[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 118 (Monday, June 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34394-34395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-13909]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-340-04-1610-DO]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan and 
Associated Environmental Impact Statement for the Ukiah Field Office

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Field Office in Ukiah, 
California, intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) with an 
associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the public lands 
and resources under its jurisdiction. This notice initiates the public 
scoping process. Public scoping meetings, to identify relevant issues, 
will be announced in advance through BLM's Web site and in local news 
media.

DATES: Public meetings will be held throughout the planned 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. All public 
meetings will be announced through local news media, newsletters, and 
the BLM Web site http://www.ca.blm.gov/ukiah at least 15 days prior to 
the event.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by August 5, 2004 by any of the 
following methods:
     Web site: http://www.ca.blm.gov/ukiah
     Email: [email protected]
     Fax: 707-468-4027
     Mail: 2550 N. State Street, Ukiah, CA 95482-3023
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Ukiah 
Field Office, which is located at the mailing address listed above. 
Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents will be 
available for public review at the Ukiah Field Office during regular 
business hours, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding Federal holidays, and may be published as part of the EIS.

[[Page 34395]]

    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. 
BLM will not accept anonymous comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to our mailing list, contact David Fatch, 2550 N. State 
St., Ukiah, CA 95482, (707) 468-4053; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The geographic area includes the public land 
in the State of California within the counties of Marin, Solano, 
Sonoma, Mendocino (south of the city of Willits), Lake, Napa, Yolo, 
Colusa, Contra Costa, Sacramento, and Glenn. This planning activity 
encompasses approximately 300,000 surface acres and an additional 
214,000 sub-surface (mineral estate) of public land. The plan 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 purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant 
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis and 
EIS alternatives. These issues also guide the planning process. 
Comments on issues and planning criteria can be submitted in writing to 
the BLM at any of the public scoping meetings, or they may be submitted 
to the BLM at the addresses listed above. To be most helpful, formal 
scoping comments should be submitted within 15 days after the last 
public meeting, although comments will be accepted throughout the 
creation of the Draft RMP/EIS. The minutes and list of attendees for 
each scoping meeting will be available to the public and open for 30 
days after the meeting to any participant who wishes to clarify the 
views expressed. Individuals who provide written comments may request 
confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name and/or address from 
public review or 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. We will 
not, however, consider anonymous comments. All submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, are available for public inspection in their entirety.
    The changing needs and interests of the public necessitate a 
revision to the land use plans covering the Ukiah Field Office area. 
Preliminary issues and management concerns have been identified by BLM 
personnel, other agencies, and in meetings with individuals and user 
groups. They are:
     Natural & Cultural Resources--How do we best protect and 
manage the natural and cultural resources on the public lands?
     Public Uses--How should public uses and activities be 
managed?
     Community Interlock--How do we integrate public land 
management with other agency and community plans?
    An interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the plan in 
order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns 
identified. Disciplines involved in the planning process will include 
rangeland management, minerals and geology, recreation, archaeology, 
wildlife and fisheries, lands and realty, hydrology, soils, sociology 
and economics.

    Dated: May 14, 2004.
Gary Sharpe,
Associate Field Manager, Ukiah Field Office.
[FR Doc. 04-13909 Filed 6-16-04; 11:08 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P