[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 140 (Tuesday, July 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43366-43367]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18562]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-320/350/310-03-1610-DO]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Associated Resource Management Plans for Three Bureau of Land 
Management Field Offices in Northeast California and Northwest Nevada: 
The Eagle Lake Field Office; Alturas Field Office; the Surprise Field 
Office

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and associated Resource Management Plans (RMP) for three Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM) field offices in Northeast California and 
Northwest Nevada: The Eagle Lake Field Office, the Alturas Field 
Office, and the Surprise Field Office.

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SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the BLM intends to prepare 
an Environmental Impact Statement and associated Resource Management 
Plans for three BLM Field Offices located in Northeast California and 
Northwest Nevada: The Eagle Lake Field Office, the Alturas Field 
Office, and the Surprise Field Office. The three field offices 
encompass approximately 3 million acres of public lands, with the Eagle 
Lake Field Office headquartered in Susanville, California, the Alturas 
Field Office in Alturas, California, and the Surprise Field Office in 
Cedarville, California. New Resource Management Plans (RMPs) are needed 
because current management direction for the three million acres of 
public land managed by the Alturas, Eagle Lake, and Surprise Field 
Offices is contained in 18 separate land use plans and subsequent 
amendments. These plans, while providing a broad overview of goals, 
objectives, and needs associated with public lands, would benefit from 
updating. The RMPs 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

[[Page 43367]]

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.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. Comments on 
preliminary issues and suggestions for potential planning criteria can 
be submitted in writing to the address listed below and will be 
accepted for 30 days following the publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register. Public meetings will be held throughout the plan 
scoping and preparation period. In order to ensure local community 
participation and input, open houses will be held in locations most 
closely affiliated with the public lands in the planning area. Probable 
locations include: Cedarville, CA; Alturas, CA; Susanville, CA; Reno, 
NV; and Redding, CA. These public meetings are scheduled to be held 
throughout the month of August 2003. Specific dates and meeting 
locations will be announced by BLM through news releases, direct 
mailings or other applicable means of public notification within 15 
days of the event.

ADDRESSES: Scoping comments should be sent to Jeff Fontana, Public 
Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Eagle Lake Field Office, 2950 
Riverside Drive, Susanville, California 96130; FAX 530.257.4831. BLM 
will maintain a record of public documents related to the development 
of the RMPs at the Eagle Lake Field Office at the address listed above. 
Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents will be 
available for public review at the Eagle Lake Field Office in 
Susanville, California during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays, and may be published 
as part of the EIS. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. 
Individuals who wish to withhold their name or street address from 
public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 
must state this prominently at the beginning of their 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: Jeff Fontana, Public Affairs, Bureau 
of Land Management, Eagle Lake Field Office, 2950 Riverside Drive, 
Susanville, California 96130, (530) 252-5332.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Preliminary issue areas and management 
concerns have been identified by BLM personnel in consultation with 
other agencies, individuals, and organizations and include: Management 
of special areas, riparian/wetlands health, upland ecosystems health, 
water quality and quantity, management and protection of sensitive, 
rare, threatened or endangered species, fire and fuels management, 
access and transportation management including OHV uses, Native 
American traditions and practices, social/economic considerations, 
acquisition/disposal of public lands, mineral extraction and energy 
development, communication and utility facility locations, and 
recreation use and visitor safety.
    Disciplines involved in the planning process include specialists 
with expertise in wildlife and fisheries management, forestry, botany 
and vegetation community ecology, fire/fuels management and ecology, 
hydrology and watershed management, archeology, lands and realty, 
minerals and geology, grazing management, recreation management, 
sociology and economics.

    Dated: June 17, 2003.
Timothy J. Burke,
Alturas Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 03-18562 Filed 7-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P