Notice of Intent To Amend the California Desert Conservation Area Plan and Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for a Proposed Recreation Area Management Plan and General Plan Update for the Management of Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area in Imperial County, California, 7030-7031 [2015-02551]
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7030
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 26 / Monday, February 9, 2015 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCAD07000 L16100000.DS0000
15XL1109AF]
Notice of Intent To Amend the
California Desert Conservation Area
Plan and Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement/Environmental
Impact Report for a Proposed
Recreation Area Management Plan and
General Plan Update for the
Management of Ocotillo Wells State
Vehicular Recreation Area in Imperial
County, California
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
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) El
Centro Field Office, California, and
California Department of Parks and
Recreation Off-Highway Motor Vehicle
Recreation Division (OHMVR) intend to
prepare a California Desert Conservation
Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment with an
associated joint Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS)/Environmental Impact
Report (EIR) for the Ocotillo Wells State
Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) for
the proposed Recreation Area
Management Plan (RAMP) and General
Plan update. By this notice, the BLM
and OHMVR are announcing the
beginning of the scoping process to
solicit public comments and identify
issues.
SUMMARY:
This notice initiates the public
scoping process for the CDCA Plan
Amendment with associated joint EIS/
EIR. Comments on issues may be
submitted in writing until March 11,
2015.
The BLM has scheduled two public
scoping meetings:
DATES:
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
3:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m., Temecula
Conference Center, 41000 Main Street,
Temecula, CA 92590.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Saturday, March 21, 2015
12:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m., Ocotillo Wells
SVRA Visitor Center, Discovery Center
Building, 5172 Highway 78, Borrego
Springs, CA 92004.
The date(s) and location(s) of any
additional scoping meetings will be
announced at least 15 days in advance
through local media, newspapers and
the BLM Web site at: www.blm.gov/ca/
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:39 Feb 06, 2015
Jkt 235001
st/en/fo/elcentro.html. In order to be
included in the analysis, all comments
must be received prior to the close of
the 30-day scoping period or 15 days
after the last public meeting, whichever
is later. The BLM will provide
additional opportunities for public
participation as appropriate.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on issues and planning criteria related
to the Ocotillo Wells SVRA RAMP and
General Plan Update by any of the
following methods:
• Web site: www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/
elcentro.html.
• Email: BLM_CA_Ocotillo_Wells_
RAMP@blm.gov.
• Fax: 760–337–4490
• Mail: Attn: Carrie Simmons, BLM El
Centro Field Office, 1661 S. 4th Street,
El Centro, CA 92243.
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined at the El Centro Field
Office at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carrie Simmons; telephone 760–337–
4437; address 1661 S. 4th Street, El
Centro, CA 92243; or email BLM_CA_
Ocotillo_Wells_RAMP@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: This
document provides notice that the BLM
intends to prepare a CDCA Plan
Amendment with an associated EIS,
announces the beginning of the scoping
process, and seeks public input on
issues and planning criteria. The
Ocotillo Wells SVRA is located in San
Diego and Imperial counties, generally
north of State Route 78, west of State
Route 86, and bounded by Anza-Borrego
Desert State Park on the north and west.
The BLM portion of this project occurs
solely within Imperial County and
constitutes approximately 21,600 acres
within the 85,000 acre Ocotillo Wells
SVRA.
The BLM lands within the Ocotillo
Wells SVRA are managed by California
State Parks OHMVR Division through a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
A joint RAMP/General Plan would
improve the efficiency and effectiveness
of resource and recreation management
at Ocotillo Wells SVRA. Primary
recreation activities at Ocotillo Wells
SVRA include off-highway vehicle
(OHV) use, camping, education and
interpretation, and special events. The
PO 00000
Frm 00086
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
California State Parks General Plan
revision is needed to provide updated
planning and management policies,
goals, and guidelines for the entire
SVRA including SVRA expansions since
the 1982 General Plan was adopted. The
BLM decisions include whether or not
to amend the CDCA plan to change the
land use designation of some BLM
parcels in the SVRA. This may include
making changes in OHV area
designations in accordance with 43 CFR
8342. The CDCA Plan Amendment/EIS
will consider a proposal to designate the
Ocotillo Wells SVRA as a Special
Recreation Management Area (SRMA).
