[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 37 (Friday, February 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11152-11153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4198]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVCO0000.L16100000.DO0000.LXSS155F0000; 12-08807; MO 
4500030996; TAS: 14X1109]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Revision to the Carson City 
District 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 and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Carson City 
District (CCD), Carson City, Nevada, intends to prepare a Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) revision with an associated Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Carson City District, and by this notice is 
announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public 
comments and identify issues. The BLM will also seek nominations for 
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and information on lands 
that may possess wilderness characteristics. The RMP will replace the 
existing Carson City Field Office Consolidated RMP (2001).

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the RMP 
with associated EIS. Comments on issues may be submitted in writing 
until April 24, 2012. Public scoping meetings will be held in Reno, 
Carson City, Yerington, Fallon, Hawthorne, and Minden, Nevada. The 
meeting times and addresses will be announced through the local news 
media, newsletters, mailings and the BLM project Web site: www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carsoncity_field.html at least 15 days prior to the event. 
All comments must be received prior to the close of the 60-day scoping 
period or 30 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later. 
The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public participation 
upon publication of the Draft RMP/EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to the Carson City RMP/EIS revision by using any of the 
following methods:
     Web site: www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carsoncity_field.html.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 775-885-6147 Attention: Carson City RMP.
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, 
Carson City, Nevada 89701 Attention: Carson City RMP.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Carson City 
District Office during regular business hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday except holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: And/or to have your name added to the 
mailing list, call Colleen Sievers, Project Manager, 775-885-6000, or 
email [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 
1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business 
hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a 
message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply 
during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM 
Carson City District intends to prepare an RMP with an associated EIS 
for the Carson City District Planning Area,

[[Page 11153]]

announces the beginning of the scoping process, and seeks public input 
on issues and planning criteria. The planning area is located in 
portions of 12 counties within 2 States (Washoe, Storey, Carson City, 
Douglas, Lyon, Churchill, Mineral, and Nye counties within Nevada; and 
Sierra, Alpine, Plumas, and Lassen counties within California), and 
encompasses approximately 5 million acres of public land. The planning 
area includes all lands regardless of jurisdiction; however the BLM 
will only make decisions on lands or interest in land under the BLM's 
jurisdiction, including subsurface minerals. The decision area includes 
only public land or interest in land managed by the BLM. The purpose of 
the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that may 
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, Federal, 
State, and local agencies, and other stakeholders. The issues include, 
but are not limited to: Managing vegetative and water resources, 
including noxious and invasive species management; identifying 
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife and fish priority habitats; 
identifying and evaluating Areas of Critical Environmental Concern; 
identifying lands with wilderness characteristics; determining 
eligibility for Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Scenic and Historic 
Trail management, identifying off-highway vehicle designations and 
travel management, and special recreation management areas to meet 
increasing recreation demands; managing and protecting cultural, 
historical, and paleontological resources, as well as Native American 
religious and traditional values; visual resource management; managing 
renewable energy development for geothermal, solar and wind; 
identifying land tenure adjustments to meet community growth needs and 
sustainable development, and to facilitate the management of public 
lands; managing minerals, including stipulations to protect sensitive 
resources. Additional management concerns identified by the BLM 
include: Urban mining; grazing allotments near urban areas; and access 
to public lands. Preliminary planning criteria include: (1) The RMP 
revision will comply with FLPMA and all other applicable laws, 
regulations, and policies; (2) The RMP revision will analyze impacts 
from all alternatives in accordance with regulations at 43 CFR part 
1610 and 40 CFR part 1500; (3) Decisions in the RMP revision will only 
apply to public lands and the mineral estate managed by the BLM; (4) 
The RMP revision process will follow the BLM Land Use Planning Handbook 
H-1601-1; (5) The RMP revision planning process will include broad-
based public participation; (6) The RMP revision process will consider 
the identification and management of lands with wilderness 
characteristics; and (7) The RMP revision decisions will consider and 
incorporate existing plans and policies to the maximum extent possible 
of adjacent local, State, Federal, and tribal agencies to the extent 
consistent with Federal law and regulations applicable to public lands; 
(8) The RMP revision process will rely on available inventories of the 
lands and resources as well as data gathered during the planning 
process; (9) The RMP revision process will follow requirements to 
address sage-grouse habitat and conservation as outlined in the 
National Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy, the Greater Sage-
Grouse Notice of Intent (FR 2011-36152, December 9, 2011), and the most 
current BLM guidance and instruction memoranda; (10) The RMP revisions 
process will use Geographic Information Systems and corporate 
geospatial data to the extent practicable and Federal Geographic Data 
Committee standards and other applicable BLM data standards will be 
followed; (11) The RMP revision EIS will be developed through the BLM's 
ePlanning system to the extent consistent with the current 
functionality of the system and schedule considerations; (12) The RMP 
revision will incorporate and observe the principles of multiple use 
and sustained yield; (13) The RMP planning process will involve 
consultation with Native American tribal governments; (14) The RMP 
revision will recognize valid existing rights and incorporate valid 
existing management from the existing Carson City Field Office 
Consolidated RMP (2001) as appropriate; (15) The RMP revision will 
include a review of eligibility findings and tentative classification 
of waterways as eligible for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic 
River System and follow the criteria contained in 43 CFR part 8351.
    The BLM will collaborate with tribes, State and local governments, 
Federal agencies, local stakeholders, and others with interest in the 
RMP revision process. You may submit comments on issues and planning 
criteria to the BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES 
section above. Before including an address, phone number, email 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that the entire comment--including 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 the identified issues to be addressed 
in the RMP and will place them into one of three categories:
    1. Issues to be resolved by the RMP;
    2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of this RMP.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the Draft RMP/Draft EIS as 
to why an issue is placed in category two or three. The public is also 
encouraged to help identify management questions and concerns that 
should be addressed in the RMP. 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 BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the RMP 
in order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns 
identified. Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines 
will be involved in the planning process: Wildlife and fisheries; 
threatened and endangered species; special status species; vegetation; 
invasive and noxious weeds; renewable energy; lands and realty; 
minerals management; outdoor recreation; off highway vehicle and 
transportation; air resources; visual resources; cultural resources and 
Native American concerns; paleontology; hydrology; public safety; law 
enforcement; fire ecology and management; forestry; rangeland 
management; sociology and economics; and Geographic Information 
Systems.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 1610.2.

Amy Lueders,
Nevada State Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-4198 Filed 2-23-12; 8:45 am]
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