[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 114 (Friday, June 13, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35426-35427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-14910]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-610-1610-DP]


Notice of Availability for the Draft West Mojave Plan (DWMP) and 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)

AGENCY: California Desert District (California), Bureau of Land 
Management.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft West Mojave Plan (DWMP) and 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
(FLPMA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), this document 
provides notice that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has

[[Page 35427]]

prepared a Draft West Mojave Plan (DWMP) and Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for public review and comment. This planning activity 
encompasses approximately 3.3 million acres of public land managed by 
the BLM's California Desert District, located in Inyo, Kern, Los 
Angeles and San Bernardino Counties in southern California.
    The Draft West Mojave Plan was prepared in collaboration with state 
and local governments, which takes into account local, regional and 
national needs and concerns.
    The conservation strategy to be implemented on public lands include 
measures that would be compatible with the development of a habitat 
conservation plan on 3 million acres of private and local government 
lands within the planning area.
    This notice initiates the public review process on the DWMP and 
DEIS. The public is invited to review and comment on the range and 
adequacy of the draft alternatives and associated environmental 
effects.

DATES: The comment period will end 90 days following publication of the 
Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of Availability of the DWMP 
and DEIS in the Federal Register. Comments on the Draft RMP/EIS should 
be received on or before the end of the comment period at the address 
listed below.
    Public Meetings: Public meetings will be held during the comment 
period. In order to ensure local community participation and input, 
public meetings will be held at selected locations in Inyo, Kern, Los 
Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, California. Early participation by 
all those interested is encouraged. Meeting locations and dates will be 
announced at least 15 days in advance through local media and online at 
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/meetings.html. All individuals, 
organizations, agencies, and tribes with a known interest in this 
planning effort have been sent a copy of the document for review.
    Written comments will be accepted throughout the planning process 
at the address shown below. For comments to be most helpful they should 
relate to specific concerns or conflicts that are within the legal 
responsibilities of the BLM and are feasible to be resolved in this 
planning process.
    Written comments should be sent to the Bureau of Land Management, 
California Desert District Office, Attn. West Mojave Plan Staff, 22835 
Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the BLM 
California Desert District Office, the BLM Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 
South Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, California 93555, and the BLM Barstow 
Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, California 92311 during 
regular business hours from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except holidays. The draft documents also are available online at 
http://www.ca.blm.gov/cdd/wemo.html. 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: For further information and/or to have your 
name added to our mailing list, contact William Haigh, Project Manager, 
at (760) 252-6080 (Phone), e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DWMP addresses the management of 3.3 
million acres of public lands administered by the BLM in eastern Kern 
County, southern Inyo County, northern Los Angeles County and western 
San Bernardino County, all of which are within the State of California. 
The BLM's Ridgecrest and Barstow Field Offices administer most of these 
public lands. A small amount of acreage administered by the BLM's 
Needles and Palm Springs Field Offices is also affected. All public 
lands are within the California Desert Conservation Area, and all lie 
within the jurisdiction of the BLM's California Desert District.
    The DWMP is being prepared collaboratively with local 
jurisdictions, state and other federal agencies. The purpose of the 
West Mojave Plan is to develop conservation strategies for over 100 
listed and sensitive plant and animal species that are found within the 
western Mojave Desert, including the threatened desert tortoise and the 
California-listed Mojave Ground Squirrel, and to simplify procedures 
for complying with the California and federal Endangered Species Acts. 
Other issues being addressed include the development of a motorized 
vehicle access network for public lands in the region, and effects of 
the program on regional economics, growth-inducing impacts, livestock 
grazing, mining, cultural resources and recreation. The Plan would be 
implemented on public lands through amendments to BLM's California 
Desert Conservation Area Plan.
    The DEIS considers and analyzes seven (7) alternatives (A-G), 
including the No Action alternative, with Alternative A identified as 
the agency's Preferred Alternative. These alternatives have been 
developed based on extensive public input following an initial round of 
scoping meetings in January 1992, extensive biological and field survey 
work in the late 1990's, nearly 50 ``task group'' attended by 
representatives of the participating agencies and jurisdictions and the 
general public between December 1999 and May 2002, numerous other 
public meetings, and a final round of scoping meetings in June and July 
2002. The proposed action and alternatives were based on comments and 
suggestions offered during those meetings.
    The alternatives provide for a wide array of land use allocations 
and management direction. The alternatives provide for variable levels 
of commodity production, resource protection, special areas, and 
authorized land and resource uses, including endangered species 
conservation, motorized vehicle access to public lands, livestock 
grazing and various forms of recreation. Any necessary amendments to 
the BLM's CDCA Plan will be addressed. A final Environmental Impact 
Statement and proposed West Mojave Plan are expected to be available 
for public review in October 2003.

    Dated: February 14, 2003.
Linda Hansen,
District Manager, California Desert District.
[FR Doc. 03-14910 Filed 6-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P