SRMA designations recognize public
lands where recreation is the
predominant land use. In response to a
California State Parks Recreation and
Public Purposes Act (R&PP Act)
application, the BLM will also identify
lands within the planning area that
would be available for leasing or patent
to the State of California through the
R&PP Act or other land transfer or
disposal processes. 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. Preliminary issues for
the CDCA Plan Amendment area have
been identified by BLM and OHMVR as
well as other Federal, State, and local
agencies and stakeholders. Issues
include wildlife and botany; cultural
resources and paleontology; water
resources; noise; land use; geology and
soils; mineral resources including
geothermal; socioeconomics; hazardous
materials and solid waste; public health;
visual resources; air quality; recreation;
and traffic and transportation.
In addition, the BLM anticipates the
following planning issues: (1) How best
to address conflicts between
recreational users, and (2) how to
balance opportunities for the different
kinds of recreation uses.
A preliminary list of the potential
planning criteria that will be used to
help guide and define the scope of the
Plan Amendment includes:
1. Compliance with FLPMA, NEPA,
and all other relevant Federal laws,
executive orders, and BLM policies;
2. To the extent consistent with
Federal law, the lands will be managed
consistently with the California
Department of Parks and Recreation
OHMVR Division’s Strategic Plan and
the Off-Highway Motorized Vehicle
Recreation Act, which include policies
for managing both environmental
resources and recreational activities in a
sustainable manner;
E:\FR\FM\09FEN1.SGM
09FEN1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 26 / Monday, February 9, 2015 / Notices
3. The Plan Amendment/RAMP/
General Plan will recognize valid
existing rights;
4. Public involvement and
participation will be an integral part of
the planning process; and
5. Where existing planning decisions
are still valid, those decisions may
remain unchanged and be incorporated
into the new Plan Amendment/RAMP/
General Plan.
You may submit comments on issues
and planning criteria in writing to the
BLM at any public scoping meeting, or
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 or within 15 days after the last
public meeting, whichever is later.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate
the NEPA scoping process to help fulfill
the public involvement process under
the National Historic Preservation Act
(54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 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. The BLM will consult
with Indian tribes on a government-togovernment 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
EIS as a cooperating agency.
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. The minutes and list of attendees
for each scoping meeting will be
available to the public and open for 30
days after the meeting to any participant
who wishes to clarify the views he or
she expressed.
The BLM will evaluate identified
issues to be addressed, and will place
them into one of three categories:
1. Issues to be resolved in the CDCA
Plan Amendment;
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:39 Feb 06, 2015
Jkt 235001
2. Issues to be resolved through policy
or administrative action; or
3. Issues beyond the scope of this
CDCA Plan Amendment.
The BLM will provide an explanation
in the Scoping Report or the EIS/EIR 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 by the project.
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. The BLM will use
an interdisciplinary approach to
develop the CDCA Plan Amendment 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: Planning,
minerals and geology, outdoor
recreation, archaeology, paleontology,
wildlife, botany, lands and realty,
hydrology, soils, sociology and
economics.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR
1610.2
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director.
[FR Doc. 2015–02551 Filed 2–6–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–40–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCO923000 L14300000.ET0000; COC–
28675]
Notice of Proposed Withdrawal
Modification of Public Land Order No.
184 and Opportunity for a Public
Meeting, Colorado
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Assistant Secretary of the
Interior for Land and Minerals
Management proposes to modify, on
behalf of the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), Public Land Order
(PLO) No. 184 by opening the public
land to all forms of appropriation and
entry under the public land laws to
provide for the disposal of small,
fragmented, isolated parcels that are
largely intermingled within residential
areas. The public lands will remain
closed to location and entry under the
United States mining and mineral
leasing laws. This notice gives the
public an opportunity to comment on
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00087
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
7031
the application and to request a public
meeting.
