[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 229 (Friday, November 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70892-70893]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28004]
[[Page 70892]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVC00000.L16100000.DP0000 LXSS155F0000; 14-08807; MO# 4500065255]
Notice of Availability of the Carson City District Draft Resource
Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance 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) has prepared the
Carson City District Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Carson City District
Office, Sierra Front and Stillwater Field Offices, and by this notice
is announcing the opening of the comment period.
DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the Carson City District Draft RMP and Draft EIS
within 120 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes this notice of the Draft RMP/Draft EIS in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Carson City District
Draft RMP/Draft EIS by any of the following methods:
Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carson_city_field.html.
Email: [email protected].
Fax: 775-885-6147.
Mail: BLM Carson City District, Attn: CCD RMP, 5665 Morgan
Mill Rd., Carson City, NV 89701.
Copies of the Carson City District Draft RMP/Draft EIS are available in
the Carson City District Office at the above address or on the
following Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carson_city_field.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colleen Sievers, RMP Project Manager,
telephone: 775-885-6168; address: 5665 Morgan Mill Rd., Carson City, NV
89701; 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 Carson City District Draft RMP/Draft EIS
would replace the existing 2001 Carson City Field Office Consolidated
RMP. The Draft RMP/Draft EIS was developed through a collaborative
planning process. The Carson City District Draft RMP decision area
encompasses approximately 4.8 million acres of public land administered
by the BLM Carson City District in portions of 11 counties within 2
States (Washoe, Storey, Carson City, Douglas, Lyon, Churchill, Mineral,
and Nye counties in Nevada; and Alpine, Plumas, and Lassen counties in
California). It does not include private lands, State lands, Indian
reservations, or Federal lands not administered by BLM.
The Carson City District Draft RMP/Draft EIS includes goals,
objectives and management actions for protecting and preserving natural
resources which includes air quality, soil and water resources,
vegetation, fish and wildlife, special status species, wild horses and
burros, wildland fire management, cultural and paleontological
resources, and visual resource values. Multiple resource uses are
addressed which include management and forage allocations for livestock
grazing; delineation of lands open, closed, or subject to special
stipulations or mitigation measures for minerals development;
recreation and travel management designations; management of lands and
realty actions, including delineation of avoidance and exclusion areas
applicable to rights-of-ways, land tenure adjustments, and solar and
wind energy development. Eligible river segments will be identified for
suitability designation as components of the National Wild and Scenic
River System and 24 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) are
proposed. The ACECs are proposed to protect biological, botanical,
historic, cultural, paleontological and scenic values.
The Draft RMP/Draft EIS analyzes five management alternatives.
Alternative A is the No Action Alternative, which is the continuation
of current management under the existing 2001 Consolidated RMP and
subsequent amendments. This alternative describes the current goals and
actions for management of resources and land uses in the planning area.
The management direction could also be modified by current laws,
regulations, and policies. Alternative B emphasizes opportunities to
use and develop resources within the planning area. It would provide
for motorized access and commodity production with minimal restrictions
while providing protection of natural and cultural resources to the
extent required by law, regulation, and policy. This alternative would
largely rely on existing laws, regulations, and policies, rather than
special management or special designations, to protect sensitive
resources. Alternative C emphasizes the protection of the planning
area's resource values while allowing commodity uses as consistent with
current laws, regulations, and policies. Management actions would
emphasize resource values such as habitat for wildlife and plant
species (including special status species), protection of riparian
areas and water quality, preservation of ecologically important areas,
maintenance of wilderness characteristics, and protection of
scientifically important cultural and paleontological sites. Access to
and development of resources within the planning area could occur with
intensive management and mitigation of surface-disturbing and
disruptive activities. Alternative D emphasizes the increased demand on
BLM-administered lands within the urban interface area. The interface
is a set of conditions that affect resources and how they can be
managed, rather than a geographic place. Enhanced community development
through a change in land tenure is reflected in this alternative.
Alternative D provides for increased management of recreational
opportunities in areas of high use while reducing conflict between use
of the BLM-administered land and adjacent private landowners. Specific
measures would also be applied to manage for increased pressures on the
land and a higher demand from the public while minimizing adverse
effects on local communities. Alternative E emphasizes a balance
between resource protection and resource use, which provides
opportunities to use and develop resources within the planning area
while ensuring resource protection. The BLM Carson City District's
preferred alternative is Alternative E.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b), this notice announces a concurrent
public comment period for potential ACECs. There are 4 existing and 9
new ACECs proposed in Alternative B, 5 existing and 18 new ACECs
proposed in Alternative C, 3 existing and 8 new ACECs proposed in
Alternative D, and 4 existing and 4 new ACECs in Alternative E. The
ACECs are proposed to protect biological, botanical, historic,
cultural, paleontological and scenic values. Alternatives B, D, and E
all
[[Page 70893]]
propose to remove the ACEC designation from the current Carson
Wandering Skipper ACEC (330 acres). Alternative D proposes to remove
the ACEC designation from the Stewart Valley Paleontological ACEC
(15,900 acres). Additionally, Alternatives B, C, D, and E propose to
remove the ACEC designation from the Steamboat Hot Springs Geyer Basin
ACEC (40 acres). One existing ACEC is proposed to be expanded under
Alternatives B, C, D and E.
