[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 85 (Thursday, May 1, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24085-24086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-9520]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-350-1610-DR]


Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Alturas 
Resource Management Plan

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) policies, the BLM announces the 
availability of the Record of Decision (ROD)/Approved Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) for the Alturas Field Office. The California 
State Director has signed the ROD, which constitutes the final decision 
of the BLM and makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD and RMP are available upon request from 
the Field Manager, Alturas Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 708 
West 12th Street Alturas, CA 96101, or via the internet at http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/prog/planning.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Jeff 
Fontana, Public Affairs Officer, Bureau of Land Management, 2950 
Riverside Dr., Susanville, CA 96130, telephone (530) 257-0456, or e-
mail your request to: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Alturas Field Office includes 
approximately 503,045 acres in northeastern California. The geographic 
area includes BLM-administered lands within the counties of Modoc, 
Lassen, Shasta, and Siskiyou, California. The Alturas RMP was developed 
in coordination with the Eagle Lake and Surprise Field Office RMPs to 
provide a consistent framework for managing public lands and resource 
uses in northeast California and far northwest Nevada. BLM officially 
initiated the planning process for the Draft Alturas Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) with publication of a Notice of Intent in the 
Federal Register on July 22, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 140). Issues 
related to resource management in the Alturas planning area were 
assembled during the scoping process consisting of public scoping 
meetings, field tours, socioeconomic workshops, and interactions with 
federal, state, tribal, and county collaborators.
    The RMP describes management actions to meet desired resource 
conditions for vegetation communities, wildlife habitats, and cultural 
and visual resources. It also outlines actions for recreation, 
protection of sensitive natural and cultural resources, livestock 
grazing, wild and scenic rivers, guidance for energy and mineral 
development, land tenure adjustments, and other planning issues raised 
during the scoping process.
    The Alturas RMP designated seven Areas of Critical Environmental 
Concern (ACECs): Ash Valley ACEC (1,322 acres); Timbered Crater (17,896 
acres); Emigrant Trials (1,750 acres); Mountain Peaks (3,500 acres); 
Old-Growth Juniper (3,115 acres); Mount Dome (1,510 acres); and Yankee 
Jim/Likely Tablelands/Fitzhugh Creek (1,400 acres). The following types 
of resource use limitations apply to these ACECs: (1) New rights-of-way 
exclusion; (2) Visual Resource Management Class II; (3) Certain 
restrictions to energy and mineral development; and (4) Motorized 
travel permitted only on designated open routes.
    The BLM's Draft Alturas RMP/Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) (April 2006) presented five alternatives to help the BLM and 
interested parties understand the various ways of addressing issues in 
the region. Upon evaluation of the alternatives and associated impacts 
described in the Draft RMP/EIS and based on public and agency comments 
on that document, the BLM prepared the Alturas Proposed RMP and Final 
EIS which was released on June 15, 2007. The Proposed RMP is comprised 
of the preferred alternative identified in the Draft RMP/EIS with small 
changes as a result of comments received.
    Two protest letters on the Alturas Proposed RMP were received and 
resolved by the BLM Director. The BLM determined that the Proposed 
Action, as described in the Proposed RMP and Final EIS, best meets the 
purpose and need for the project.
    The Governor of the State of California in his letter dated 
September 17, 2007 stated, ``Pursuant to 43 CFR 1603-2, and after 
consulting with affected State and Local agencies, the Governor's 
Office of Planning and Research (OPR) has not found any inconsistencies 
with any state or local plans, policies, or programs with

[[Page 24086]]

regards to this [Proposed] Resource Management Plan.''
    The decisions identifying designated routes of travel for motorized 
vehicles are implementation decisions and are appealable to the 
Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) under 43 CFR part 4. These 
decisions are contained in Chapter 2.16.6 and shown on Map TRAVEL-2 of 
the RMP. Any party adversely affected by the BLM's decision(s) to 
identify, evaluate, define, delineate, and/or select specific routes as 
available for motorized use within designated areas of travel as set 
forth in the Alturas Resource Management Plan may appeal within 30 days 
of publication of this Notice of Availability.
    The appeal must be filed with the Alturas Field Manager at the 
above listed address. Please consult 43 CFR part 4 for further 
information on the IBLA appeal process.

Tim Burke,
Alturas Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. E8-9520 Filed 4-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P