Comments and public meeting
requests must be received on or before
May 11, 2015.
DATES:
Comments and meeting
requests should be sent to the BLM
Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield
Street, Lakewood, CO 80215–7093.
ADDRESSES:
John
D. Beck, Chief, Branch of Lands and
Realty, 303–239–3882. Persons who use
a telecommunication device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
to contact the above individual. The
FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, to leave a message or
question with the above individual. You
will receive a reply during normal
business hours.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The BLM
filed an application requesting the
Assistant Secretary for Land and
Minerals Management to modify PLO
No. 184, by opening the following
described public lands to all forms of
appropriation and entry under the
public land laws, but not to the United
States mining and mineral leasing laws,
subject to valid existing rights, other
segregations of record, and the
requirements of applicable law:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Sixth Principal Meridian
T. 9 S., R. 79 W.,
secs. 18, 19, and 30, all public land.
T. 9 S., R. 80 W.,
sec. 12, all public land;
sec. 13, lots 30 and 31, and all remaining
public land;
sec. 24, lot 13, and all remaining public
land.
The areas described aggregate
approximately 219 acres in Lake County.
The Assistant Secretary for Land and
Minerals Management approved the
BLM’s petition/application; therefore,
the petition constitutes a withdrawal
modification proposal of the Secretary
of the Interior (43 CFR 2310.1–3(e)).
The purpose of the withdrawal
modification is to allow the BLM the
ability to dispose of small, fragmented,
isolated parcels that are largely
intermingled within residential areas.
The lands will remain closed to location
and entry under the United States
mining and mineral leasing laws.
The use of a right-of-way, interagency
or cooperative management agreement
would not allow for title transfer in
cases where it is determined to be in the
public interest to dispose of highlyfragmented, isolated parcels.
There are no suitable alternative sites
available.
E:\FR\FM\09FEN1.SGM
09FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7030-7031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02551]
[[Page 7030]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCAD07000 L16100000.DS0000 15XL1109AF]
Notice of Intent To Amend the California Desert Conservation Area
Plan and Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact
Report for a Proposed Recreation Area Management Plan and General Plan
Update for the Management of Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation
Area in Imperial County, California
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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) El
Centro Field Office, California, and California Department of Parks and
Recreation Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division (OHMVR) intend
to prepare a California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment
with an associated joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Ocotillo Wells State
Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) for the proposed Recreation Area
Management Plan (RAMP) and General Plan update. By this notice, the BLM
and OHMVR are 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 joint EIS/EIR. Comments on issues may be
submitted in writing until March 11, 2015.
The BLM has scheduled two public scoping meetings:
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
3:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Temecula Conference Center, 41000 Main Street,
Temecula, CA 92590.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
12:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., Ocotillo Wells SVRA Visitor Center, Discovery
Center Building, 5172 Highway 78, Borrego Springs, CA 92004.
The date(s) and location(s) of any additional scoping meetings will
be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media,
newspapers and the BLM Web site at: www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro.html. In order to be included in the analysis, all comments
must be received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period or 15
days after the last public meeting, whichever is later. The BLM will
provide additional opportunities for public participation as
appropriate.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria
related to the Ocotillo Wells SVRA RAMP and General Plan Update by any
of the following methods:
Web site: www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro.html.
Email: BLM_CA_Ocotillo_Wells_RAMP@blm.gov.