The new potential ACECs in Alternative B include: Black Mountain/
Pistone Archaeological District (3,400 acres), Churchill Narrows
Buckwheat Botanical (6,600 acres), Fox Peak Cultural (48,400 acres),
Greater Sand Mountain (17,000 acres), Grimes Point Archaeological
District (15,900 acres), Namazii Wunu Cultural (158,300 acres),
Ruhenstroth Paleontological (2,300 acres), Tagim asa Cultural (81,800
acres), and the Virginia City National Landmark Historic District
(14,700 acres). Alternative B would retain the existing Incandescent
Rocks Scenic (1,100 acres), Stewart Valley Paleontological (15,900
acres), and the Virginia Range Williams Combleaf Botanical (470 acres)
ACECs and would expand the Pah Rah High Basin Petroglyph ACEC (5,300
acres).
The new potential ACECs in Alternative C include: Black Mountain/
Pistone Archaeological District (3,400 acres), Churchill Narrows
Buckwheat Botanical (6,600 acres), Clan Alpine Greater Sage-Grouse
(98,400 acres), Desatoya Greater Sage-Grouse (105,100 acres), Dixie
Valley Toad (410 acres), Fox Peak Cultural (48,400 acres), Greater Sand
Mountain (17,000 acres), Grimes Point Archaeological District (15,900
acres), Lassen Red Rock Scenic (800 acres), Namazii Wunu Cultural
(158,300 acres), Pine Nut Bi-State Sage-Grouse (100,400 acres), Pine
Nut Mountains Williams Combleaf Botanical (330 acres), Ruhenstroth
Paleontological (2,300 acres), Sand Springs Desert Study Area (50
acres), Steamboat Buckwheat Botanical (80 acres), Tagim asa Cultural
(81,800 acres), Virginia City National Landmark Historic District
(14,700 acres) and the Virginia Mountains Greater Sage-Grouse (109,200
acres). Alternative C would retain the existing Carson Wandering
Skipper (330 acres), Incandescent Rocks Scenic (1,100 acres), Stewart
Valley Paleontological (15,900 acres), and the Virginia Range Williams
Combleaf Botanical (470 acres) ACECs and would expand the Pah Rah High
Basin Petroglyph ACEC (5,300 acres).
The new potential ACECs in Alternative D include: Black Mountain/
Pistone Archaeological District (3,400 acres), Churchill Narrows
Buckwheat Botanical (6,600 acres), Fox Peak Cultural (48,400 acres),
Grimes Point Archaeological District (15,900 acres), Pine Nut Mountains
Williams Combleaf Botanical (330 acres), Ruhenstroth Paleontological
(2,300 acres), Tagim asa Cultural (81,800 acres), and the Virginia City
National Landmark Historic District (14,700 acres). Alternative D would
retain the existing Incandescent Rocks Scenic (1,100 acres) and the
Virginia Range Williams Combleaf Botanical (470 acres) ACECs and would
expand the Pah Rah High Basin Petroglyph ACEC (5,300 acres).
The new potential ACECs in Alternative E include: Churchill Narrows
Buckwheat Botanical (6,600 acres), Fox Peak Cultural (48,400 acres),
Grimes Point Archaeological District (15,900 acres), and the
Ruhenstroth Paleontological (2,300 acres). Alternative E would retain
the existing Incandescent Rocks Scenic (1,100 acres), Stewart Valley
Paleontological (15,900 acres), and the Virginia Range Williams
Combleaf Botanical (470 acres) ACECs and would expand the Pah Rah High
Basin Petroglyph ACEC (5,300 acres).
The following management prescriptions could apply to potential
ACECs, if formally designated, depending on each individual ACEC: avoid
or exclude linear ROWs; avoid or exclude site-type ROWs; close to or
place use constraints on fluid leasable mineral development; close to
solid leasable mineral development; recommend withdrawal of locatable
mineral development; close to saleable mineral development; not
available for livestock grazing; manage as VRM Class II; Special
Recreation Permits would not be issued; close to camping; closed or
limited to designated routes for motorized travel; place seasonal
restrictions of ground disturbing actions; prohibit the collection of
vegetation; and seasonally closed for Native American cultural/
religious use.
Public meetings on the Draft RMP/Draft EIS are currently scheduled
for 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.; on January 13, at the John Ascuaga's Nugget
(1100 Nugget Ave.) in Sparks, Nevada; on January 15, at the Fallon
Convention Center (100 Campus Way) in Fallon, Nevada; on January 20, at
the Mineral County Library (First & A Street) in Hawthorne, Nevada; on
January 22, at the Carson Valley Inn (1627 US Hwy 395 N) in Minden,
Nevada; and on January 29, at the Yerington Elementary School (112 N.
California St.) in Yerington, Nevada. An additional public meeting will
be held from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., on January 24, at the Carson City Plaza
Hotel and Event Center (801 South Carson Street) in Carson City,
Nevada. Additional public meetings are anticipated in coordination with
local County Commissions and Boards of Supervisors. Any such additional
meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through public
notices, media releases, and/or mailings.
Please note that public comments and information submitted
including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who
submit comments will be available for public review and disclosure at
the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.),
Monday through Friday, except holidays.
Before including your address, phone number, email 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.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2
Marci Todd,
Associate State Director, Nevada.
[FR Doc. 2014-28004 Filed 11-26-14; 8:45 am]
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