80 FR 12194 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Plan Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan in the West Mojave Planning Area, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, CA
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 44 (March 6, 2015)
Bureau of Land Management
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 44 (March 6, 2015)
| Page Range | 12194-12195 | |
| FR Document | 2015-05127 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 44 (Friday, March 6, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 12194-12195] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-05127] [[Page 12194]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLCAD08000.L12200000.DS0000.15XL1109AF.LXSSB0010000] Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Plan Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan in the West Mojave Planning Area, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, CA AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Land Use Plan Amendment and Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the West Mojave Route Network Project (WMRNP) for the West Mojave (WEMO) Planning Area of the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the Draft Land Use Plan Amendment/Draft Supplemental EIS within 90 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice of the Draft Land Use Plan Amendment/Draft SEIS in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public participation activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the WMRNP by any of the following methods:Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd/west_mojave__wemo.html. Email: [email protected]. Fax: 951-697-5299; Attn: WMRNP Plan Amendment. Mail: Bureau of land Management, California Desert District, Attn: WMRNP Plan Amendment, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553 Copies of the WMRNP Draft Plan Amendment and Draft Supplemental EIS are available in the California Desert District Office at the above address; the Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 S. Richmond Rd., Ridgecrest, CA 93555; and the Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow CA 92311. Copies are also available online at the above address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edy Seehafer, WMRNP Manager, telephone 760-252-6021; address 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311; email [email protected]. 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 West Mojave Route Network Project (WMRNP) will adopt transportation and travel strategy and designate routes on public lands in the WEMO Planning Area. The WEMO Planning Area covers 9.4 million acres of the CDCA in the western portion of the Mojave Desert in southern California, including parts of San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kern, and Inyo Counties. The WMRNP applies to the 3.1 million acres of public lands within the WEMO Planning Area. In March, 2006, the BLM signed the Record of Decision (ROD) for the WEMO Plan/Amendment to the CDCA Plan. In January 2011, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California partially remanded the 2006 WEMO Plan Amendment ROD to the BLM and directed the BLM to amend the CDCA Plan for travel management and reconsider route designation throughout the WEMO Planning Area, as well as other specified issues in the 2006 WEMO Plan (Center for Biological Diversity v. US Bureau of Land Management Order Re: Remedy [N.D. Cal. Jan 28, 2011]). The Court's decision identified issues with (1) the invalidation of the ``decision tree'' instrument used to evaluate and designate routes, (2) the authorization of OHV routes that were not in existence in 1980, which was inconsistent with the governing land use plan, (3) the lack of a reasonable range of alternatives to the proposed action, including an inadequate discussion of the No Action alternative, and (4) the inadequate analysis of impacts from the route network and the grazing program to specific resource values, including soils, cultural resources, certain biological resources, and air quality. On September 13, 2011, the BLM issued a Notice of Intent (amended May 13, 2013), inviting comments on the proposed scope and content of the WMRNP. The WMRNP includes a land-use plan amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan for Livestock Grazing, Recreation, and Motor Vehicle Access Elements for the WEMO Planning Area, an associated travel management framework, and activity-plan level route designations and implementation strategies. The lands covered in the WMRNP are those that are within livestock grazing allotments or designated as ``Limited'' to designated routes for motorized access. Areas ``Closed'' to motorized access are not proposed for change in this plan amendment, and are not within the scope of the planning effort. The 9.4 million-acre WEMO Planning Area includes several large Department of Defense facilities covering almost 3 million acres, a portion of one National Park, 3 million acres of private lands, and approximately 100,000 acres of State lands, including Red Rock Canyon State Park. The planning area is also adjacent to three other National Parks/Preserves and four National Forests. Much of the planning area is managed as part of the BLM's National Landscape Conservation System, including 18 wilderness areas, three wilderness study areas and portions of the Pacific Crest Trail and the Old Spanish National Historic Trail. The planning area also includes 41 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs), seven National Register Archaeological or Historic Districts, and four Critical Habitat Units for the federally-listed desert tortoise. Four of the ACECs were established as Desert Wildlife Management Areas (DWMAs), covering most of the desert tortoise critical habitat units, for the express purpose of conservation of desert tortoise. The planning area also includes eight OHV Open Areas covering 271,661 acres. No changes are proposed to these OHV Open