[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 32 (Friday, February 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7672-7673]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2682]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Truckhaven Geothermal Leasing Area, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Truckhaven Geothermal Leasing Area and 
by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. The 
main issues addressed in the Draft EIS are geothermal resource leasing, 
recreation, and special status species. The area is within the 
California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) and the preferred 
alternative is in conformance with the land use plan for the area. 
There are no species listed for protection under the Endangered Species 
Act (ESA) that occur in the area; however, the listed desert pupfish 
occurs within two miles of the area and potential impacts to that 
species are addressed in the Draft EIS. BLM will consult with the Fish 
and Wildlife Service on the desert pupfish. The most common public use 
of the area currently is motorized recreation. Impacts to recreation 
are addressed in the Draft EIS. Mitigation measures to reduce or 
eliminate conflicts with these uses have been developed in coordination 
with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, a cooperating 
agency on the project. These measures will apply to both action 
alternatives.

DATES: BLM must receive written comments on the Draft EIS within 60 
days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes 
their Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will 
announce future meetings and any other public involvement activities at 
least 15 days in advance through public notices, media news releases, 
and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by e-mail to [email protected]; fax 
to 951-697-5299; or mail to 22835 Calle San Juan de los Lagos, Moreno 
Valley, CA 92553.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Dalton, 951-697-5311.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Truckhaven Geothermal Leasing Area 
encompasses approximately 14,700 acres of Federal minerals in western 
Imperial County, California, north of State Route 78 and generally west 
and south of County Highway S-22. The area is part of the California 
Desert Conservation Area. The main issues addressed in the Draft EIS 
are geothermal resource leasing, recreation, and special status 
species. Three alternatives are analyzed in the Draft EIS: (1) No 
action, which would not lease any geothermal resources; (2) leasing 
only lands with existing noncompetitive lease applications; and

[[Page 7673]]

(3) the proposed action, which would offer all BLM managed lands within 
this area for lease, subject to certain stipulations and mitigation 
measures to be applied at the development stage. Individual respondents 
may request confidentiality. Before including your address, phone 
number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, be advised that your entire comment--including your 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public 
review your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that 
we will be able to do so. 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. Copies of the Draft 
EIS are available in the California Desert District Office at the above 
address; the El Centro Field Office, 1661 S. 4th St., El Centro, CA; 
and the California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA.

    Dated: January 10, 2007.
Thomas Zale,
Acting Field Manager.
 [FR Doc. E7-2682 Filed 2-15-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P