[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 214 (Monday, November 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55398-55399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24175]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAD01000 L51010000.EU0000 XXXL5017AP LVRWB11B4700]


Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment and Draft 
Land Use Plan Amendment for the OMYA Direct Land Sale Project, 
California

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, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft Land Use Plan 
Amendment (LUPA) of the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan 
for the OMYA Direct Land Sale Project, and by this Notice is announcing 
the opening of a 60-day public comment period.

DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, the BLM must receive 
written comments on the EA and Draft LUPA by January 4, 2019. The BLM 
will announce any future meetings or hearings and any additional 
activities involving the public at least 15 days in advance through 
public notices, media releases, mailings, and the public website at: 
https://eplanning.blm.gov.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the OMYA Direct Land Sale 
Project by any of the following methods:

     Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov.
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: BLM Barstow Field Office, Attn: OMYA Direct Land 
Sale, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311.

    Copies of the EA are available at the Barstow Field Office and on 
the project website at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Toedtli, BLM Barstow Field 
Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311, 760-252-6026, or email: 
[email protected]. Any person wishing to be added to the project mailing 
list of interested parties may contact Mr. Toedtli. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay 
Service at 800-877-8339 to contact Mr. Toedtli during normal business 
hours. The Service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave 
a message or question with the BLM regarding this project. You will 
receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 2011, the BLM and OMYA Inc. entered into 
a Settlement Agreement to resolve the unauthorized use of public lands 
associated with OMYA's mining operations at its White Knob Quarry. In 
accordance with that Settlement Agreement, the BLM is considering a 
direct sale of public land to OMYA under the authority of 43 U.S.C. 
1713 and 1719 (Sections 203 and 209 of FLPMA). The BLM published a 
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EA and an Amendment to the CDCA 
Plan in the Federal Register on October 4, 2012. The NOI provided for a 
30-day public scoping period for the LUPA, announced the beginning of 
the scoping process for the EA, and sought public input on 
environmental issues. No public comments were received.
    The Proposed Action (Alternative A) includes the direct land sale 
of 70 acres of public land to OMYA to resolve the unauthorized use and 
meet OMYA's need for additional land for disposal of mine waste. To 
accommodate the proposed land sale, a LUPA is required to change the 
land use designation of the affected parcel from an Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern (ACEC) to General Public Lands (GPL). The parcel 
proposed for sale is currently within the Granite Mountain Wildlife 
Linkage ACEC as designated in the Desert Renewable Energy and 
Conservation Plan. The ACEC provides a link for wildlife populations to 
the north and south of this area. The LUPA would also satisfy the 
criteria for the sale of public lands under Sections 203 and 209 of 
FLPMA. In addition to the Proposed Action, two other alternatives are 
included in the EA. Alternative B (No Action), does not authorize a 
direct sale of public land, authorizes the continued management of the 
placer mining claims owned by OMYA and orders the restoration of the 
site consistent with the applicable mining law. Alternative C provides 
for a direct land sale of 45 acres of public land to OMYA; a LUPA to 
remove 45 acres from the Granite Mountain Wildlife Linkage ACEC; and 
change the land use designation of the affected parcel to GPL, with 
continued management of the remainder of the placer claims owned by 
OMYA consistent with the 1872 Mining Law. Alternative A is the BLM's 
preferred alternative in the EA.
    Below are the legal descriptions of the public lands considered in 
the range of alternatives starting with the 70-acre parcel followed by 
the 45-acre parcel.

70-Acre Legal Description

San Bernardino Meridian, California

T. 3 N, R. 1 W,
    Sec. 5, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, W\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SE\1/
4\SW\1/4\.
    The area described contains 70.00 acres.

45-Acre Legal Description

San Bernardino Meridian, California

T. 3 N, R. 1 W,
    Sec. 5, S\1/2\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, W\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and W\1/
2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
    The area described contains 45.00 acres.

End of Land Description

    Your input is important and will be considered in the environmental 
and land-use planning analysis processes. All comment submissions 
should include the commenter's name and mailing address. Comments, 
including the names and addresses of the commenter, will be available 
for public inspection at the Barstow Field Office at the above address 
during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personally identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personally identifiable 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask the BLM in your comment to withhold your personally identifiable 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.


[[Page 55399]]


    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2.

Danielle Chi,
California Deputy State Director, Resources.
[FR Doc. 2018-24175 Filed 11-2-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-40-P