[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 130 (Monday, July 8, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40764-40765]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-16276]
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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 for the Needles Field Office and Prepare an Associated
Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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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 1980 California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan
with an associated Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze the sale of
the reversionary interest held by the United States (U.S.) in 50 acres
of land previously conveyed out of Federal ownership 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 an associated EA. Comments on issues may be
submitted in writing until August 7, 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 request
[[Page 40765]]
to have your name added to the BLM's mailing list. Further information
is also available online at the Needles BLM Field Office Web site:
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/needles.html.
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: This document provides notice that the BLM
Needles Field Office, Needles, California, intends to prepare an
amendment to the 1980 CDCA Plan with 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 reversionary interest held by
the U.S. in 50 acres of land previously conveyed out of Federal
ownership. The BLM anticipates receiving requests from the current
owners to purchase the reversionary interest held by the U.S. in
portions of the following described land:
San Bernardino Meridian
T. 9 N., R. 23 E.,
Sec. 31, NWNENE and NWNE.
Containing 50 acres in San Bernardino County, California.
The land described above was conveyed in 1966 to the City of
Needles under the authority of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act
of June 14, 1926 (R&PP) for park and recreational purposes. The land is
surrounded by private land and is not contiguous to any other public
land. When public land is conveyed under the authority of the R&PP, the
U.S. retains a reversionary interest in the land, which could result in
title to the land reverting to the U.S. if the land is not used for the
purposes for which it was conveyed, or if the land is sold or
transferred without the BLM's approval. The BLM is responsible for
monitoring the reversionary interest in perpetuity to ensure the land
is used for the purposes for which it was conveyed. Since the land
described above was conveyed in 1966, the BLM has approved the transfer
of title to a portion of the land to the County of San Bernardino and
has approved several changes in use of the land. The reversionary
interest in the land described above was not specifically identified
for sale in the 1980 CDCA Plan, as amended, and a plan amendment is
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 possible subsequent sales of the Federal reversionary interest 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 reversionary interest in the land
described above meets the criteria for sale under Section 203 of FLPMA,
which are 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, your comments should be submitted by the
close of the 30-day scoping period.
The BLM will use its fulfillment of 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 amendment. 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. 2013-16276 Filed 7-5-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P