[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 7 (Friday, January 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1475-1476]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-594]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-050-03-1430-ER]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Flood Control Master Plan, Clark County Regional 
Flood Control District

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Las Vegas Field Office.

COOPERATING AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement (SEIS) for the Flood Control Master Plan, Clark County 
Regional Flood Control District (CCRFCD).

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SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the BLM intends to prepare 
an SEIS of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Flood 
Control Master Plan, Clark County Regional Flood Control District, 
approved on June 4, 1991, by record of decision. The project area is 
located in Clark County,

[[Page 1476]]

Nevada, hydrographic basins 212 and 167. This activity encompasses 
private and public lands within the Las Vegas Valley and Boulder City, 
Nevada. The SEIS will fulfill the needs and obligations set forth by 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy 
and Management Act (FLPMA), and BLM management policies. The BLM will 
work collaboratively with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), 
Sacramento District and interested parties to identify any local 
concerns. The public scoping process will help identify issues and 
concerns including an evaluation of the existing Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Flood Control Master Plan in the 
context of the needs and interests of the public.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. Comments and 
concerns on issues can be submitted in writing to the address listed 
below and will be accepted throughout the 30-day scoping period. All 
public meetings will be announced through the local news media, 
newsletters, and the BLM web site at www.blm.nv.gov at least 15 days 
prior to the event. The minutes and list of attendees for each meeting 
will be available to the public and open for 30 days to any participant 
who wishes to clarify the views they expressed.
    Public Participation: Public meetings will be held throughout the 
SEIS scoping and preparation period. Public scoping meetings will be 
held from 6-8 p.m. Pacific standard time on January 22, 2003, at the 
CCRFCD, RTC Building, Room 108, 600 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las 
Vegas, Nevada 89106; and on January 23, 2003, from 6-8 p.m. Pacific 
standard time at the Henderson Convention Center and Visitors Bureau, 
200 Water Street, Henderson, Nevada 89015. Early participation is 
encouraged and will provide guidance and suggestions for the future 
management of flood control facilities within the Las Vegas Valley. In 
addition to the ongoing public participation process, formal 
opportunities for public participation will be provided upon 
publication of the BLM draft SEIS.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the Bureau of Land 
Management, Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive, Las 
Vegas, Nevada 89130-2301; Fax (702) 515-5023. Documents pertinent to 
this proposal may be examined at the Las Vegas Field Office or the 
CCRFCD. The CCRFCD is located at 600 S. Grand Parkway, Suite 300, Las 
Vegas, NV 89106-4511.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 
be available for public review at the Las Vegas Field Office during 
regular business hours (7:30 a.m. through 4:15 p.m.), Monday through 
Friday, except holidays, and may be published as part of the SEIS. 
Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to 
withhold your name or street address from public review or from 
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your written comment. Such requests 
will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from 
organizations and businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Jeffrey Steinmetz, BLM, 
Las Vegas Field Office, Telephone (702) 515-5097; e-mail 
[email protected], or Anna Wharton, at (702) 515-5095: e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The changing needs and interests of the 
public and the growth within the Las Vegas Valley necessitates a 
revision to the Flood Control Master Plan FEIS published in 1991 for 
the Las Vegas Field Office and CCRFCD. Preliminary issues and 
management concerns have been identified by BLM and CCRFCD personnel, 
their consultant, and other agencies. They represent the BLM's 
knowledge to date on the existing issues and concerns with current 
management. The major issue themes that will be addressed in the SEIS 
include: Impacts to surface water hydrology and water quality; 
protection of federally-listed species, state-listed species, and BLM 
sensitive species; minimizing impacts to air quality; minimizing 
visibility impacts; balancing conflicting and compatible land uses; 
protection of cultural and paleontological resources; cumulative 
impacts of the project; and the creation of a new project-specific 
analysis procedure for future flood control facilities.
    After gathering public comments on what issues the SEIS should 
address, the suggested issues will be placed in one of three 
categories:
    1. Issues to be resolved in the SEIS;
    2. Issues resolved through policy or administrative action; or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of the SEIS.
    Rationale will be provided in the SEIS for each issue placed in 
category two or three. In addition to these major issues, a number of 
management questions and concerns will be addressed in the SEIS. The 
public is encouraged to help identify these questions and concerns 
during the scoping phase. An interdisciplinary approach will be used to 
develop the SEIS in order to consider the variety of resource issues 
and concerns identified. Disciplines involved in the SEIS process will 
include specialists with expertise in soils, minerals and geology; 
hydrology; botany; wildlife and fisheries; transportation; visual 
resources; air quality; lands and realty; outdoor recreation; 
archaeology; paleontology; and sociology and economics.

Mark T. Morse,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 03-594 Filed 1-9-03; 8:45 am]
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