Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report for the Proposed Alta East Wind Project, and Possible Land Use Plan Amendment, Kern County, CA, 41817-41819 [2011-17717]
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mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 136 / Friday, July 15, 2011 / Notices
Diego. An additional 15 acres would be
temporarily disturbed during
construction.
The Project would be a 15 to 18 MW
(with peak capacity of 20 MW) project
and would include photo-voltaic (PV)
arrays, inverters, transformers, and a
maintenance building. The project
would connect to the existing SDG&E
Imperial Valley Substation (IVS), which
is located to the Project’s immediate
north via a buried 12.47 kilovolt cable.
The project would not require any
expansion of the IVS, nor any upgrades
to the existing transmission lines exiting
the substation.
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 process for
developing the EIS. At present, the BLM
has identified the following preliminary
issues: Air quality, biological resources,
cultural resources, water resources,
geological resources and hazards, land
use, noise, paleontological resources,
socioeconomics, traffic and
transportation, and visual resources. An
updated inventory of wilderness
characteristics will be used to determine
whether lands with wilderness
characteristics are present in the project
area and to analyze impacts associated
with these resources.
Pursuant to the CDCA Plan, sites
associated with power generation or
transmission not identified in the CDCA
Plan will be considered through the
plan amendment process to determine
the suitability of the sites for renewable
energy development. Since the Project
site was not previously identified as
suitable, authorization of the Project
would require amendment of the CDCA
Plan. By this notice, the BLM is
complying with requirements in 43 CFR
1610.2(c) to notify the public of
potential amendments to land use plans
predicated on the findings in the EIS. If
a Plan Amendment is necessary, the
BLM will integrate the land use
planning process with the NEPA
process for the Project. A preliminary
list of the potential planning criteria
that will be used to help guide and
define the scope of the plan amendment
process include:
• The plan amendments will be
completed in compliance with FLPMA,
NEPA, and all other relevant Federal
laws, executive orders, and BLM
policies;
• Existing, valid plan decisions will
not be changed and any new plan
decisions will not conflict with existing
plan decisions; and
• The plan amendment(s) will
recognize valid existing rights.
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Jkt 223001
The BLM will also use and coordinate
the NEPA commenting process to help
fulfill the public involvement process
under Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C.
470(f) as provided for in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3). Native American Tribal
consultations will be conducted in
accordance with policy, and Tribal
concerns will be given due
consideration. Federal, State, and local
agencies, along with Tribes and other
stakeholders that may be interested or
affected by the BLM’s decision on this
project, are invited to participate in the
scoping process and, if eligible, may
request or be requested by the BLM to
participate as cooperating agencies.
In connection with its processing of
SDG&E’s application, the BLM is also
segregating, under the authority
contained in 43 CFR 2091.3–1(e) and
2804.25(e), subject to valid existing
rights, the public lands within the
Project application area from
appropriation under the public land
laws, including the Mining Law of 1872,
as amended, but not the Mineral Leasing
the Material Sales Acts, for a period of
2 years from the date of publication of
this notice. The public lands contained
within this temporary segregation total
approximately 240 acres and are
described as follows:
San Bernardino Meridian
T. 161⁄2 S., R. 12 E.,
Sec. 3, E1⁄2SW1⁄4, SE1⁄4.
The BLM has determined that this
temporary segregation is necessary to
ensure the orderly administration of the
public lands by maintaining the status
quo while it processes SDG&E’s ROW
application for the above described
lands. The segregation period will
terminate and the lands will
automatically reopen to appropriation
under the public land laws, including
the Mining Law, if one of the following
events occurs: (1) The BLM issues a
decision granting, granting with
modifications, or denying SDG&E’s
ROW application; (2) publication of a
Federal Register notice terminating this
segregation; or (3) there is no further
administrative action at the end of the
segregation provided for in the Federal
Register notice initiating the
segregation, whichever occurs first. Any
segregation made under this authority is
effective only for a period of up to 2
years.
Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
PO 00000
Frm 00065
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
41817
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; 43 CFR 1610.2,
2091.3–1(e), and 2804.25(e).
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director, California.
