Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan for the Redding and Arcata Field Offices and an Associated Environmental Impact Statement, California, 78182-78184 [2016-26817]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 215 (Monday, November 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78182-78184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26817]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAN01100 L16100000.DO0000 16X LXSSB0220000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan for the 
Redding and Arcata Field Offices and an Associated Environmental Impact 
Statement, California

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, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Redding and 
Arcata Field Offices intend to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) 
known as the Northwest California Integrated Resource Management Plan 
with an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This notice 
announces the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public 
comments and identify issues. The RMP will replace the existing Redding 
Resource Management Plan (1993) and Arcata Resource Area Resource 
Management Plan (1992).

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the RMP 
with the associated EIS. Comments on issues may be submitted in writing 
until December 7, 2016 or until 15 days after the last public meeting, 
whichever is later. The dates and locations of scoping meetings will be 
announced at least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers 
and the BLM Web site at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do?methodName=renderDefaultPlanOrProjectSite&projectId=63960. In order to be included in the Draft EIS, 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. We will provide 
additional opportunities for public participation upon publication of 
the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to the Northwest California Integrated Resource Management Plan 
by any of the following methods:
     Web site: https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/redding/redding_rmp.html.
     Email: NCIP_comments@aecom.com.
     Fax: (530) 224-2172.
     Mail: NCIP Comments, Bureau of Land Management, Redding 
Field Office, 6640 Lockheed Drive, Redding, California 96002.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the BLM 
Redding Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Grudzinski, Planning and 
Environmental Specialist; telephone (530) 224-2140; address Bureau of 
Land Management, Redding Field Office, 6640 Lockheed Drive, Redding, 
California 96002; email lgrudzinski@blm.gov. Contact Ms. Grudzinski to 
add your name to our mailing list. Persons who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at (800) 
877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. 
The Service 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 an RMP with an associated EIS for the Redding and 
Arcata Field Offices, announces the beginning of the scoping process, 
and seeks public input on issues and planning criteria. The planning 
area is located in Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Trinity, Siskiyou, 
Shasta, Tehama, and Butte Counties, California, and encompasses 396,000 
surface acres of public land and 299,000 subsurface (mineral) acres. 
The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, 
including but not limited to alternatives and potential expanded or new 
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs). Preliminary issues for 
the planning area have been identified by the BLM; Federal, State, and 
local agencies; and other stakeholders. The issues include: Recreation; 
Fish and Wildlife; Soil and Water; Forestry, Livestock Grazing; 
Wilderness; Cultural Resources; Vegetation; ACECs and how the RMP 
should address the Northwest Forest Plan (USDA/USDI 1994). Preliminary 
planning criteria include:
    1. Opportunities for public participation, which will be encouraged 
throughout the planning process. Increased public participation, which 
will also be encouraged through pre-planning and alternatives outreach.

[[Page 78183]]

