[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 147 (Monday, July 31, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46731-46732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19217]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[OR-110-0777-30-24- 1A; HAG0-0303]


Notice of Intent to Prepare a Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument 
Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement and Initiation of Public 
Scoping

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

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 
National Monument located in Jackson County, Oregon. The Cascade-
Siskiyou National Monument was established by William J. Clinton, 
President of the United States of America, on June 9, 2000. As a result 
of the national monument designation on federal land previously 
identified as the Cascade Siskiyou Ecological Emphasis Area, a 
supplemental draft environmental impact statement (SDEIS) to the 
Cascade Siskiyou Ecological Emphasis Area Draft Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement (USDI/BLM March, 2000) will be prepared. 
Upon completion of the SDEIS and a 90 day public review period, a 
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Management Plan/Final Environmental 
Impact Statement will be prepared. The planning process for the 
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument will follow the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) planning process found in 43 Code of Federal 
Regulations 1610. This notice amends the Notice of Intent [OR-110-0777-
30-24-1A;-HAG99-0298] to Prepare a Cascade-Siskiyou Ecological Emphasis 
Area Plan/Environmental Impact Statement published in the Federal 
Register (Vol. 64, No. 166) on Friday, August 27, 1999.

DATES: Written scoping comments for the supplemental draft 
environmental impact statement will be accepted through August 31, 
2000. Comments previously received on the Cascade Siskiyou Ecological 
Emphasis Area Draft Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement will 
be used in preparing the supplemental draft environmental impact 
statement. No public scoping meetings are scheduled.
    The tentative project schedule is as follows:
    1. Analyze comments, identify and address additional issues and 
develop appropriate alternative(s), if necessary.
    2. File Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement--December 
2000 (90 day public review period).
    3. File Final Environmental Impact Statement--July 2001 (30 day 
public review period).
    4. Record of Decision--October 2001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument 
consists of the federal and managed by the Bureau of Land Management 
previously identified as the analysis area in the Cascade Siskiyou 
Ecological Emphasis Area (CSEEA) Draft Management Plan/Environmental 
Impact Statement (USDI/BLM March, 2000), with the addition of 
appropriately 290 acres and the exclusion of all lands in California. 
The National Monument is an ecological wonder, with biological 
diversity unmatched in the Cascade Range. This rich enclave of natural 
resources is a biological crossroads--the interface of the Cascade, 
Klamath, and Siskiyou ecoregions, in an area of unique geology, 
biology, climate, and topography. The Monument is home to a spectacular 
variety of rare and beautiful species of plants and animals, whose 
survival in this region depends upon its continued ecological 
integrity.
    The Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument encompasses the following 
special designated areas on land managed by the Bureau of Land 
Management in Oregon.

--Soda Mountain Wilderness Study Area recommended for wilderness 
designation (5,867 ac.);
--Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail;
--Four Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, including two Research 
Natural Areas;
--Portions of land previously recognized as a Late-Successional Reserve 
before the monument designation.


[[Page 46732]]


    Public participation has been an integral part of the planning 
process with the CSESA Draft Management Plan/Environmental Impact 
Statement and continues with this scooping process for the supplemental 
draft management plan (40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2), which defines:
    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 mail to known interested 
and/or affected members of the public 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 supplemental draft environmental impact statement.
    Local and regional groups differ over future management of the 
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. The presidential proclamation 
provided specific directions on minerals, commercial timber harvest, 
and off-road vehicle use in order to protect the objects for which the 
monument was designated. In addition, the proclamation directed the 
Secretary of the Interior to study the impacts of livestock grazing on 
the objects of biological interest in the monument in order to 
determine the compatibility of livestock grazing in protecting those 
objects. The formal designation also expanded the planning boundary and 
has the potential to have some off-site effects which were not 
addressed in the CSEEA Draft Management Plan/Environmental Impact 
Statement.
    The completed management plan will provide direction for management 
of public lands within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. Several 
management alternatives were identified and analyzed in the CSEEA Draft 
Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement and, as a result of the 
monument designation, additional alternatives may be proposed. These 
alternatives will be developed based on internal staff discussions, 
public comments, and meting with government agencies.
    The BLM is seeking information, comments and assistance from 
federal, state, and local agencies and other individuals or 
organization interested in or affected by management plan.
    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, hydrology, realty, recreation, rangeland management, 
wilderness, and soils. COMMENTS: Comments should be sent to Richard J. 
Drehobl, Ashland Field Manager/Interim Monument Manager, Medford 
District Bureau of Land Management, 3040 Biddle Road, Medford, Oregon 
97504.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Sensenig (541) 618-2319 or Bill 
Yocum (541) 618-2384. Fax can be sent to Tom Sensenig or Bill Yocum at 
(541) 618-2400 and e-mails to [email protected]>. Information concerning 
the analysis will be available at the BLM office in Medford at the 
address shown above.
    Pursuant to 7 CFR Part 1, subpart B, Section 1.27, all written 
submissions in response to this notice, the published scoping 
newsletter, draft, supplemental, 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: July 25, 2000.
Richard J. Drehobl,
Ashland Field Manager/Interim Monument Manager, Cascade-Siskiyou 
National Monument.
[FR Doc. 00-19217 Filed 7-28-00; 8:45 am]
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