[FR Doc. 2011–17718 Filed 7–14–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–40–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCAD05000,
L51010000.LVRWB11B4520.FX0000]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint
Environmental Impact Statement and
Environmental Impact Report for the
Proposed Alta East Wind Project, and
Possible Land Use Plan Amendment,
Kern County, CA
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of
1976, as amended (FLPMA), and the
California Environmental Quality Act,
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Ridgecrest Field Office, Ridgecrest,
California, together with the County of
Kern, California, intend to prepare a
joint Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS)/Environmental Impact Report
(EIR), which may include an
amendment to the California Desert
Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (1980 as
amended), related to Alta Windpower
Development LLC’s (Applicant or AWD)
right-of-way (ROW) authorization
request for the Alta East Wind Project
(Project), a 300-megawatt (MW) wind
farm. By this notice BLM and Kern
County are announcing the beginning of
the scoping process to identify issues
and solicit public comments on the EIS/
EIR and proposed plan amendment. By
this notice the BLM is also segregating,
subject to valid existing rights,
approximately 2,083 acres of public
lands from appropriation under the
public land laws, including the Mining
Law of 1872, as amended, but not from
leasing under the mineral leasing laws
or disposal under the mineral material
laws, for a period of 2 years from the
date of publication of this notice for the
purpose of processing AWD’s ROW
authorization request.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\15JYN1.SGM
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41818
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 136 / Friday, July 15, 2011 / Notices
This notice initiates: (1) The
public scoping process for the EIS/EIR
and possible plan amendment; and (2)
the 2 year segregation period for the
public lands within the AWD ROW
application area. Comments on issues
related to the EIS and possible plan
amendment may be submitted in
writing until August 15, 2011. The
date(s) and location(s) of any scoping
meetings will be announced at least 15
days in advance through local media,
newspapers, and the BLM Web site at:
https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/
cdd.html. In order to be fully addressed
in the Draft EIS/EIR, all comments must
be received prior to the close of the
scoping period or 15 days after the last
public meeting, whichever is later. We
will provide additional opportunities
for public participation upon
publication of the Draft EIS/EIR. The
segregation of the public lands is
effective as of July 15, 2011. The
segregation will terminate if one of the
following events occurs: (1) The BLM
issues a decision granting, granting with
modifications, or denying AWD’s ROW
authorization request; (2) publication of
a Federal Register notice terminating
this segregation; or (3) no further
administrative action occurs before the
end of this segregation on July 15, 2013.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on issues and alternatives related to the
Alta East Wind Project Draft EIS/EIR
and CDCA Plan amendment by any of
the following methods:
• Web site: https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/
en/fo/cdd.html.
• E-mail: altaeast@blm.gov.
• Fax: (951) 697–5299.
• Mail: ATTN: Jeffery Childers,
Project Manager, BLM California Desert
District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de
Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, California
92553–9046.
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined at the BLM California
Desert District Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information and/or to have your
name added to our mailing list, contact
Jeffery Childers; telephone (951) 697–
5308; address BLM California Desert
District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de
Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, California
92553–9046; e-mail jchilders@blm.gov.
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.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
DATES:
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16:55 Jul 14, 2011
Jkt 223001
AWD has
requested a ROW authorization to
construct, operate, maintain, and
decommission the 300–MW Alta East
Project. The Project is proposed to be
located on approximately 3,200 acres on
the north and south sides of State Route
58 in southeastern Kern County,
California. The proposed Project area is
approximately 3 miles northwest of the
Town of Mojave and approximately 11
miles east of the City of Tehachapi. The
project would include wind turbines,
access roads, and energy collection lines
on 3,200 acres, of which 2,083 acres are
on public land under the jurisdiction of
the BLM and 1,117 acres of private land
under the jurisdiction of Kern County.
Approximately 681 acres would need to
be re-zoned to be consistent with the
Kern County Zoning Ordinance Wind
Energy (WE) Combining District. 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 process for
developing the Draft EIS/EIR and CDCA
Plan amendment. At present, the BLM
has identified the following preliminary
issues: Air quality and greenhouse gas
emissions, biological resources
including special status species, cultural
resources, geology and soils, hazards
and hazardous materials, hydrology and
water quality, land use, noise,
recreation, traffic, visual resources,
lands with wilderness characteristics,
cumulative effects, and areas with high
potential for renewable energy
development. Pursuant to the CDCA
Plan, sites associated with power
generation or transmission not
identified in the CDCA Plan will be
considered through the plan
amendment process to determine the
suitability of the sites for renewable
energy development. Since the
proposed Project site was not previously
identified as suitable, authorization of
the Project will require amendment of
the CDCA Plan. By this notice, the BLM
is complying with requirements in 43
CFR 1610.2(c) to notify the public of
potential amendments to land use plans
predicated on the findings in the EIS/
EIR. If a land use plan amendment is
necessary, the BLM will integrate the
land use planning process with the
NEPA process for the project. A
preliminary list of the potential
planning criteria that will be used to
help guide and define the scope of the
plan amendment process include:
• The plan amendments will be
completed in compliance with the
FLPMA, NEPA, and all other relevant
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Federal laws, executive orders, and
BLM policies;
• Existing, valid plan decisions will
not be changed and any new plan
decisions will not conflict with existing
plan decisions; and
• The plan amendment(s) will
recognize valid existing rights.
