[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 7, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72847-72848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-6976]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-330-04-1610-DN]


Notice of Intent To Prepare Arcata Resource Management Plan 
Amendment for Recently Acquired Humboldt County Coastal Lands

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) Arcata Field Office intends to prepare a Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) Amendment with an associated Environmental 
Assessment (EA) for recently acquired BLM coastal lands in Humboldt 
County in Northwest California. The lands addressed by this amendment 
have been acquired through a combination of fee title and conservation 
easements, using private donations and state and Federal funds.
    Approximately 1100 acres have been acquired by the BLM along the 
Humboldt County coast since completion of the Arcata RMP in 1992. These 
lands are located in T.6N., R.1W., Secs. 26, 27, 34 and 35; T.4N., 
R.2W., Secs. 13, 14, 23, 24, 26 and 27; and T.2N., R.3W., Secs. 12, 13, 
23, 24, 25, 26, Humboldt Meridian. The plan amendment will fulfill the 
obligations set forth by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and BLM management 
policies. The plan amendment will serve to update the Arcata RMP and 
associated amendments for the affected lands. 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 public scoping process will identify planning issues, 
develop planning criteria, and outline a vision for area management 
that reflects the needs and interests of the public and protection of 
the areas' resource values.

DATES: The publication of this notice initiates the public scoping 
process. Public comments concerning the scope of the draft RMP 
amendment should be submitted within 30 days of the date of publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register. Comments are requested on 
potential issues, alternatives, as well as any suggested planning 
criteria that BLM should use to guide the plan amendment process.
    Public Participation: Public input will be accepted throughout the 
preparation period. Public open houses will be held in the Eureka, CA 
area during the scoping period and again with the release of the draft 
RMP amendment. Information concerning the planning process, including 
open houses and other public participation opportunities, will be 
announced by BLM through news releases, direct mailings or other 
applicable means of public notification. Current information about the 
planning process is also maintained at the Arcata Field Office, 1695 
Heindon Rd., Arcata, CA 95521, telephone (707) 825-2300.

ADDRESSES: Scoping comments should be sent to Arcata RMP Amendment, 
Bureau of Land Management, Arcata Field Office, 1695 Heindon Road, 
Arcata, California 95521; Fax (707) 825-2301, or e-mail at 
[email protected]. The BLM will maintain a record of public documents 
related to the development of the RMP amendment at the Arcata Field 
Office at the address listed above. Comments, including names and 
street addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at 
the Arcata 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 environmental assessment. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information or to have your name 
added to the mailing list, contact Bob Wick, telephone (707) 825-2321 
or e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A plan amendment is needed because the 
existing 1992 Arcata RMP does not provide specific management direction 
for the coastal properties identified in this notice (since they were 
not managed by the BLM at the time of the RMP approval). The lands 
contain a number of resource issues/opportunities that call for a plan 
amendment to facilitate management. Portions of the acquired lands 
contain populations of Federally listed threatened and endangered 
species including two plants; beach layia (Layia carnosa) and Humboldt 
Bay wallflower (Erysimum menziesii ssp. eurekense); one endangered 
bird, the California brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis 
californicus); and one threatened bird, the western snowy plover 
(Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus). The plan amendment will include 
measures to protect habitat for these species.
    The South Spit makes up the majority of the acquired lands and is 
the primary reason behind the timeframe for the RMP amendment. Through 
a Deed of Conservation Easement, the State of California conveyed to 
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) management authority over the South 
Spit in all aspects of its use in perpetuity. The deed conveying an 
easement to the BLM from the State of California stated that the area 
will be administered consistent with management planning. This long-
term management plan will involve a community-based partnership 
approach with all interested parties and the general public. This 
includes the Table Bluff Reservation--Wiyot Tribe, government agencies, 
environmental and conservation organizations, and recreation groups. 
The BLM completed an interim plan/biological assessment in 2003 with an 
understanding that a long-term plan would be completed within three 
years (2006). The current process will serve to develop this long-term 
plan and will include both RMP and implementation level decisions.
    The South Spit is a unique and significant area to the region. Due 
to the area's natural diversity, cultural resource values, and 
populations of sensitive species, protection of these resources is 
necessary and will require active management. The South Spit has 
historically provided a variety of recreation activities and other 
public uses. The BLM will work collaboratively with other agencies, 
tribes and interested parties to identify the management decisions that 
are best suited to local, regional, and national needs and concerns. 
Preliminary issues and management concerns have been identified by BLM 
personnel, other

[[Page 72848]]

agencies, and in meetings with individuals and user groups, including: 
Protection and enhancement of threatened and endangered plant and 
animal species and their habitats; Control of invasive non-native 
vegetation, including European beachgrass, iceplant, yellow bush 
lupine, and others; Importance of the area to the cultural heritage of 
the Wiyot people and sensitivity of Tribal areas; Traditional use for 
recreation opportunities such as waterfowl hunting, wildlife/wildlands 
observation, photography, fishing, surfing, environmental education, 
horse use and vehicle access to the waveslope.
    Disciplines involved in the planning process will include 
specialists with expertise in wildlife management, geology, 
archaeology, lands and realty, recreation, botany, and information 
technology. Several alternatives will be evaluated as part of the 
Environmental Assessment process. These will include: A ``No Action'' 
Alternative-continuation of present management; and one or several 
other alternatives to best address the issues identified during the 
scoping process.

    Dated: October 11, 2005.
Lynda Roush,
Field Manager, Arcata Field Office.
 [FR Doc. E5-6976 Filed 12-6-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P