    2. Valid existing rights will be recognized and protected.
    3. The BLM will work cooperatively with State and Federal agencies, 
Tribes, and local governments.
    4. Plans and policies of adjacent conservation system units, 
landowners, and local governments will be considered, and RMP decisions 
will be consistent to the degree reasonably practical.
    5. The RMP will conform to the Bureau's H-1601-1 Land Use Planning 
Handbook, Appendix C, Program-Specific and Resource-Specific Decision 
Guidance and all applicable BLM manuals and handbooks.
    6. The plan will be consistent with the standards and guidance set 
forth in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, National 
Environmental Policy Act, Council on Environmental Quality, National 
Historic Preservation Act, Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, Migratory Bird 
Treaty Act, Minerals Leasing Act, Memorandum of Understanding Among the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of the Interior, and 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Regarding Air Quality Analyses 
and Mitigation for Federal Oil and Gas Decisions Through the National 
Environmental Policy Act Process, and other Federal laws, regulations 
and policies as required.
    7. Designations for off-highway vehicles for all BLM-managed lands 
within the planning area will be completed according to the regulations 
found in 43 CFR 8342.
    8. Visitor and community assessments will be conducted in 
compliance with the Recreation and Visitor Services Handbook to 
determine recreational demand and user preferences.
    9. Current and potentially new special management areas, such as 
ACECs and Research Natural Areas (RNAs) will be considered using the 
criteria found in 43 CFR 1610.7-2.
    10. Review and classification of waterways as eligible for 
inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River (WSR) System will 
follow the guidance found in BLM's 6400 Manual. The BLM will review and 
update existing eligibility and classification inventories and make 
determinations on suitability or non-suitability of all eligible 
segments as potential additions to the National WSR System.
    11. BLM will incorporate Environmental Justice (EJ) considerations 
in land use planning alternatives to adequately respond to EJ issues 
facing minority populations, low-income communities, and Native 
American tribes living near public lands and using public land 
resources.
    12. The Environmental Justice analysis will employ guidance 
provided in H-1601-1, Appendix D, Social Science Considerations in Land 
Use Planning Decisions.
    13. All BLM-managed lands in the planning area will be assessed for 
wilderness characteristics using criteria established by BLM Manual 
6310. The RMP will examine options for managing lands with wilderness 
characteristics and determine the most appropriate land use allocations 
for these lands. Considering wilderness characteristics in the land use 
planning process may result in several outcomes, including, but not 
limited to: (1) Emphasizing other multiple uses as a priority over 
protecting wilderness characteristics; (2) emphasizing other multiple 
uses while applying management restrictions (conditions of use, 
mitigation measures) to reduce impacts to wilderness characteristics; 
(3) the protection of wilderness characteristics as a priority over 
other uses.
    14. The RMP will incorporate by reference the BLM's 1998 Rangeland 
Health Standards and Guidelines for California and Northwestern Nevada 
Final EIS, Sacramento, CA.
    15. Where appropriate and applicable, adaptive management 
principles will be incorporated as described in the Department of 
Interior Departmental Manual, Part 522, Chapter 1 (522 DM 1). Also as 
described in the Manual, ``Adaptive Management: The U.S. Department of 
the Interior Technical Guide'' (Williams, 2007) will be used as the 
technical basis for implementing adaptive management programs.
    16. Consultation with Native American tribes will be initiated to 
identify and discuss management options for any sacred sites located on 
BLM lands within the decision area.
    17. Visual resource management (VRM) classes were established as 
management objectives for some properties determined eligible as ACECs 
in the 1992/1993 RMPs. This plan will expand upon the existing 
designations to provide a comprehensive visual resource inventory for 
lands that were not included in the ACEC evaluation areas and designate 
VRM Classes to all BLM lands within the planning area.
    18. Information will be collected to identify areas where 
paleontological resources are likely to occur. This will establish a 
baseline for future compliance with the 2009 Paleontological Resources 
Preservation Act.
    19. Wildlife habitat management will be consistent with DOI 
guidance and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife objectives.
    20. The RMP will allocate lands as open or closed to geothermal 
leasing and adopt stipulations, leasing procedures, and best management 
practices as described in the ``Record of Decision and Resource 
Management Plan Amendments for Geothermal Leasing in the Western US'' 
(Department of the Interior-Bureau of Land Management, December 2008).
    The BLM is also requesting nominations of areas for ACEC 
designation. To be considered as a potential ACEC, an area must meet 
the criteria of relevance and importance as established and defined in 
43 CFR 1610.7-2. Nominations must include descriptive materials, 
detailed maps and evidence supporting the relevance and importance of 
the resource or area. There are currently 17 ACECs within the planning 
area: Baker Cypress, Butte Creek, Deer Creek, Elder Creek, Forks of the 
Butte, Gilham Butte, Hawes Corner, Iaqua Butte, Jenny Creek, Lacks 
Creek, Manila Dunes, Red Mountain, Sacramento Island, Sacramento River 
Bend, Shasta and Klamath Rivers Canyon, South Fork Eel Watershed, and 
Swasey Drive.
    You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing 
to the BLM at any public scoping meeting, or you may submit them 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 or within 15 days after the last public meeting, 
whichever is later. 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 BLM will evaluate identified issues and will 
place them into one of three categories:
    1. Issues to be resolved in the plan;
    2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the Draft RMP/Draft EIS 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

[[Page 78184]]

identify the management decisions that are best suited to local, 
regional, and national needs and concerns.
    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 environmental analysis 
as a cooperating agency.
    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: Recreation, Fisheries, 
Wildlife, Vegetation, Soil, Water, Air Quality, Geology, Minerals, 
Forestry, Livestock Grazing, Wilderness, Cultural Resources, Tribal 
Relations, Ecology, Social Sciences, Economics, Wildland Fire, Fuels, 
and Realty.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 1610.2

Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-26817 Filed 11-4-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-40-P