The BLM will also use and coordinate
the NEPA commenting process to satisfy
the public involvement process for
Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470(f) as
provided for in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3).
Native American tribal consultations
will be conducted in accordance with
policy and tribal concerns will be given
due consideration, including impacts on
Indian trust assets. Federal, State, and
local agencies, along with tribes and
other stakeholders that may be
interested in or affected by the BLM’s
decision on this project, 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.
In connection with its processing of
AWD’s application, the BLM is also
segregating, under the authority
contained in 43 CFR 2091.3–1(e) and 43
CFR 2804.25(e), subject to valid existing
rights, the public lands within the
Project application area from
appropriation under the public land
laws including the Mining Law of 1872,
as amended, but not the Mineral Leasing
or the Material Sales Acts, for a period
of 2 years from the date of publication
of this notice. The public lands
contained within this temporary
segregation total approximately 2,083
acres and are described as follows:
Mount Diablo Meridian
T. 32 S., R. 35 E.,
Sec. 26, SW1⁄4 and W1⁄2SE1⁄4;
Secs. 28, 32, and 34; and
San Bernardino Meridian
T. 12 N., R. 13 W.,
sec. 34.
The areas described aggregate
approximately 2,083 acres in Kern County.
The BLM has determined that this
temporary segregation is necessary to
ensure the orderly administration of the
public lands by maintaining the status
quo while it processes AWD’s ROW
application for the above described
lands. The temporary segregation period
will terminate and the lands will
automatically reopen to appropriation
under the public land laws, including
the Mining Law, if one of the following
events occurs: (1) The BLM issues a
decision granting, granting with
modifications, or denying AWD’s ROW
E:\FR\FM\15JYN1.SGM
15JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 136 / Friday, July 15, 2011 / Notices
authorization request; (2) Publication in
the Federal Register of a notice
terminating this segregation; or (3) No
further administrative action occurs at
the end of this segregation. Any
segregation made under this authority is
effective only for a period of up to 2
years.
Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail 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; 43 CFR 1610.2,
2091.3–1(e), and 2804.25(e)).
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director, California.
[FR Doc. 2011–17717 Filed 7–14–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–40–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNM01000 L16100000 DO0000]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource
Management Plan Amendment for the
Glade Run Recreation Area,
Farmington Field Office, New Mexico,
and Associated Environmental
Assessment
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Farmington Field Office (Field Office),
Farmington, New Mexico, intends to
prepare a Resource Management Plan
(RMP) amendment to the 2003
Farmington RMP with an associated
Environmental Assessment (EA) to
address recreation and travel
management in the Glade Run
Recreation Area (the Glade). By this
Notice, the Field Office 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 RMP
amendment/EA. Comments on issues
and planning criteria may be submitted
30 days from the date of publication of
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SUMMARY:
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this Notice in the Federal Register (the
scoping period). The date(s) and
location(s) of any scoping meeting(s)
will be announced at least 15 days in
advance through the local news media,
mailings to interested individuals, and
on the BLM Field Office Web site at:
https://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en.html. In
order to be included in the Draft RMP
amendment/EA, all comments must be
received prior to the close of the scoping
period or 30 days after the last public
meeting, whichever is later.
The BLM will provide additional
opportunities for public participation
and comment upon publication of the
Draft RMP amendment/EA.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on issues and planning criteria related
to the Farmington Field Office Glade
Run Recreation Area RMP amendment/
EA by any of the following methods:
• Web site: https://www.blm.gov/nm/
st/en.html.
• E-mail: FFO_Comments@blm.gov.
• Fax: 505–599–8999 Attention:
Outdoor Recreation Planner.
• Mail: 1235 La Plata Highway,
Farmington, New Mexico 87401,
Attention: Outdoor Recreation Planner.
Public comments, maps and other
information related to the Glade RMP
amendment/EA may be examined at the
Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information and/or to have your
name added to our mailing list, contact
Janelle Alleman, Outdoor Recreation
Planner, telephone: 505–599–8944;
address: 1235 La Plata Highway,
Farmington, New Mexico 87401; or by
e-mail at FFO_Comments@blm.gov.
