[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 15 (Wednesday, January 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4868-4869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01261]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCA9300000; L14300000; EU0000; CACA 053961]
Notice of Intent To Amend the California Desert Conservation Area
Plan and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Needles Field Office, Needles, California intends to prepare an
amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan with
an associated Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze the sale of
approximately 133 acres of public land and by this notice is announcing
the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and
identify issues.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the CDCA
Plan amendment with associated EA. Comments on issues may be submitted
in writing until February 22, 2013. The BLM does not plan to hold any
scoping meetings for this plan amendment. In order to be included in
the analysis, all comments must be received prior to the close of the
30-day scoping period. We will provide additional opportunities for
public participation as appropriate.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria
related to the CDCA Plan amendment and associated EA by any of the
following methods:
Email: [email protected].
Fax: 760-326-7099.
Mail: Raymond Lee, BLM Needles Field Manager, 1303 S.
Highway 95, Needles, CA 92363.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Needles
Field Office, 1303 S. U.S. Highway 95, Needles, CA 92363.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George R. Meckfessel, Planning and
Environmental Coordinator, BLM Needles Field Office, telephone 760-326-
7008; address 1303 S. U.S. Highway 95, Needles, CA 92363; email
[email protected]. You may also request to have your name added to
our mailing list. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business
hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a
message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply
during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM is providing notice that the BLM
Needles Field Office, Needles, California intends to prepare an
amendment to the 1980 CDCA Plan with
[[Page 4869]]
an associated EA; announces the beginning of the scoping process; and
seeks public input on issues and planning criteria. The planning area
is located in San Bernardino County, California and encompasses the
133.19 acres of public land that has been identified for possible
direct sale. The BLM has received a request from the State of
California to purchase the following public land:
San Bernardino Meridian
T. 16 N., R. 14 E.,
Sec. 11, lot 1;
Sec. 12, lots 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, and 14;
Sec. 13, lot 2;
Sec. 14, lots 1, 4, 7, 11, and 12;
Sec. 23, lots 3, 6, 9, and 11.
The area described containing 133.19 acres lies entirely in San
Bernardino County, California.
The State of California wishes to purchase the public lands
described above for a point of entry facility for agricultural and
commercial vehicle inspections. The public lands described above were
not specifically identified for sale in the CDCA Plan, as amended, and
a plan amendment is therefore required to process a direct sale. The
purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues
that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, including
alternatives, and guide the planning process.
The BLM anticipates that the EA will consider both a plan amendment
and the subsequent sale of the land and has identified local land uses
and input from local governments as the primary preliminary issue of
concern. The BLM anticipates that the EA will include, at a minimum,
input from the disciplines of land use planning, biology and
archaeology. This plan amendment will be limited to an analysis of
whether the public lands described above meet the criteria for sale in
FLPMA at Section 203(a)(3), which states, ``disposal of such tract will
serve important public objectives,'' which is the planning criteria for
this amendment.
You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing
to the BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section
above. To be most helpful, you should submit comments by the close of
the 30-day scoping period. The BLM will use the NEPA public
participation requirements to assist the agency in satisfying the
public involvement requirements under Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470(f)) pursuant to 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3). The information about historic and cultural resources
within the area potentially affected by the proposed action will assist
the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources in the
context of both NEPA and Section 106 of the NHPA.
The BLM will consult with Indian tribes on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other
policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and
potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with tribes
and other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the
proposed action that the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate
in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by
the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis
as a cooperating agency.
The BLM will evaluate identified issues to be addressed in the plan
amendment, and will place them into one of three categories:
1. Issues to be resolved in the plan amendment;
2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action;
or
3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan amendment.
The BLM will provide an explanation in the EA as to why an issue
was placed in category two or three. The public is also encouraged to
help identify any management questions and concerns that should be
addressed in the plan. The BLM will work collaboratively with
interested parties to identify the management decisions that are best
suited to local, regional, and national needs and concerns.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.
Cynthia Staszak,
Associate Deputy State Director, Resources California.
[FR Doc. 2013-01261 Filed 1-22-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P