide for the needs and
concerns of all of us. We look forward to your continued public participation
as the RMP guides public land use in the coming years.
Sincerely,
Albert Abee
Area Manager
IN REPLY REFERTO
United States Department of the Interior
1610 (017)
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Rio Puerco Resource Area
435 Montano N.E.
Albuquerque. New Mexico 87107
November 1986
Dear Reader:
This document is the culmination of the Rio Puerco Resource Management Plan
(RMP) preparation process. It contains both the Final RMP and the Record of
Decision (ROD). Although this may mark the completion of the land use planning
stage, it denotes the beginning of a very exciting stage, that of
implementation.
Signed on January 16, 1986, the ROD for the Rio Puerco RMP records the
acceptance of the Proposed RMP as the land use plan for the Rio Puerco Resource
Area, and will shape the management direction of its resources for the next
twenty years. Since the approval of the ROD, we have begun implementing the
RMP.
The RMP portion of this document describes the Plan itself, and is the result
of over three years of planning and preparation of an environmental impact
statement. You will find the advice and opinions expressed by many of you
incorporated throughout the document.
The Final RMP as presented here will serve as a basis from which both the BLM
and the public can track the implementation of the Plan. You will continue to
be informed of the progress in implementation through the publication of an
annual RMP Program Document. This annual program document will identify
completed actions, as well as actions planned for the coming year, thus
enabling you to be involved in specific land management actions.
Your continuing interest and involvement in BLM's management of the public
lands and resources within the Rio Puerco Resource Area will be the key to
successful implementation of the RMP. We look forward to our continued
partnership in managing your public lands.
Sincerely,
Herrick E. Hanks
Rio Puerco Resource Area
Manager
TABLE OF CONTENTS
RECORD OF DECISION 1
DECISION 1
THE PROPOSED PLAN AND ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED 1
Proposed Plan (Alternative D) 1
Alternative A: Continuation of Current Management (No Action Alternative) 3
Alternative B: Resource Conservation 3
Alternative C: Resource Production 3
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS 3
IMPLEMENTATION AND MITIGATION 3
MONITORING 3
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 4
CONSISTENCY 4
PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF THIS DOCUMENT 4
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION 5
PURPOSE 5
LOCATION 5
PLANNING ISSUES AND CRITERIA 7
1. Special Management Areas 7
2. Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Designation 7
3. Vegetative Uses 8
4. Land Ownership Adjustments 8
5. Fuelwood Supply 9
6. Rights-of-Way Corridors 10
7. Coal Leasing Suitability Assessment 10
IMPLEMENTATION 10
MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE PLAN 10
MAINTAINING THE PLAN 11
CHANGING THE PLAN 11
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER BLM PLANNING LEVELS AND STUDIES 11
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND INTER-GOVERNMENTAL/INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION 11
Continuing Public Participation 12
CONSISTENCY 12
DOCUMENT PREPARERS 12
SECTION 2: PROGRAM GUIDANCE 15
INTRODUCTION 15
ENERGY AND MINERALS 23
Program Objectives 23
Management Guidance 23
Oil and Gas Leasing 23
Geothermal Leasing 24
Leasable Mineral Restrictions 24
Coal Management 30
Common Variety Mineral Materials 36
Locatable Minerals 37
Policy on Disposal of Lands and Minerals 37
Other Mineral Management Responsibilities 38
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 38
Monitoring Studies 39
Implementation Priorities 39
Support Needs 39
Fire Management 39
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 39
Cadastral Survey 39
GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY 39
Program Objectives 39
Management Guidance 39
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 40
Monitoring Studies 40
Implementation Priorities 40
Support Needs 40
Fire Management 40
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 40
Cadastral Survey 41
SOIL, WATER, AND AIR 41
Program Objectives 41
Management Guidance 41
Soil 41
Water 41
Air 42
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 42
Monitoring Studies 43
Implementation Priorities 43
Support Needs 43
Fire Management 43
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 43
Cadastral Survey 43
RANGE 43
Program Objectives 43
Management Guidance 43
Vegetative Uses Issue 44
Selective Management Categorization 44
Grazing Decisions 46
Allotment Specific Management Actions for the Improve (I) Category 46
Implementing Changes in Allotment Management 46
Tracts Unleased for Grazing 52
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 52
Monitoring Studies 52
Implementation Priorities 53
Support Needs 53
Fire Management 53
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 53
Cadastral Survey 53
WILDLIFE 53
Program Objectives 53
Management Guidance 54
Inventories 54
Animal Damage Control 54
Habitat Management 54
Program Coordination 54
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 54
Implementation Priorities 56
Support Needs 57
Fire Management 57
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 57
Cadastral Survey 57
WOODLAND RESOURCES 57
Program Objectives 57
Management Guidance 57
Ponderosa Pine 57
Pinyon-Juniper 58
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 58
Monitoring Studies 60
Implementation Priorities 60
Support Needs 60
Fire Management 60
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 60
Cadastral Survey 60
RECREATION 60
Program Objectives 60
Management Guidance 61
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 61
Recreation Opportunity Spectrum 61
Monitoring Studies 69
Implementation Priorities 69
Support Needs 69
Fire Management 69
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 69
Cadastral Survey 69
VISUAL RESOURCES 69
Program Objectives 69
Management Guidance 69
li
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 72
Monitoring Studies 72
Implementation Priorities 72
Support Needs 72
Fire Management 72
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 72
Cadastral Survey 72
OFF-ROAD VEHICLES (ORV's) 72
....