Areas or their boundaries; however, the OHV Open Areas provide major points of ingress to and egress from adjacent areas ``Limited'' to designated routes access public lands. The BLM used a public scoping process to determine relevant issues, impacts, and possible alternatives that could influence the scope of the environmental analysis, and to help guide the agency from plan level decision-making to route designation in order to comply with the court order. The public raised the following transportation and travel management concerns: The need for a good inventory and accurate information related to the existing environment; documentation and use of the regulatory criteria for route minimization; mitigation for loss of access; sensitive resource protection; [[Page 12195]] maintenance of access for various types of recreational, scientific and other uses; access to private lands; trespass; regional connectivity; improving GIS and on-the-ground information for the public; and other implementation strategies such as signing, monitoring and law enforcement. In addition, a substantial number of comments indicated issues and needs associated with specific routes and route areas in the WEMO transportation system, and included recommendations on the designation of specific routes. A few comments were also received on grazing issues and the scope of the supplemental grazing program analysis. In response to court concerns and on-the-ground changes since 2006, NEPA considerations focused on cumulative effects of the transportation system alternatives to resource values, particularly air quality, soils, cultural resources, certain biological resources, and certain sensitive species, cumulative effects of grazing, and potential cumulative loss of recreational access opportunities. In response to public input, access considerations focused on maintaining a viable transportation network, diverse recreational opportunities, providing access for specific users, (including rock-hounders, motorcyclists, scientific and educational activities, and non-motorized users), dealing with conflicts between users, and maintaining commercial access needs. Plan amendments would address specific CDCA Plan inconsistencies with regulation and BLM policies in the WEMO Planning Area; including amending language that limits the route network to routes that existed in 1980 and travel management guidance for route designations. Changes are proposed to the existing land-use plan to address stopping, parking, and camping adjacent to routes in Limited Access Areas within the WEMO Planning Area, and to establish a regional minimization strategy for the travel route network. Changes are also proposed to the grazing program that would reallocate forage from livestock use to wildlife use and ecosystem function in desert tortoise habitat for inactive allotments or allotments that become vacant. In addition, the Draft considers plan level decisions modifying motorized use on four specific lakebeds, including Cuddeback Lake and competitive motorized use of routes. The Draft also considers various travel management implementation frameworks. Four alternatives are evaluated, including a No Action alternative. Finally, the Draft includes activity-level specific route designation alternatives, based on the 43CFR 8342.1 criteria and different thresholds for minimization or closure. The preferred alternative would designate approximately 10,300 miles of routes within the WEMO Planning Area as available for motorized use, approximately130 miles of routes would be available for either non-motorized or non- mechanized use, and approximately 4,400 miles of routes would be closed. The preferred alternative also includes a regional mitigation strategy that would limit the extent of off-route stopping and parking throughout the planning area to minimize impacts to undisturbed habitat, enhance watersheds, and protect adjacent sensitive resources. Other measures are based on proximity to sensitive resources, such as riparian systems, that would enhance these resources throughout the planning area. The preferred alternative provides for a limited number of designated camping and staging areas to direct intensive use to manageable locations. Finally, the preferred alternative proposes an integrated, community-based implementation strategy that addresses outreach, compliance and enforcement strategy in which partnerships with adjacent communities, users, local Friends and other interest groups, national and State recreational and conservation coalitions, and other interested citizens are a central component. Please note that public comments and information submitted including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who submit comments will be available for public review and disclosure at the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays. 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 request to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, BLM cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2. Thomas Pogacnik, Deputy State Director, Natural Resources. [FR Doc. 2015-05127 Filed 3-5-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-40-P
![12194 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 44 / Friday, March 6, 2015 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edy WEMO Planning Area, an associated
Seehafer, WMRNP Manager, telephone travel management framework, and
Bureau of Land Management 760–252–6021; address 2601 Barstow activity-plan level route designations
[LLCAD08000.L12200000.DS0000. Road, Barstow, CA 92311; email and implementation strategies. The
15XL1109AF.LXSSB0010000] eseehafe@blm.gov. Persons who use a lands covered in the WMRNP are those
telecommunications device for the deaf that are within livestock grazing
Notice of Availability of the Draft (TDD) may call the Federal Information allotments or designated as ‘‘Limited’’ to
Supplemental Environmental Impact Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 designated routes for motorized access.
