[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 198 (Friday, October 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 60103]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-20618]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Notice of Availability of the Hollister Draft Resource Management 
Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Hollister Field Office (California).

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Hollister 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 Hollister 
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/hollister (subject to 
change).
     Fax: (831) 630-5000.
     Mail: 20 Hamilton Court, Hollister, California 95023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sky Murphy, (831) 630-5039.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area covers approximately 
278,000 surface acres and approximately 443,806 acres of subsurface 
mineral estate within the following California counties: Alameda, 
Contra Costa, Monterey, San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, 
and portions of Fresno, Merced, and San Joaquin counties. The Hollister 
RMP, when completed, will provide management guidance for use and 
protection of the resources managed by the Hollister Field Office. The 
Hollister Draft RMP/EIS has been developed through a collaborative 
planning process and considers four alternatives. The primary issues 
addressed include: Recreation; protection of sensitive natural and 
cultural resources, livestock grazing; guidance for energy and mineral 
development; land tenure adjustments; and other planning issues raised 
during the scoping process.
    The Draft RMP/EIS also includes consideration of the designation of 
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs). The preferred 
alternative includes the following ACECs: Panoche-Coalinga ACEC--29,604 
acres (existing); Panoche-Coalinga ACEC Expansion--40,514 acres 
(proposed); Joaquin Rocks ACEC/RNA--7,327 acres (proposed); Fort Ord 
Public Lands ACEC--approximately 15,200 acres (proposed); and Santa 
Cruz Coast Dairies ACEC--approximately 6,770 acres (proposed). Two 
additional ACECs, Joaquin Ridge ACEC--19,215 acres and Panoche-Coalinga 
ACEC--42,123 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 motorized-
vehicle use and other surface disturbing activities.
    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 Hollister Draft RMP/EIS are available at the 
Hollister Field Office at the above address; CD copies are available at 
the California BLM State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, 
California 95825.

Robert Beehler,
Hollister Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 05-20618 Filed 10-13-05; 8:45 am]
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