Program Objectives 72
Management Guidance 72
ORV Issue Resolution 72
Implementation of ORV Designations 75
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 80
Monitoring Studies 80
Implementation Priorities 80
Support Needs 80
Fire Management 80
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 83
Cadastral Survey 83
WILDERNESS 83
Program Objectives 83
Management Guidance 83
Additional Designations 83
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 83
Monitoring Studies 87
Implementation Priorities 87
Support Needs 87
Fire Management 87
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 87
Cadastral Survey 87
CULTURAL RESOURCES 87
Program Objectives 87
Management Guidance 87
Inventory and Evaluation 87
Nominations 88
Cultural Resource Management Plans 88
Protection and Utilization 88
Native American Religious Freedom 88
Compliance 88
Management Strategy 88
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 92
Monitoring Studies 92
Implementation Priorities 93
Support Needs 93
Fire Management 93
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 93
Cadastral Survey 93
LANDS AND REALTY 93
Program Objectives 93
Management Guidance 93
Public Land Exchanges 93
RMP Land Ownership Adjustments Issue 96
Public Land Withdrawals 98
Indian Land Claims 101
Rio Grande Occupancy Resolution Program 101
Sales of Public Lands 101
Recreation and Public Purposes 101
Rights-of-Way 101
Rights-of-Way Corridors 102
Criteria for Resolution of RMP Issues 102
Monitoring Studies 105
Implementation Priorities 105
Support Needs 106
Fire Management 106
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way 106
Cadastral Survey 106
SUPPORT PROGRAMS 106
Fire Management 106
Program Objectives 106
Management Guidance 106
Fire Protection 106
Fire Use 107
XII
Implementation Priorities 107
Access, Transportation, and Rights-of-Way (ATROW) 107
Program Objectives 107
Management Guidance 107
Transportation Management Plan 107
Monitoring Studies 107
Implementation Priorities 107
Cadastral Survey 107
Program Objectives 107
Management Guidance 108
Monitoring Studies 108
Implementation Priorities 108
SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS 108
Program Objectives 108
Management Guidance 108
Special Management Area Identification 108
Monitoring Studies 119
Implementation Priorities 119
Support Needs 119
SMA Summaries 119
1. Torrejon Fossil Fauna 120
2. Pelon Watershed 122
3. Historic Homesteads 124
4. Canon Jarido 126
5. Jones Canyon 128
6. Headcut Prehistoric Community 130
7. San Luis Mesa Raptor Area 132
8. Azabache Station 134
9. Cabezon Peak 136
10. Ignacio Chavez 138
11. Big Bead Mesa 140
12. Canon Tapia 142
13. Guadalupe Ruin and Community 144
14. Elk Springs 146
15. Tent Rocks 148
16. Ojito 150
17. Ball Ranch 153
18. Pronoun Cave Complex 155
19. Continental Divide Trail 157
20. 1870's Wagon Road Trail 159
21. El Malpais 161
22. Petaca Pinta 164
23. Bluewater Canyon 166
SECTION 3: IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE 169
INTRODUCTION 169
MANAGEMENT CLASS A 169
MANAGEMENT CLASS B 170
MANAGEMENT CLASS C 170
GLOSSARY 173
REFERENCES 181
IV