Statement and Draft Plan Amendment to contact the above individual during Areas ‘‘Closed’’ to motorized access are
to the California Desert Conservation normal business hours. The FIRS is not proposed for change in this plan
Area Plan in the West Mojave Planning available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, amendment, and are not within the
Area, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles and San to leave a message or question with the scope of the planning effort.
Bernardino Counties, CA above individual. You will receive a The 9.4 million-acre WEMO Planning
reply during normal business hours. Area includes several large Department
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The West of Defense facilities covering almost 3
Mojave Route Network Project million acres, a portion of one National
ACTION: Notice.
(WMRNP) will adopt transportation and Park, 3 million acres of private lands,
SUMMARY: In accordance with the travel strategy and designate routes on and approximately 100,000 acres of
National Environmental Policy Act of public lands in the WEMO Planning State lands, including Red Rock Canyon
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Area. The WEMO Planning Area covers State Park. The planning area is also
Policy and Management Act of 1976, as 9.4 million acres of the CDCA in the adjacent to three other National Parks/
amended, the Bureau of Land western portion of the Mojave Desert in Preserves and four National Forests.
Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft southern California, including parts of Much of the planning area is managed
Land Use Plan Amendment and Draft San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kern, and as part of the BLM’s National Landscape
Supplemental Environmental Impact Inyo Counties. The WMRNP applies to Conservation System, including 18
Statement (SEIS) for the West Mojave the 3.1 million acres of public lands wilderness areas, three wilderness study
Route Network Project (WMRNP) for the within the WEMO Planning Area. In areas and portions of the Pacific Crest
West Mojave (WEMO) Planning Area of March, 2006, the BLM signed the Trail and the Old Spanish National
the California Desert Conservation Area Record of Decision (ROD) for the WEMO Historic Trail. The planning area also
(CDCA) and by this notice is Plan/Amendment to the CDCA Plan. In includes 41 Areas of Critical
announcing the opening of the comment January 2011, the U.S. District Court for Environmental Concern (ACECs), seven
period. the Northern District of California National Register Archaeological or
DATES: To ensure that comments will be partially remanded the 2006 WEMO Historic Districts, and four Critical
considered, the BLM must receive Plan Amendment ROD to the BLM and Habitat Units for the federally-listed
written comments on the Draft Land Use directed the BLM to amend the CDCA desert tortoise. Four of the ACECs were
Plan Amendment/Draft Supplemental Plan for travel management and established as Desert Wildlife
EIS within 90 days following the date reconsider route designation throughout Management Areas (DWMAs), covering
the Environmental Protection Agency the WEMO Planning Area, as well as most of the desert tortoise critical
publishes its notice of the Draft Land other specified issues in the 2006 habitat units, for the express purpose of
Use Plan Amendment/Draft SEIS in the WEMO Plan (Center for Biological conservation of desert tortoise.
