[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 82 (Tuesday, April 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 22733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-10438]



[[Page 22733]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Amendment to the Hollister 
Resource Management Plan for the Clear Creek Management Area in the 
Southern Portion of San Benito County and Western Fresno County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an amendment to the Hollister 
Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Clear Creek Management Area in 
the southern portion of San Benito County and western Fresno County, 
CA.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.2(c), notice is hereby given that the 
Bureau of Land Management proposes to prepare an Environmental 
Assessment (EA) that will revise the Clear Creek Management Area Plan, 
and analyze the effects of amending the Hollister RMP for the Clear 
Creek Management Area, as amended, 1999. The proposed amendment will 
establish or revise designations of areas and trails for off-road 
vehicles (ORV) in accordance with 43 CFR subpart 8342, and delineate 
the boundaries of the expansion of the San Benito Mountain Research 
Natural Area. The proposals will pertain to public lands addressed by 
the Clear Creek Management Area RMP Amendment in the Clear Creek 
Management Area of southern San Benito County and western Fresno 
County, California. The plan amendment 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 interested parties to 
identify the management decisions that are best suited to local, 
regional, and national needs and concerns. The public scoping process 
will identify planning issues and develop planning criteria, including 
an evaluation of the existing RMP in the context of the needs and 
interests of the public.

DATES: Comments on issues and planning criteria can be submitted in 
writing to the address listed below. All public meetings will be 
announced at least 15 days prior to the event.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Robert Beehler, Field Manager, 
Bureau of Land Management, Hollister Field Office, 20 Hamilton Court, 
Hollister, CA 95023. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be 
examined at the Hollister Field Office at the address listed above. 
Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be 
available for public review at the Hollister Field Office during normal 
working hours (7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., except holidays), and may be 
published as part of the EA or other related documents. Individuals may 
request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or address 
from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information 
Act, you must state this promptly at the beginning of you comment. Such 
requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions 
from organizations or businesses will be made available for public 
inspection in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George E. Hill, Assistant Field 
Manager, at the above address, telephone number (831) 630-5036, or e-
mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public input from previous public meetings 
and written comments in response to previous designations efforts will 
be used to define issues. Preliminary issues identified include: 
Providing for off-highway vehicle use; providing vehicle access for 
other casual uses; visitor safety; providing protection for listed and 
sensitive species and habitats; protection and viability of the unique 
forest and vegetation communities within the San Benito Mountain 
Research Natural Area. Planning criteria will include honoring valid 
existing rights. The amendments will be consistent with officially 
approved resource related plans, policies and programs of other Federal 
agencies, and State and local governments, so long as the guidance and 
plans are consistent with the purposes, policies and programs of 
Federal laws and regulations applicable to public lands. The proposed 
route of travel and barrens designation changes to the Hollister RMP 
for the Clear Creek Management Area, including designation of the 
boundaries of the San Benito Mountain Research Natural Area, requires a 
formal plan amendment before the designations can be implemented. The 
amendment process and ORV trail designations shall be conducted in 
compliance with the Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), 
planning regulations (43 CFR 1600), ORV trail designation regulations 
(43 CFR 8340), BLM manual guidance, and all applicable Federal laws 
affecting BLM land use decisions and ORV designations.
    The Bureau intends to rely largely on route inventory data, soil 
loss surveys, information obtained from coordination with other 
federal, state, and local agencies, consultation with the Technical 
Review Team, and public comments.

    Dated: February 6, 2003.
Robert E. Beehler,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 03-10438 Filed 4-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P