[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 428-429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-31251]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVSO0000.L16100000.DO0000.LXSS100F0000; 9-08807; TAS: 14X1109]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Revision to the Las Vegas Resource 
Management Plan and Associated Environmental Impact Statement, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976, 
as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Southern Nevada 
District intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) revision 
with an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Las 
Vegas RMP and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping 
process and soliciting input on the identification of issues and the 
proposed planning criteria. The RMP revision will replace the existing 
Las Vegas RMP.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the RMP 
with an associated EIS. Comments on issues may be submitted in writing 
until February 4, 2010. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping 
meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local 
media, newspapers and the BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.html. In order to be included in the Draft EIS, all comments 
must be received prior to the close of the scoping period or 15 days 
after the last public

[[Page 429]]

meeting, whichever is later. We will provide additional opportunities 
for public participation upon publication of the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to the Las Vegas RMP/EIS Revision by any of the following 
methods:
     Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.html.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (702) 515-5023.
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, 4701 North Torrey Pines 
Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89130-2301.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the 
Southern Nevada District Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to the mailing list, contact Carrie Ronning, Telephone 
(702) 515-5143 or by e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM 
Field Office, Las Vegas, Nevada intends to prepare a RMP with an 
associated EIS for the Las Vegas Office and part of the Pahrump Field 
Office. The document also announces the beginning of the scoping 
process and the opportunity for public input on issues and planning 
criteria. The planning area is located in Nye and Clark counties and 
encompasses approximately 3.1 million acres of public land. The purpose 
of the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will 
influence the scope of the environmental analysis, including 
alternatives, and guide the planning process. Preliminary issues for 
the planning area have been identified by BLM personnel, other State 
and Federal agencies, and other stakeholders. The issues include 
renewable energy development for geothermal, wind, and solar power; 
management of site type rights-of-way for renewable energy and other 
uses; visual resource management; land tenure adjustments to meet 
community growth needs; management of split-estate lands; evaluation of 
existing and potential new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern; 
Wild and Scenic River designation for the Virgin River; Off-Highway 
Vehicle Designations and Special Recreation Management Areas; and fluid 
minerals management stipulations to protect sensitive resources. The 
preliminary planning criteria include the items discussed below.
    (1) The planning area is defined as the area covered by the 
existing Las Vegas RMP. The plan revision will make planning 
determinations for public lands within the defined planning area 
boundary.
    (2) The plan revision effort will rely on available inventories of 
the lands and resources as well as data gathered during the planning 
process, which will include an updated wilderness characteristics 
inventory, to reach sound management decisions. Any decisions requiring 
additional inventories will be deferred until such time as the 
inventories can be conducted.
    (3) Use and protection of water, water resources, riparian zones, 
and other related values will be given a high priority.
    (4) Geographic Information Systems and corporate geospatial data 
will be used to the extent practicable.
    (5) The plan revision will be consistent to the maximum extent 
possible with the plans and management programs of local government, 
consistent with state and Federal laws and regulations and coordinated 
with other Federal agencies where appropriate.
    (6) The principles of multiple use and sustained yield will be 
followed.
    (7) The planning process will involve consultation with Native 
American Tribal governments.
    (8) The RMP revision will acknowledge valid existing rights 
established under the current Las Vegas RMP.
    (9) Federal Geographic Data Committee standards and other 
applicable BLM data standards will be followed.
    (10) Opportunities for public involvement will be encouraged 
throughout the RMP process.
    (11) Findings and tentative classification of waterways as eligible 
for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River System will follow 
the criteria contained in 43 CFR 8351.
    (12) The impacts of various proposed land uses on land with 
wilderness characteristics will be analyzed as part of the RMP process.
    (13) Environmental protection and energy production are desirable 
and necessary objectives and will not be considered mutually exclusive 
priorities.
    You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing 
to the BLM at any public scoping meeting, or you may submit them to the 
BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. To 
be most helpful, you should submit comments within 60 days of the last 
public meeting. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware 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 your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so. The minutes and list of attendees for each 
scoping meeting will be available to the public and open for 30 days 
after the meeting to any participant who wishes to clarify the views he 
or she expressed. The BLM will evaluate identified issues to be 
addressed in the plan and will place them into one of three categories. 
These categories are:
    (1) Issues to be resolved in the plan;
    (2) Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
or
    (3) Issues beyond the scope of this plan.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the plan as to why it placed 
an issue in category two or three. The public is also encouraged to 
help identify any management questions and concerns that should be 
addressed in the plan.
    The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan 
and to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns identified. 
Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines will be 
involved in the planning process: renewable energy, lands and realty, 
minerals management, outdoor recreation, air resources, visual 
resources, vegetation, cultural resources, paleontology, botany, 
special status species, wildlife and fisheries, hydrology, sociology 
and economics.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.

Ron Wenker,
Nevada State Director.
[FR Doc. E9-31251 Filed 1-4-10; 8:45 am]
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