[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 227 (Wednesday, November 25, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73815-73816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-29982]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAD07000.L51010000.ER0000.LVRWB10B3860.XXX]


Notice of Intent To Amend the Resource Management Plan for the 
California Desert Conservation Area and Prepare an Associated 
Environmental Assessment for the Plan Amendment and the Eagle Crest 
Pumped Storage Project, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance 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) 
California Desert District, Moreno Valley, California, intends to 
prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment with an associated 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for both the plan amendment and the Eagle 
Crest Pumped Storage Project in the California Desert Conservation 
Area. By this notice the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping 
process to solicit public comments and identify issues for both 
proposals.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the Eagle 
Crest Pumped Storage Project plan amendment/EA. Comments on issues may 
be submitted in writing until December 28, 2015. The date(s) and 
location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced at least 15 days 
in advance through local news media, newspapers and the BLM Web site 
at: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings.html. In order to be 
included in the analysis, all comments must be received prior to the 
close of the 30-day scoping period. We will provide additional 
opportunities for public participation as appropriate.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to Eagle Mountain Pumped Storage

[[Page 73816]]

Hydroelectric plan amendment/EA by any of the following methods:
     Email: 
[email protected]
     Fax: (951) 697-5299.
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, California Desert 
District, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the 
California Desert District, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno 
Valley, CA 92553.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Miller, Deputy District Manager--
Resources, telephone (951) 697-5200; address, Bureau of Land 
Management, California Desert District, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los 
Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553; email, [email protected]. Contact Mr. 
Miller 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 (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 
California Desert District Office intends to prepare a plan amendment/
EA for the California Desert Conservation Area Plan, announces the 
beginning of the scoping process, and seeks public input on issues 
related to the plan amendment and proposed right-of-way, as well as the 
planning criteria. The planning area is located in Riverside County, 
California, and encompasses approximately 676 acres of public land. 
Eagle Crest Energy Company has applied to the BLM for a right-of-way 
(ROW) grant to construct, operate, maintain and decommission a 500 
kilovolt (kV) generation interconnect (gen-tie) line and a water 
pipeline. The gen-tie line would transmit electricity generated by 
Eagle Crest's pumped storage facility to the Southern California 
Edison's Red Bluff sub-station located on BLM lands in Riverside 
County, California. The water line would draw water from an area below 
private land, traverse BLM land, and fill the reservoirs at the pumped 
storage facility. The purpose of the public scoping process is to 
determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the EA, 
including alternatives for both the planning effort and the ROW grant, 
and guide the planning process. The preliminary issues of visual 
resources and hydrology for the plan amendment/ROW area have been 
identified by BLM personnel; Federal, State, and local agencies; and 
other stakeholders. Preliminary planning criteria include: (a) The plan 
will be completed in compliance with FLPMA, NEPA, and all other 
relevant Federal laws, Executive orders, and management policies of the 
BLM; (b) Existing planning decisions will remain unchanged unless 
specifically proposed to be changed; (c) The plan amendment will 
recognize valid existing rights; and (d) Native American tribal 
consultations will be conducted in accordance with policy and tribal 
concerns will be given due consideration. The planning process will 
include the consideration of any impacts on Indian trust assets.
    You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing 
to the BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section 
above. For these comments to be most helpful, you should submit them by 
the close of the 30-day scoping period. The BLM will utilize and 
coordinate the NEPA scoping process to help fulfill the public 
involvement process under the National Historic Preservation Act (54 
U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). 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 actions that 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 EA 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 to be addressed 
in the plan, 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 Draft RMP amendment/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, and/or pertain to the proposed 
ROWs. 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, and make a decision regarding the ROW grant, 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: Archaeology, wildlife, lands and 
realty, hydrology, sociology and economics.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.

Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director.
[FR Doc. 2015-29982 Filed 11-24-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P