83 FR 39116 - Notice of Intent for Potential Amendment to the Resource Management Plan for the Bakersfield Field Office, California, and To Prepare an Associated Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 153 (August 8, 2018)

In accordance 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) Bakersfield Field Office, Bakersfield, California, intends to prepare a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and a potential Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment for the Bakersfield Field Office Resource Management Plan. The supplemental EIS will analyze the impacts of hydraulic fracturing technology on BLM-administered public land and mineral estate in the Bakersfield Field Office Planning Area exclusive of the California Coastal National Monument and the Carrizo Plain National Monument. This effort is in response to a settlement agreement in case No. 2:15-cv-04378-MWF/JEM, filed with, and approved by, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on May 3, 2017. This notice announces the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39116-39117]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16957]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[(LLCAC06000.L13100000.DS0000.LXSIAREV0000.18XL1109AF) MO# 450012099]


Notice of Intent for Potential Amendment to the Resource 
Management Plan for the Bakersfield Field Office, California, and To 
Prepare an Associated Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In accordance 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) 
Bakersfield Field Office, Bakersfield, California, intends to prepare a 
supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and a potential 
Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment for the Bakersfield Field 
Office Resource Management Plan. The supplemental EIS will analyze the 
impacts of hydraulic fracturing technology on BLM-administered public 
land and mineral estate in the Bakersfield Field Office Planning Area 
exclusive of the California Coastal National Monument and the Carrizo 
Plain National Monument. This effort is in response to a settlement 
agreement in case No. 2:15-cv-04378-MWF/JEM, filed with, and approved 
by, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on 
May 3, 2017. This notice announces the beginning of the scoping process 
to solicit public comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the 
Supplemental EIS and potential RMP amendment. Comments on issues may be 
submitted in writing until September 7, 2018. In order to be included 
in the analysis, all scoping comments must be submitted in writing and 
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 this Supplemental EIS and potential RMP amendment by any of 
the following methods:
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: Bakersfield Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 
Attn: Bakersfield RMP Hydraulic Fracturing Analysis, 3801 Pegasus 
Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined during regular 
business hours at: Bureau of Land Management, Bakersfield Field Office, 
3801 Pegasus Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carly Summers, Supervisory Natural 
Resources Specialist, telephone 661-391-6000; address Bureau of Land 
Management, 3801 Pegasus Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308; email 
[email protected]. Contact Ms. Summers to have your 
name added to our mailing list. Persons who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 
1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business 
hours. FRS 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 
Field Office, Bakersfield, California, intends to prepare a 
supplemental EIS and potential RMP amendment for the 2014 Bakersfield 
Field Office RMP Planning Area. Furthermore, this document announces 
the beginning of the scoping process and seeks public input on issues 
and planning criteria related to hydraulic fracturing. The planning 
area is located in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa 
Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura counties in California and encompasses 
approximately 400,000 acres of public land and an additional 1.2 
million acres of Federal mineral estate (i.e., split estate). The 
purpose of the supplemental EIS is to analyze the environmental effects 
of the use of hydraulic fracturing technology in oil and gas 
development on new leases within the planning area and to determine 
whether changes are needed to the fluid minerals decisions in the 
Bakersfield Field Office RMP. The need to develop the supplemental EIS 
is established by the settlement agreement in case No. 2:15-cv-04378-
MWF/JEM, filed with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of 
California on May 3, 2017. The purpose of the public scoping process is 
to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the 
environmental analysis, including alternatives if necessary, and guide 
the planning process. Preliminary issues for the supplemental EIS have 
been identified by BLM personnel; Federal, State, and local agencies; 
and other stakeholders. The issues include: Air and atmospheric values; 
water quality and quantity; seismicity; special status species; mineral 
resources (oil and gas); and socioeconomics. Preliminary planning 
criteria include:
    1. Only those portions of the existing plan that need to be updated 
to respond to the issues and management concerns identified in the 
court order and settlement agreement will be reviewed.
    2. The planning process will be completed in compliance with the 
FLPMA and all other applicable laws.
    3. The planning process will include a Supplemental EIS that will 
comply with NEPA standards.
    4. The scope of analysis will be consistent with the level of 
analysis in approved plans and in accordance with Bureau-wide standards 
and program guidance.
    5. Public comments will be addressed during the planning process.
    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 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

[[Page 39117]]

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, and will place them into one of three categories:
    1. Issues to be resolved in the analysis;
    2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of the Supplemental EIS and potential 
RMP amendment.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the Draft Supplemental 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 identify the management decisions that are 
best suited to local, regional, national needs, and concerns. The BLM 
will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the Supplemental EIS 
and, if necessary, RMP 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: 
Hydrology, air, archaeology, paleontology, wildlife biology, oil and 
gas, geology, sociology and economics.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personally identifiable information in your comment, you should 
be aware that your entire comment--including your personally 
identifiable information--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personally 
identifiable 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.

Jerome E. Perez,
BLM California State Director.
[FR Doc. 2018-16957 Filed 8-7-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P