[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16606-16607]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-6999]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-190-04-1610-DP]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan Revision/
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: This Notice of Intent was developed under the authority of the 
planning regulations (43 CFR 1610.2 (c)). Pursuant to section 202 of 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) and section 
102 (2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Hollister Field Office will prepare a 
Resource Management Plan (RMP) Revision and Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for approximately 278,000 acres of public land. The 
planning area is located within portions of the following counties: 
Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Madera, Merced, Modesto, Monterey, San 
Benito, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and 
Stanislaus. The revised land use plan will establish land use 
management policy for multiple resource uses and will guide resource 
management in these areas into the foreseeable future. The RMP Revision 
will be prepared under guidance provided through 43 CFR part 1600 (BLM 
Planning Regulations). The BLM will work closely with interested 
parties to identify issues, resolve disputes, and develop management 
actions that are best suited to the management of the resources and the 
needs of the public.

[[Page 16607]]

This collaborative process will take into account local, regional, and 
national concerns. This Notice formally initiates the public scoping 
process to identify planning issues and to review preliminary planning 
criteria.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. Public scoping 
comments and resource information submissions will be most effective if 
submitted within 90 days of publication of this notice. Public 
meetings, public comment periods, and comment closing dates will be 
announced through local news media, and newsletters.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to ``RMP COMMENTS'', BLM, 
Hollister Field Office, 20 Hamilton Court, Hollister, CA, 95023. Fax: 
831-630-5055. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at 
the Hollister Field Office. Comments, including names and street 
addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the 
Hollister Field Office during regular business hours, 7:30 a.m. to 4 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays, and may be published as 
part of the RMP/EIS.
    Individual respondents 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 prominently 
at the beginning of your written comment. Such requests will be honored 
to the extent allowed by law. BLM will not consider anonymous comments. 
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: George E. Hill, Assistant Field 
Manager, BLM, Hollister Field Office, 20 Hamilton Court, Hollister, CA, 
95023, phone: 831-630-5036. To have your name added to our mailing 
list, contact Lesly Smith, Outdoor Recreation Planner, BLM, Hollister 
Field Office, 20 Hamilton Court, Hollister, CA, 95023, phone: 831-630-
5015.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Opportunities to participate will occur 
throughout the planning process. To ensure local community 
participation and input, public scoping meetings will be held, at a 
minimum, in three towns strategically located in or near the planning 
area. Early participation by all interested parties is encouraged and 
will help guide the planning process and determine the future 
management of public lands. All activities where the public is invited 
to attend will be announced at least 15 days prior to the event in 
local news media. 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 their views. Written comments will be accepted 
throughout the planning process at the address shown above. Additional 
formal opportunities for public participation and comment will be 
provided upon publication of the draft RMP Revision and draft EIS.
    Preliminary issues and management concerns have been identified by 
BLM personnel, other agencies, and in meetings with individuals and 
user groups. The preliminary issues are: Management of public land 
resources at the watershed level; off-highway vehicle management and 
designations; management of ecosystems and riparian areas to maintain 
and improve properly functioning conditions; implementation of the 
Federal Wildland Fire Policy; fluid and solid mineral development; 
effects of urban interface and meeting the needs of local and regional 
communities; land tenure adjustments; status of Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern and consideration of lands for special management 
designation; identification of resource values on recently acquired 
public lands; sustaining traditional practices of Native American 
cultures; and providing recreation opportunities to meet the recreation 
demand.
    Preliminary management concerns include: Management of current and 
future special status species; addressing impacts to human health and 
resources from past mining activities; addressing resource management 
impacts to air quality in non-attainment areas; reducing impacts to 
watershed resources and water quality; disproportionate impacts to 
disadvantaged communities resulting from execution of land management 
decisions (Environmental Justice Executive Order 12898); the potential 
for the spread of noxious weeds; and the management of designated 
streams (Clean Water Act, section 303-(d)).
    These preliminary issues will be further redefined by direct input 
through active public participation. The public is encouraged to help 
identify issues, questions, and concerns during the scoping phase. An 
interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the plan in order to 
consider the variety of resource issues and concerns identified. The 
interdisciplinary team involved in the planning process will include 
specialists with expertise in minerals and geology, forestry, range, 
fire and fuels, outdoor recreation, archaeology, paleontology, wildlife 
and fisheries, lands and realty, hydrology, soils, air quality, 
sociology and economics.
    Planning criteria will be developed during public scoping to help 
guide the planning effort. Preliminary planning criteria being 
considered for the Hollister planning effort require that BLM: 
Recognize valid existing rights; comply with existing law, executive 
orders, regulation, and BLM policy and program guidance; seek public 
input; consider adjoining non-public lands when making management 
decisions to minimize land use conflicts; consider planning 
jurisdictions of other federal agencies, and state, local and tribal 
governments; develop reasonable and sound alternatives; use current 
scientific data to evaluate appropriate management strategies; analyze 
socioeconomic effects of alternatives along with the environmental 
effects; carry forward valid analysis from existing documents and 
incorporate the Rangeland Health Standards and Guidelines and the 
Hollister Oil and Gas RMP amendment. The Hollister Field Office is 
presently managed under the Hollister RMP (1984, as amended). 
Information and decisions from the existing Hollister RMP will be 
reviewed and incorporated in this plan revision to the extent possible. 
Management will continue under the Hollister RMP until the revised RMP 
is approved.

    Dated: January 28, 2004.
Robert E. Beehler,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 04-6999 Filed 3-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P