Fax: 760-337-4490
Mail: Attn: Carrie Simmons, BLM El Centro Field Office,
1661 S. 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the El Centro
Field Office at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carrie Simmons; telephone 760-337-
4437; address 1661 S. 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243; or email
BLM_CA_Ocotillo_Wells_RAMP@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: This document provides notice that the BLM
intends to prepare a CDCA Plan Amendment with an associated EIS,
announces the beginning of the scoping process, and seeks public input
on issues and planning criteria. The Ocotillo Wells SVRA is located in
San Diego and Imperial counties, generally north of State Route 78,
west of State Route 86, and bounded by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
on the north and west. The BLM portion of this project occurs solely
within Imperial County and constitutes approximately 21,600 acres
within the 85,000 acre Ocotillo Wells SVRA.
The BLM lands within the Ocotillo Wells SVRA are managed by
California State Parks OHMVR Division through a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU). A joint RAMP/General Plan would improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of resource and recreation management at
Ocotillo Wells SVRA. Primary recreation activities at Ocotillo Wells
SVRA include off-highway vehicle (OHV) use, camping, education and
interpretation, and special events. The California State Parks General
Plan revision is needed to provide updated planning and management
policies, goals, and guidelines for the entire SVRA including SVRA
expansions since the 1982 General Plan was adopted. The BLM decisions
include whether or not to amend the CDCA plan to change the land use
designation of some BLM parcels in the SVRA. This may include making
changes in OHV area designations in accordance with 43 CFR 8342. The
CDCA Plan Amendment/EIS will consider a proposal to designate the
Ocotillo Wells SVRA as a Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA).
SRMA designations recognize public lands where recreation is the
predominant land use. In response to a California State Parks
Recreation and Public Purposes Act (R&PP Act) application, the BLM will
also identify lands within the planning area that would be available
for leasing or patent to the State of California through the R&PP Act
or other land transfer or disposal processes. 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. Preliminary issues for the CDCA Plan Amendment
area have been identified by BLM and OHMVR as well as other Federal,
State, and local agencies and stakeholders. Issues include wildlife and
botany; cultural resources and paleontology; water resources; noise;
land use; geology and soils; mineral resources including geothermal;
socioeconomics; hazardous materials and solid waste; public health;
visual resources; air quality; recreation; and traffic and
transportation.
In addition, the BLM anticipates the following planning issues: (1)
How best to address conflicts between recreational users, and (2) how
to balance opportunities for the different kinds of recreation uses.
A preliminary list of the potential planning criteria that will be
used to help guide and define the scope of the Plan Amendment includes:
1. Compliance with FLPMA, NEPA, and all other relevant Federal
laws, executive orders, and BLM policies;
2. To the extent consistent with Federal law, the lands will be
managed consistently with the California Department of Parks and
Recreation OHMVR Division's Strategic Plan and the Off-Highway
Motorized Vehicle Recreation Act, which include policies for managing
both environmental resources and recreational activities in a
sustainable manner;
[[Page 7031]]
3. The Plan Amendment/RAMP/General Plan will recognize valid
existing rights;
4. Public involvement and participation will be an integral part of
the planning process; and
5. Where existing planning decisions are still valid, those
decisions may remain unchanged and be incorporated into the new Plan
Amendment/RAMP/General Plan.
You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing
to the BLM at any public scoping meeting, or 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 or within 15
days after the last public meeting, whichever is later.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA scoping process to
help fulfill the public involvement process under the National Historic
Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 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. 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 EIS as a cooperating
agency.
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. The minutes and list of attendees for each scoping
meeting will be available to the public and open for 30 days after the
meeting to any participant who wishes to clarify the views he or she
expressed.
The BLM will evaluate identified issues to be addressed, and will
place them into one of three categories:
1. Issues to be resolved in the CDCA Plan Amendment;
2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action;
or
3. Issues beyond the scope of this CDCA Plan Amendment.
The BLM will provide an explanation in the Scoping Report or the
EIS/EIR 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 by the project. 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. The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop
the CDCA Plan Amendment 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:
Planning, minerals and geology, outdoor recreation, archaeology,
paleontology, wildlife, botany, lands and realty, hydrology, soils,
sociology and economics.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2
Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director.
[FR Doc. 2015-02551 Filed 2-6-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P
