Notice of Intent To Amend the California Desert Conservation Area Plan and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment, 4868-4869 [2013-01261]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 15 (Wednesday, January 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4868-4869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing 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: gmeckfessel@blm.gov.
     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 
gmeckfessel@blm.gov. 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