[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 179 (Friday, September 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54769-54770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18345]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Notice of Availability of Ukiah Draft Resource Management Plan 
and Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Ukiah Draft Resource Management 
Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan 
and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS) for the Ukiah Field 
Office.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft RMP/EIS will be accepted for 90 
days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes 
the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. Future meetings or 
hearings and any other public involvement activities will be announced 
at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media news 
releases, and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments at the public meetings or by any of 
the following methods:
     Web Site: http://www.ca.blm.gov/ukiah (subject to change)
     Fax: (707) 468-4027
     Mail: 2550 North State Street, Ukiah, California 95482

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eli Ilano, (916) 978-4427.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area covers approximately 
270,000 surface acres and approximately 214,000 acres of additional 
subsurface mineral estate within the following California counties: 
Marin, Solano, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Napa, Yolo, Colusa, and Glenn. 
The Ukiah RMP, when completed, will provide management guidance for use 
and protection of the resources managed by the Ukiah Field Office. The 
Ukiah Draft RMP/EIS has been developed through a collaborative planning 
process and considers five alternatives. The primary issues addressed 
include: conflicts among motorized, mechanized, and non-motorized/non-
mechanized recreationists; protection of sensitive natural and cultural 
resources from impacts due to increased recreational use and other land 
uses; provision of guidance for wind energy development; and addressing 
other planning issues raised during the scoping process. The

[[Page 54770]]

Draft RMP/EIS also includes consideration of the designation of Areas 
of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs). The preferred alternative 
includes the following ACECs: Cache Creek ACEC--10,000 acres 
(existing); Northern California Chaparral RNA--11,206 acres (existing); 
Indian Valley Brodiaea ACEC--100 acres (currently 40 acres); Cedar 
Roughs ACEC/RNA--6,350 acres (currently 5,567 acres); Knoxville ACEC--
5,236 acres; Stornetta ACEC--887 acres; Walker Ridge ACEC--3,990 acres; 
The Cedars ACEC--1,500 acres; Black Forest ACEC--239 acres; and Lost 
Valley ACEC--40 acres. Two additional ACECs, Blue Ridge ACEC--13,640 
acres and Quail Ridge ACEC--558 acres, were considered but not included 
in the preferred alternative. Use of public lands within these ACECs 
would vary, depending on the resources and/or values identified (see 
Chapter 2 of the Draft RMP/EIS), but would likely include limitations 
on off-highway vehicle use and development projects.
    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. 
CD and paper copies of the Ukiah Draft RMP/EIS are available at the 
Ukiah Field Office at the above address; CD copies are available at the 
California BLM State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 
95825.

    Dated: July 11, 2005.
Richard Burns,
Ukiah Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 05-18345 Filed 9-15-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P