Federal Register. The BLM will Diversity v. US Bureau of Land The planning area also includes eight
announce future meetings or hearings Management Order Re: Remedy [N.D. OHV Open Areas covering 271,661
and any other public participation Cal. Jan 28, 2011]). The Court’s decision acres. No changes are proposed to these
activities at least 15 days in advance identified issues with (1) the OHV Open Areas or their boundaries;
through public notices, media releases, invalidation of the ‘‘decision tree’’ however, the OHV Open Areas provide
and/or mailings. instrument used to evaluate and major points of ingress to and egress
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
designate routes, (2) the authorization of from adjacent areas ‘‘Limited’’ to
related to the WMRNP by any of the OHV routes that were not in existence designated routes access public lands.
following methods: in 1980, which was inconsistent with The BLM used a public scoping
• Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/ the governing land use plan, (3) the lack process to determine relevant issues,
en/fo/cdd/west_mojave__wemo.html. of a reasonable range of alternatives to impacts, and possible alternatives that
• Email: cawemopa@blm.gov. the proposed action, including an could influence the scope of the
• Fax: 951–697–5299; Attn: WMRNP inadequate discussion of the No Action environmental analysis, and to help
Plan Amendment. alternative, and (4) the inadequate guide the agency from plan level
• Mail: Bureau of land Management, analysis of impacts from the route decision-making to route designation in
California Desert District, Attn: WMRNP network and the grazing program to order to comply with the court order.
Plan Amendment, 22835 Calle San Juan specific resource values, including soils, The public raised the following
de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553 cultural resources, certain biological transportation and travel management
Copies of the WMRNP Draft Plan resources, and air quality. concerns:
Amendment and Draft Supplemental On September 13, 2011, the BLM
• The need for a good inventory and
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
EIS are available in the California Desert issued a Notice of Intent (amended May
accurate information related to the
District Office at the above address; the 13, 2013), inviting comments on the
existing environment;
Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 S. proposed scope and content of the
Richmond Rd., Ridgecrest, CA 93555; WMRNP. The WMRNP includes a land- • documentation and use of the
and the Barstow Field Office, 2601 use plan amendment to the California regulatory criteria for route
Barstow Road, Barstow CA 92311. Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan minimization;
Copies are also available online at the for Livestock Grazing, Recreation, and • mitigation for loss of access;
above address. Motor Vehicle Access Elements for the • sensitive resource protection;
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![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 44 / Friday, March 6, 2015 / Notices 12195
• maintenance of access for various evaluated, including a No Action Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10,
types of recreational, scientific and alternative. 43 CFR 1610.2.
other uses; Finally, the Draft includes activity- Thomas Pogacnik,
• access to private lands;
• trespass; level specific route designation Deputy State Director, Natural Resources.
• regional connectivity; alternatives, based on the 43CFR 8342.1 [FR Doc. 2015–05127 Filed 3–5–15; 8:45 am]
• improving GIS and on-the-ground criteria and different thresholds for BILLING CODE 4310–40–P
information for the public; and minimization or closure. The preferred
• other implementation strategies alternative would designate
such as signing, monitoring and law approximately 10,300 miles of routes DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
enforcement. within the WEMO Planning Area as
In addition, a substantial number of available for motorized use, Bureau of Land Management
comments indicated issues and needs approximately130 miles of routes would [CACA 049397, LLCAD06000.
associated with specific routes and be available for either non-motorized or L51010000.ER0000.LVRWB09B2920.15X]
route areas in the WEMO transportation non-mechanized use, and
system, and included recommendations Notice of Intent To Prepare an
approximately 4,400 miles of routes
on the designation of specific routes. A Environmental Impact Statement for
would be closed.
few comments were also received on the Desert Quartzite Solar Project and
grazing issues and the scope of the The preferred alternative also a Possible Amendment to the
supplemental grazing program analysis. includes a regional mitigation strategy California Desert Conservation Area
In response to court concerns and on- that would limit the extent of off-route Plan, Riverside County, California
the-ground changes since 2006, NEPA stopping and parking throughout the
considerations focused on cumulative planning area to minimize impacts to AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
effects of the transportation system undisturbed habitat, enhance Interior.
