[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 124 (Monday, June 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37012-37013]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15794]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAC05000 L14400000.KD0000 15XL1109AF]


Notice of Intent To Amend the Resource Management Plan and 
Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment for the Ukiah Field 
Office, California, To Modify the Boundary of the Knoxville Area of 
Critical Environmental Concern and Identify Public Lands for Disposal

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ukiah 
Field Office, Ukiah, California intends to prepare a Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) amendment with an associated Environmental 
Assessment (EA) to modify the boundary of the Knoxville Area of 
Environmental Concern (ACEC) and identify public lands for exchange in 
Lake, Napa and Yolo Counties. By this notice, the BLM is announcing the 
beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and 
identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the RMP 
amendment and associated EA. Comments on issues may be submitted in 
writing until 30 days after the date of this notice in the Federal 
Register. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be 
announced at least 15 days in advance through the local news media, 
newspapers and the BLM Web site at: www.blm.gov/ca/ukiah. In order to 
be included in the analysis, all comments must be received prior to the 
close of the 30-day scoping period or 15 days after the last public 
meeting, whichever is later. Additional opportunities for public 
participation will be provided as appropriate.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to the RMP amendment EA by any of the following methods:
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Ukiah Field Office, 2550 
North State Street, Ukiah, CA 95482
     Fax: 707-468-4027
     Email: [email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The BLM Ukiah Field Office, telephone: 
707-468-4000; address: Bureau of Land Management, Ukiah Field Office, 
2550 North State Street, Ukiah, CA 95482; or email: 
[email protected]. Contact Ms. Jonna Hildenbrand to have your 
name added to our mailing list. 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 
Ukiah Field Office, Ukiah, California, intends to prepare an RMP 
amendment with an associated EA to modify the boundary of the Knoxville 
Area of Critical Environmental Concern and identify public lands for 
exchange. This notice announces the beginning of the scoping process, 
and seeks public input on issues and planning criteria. The planning 
area is located in Lake, Napa, and Yolo counties and encompasses 
approximately 170 acres of public land.
    In 1999, the BLM Ukiah Field Office was approached by Homestake 
Mining Company of California, about a proposed land exchange. The 
proposal stated that the BLM would dispose of four non-contiguous, 
scattered, and mostly non-accessible federal parcels comprising 170 
acres in Lake, Napa, and Yolo counties. The BLM would acquire portions 
of two private parcels comprising approximately 345 acres in Napa 
County, California.
    The BLM initiated the exchange feasibility process in 2000 as 
required by the BLM's lands and realty policy and regulations. A 
feasibility analysis report was finalized for the proposed exchange and 
approved by the BLM California State Director with written concurrence 
and approval by the BLM Washington Office in 2007. The Record of 
Decision (ROD) for the Ukiah RMP was signed on September 25, 2006. 
During preparation of the Ukiah RMP, the BLM lands identified for 
disposal as part of the land exchange were not clearly depicted on the 
map. As a result, some of the parcels were mistakenly included within 
an ACEC.
    Accordingly, the BLM is preparing to identify lands that were in 
the process of disposal prior to, during and after the ROD was signed. 
The RMP amendment will incorporate new relevant information and program 
guidance and policies developed since the 2006 ROD.
    The proposed exchange would assist in meeting the goals and 
objectives of the RMP by acquiring willingly offered private lands to 
consolidate land ownership while also disposing of scattered tracts 
where federal management for recreation and resource enhancement is 
impractical. Additionally, this will satisfy agreements created prior 
to the RMP between all the parties involved in the exchange.
    The purpose of the exchange is to acquire private lands to enhance 
legal public access primarily for recreational opportunities and values 
which include off highway vehicle use, camping, hunting, hiking, 
backpacking, mountain biking, and scenic and wildlife viewing within 
the Knoxville Recreation Area.
    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 plan amendment area have been identified by BLM 
personnel; Federal, State, and local agencies; and other stakeholders. 
The issues include recreation management, fire management, and the 
designation and management of special areas such as ACECs and public 
lands identified as suitable for disposal through land exchange under 
section 206 of FLPMA. Preliminary planning criteria include:
    1. Compliance with FLPMA, NEPA, and all other applicable laws;
    2. Coordination with local and county governments for analysis of 
economic and social impacts;
    3. Government-to-government consultation with federally recognized 
Tribes;
    4. Consideration of cost effectiveness of proposed actions and 
alternatives; and
    5. Consideration of impacts to visitors and resources.
    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. You 
should submit comments by the close of the 30-day scoping period or 
within 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later.
    The BLM will provide opportunities for public participation as 
required by NEPA and the National Historic

[[Page 37013]]

Preservation Act (NHPA). Information about historic and cultural 
resources within the area potentially affected by the proposed action 
will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts to such 
resources in the context of NEPA and NHPA.
    The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA scoping process to 
help fulfill the public involvement process under NHPA (54 U.S.C. 
306108) as provided by 36 CFR 800.2(d)(e). The information about 
historic and cultural resources within the area potentially affected by 
the proposed action will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating 
impacts to such resources.
    The BLM will consult with Indian Tribes on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other 
policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and 
potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due 
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with Tribes 
and other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the 
proposed action the BLM is evaluating are invited to participate in the 
scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the 
BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis as 
a cooperating agency.
    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. The BLM will evaluate identified issues and will place 
them into one of three categories:
    1. Issues to be resolved in the plan amendment;
    2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan amendment.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the EA as to why an issue 
was placed 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 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 plan 
amendment 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: Rangeland 
management, minerals and geology, outdoor recreation, archaeology, 
paleontology, wildlife and fisheries, lands and realty, hydrology, 
soils, and sociology and economics.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2

Rich Burns,
Ukiah Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 2015-15794 Filed 6-26-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-40-P