[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 166 (Friday, August 27, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46933-46934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22268]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[OR-110-0777-30-24-1A;-HAG 99-0298]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Cascade Siskiyou Ecological 
Emphasis Area Plan/Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, DOI.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Cascade Siskiyou Ecological 
Emphasis Area plan/environmental impact statement and initiation of 
public scoping.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the 
National Environmental Policy Act, the Bureau of Land Management, 
Medford District, Ashland Resource Area will be preparing a Management 
Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Cascade Siskiyou 
Ecological Emphasis Area (CSEEA) located in Jackson County, Oregon and 
Siskiyou County, California. If the land use allocations and resource 
uses proposed in the CSEEA are significantly different from those in 
the Medford and Redding Resource Management Plans (RMP), the analysis 
and decision-making process will also meet requirements of the Bureau's 
regulation for RMP amendments found in 43 Code of Federal Regulations 
1610.5-5.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted until October 29, 1999, Public 
scoping meetings have been scheduled which include three field tours 
and one afternoon meeting. Field tours are planned for 9:00 a.m. to 
3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 28,; Saturday, October 2; and 
Wednesday, October 6, 1999. Departure for the field tours will be from 
the parking area of the U.S. Forest Service, Ashland Ranger District at 
645 Washington Street, Ashland, Oregon. The afternoon meeting is 
scheduled for October 9, 1999 at 1:30 p.m. at the science building 
auditorium of Southern Oregon University, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashalnd 
Oregon. Additional scoping meetings will be considered as appropriate.
    The tentative project schedule is as follows:
    1. Development of planning criteria, including information to be 
used, issues to be addressed, and initial alternatives to be considered 
-fall 1999.
    2. File Draft Environmental Impact Statement--March 2000 (90 day 
public review period).
    3. File Final Environmental Impact Statement--July 2000 (30 day 
public review period).
    4. Record of Decision--October 2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CSEEA analysis area is located on 
federal land in southwest Oregon and northern California. The CSEEA 
encompasses an environmental transition area between the Great Basin, 
the Siskiyou and Klamath Mountains, and the Cascade Mountains. Higher 
elevations act as a land bridge between the Cascade and Klamath 
Mountains. A unique area of rich ecological diversity has developed as 
a result of the confluence of these different environments.
    The CSEEA encompasses the following on Bureau managed lands in 
Oregon and California:

--Soda Mountain Wilderness Study Area recommended for wilderness 
designation (5,867 ac.);
--Pacific Crest Trail (National Scenic Trail);
--Five Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, including two Research 
Natural Areas;
--Portions of one Late-Successional Reserve.

    Public participation will be especially important at several points 
during the analysis. The first point is during the scoping process (40 
CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2), which includes:
    1. Defining the scope of the analysis and nature of the decision to 
be made.
    2. Identifying the issues and determining the significant issues 
for consideration and analysis within the environmental impact 
statement.
    3. Defining the proper skills required for the interdisciplinary 
team.
    4. Exploring possible alternatives.
    5. Identifying potential environmental effects.
    6. Determining potential cooperating agencies.
    7. Identifying groups or individuals interested or affected by the 
decision.
    Public participation will be solicited by person-to-person contact, 
and/or by mail to known interested and affected publics and key 
contacts. In addition, news releases will be used to give the public 
general notice. Comments from interested persons and organizations will 
be used in preparation of the draft environmental impact statement.
    Local and regional groups differ over future management within the 
CSEEA. Opinions range from full protection as a wilderness area to 
managing the area for recreation including off-highway vehicle, 
grazing, timber harvest, and other commodity uses. The completed 
management plan will provide direction for management of the public 
lands. Several management alternatives covering a wide range of 
management actions and resource uses will be

[[Page 46934]]

analyzed in the plan. These alternatives will be developed based on 
internal staff discussions, public comments, and meeting with 
government agencies. Tentative issues for discussion include off-
highway vehicle use, livestock grazing, noxious weeds, and timber 
harvest. One alternative will be a ``no action'' alternative 
(continuation of the present management program), based on the 1995 
approved Medford RMP. Another alternative will provide for greater 
restrictions on current uses and potential interagency coordination to 
meet landscape-level management objectives. Other alternatives will 
provide for road and trail designations and maintenance management 
programs comprising various combinations of resource uses and land 
allocations.
    The BLM is seeking information, comments, and assistance from 
federal, state, and local agencies and other individuals or 
organizations interested in or affected by the proposed action.
    The analysis will be completed by an interdisciplinary team. 
Disciplines to be represented on the team include, but are not limited 
to: archaeology, anthropology, botany, fire management, fisheries, 
forestry, geology and minerals, hydrology, realty, recreation, 
wilderness, and soils.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Richard J. Drehobl, Ashland Field 
Manager, Medford District Bureau of Land Management, 3040 Biddle Road, 
Medford, Oregon 97504.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Sensenig (541) 770-2319 or Bill 
Yocum (541) 770-2384. Fax or E-mail can be made sent attention to Tom 
Sensenig or Bill Yocum at (541) 770-2400, or <[email protected]>. 
Information concerning the analysis and potential RMP amendment will be 
available at the BLM office in Medford at the address shown above. Some 
information is available from Chuck Schultz at the BLM Redding Field 
Office, 355 Hemsted Drive, Redding, California 96002; (530) 224-2100.
    Pursuant to 7 CFR Part 1, Subpart B, Section 1.27, all written 
submissions in response to this notice, the published scoping 
newsletter, draft and final environmental impact statements will be 
made available for public inspection including the submitter's name and 
address, unless the submitter specifically requests confidentiality. 
Anonymous comments will not be accepted. All written submissions from 
business entities and organizations, submitted on official letterheads, 
will be made available for public inspection in their entirety.

    Dated: August 19, 1999.
Richard J. Drehobl,
Field Manager, Ashland Resource Area.
[FR Doc. 99-22268 Filed 8-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-M