[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 62 (Friday, March 30, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19317-19318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7546]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVS01000 L58530000 EU0000; 11-08807; MO 4500022239; TAS: 
14X5232]


Notice of Availability of the Final Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement and Record of Decision for the Upper Las Vegas Wash 
Conservation Transfer Area, Las Vegas, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a 
Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and a Record of 
Decision (ROD) for the Upper Las Vegas Wash Conservation Transfer Area, 
Las Vegas, Nevada, and by this notice is announcing their availability.

DATES: The final decision on the Upper Las Vegas Wash Conservation 
Transfer Area will not become effective for a minimum of 30 days after 
the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice of 
availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Printed copies or a compact disc of the Final Supplemental 
EIS are available on request from the BLM Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 
N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89130, phone 702-515-5000, or 
email to: [email protected]. Interested persons may also 
review the Final Supplemental EIS at the following Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.html.
    Copies of the Final Supplemental EIS and ROD are available for 
public inspection at the following locations in Nevada:
     BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno
     BLM Southern Nevada District Office, 4701 North Torrey 
Pines Drive, Las Vegas

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Ross, telephone 702-515-5199; 
address Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, 
NV 89130; 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: The Final Supplemental EIS describes and 
analyzes boundary adjustments to the Upper Las Vegas Wash Conservation 
Transfer Area (CTA). The CTA study area is located in the northern 
portion of the Las Vegas Valley. In 1998, the Southern Nevada Public 
Land Management Act (SNPLMA) authorized the BLM to dispose of Federal 
land in Clark County, Nevada. In 2002, the Clark County Conservation of 
Public Land and Natural Resources Act amended the SNPLMA to expand the 
disposal boundary area and added approximately 22,000 acres of land 
available for disposal. The BLM analyzed the impacts of all lands 
eligible for disposal in the Las Vegas Valley in the 2004 Las Vegas 
Disposal Boundary Final EIS and ROD. The Las Vegas Disposal Boundary 
Final EIS identified a 5,000 acre general area as the CTA and 
stipulated additional study be conducted to determine a final CTA 
boundary. Subsequently, due to extensive public input, an additional 
8,000 acres were added to the 5,000-acre CTA study area. This Final 
Supplemental EIS is the culmination of the boundary study. The BLM 
prepared a Supplemental EIS because of the significance of 
paleontological, botanical, hydrological, and cultural resources 
present within the CTA study area and the need for additional public 
input. The Final Supplemental EIS/ROD selects the Preferred Alternative 
B as the final boundary for the CTA, which will ensure protection of 
sensitive resources, including fossils, cultural resources, the

[[Page 19318]]

natural functioning of the wash, and endemic plants on public lands 
within the CTA study area. The Final Supplemental EIS analyzed five 
action alternatives ranging from approximately 13,000 acres to less 
than 1,500 acres and the no action alternative.
     Alternative A: 12,953 acres, includes the fossil 
formation, sensitive cultural and plant resources, active wash, the 
adjacent alluvial fan, and a 1-mile resource-protection zone around the 
northern and eastern boundaries of the Las Vegas Paiute reservation.
     Alternative B: 10,670 acres, includes culturally 
significant lands, the fossil formation, sensitive plant resources, the 
active wash, open space adjacent to the Las Vegas Paiute reservation, 
and the adjacent alluvial fan as unavailable for disposal and 
development. Alternative B includes 2,653 acres within the 13,000-acre 
study area available for development. Alternative B was originally 
proposed as 11,008 acres and was revised from the Draft Supplemental 
EIS.
     Alternative C: 6,362 acres, includes the fossil formation, 
sensitive cultural and plant resources, active wash, and a portion of 
the adjacent alluvial fan.
     Alternative D: 5,301 acres, includes most of the fossil 
formation, the sensitive cultural and rare plant resources, and the 
active wash.
     Alternative E: 3,314 acres, includes some of the fossil 
formation, the sensitive cultural and rare plant resources, and part of 
the active wash.
     No Action Alternative: 1,448 acres, includes the Tule 
Spring cultural site and the 300-acre Eglington Preserve.
    On January 22, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency published 
the Notice of Availability for the Draft Supplemental EIS for this 
project in the Federal Register [75 FR 3730]. The BLM held three public 
meetings and accepted written comments during a 60-day comment period, 
which was extended an additional 60 days. A total of 1,914 responses 
from individuals and 13 comments from governmental entities were 
received. The comments pertained to a variety of broad categories, 
including alternatives, boundaries, management, and physical/natural 
resources. The Final Supplemental EIS addresses the following issues 
identified during the comment period: the NEPA process (consultation/
coordination, proposal description, alternatives, and connected 
actions/cumulative impacts); social resources (cultural, visual, noise, 
land use, recreation, transportation, and socioeconomic); and physical/
natural resources (botanical, water, paleontological, and earth).
    Comments on the Draft Supplemental EIS received from the public and 
internal BLM review were considered and incorporated as appropriate 
into the Final Supplemental EIS. Public comments resulted in the 
addition of clarifying text, but did not significantly change the 
proposed decision.
    Filing an Appeal:
    The decision by BLM to select the revised Alternative B boundary as 
the agency's Preferred Alternative is appealable subject to 43 CFR part 
4, subpart E--Special Rules Applicable to Public Land Hearings and 
Appeals, and 43 CFR 2801.10. Any party adversely affected by this 
decision may appeal within the 30 day timeframe by filing an appeal 
with the BLM Las Vegas Field Manager, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las 
Vegas, Nevada 89130, or fax: 702-515-5023. A copy of the notice of 
appeal, and statement of reasons and all pertinent documents must be 
served on each adverse party named in the decision from which the 
appeal is taken and on the Office of the Regional Solicitor, U.S. 
Department of the Interior, Pacific Southwest Region, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Room E-1712, Sacramento, California 95826, no later than 15 days after 
filing documents with the Las Vegas Field Manager.
    To file a petition for stay of the ROD pursuant to 43 CFR 4.21 
while an appeal is pending before the Interior Board of Land Appeals 
(IBLA), the petition for stay must accompany the Notice of Appeal (43 
CFR 4.21 or 43 CFR 2801.10). A petition for stay must show sufficient 
justification based on the standards listed in 43 CFR 4.21(b). If a 
petition for stay is submitted with the notice of appeal, a copy of the 
notice of appeal and petition for stay must be served on the IBLA at 
the same time it is filed with the Las Vegas Field Manager. Persons 
interested in filing an appeal are encouraged to consult the cited 
Federal regulations for additional appeal requirements.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10.

Robert B. Ross, Jr.,
Las Vegas Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 2012-7546 Filed 3-29-12; 8:45 am]
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