[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 80 (Monday, April 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 22548]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-9319]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA 669-04-1610-DO-083A]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Amendment to the South Coast 
Resource Management Plan for the Santa Ana River Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.2(c), notice is hereby given that the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) intends to amend the 1994 South Coast 
Resource Management Plan. The proposed amendment and environmental 
impact statement (EIS) will describe and analyze alternatives for a 
proposed land exchange with the San Bernardino Valley Water 
Conservation District. The proposed action would affect land designated 
as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and Research 
Natural Area (RNA) for protection of two plants federally listed as 
endangered, Santa Ana River woollystar (Eriastrum densiflorum ssp. 
sanctorum) and slender-horned spineflower (Dodecahema leptoceras).

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. Comments on 
issues and planning criteria may be submitted in writing to the address 
listed below. All public meetings will be announced through the local 
news media, newspapers, and the BLM Web site (http://www.ca.blm.gov/palmsprings) at least 15 days prior to the event. Public scoping 
meetings on the EIS will tentatively be held in April and/or May of 
2004. In order to ensure local community participation and input, BLM 
will hold public meetings in the cities of Highland and Redlands, 
California. In addition to the ongoing public participation process, 
formal opportunities for public participation will be provided upon 
publication of the draft EIS. Written comments will be accepted and 
considered throughout the entire planning process.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Greg Hill, Santa Ana River Wash 
Project, Bureau of Land Management, P.O. Box 581260, North Palm 
Springs, CA 92258 or by fax at (760) 251-4899, or by e-mail at 
[email protected]. Documents pertinent to this proposal, including 
comments with the names and addresses of respondents, will be available 
for public review at the BLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office 
located at 690 W. Garnet Avenue, North Palm Springs, California, during 
regular business hours of 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays, and may be published as part of the EIS. 
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. 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: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact Greg Hill, Santa Ana River 
Wash Project, Bureau of Land Management, Palm Springs-South Coast Field 
Office, (760) 251-4840, or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This proposed land exchange is part of a 
multi-jurisdictional Land Management and Habitat Conservation Plan 
proposed for approximately 4,365 acres located in the upper Santa Ana 
River Wash area in southwestern San Bernardino County. The proposed 
plan provides for the coordination between State and Federal agencies, 
local government, and private-property owners for accommodation of 
existing and anticipated future activities within the Santa Ana River 
Wash Planning Area. The planning area boundaries begin at the mouth of 
Santa Ana Canyon at Greenspot Road and extend westward for 
approximately six miles to Alabama Street. Greenspot Road generally 
forms the northern boundary of the project area and the south bluffs of 
the Santa Ana River generally form the southern boundary. The plan 
proposes the continuation of existing water conservation facilities; 
the creation of a habitat conservation area; the continuation of a 
flood management program; the continuation and, in some cases, the 
expansion of roadways and utilities; the continuation of existing 
trails and construction of new trails; expansion of two existing sand 
and gravel mining operations; and the proposed BLM land exchange. The 
proposed land exchange would exchange public land west and south of 
Greenspot Road and north of the Santa Ana River for offered lands of 
equal value owned by the San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation 
District. The alternatives are: (A) Proposed Action (exchange 
approximately 508 acres of public lands with restrictive covenants for 
Conservation District lands of equal value), (B) Modification of 
existing land use designations on specified BLM land to permit mining 
activities, and (C) No Action Alternative (the exchange proposal would 
be rejected). The plan amendment would amend the 1994 South Coast 
Resource Management Plan and Record of Decision to reflect the proposed 
land exchange. BLM personnel, other agencies, and individuals have 
identified preliminary issues and concerns. Predominant issues 
identified so far include threatened, endangered, and other special 
status species, mineral resources, water resources, recreation, visual 
resources, cultural resources, land management, and traffic management. 
Additional issues will be identified during the public scoping process.

    Dated: March 11, 2004.
Greg Hill,
Acting Field Manager, Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office.
[FR Doc. 04-9319 Filed 4-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P