[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 43, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 43CFR1610.7-2]

[Page 22-23]
 
                    TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS: INTERIOR
 
    CHAPTER II--BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 
PART 1600--PLANNING, PROGRAMMING, BUDGETING--Table of Contents
 
               Subpart 1610--Resource Management Planning
 
Sec. 1610.7-2  Designation of areas of critical environmental concern.

    Areas having potential for Areas of Critical Environmental Concern 
(ACEC) designation and protection management shall be identified and 
considered throughout the resource management planning process (see 
Secs. 1610.4-1 through 1610.4-9).
    (a) The inventory data shall be analyzed to determine whether there 
are areas containing resources, values, systems or processes or hazards 
eligible

[[Page 23]]

for further consideration for designation as an ACEC. In order to be a 
potential ACEC, both of the following criteria shall be met:
    (1) Relevance. There shall be present a significant historic, 
cultural, or scenic value; a fish or wildlife resource or other natural 
system or process; or natural hazard.
    (2) Importance. The above described value, resource, system, 
process, or hazard shall have substantial significance and values. This 
generally requires qualities of more than local significance and special 
worth, consequence, meaning, distinctiveness, or cause for concern. A 
natural hazard can be important if it is a significant threat to human 
life or property.
    (b) The State Director, upon approval of a draft resource management 
plan, plan revision, or plan amendment involving ACECs, shall publish a 
notice in the Federal Register listing each ACEC proposed and specifying 
the resource use limitations, if any, which would occur if it were 
formally designated. The notice shall provide a 60-day period for public 
comment on the proposed ACEC designation. The approval of a resource 
management plan, plan revision, or plan amendment constitutes formal 
designation of any ACEC involved. The approved plan shall include the 
general management practices and uses, including mitigating measures, 
identified to protect designated ACEC.