Notice of Intent To Amend the California Desert Conservation Area Plan for the Needles Field Office and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment, 40764-40765 [2013-16276]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 130 (Monday, July 8, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40764-40765]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing 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: 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 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: 
https://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