[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 189 (Friday, September 30, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57318-57319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19588]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-190-05-1610-DT]


Notice of Availability of Proposed Plan Amendment and Final 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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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 proposed Resource Management 
Plan Amendment (RMPA) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
for the Clear Creek Management Area (CCMA).

DATES: For decisions being considered that would amend the existing 
plan decisions, BLM Planning Regulations (43 CFR 1610.5-2) state that 
any person who participated in the planning process, and has an 
interest that may be adversely affected, may protest. The protest must 
be filed within 30 days of the date that the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes its notice of receipt of the Final EIS for the CCMA in 
the Federal Register. Instructions for filing of protests are described 
in the front cover of the Proposed RMPA and Final EIS for the CCMA and 
included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. 
Decisions that make designations on individual routes are not 
protestable, but are appealable to the Interior Board of Land Appeals 
under 43 CFR part 4 upon adoption of a Record of Decision.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Hill, (831) 630-5000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This planning project considers designating 
a route network and off-highway vehicle (OHV) area designations (open, 
limited, closed) for serpentine barren areas (soils devoid of 
vegetation) and the designation of expanded boundaries for the San 
Benito Mountain Research Natural Area (SBMRNA), an Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern (ACEC) in the CCMA. The planning area is 
approximately 75,000 acres located in San Benito and Fresno Counties, 
California and is managed by the (BLM) Hollister Field Office. The area 
is currently managed according to the CCMA RMPA, as adopted in 1999.
    The Proposed Action contained in the Proposed RMPA and Final EIS 
for the CCMA contains the following proposed decisions: Designations 
for OHV use on the routes currently inventoried and assessed by the 
BLM; adoption of route designation and area designation criteria for 
serpentine barren areas; and designation of an expanded boundary and 
interim management for the SBMRNA. The Draft RMPA and Draft EIS for the 
CCMA was published in May 2004. BLM accepted public comment on the 
Draft EIS from July 16 through November 15 of 2004. Comments received 
from the public during the review period and comments from

[[Page 57319]]

internal BLM review are incorporated into the Final EIS. Public 
comments resulted in the addition of clarifying text, but did not 
significantly change the proposed decisions. Copies of the Proposed 
RMPA and Final EIS for the CCMA have been sent to affected Federal, 
State, and local government agencies and to interested parties. Copies 
of the document are also available for public inspection at: BLM 
Hollister Field Office, 20 Hamilton Court, Hollister, CA; and BLM 
California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA. Instructions 
for filing a protest with the Director of the BLM regarding the 
Proposed Plan/Final EIS may be found at 43 CFR 1610.5. A protest may 
only raise those issues with plan-level decisions that were submitted 
for the record during the planning process. E-mail and faxed protests 
will not be accepted as valid protests unless the protesting party also 
provides the original letter by either regular or overnight mail 
postmarked by the close of the protest period. Under these conditions, 
BLM will consider the e-mail or faxed protest as an advance copy and it 
will receive full consideration. If you wish to provide BLM with such 
advance notification, please direct faxed protests to the attention of 
the BLM protest coordinator at (202) 452-5112, and e-mails to [email protected].
    Please direct the follow-up letter to the appropriate address 
provided below. The protest must contain:
    a. The name, mailing address, telephone number, and interest of the 
person filing the protest.
    b. A statement of the part or parts of the plan and the issue or 
issues being protested.
    c. A copy of all documents addressing the issue(s) that the 
protesting party submitted during the planning process or a statement 
of the date they were discussed for the record.
    d. A concise statement explaining why the protestor believes the 
State Director's decision is wrong.
    All protests must be in writing and mailed to the following 
address:

Regular Mail: Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 
66538, Washington, DC 20035.
Overnight Mail: Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, 1620 L 
Street, NW., Suite 1075, Washington, DC 20036.

    The Director will promptly render a decision on the protest. The 
decision will be in writing and will be sent to the protesting party by 
certified mail, return receipt requested. The decision of the Director 
shall be the final decision of the Department of the Interior.

    Dated: July 14, 2005.
Robert Beehler,
Hollister Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 05-19588 Filed 9-29-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P