alternatives to resource values, watersheds, and protect adjacent ACTION: Notice of intent.
particularly air quality, soils, cultural sensitive resources. Other measures are
resources, certain biological resources, SUMMARY: In compliance with the
based on proximity to sensitive National Environmental Policy Act of
and certain sensitive species, resources, such as riparian systems, that
cumulative effects of grazing, and 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the
would enhance these resources Federal Land Policy and Management
potential cumulative loss of recreational throughout the planning area.
access opportunities. In response to Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the
public input, access considerations The preferred alternative provides for Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
focused on maintaining a viable a limited number of designated camping Palm Springs/South Coast Field Office,
transportation network, diverse and staging areas to direct intensive use Palm Springs, California, together with
recreational opportunities, providing to manageable locations. Finally, the Riverside County, California, intend to
access for specific users, (including preferred alternative proposes an prepare a joint Environmental Impact
rock-hounders, motorcyclists, scientific integrated, community-based Statement (EIS) and Environmental
and educational activities, and non- implementation strategy that addresses Impact Report (EIR), which may include
motorized users), dealing with conflicts outreach, compliance and enforcement an amendment to the California Desert
between users, and maintaining strategy in which partnerships with Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan, for the
commercial access needs. Desert Quartzite Solar Project (Project).
adjacent communities, users, local
Plan amendments would address By this notice, the BLM is announcing
Friends and other interest groups,
specific CDCA Plan inconsistencies the beginning of the scoping process to
national and State recreational and solicit public comments and identify
with regulation and BLM policies in the conservation coalitions, and other
WEMO Planning Area; including issues related to the EIS/EIR and Plan
interested citizens are a central Amendment (PA).
amending language that limits the route component.
network to routes that existed in 1980 DATES: This notice initiates the public
and travel management guidance for Please note that public comments and scoping process for the EIS/EIR and PA.
route designations. Changes are information submitted including names, Comments on issues may be submitted
proposed to the existing land-use plan street addresses, and email addresses of in writing until April 6, 2015. The
to address stopping, parking, and persons who submit comments will be date(s) and location(s) of any scoping
camping adjacent to routes in Limited available for public review and meetings will be announced at least 15
Access Areas within the WEMO disclosure at the above address during days in advance through local news
Planning Area, and to establish a regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), media, newspapers and the BLM Web
regional minimization strategy for the Monday through Friday, except site at: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/
travel route network. Changes are also holidays. cdd.html. In order to be included in the
proposed to the grazing program that analysis, all comments must be received
Before including your address, phone
would reallocate forage from livestock prior to the close of the 30-day scoping
number, email address, or other
use to wildlife use and ecosystem period or 15 days after the last public
personal identifying information in your
function in desert tortoise habitat for meeting, whichever is later. We will
comment, you should be aware that provide additional opportunities for
inactive allotments or allotments that your entire comment—including your public participation as appropriate.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
become vacant. In addition, the Draft
personal identifying information—may
considers plan level decisions ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
be made publicly available at any time.
modifying motorized use on four on issues and planning criteria related
specific lakebeds, including Cuddeback While you can request to withhold your
to the Project by any of the following
Lake and competitive motorized use of personal identifying information from methods:
routes. The Draft also considers various public review, BLM cannot guarantee • email: blm_ca_desert_quartzite_
travel management implementation that we will be able to do so. solar_project@blm.gov.
frameworks. Four alternatives are • fax: (951) 697–5299.
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Document Created: 2018-02-21 09:33:04
Document Modified: 2018-02-21 09:33:04
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Dates | To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the Draft Land Use Plan Amendment/Draft Supplemental EIS within 90 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice of the Draft Land Use Plan Amendment/Draft SEIS in the Federal Register. The BLM will announce future meetings or hearings and any other public participation activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings. | |
| Contact | Edy Seehafer, WMRNP Manager, telephone | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 12194 |
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