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
Farmington Field Office, Farmington,
New Mexico, intends to prepare an RMP
amendment/EA to address recreation
and travel management decisions in the
Glade. The Glade encompasses 21,544
acres of which 17,935 acres are Federal
lands. The remaining acres consist of
State of New Mexico and private lands.
The planning area is located in San Juan
County, New Mexico. The purpose of
the public scoping process is to
determine relevant issues that will
influence the scope of the RMP
amendment/EA, including alternatives,
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41819
and will help to guide the planning
process.
New forms of motorized vehicles and
technology, population growth,
increasing user conflicts, and related
developments have out-paced guidance
and decisions in the current recreation
and travel management plan for the
Glade, which was approved in 1996. To
address these developments, the RMP
amendment/EA will consider proposals
to amend the RMP to make changes in
off-highway vehicle (OHV) area
designations (43 CFR 8342.2). OHV area
designations are land use allocations
that classify areas of public lands as
open, limited, or closed to motorized
travel. The RMP amendment/EA will
also consider a proposal to designate the
Glade as a Special Recreation
Management Area (SRMA). SRMA
designations recognize specified public
lands where recreation opportunities
and recreation settings are the
predominant land use planning focus
and are managed through the land use
planning process.
In addition, this planning effort will
develop management alternatives that
include specific activity planning
targeted at identifying a travel and
transportation network of routes for
specified uses within the planning area.
The BLM anticipates the following
planning issues (43 CFR 1610.2(c)(3)):
(1) How to best address conflicts
between recreational users? (2) What is
an appropriate balance in providing for
the different kinds of recreation uses
and opportunities? (3) Is there an
opportunity for a Recreation & Public
Purpose lease within the planning area?
and (4) How can BLM best promote and
address public safety?
The BLM will use an interdisciplinary
approach to develop the plan in order
to consider the variety of resource issues
and concerns identified. Specialists
with expertise in the following
disciplines will be involved in the
planning process: Rangeland
management, minerals and geology,
forestry, outdoor recreation,
archaeology, paleontology, wildlife and
fisheries, lands and realty, hydrology,
soils, sociology, and economics.
Proposed planning criteria include
the following:
1. The RMP amendment/EA will
comply with FLPMA, NEPA, and all
other applicable laws, regulations, and
policies;
2. For program-specific guidance for
decisions at the land use planning level,
the process will follow the BLM’s
policies in the Land Use Planning
Handbook, H–1601–1;
E:\FR\FM\15JYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 136 (Friday, July 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41817-41819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17717]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCAD05000, L51010000.LVRWB11B4520.FX0000]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact
Statement and Environmental Impact Report for the Proposed Alta East
Wind Project, and Possible Land Use Plan Amendment, Kern County, CA
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976, as amended (FLPMA), and the California Environmental Quality Act,
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ridgecrest Field Office,
Ridgecrest, California, together with the County of Kern, California,
intend to prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/
Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which may include an amendment to
the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (1980 as amended),
related to Alta Windpower Development LLC's (Applicant or AWD) right-
of-way (ROW) authorization request for the Alta East Wind Project
(Project), a 300-megawatt (MW) wind farm. By this notice BLM and Kern
County are announcing the beginning of the scoping process to identify
issues and solicit public comments on the EIS/EIR and proposed plan
amendment. By this notice the BLM is also segregating, subject to valid
existing rights, approximately 2,083 acres of public lands from
appropriation under the public land laws, including the Mining Law of
1872, as amended, but not from leasing under the mineral leasing laws
or disposal under the mineral material laws, for a period of 2 years
from the date of publication of this notice for the purpose of
processing AWD's ROW authorization request.
[[Page 41818]]
DATES: This notice initiates: (1) The public scoping process for the
EIS/EIR and possible plan amendment; and (2) the 2 year segregation
period for the public lands within the AWD ROW application area.
Comments on issues related to the EIS and possible plan amendment may
be submitted in writing until August 15, 2011. The date(s) and
location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced at least 15 days
in advance through local media, newspapers, and the BLM Web site at:
https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd.html. In order to be fully addressed
in the Draft EIS/EIR, all comments must be received prior to the close
of the scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting,
whichever is later. We will provide additional opportunities for public
participation upon publication of the Draft EIS/EIR. The segregation of
the public lands is effective as of July 15, 2011. The segregation will
terminate if one of the following events occurs: (1) The BLM issues a
decision granting, granting with modifications, or denying AWD's ROW
authorization request; (2) publication of a Federal Register notice
terminating this segregation; or (3) no further administrative action
occurs before the end of this segregation on July 15, 2013.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and alternatives related
to the Alta East Wind Project Draft EIS/EIR and CDCA Plan amendment by
any of the following methods:
Web site: https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd.html.
E-mail: altaeast@blm.gov.
Fax: (951) 697-5299.
Mail: ATTN: Jeffery Childers, Project Manager, BLM
California Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos,
Moreno Valley, California 92553-9046.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the BLM
California Desert District Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to our mailing list, contact Jeffery Childers;
telephone (951) 697-5308; address BLM California Desert District
Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, California
92553-9046; e-mail jchilders@blm.gov. 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: AWD has requested a ROW authorization to
construct, operate, maintain, and decommission the 300-MW Alta East
Project. The Project is proposed to be located on approximately 3,200
acres on the north and south sides of State Route 58 in southeastern
Kern County, California. The proposed Project area is approximately 3
miles northwest of the Town of Mojave and approximately 11 miles east
of the City of Tehachapi. The project would include wind turbines,
access roads, and energy collection lines on 3,200 acres, of which
2,083 acres are on public land under the jurisdiction of the BLM and
1,117 acres of private land under the jurisdiction of Kern County.
Approximately 681 acres would need to be re-zoned to be consistent with
the Kern County Zoning Ordinance Wind Energy (WE) Combining District.
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 process for developing the Draft
EIS/EIR and CDCA Plan amendment. At present, the BLM has identified the
following preliminary issues: Air quality and greenhouse gas emissions,
biological resources including special status species, cultural
resources, geology and soils, hazards and hazardous materials,
hydrology and water quality, land use, noise, recreation, traffic,
visual resources, lands with wilderness characteristics, cumulative
effects, and areas with high potential for renewable energy
development. Pursuant to the CDCA Plan, sites associated with power
generation or transmission not identified in the CDCA Plan will be
considered through the plan amendment process to determine the
suitability of the sites for renewable energy development. Since the
proposed Project site was not previously identified as suitable,
authorization of the Project will require amendment of the CDCA Plan.
By this notice, the BLM is complying with requirements in 43 CFR
1610.2(c) to notify the public of potential amendments to land use
plans predicated on the findings in the EIS/EIR. If a land use plan
amendment is necessary, the BLM will integrate the land use planning
process with the NEPA process for the project. A preliminary list of
the potential planning criteria that will be used to help guide and
define the scope of the plan amendment process include:
The plan amendments will be completed in compliance with
the FLPMA, NEPA, and all other relevant Federal laws, executive orders,
and BLM policies;
Existing, valid plan decisions will not be changed and any
new plan decisions will not conflict with existing plan decisions; and
The plan amendment(s) will recognize valid existing
rights.
The BLM will also use and coordinate the NEPA commenting process to
satisfy the public involvement process for Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470(f) as provided for in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3). Native American tribal consultations will be conducted in
accordance with policy and tribal concerns will be given due
consideration, including impacts on Indian trust assets. Federal,
State, and local agencies, along with tribes and other stakeholders
that may be interested in or affected by the BLM's decision on this
project, 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.
In connection with its processing of AWD's application, the BLM is
also segregating, under the authority contained in 43 CFR 2091.3-1(e)
and 43 CFR 2804.25(e), subject to valid existing rights, the public
lands within the Project application area from appropriation under the
public land laws including the Mining Law of 1872, as amended, but not
the Mineral Leasing or the Material Sales Acts, for a period of 2 years
from the date of publication of this notice. The public lands contained
within this temporary segregation total approximately 2,083 acres and
are described as follows:
Mount Diablo Meridian
T. 32 S., R. 35 E.,
Sec. 26, SW\1/4\ and W\1/2\SE\1/4\;
Secs. 28, 32, and 34; and
San Bernardino Meridian
T. 12 N., R. 13 W.,
sec. 34.
The areas described aggregate approximately 2,083 acres in Kern
County.
The BLM has determined that this temporary segregation is necessary
to ensure the orderly administration of the public lands by maintaining
the status quo while it processes AWD's ROW application for the above
described lands. The temporary segregation period will terminate and
the lands will automatically reopen to appropriation under the public
land laws, including the Mining Law, if one of the following events
occurs: (1) The BLM issues a decision granting, granting with
modifications, or denying AWD's ROW
[[Page 41819]]
authorization request; (2) Publication in the Federal Register of a
notice terminating this segregation; or (3) No further administrative
action occurs at the end of this segregation. Any segregation made
under this authority is effective only for a period of up to 2 years.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 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; 43 CFR 1610.2, 2091.3-1(e), and
2804.25(e)).
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director, California.
[FR Doc. 2011-17717 Filed 7-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P
