[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 51 (Friday, March 15, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9552-9553]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04888]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVW03500.L51050000.EA0000.LVRCF1705210.17X MO#4500132137]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Black Rock City LLC's Burning Man Special Recreation 
Permit Renewal in Pershing, County, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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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, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Black Rock 
Field Office, Winnemucca, Nevada have prepared a Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice are announcing the beginning 
of the public comment period to solicit public comments on the Draft 
EIS. The BLM is the lead agency in development of the Draft EIS and 
will be evaluating Black Rock City LLC's (BRC) request for a 10-year 
Special Recreation Permit (SRP) for the Burning Man Event in Pershing 
County, Nevada.

DATES: This notice initiates the public comment period for the Draft 
EIS. Comments may be submitted in writing until April 29, 2019. The 
date(s) and location(s) of any comment meetings will be announced at 
least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers and the BLM 
website at: https://go.usa.gov/xEmSY. In order to be included in the 
Draft EIS, all comments must be received prior to the close of the 45-
day public comment period. We will provide additional opportunities for 
public participation upon publication of the Final EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Black Rock City LLC's 
Burning Man Special Recreation Permit Renewal Draft EIS by any of the 
following methods:
    Burning Man Special Recreation Permit Renewal Draft EIS:
     Website: https://go.usa.gov/xEmSY.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: (775) 623-1741.
     Mail: Winnemucca District Office, 5100 East Winnemucca 
Boulevard, Winnemucca, NV 89445.
    The Draft EIS may be viewed on the website listed above. Copies of 
the Draft EIS are available for viewing in the BLM Winnemucca District 
Office at the above address; and at the BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 
Financial Boulevard, Reno Nevada 89502.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the proposed SRP 
renewal contact Mark Hall--Black Rock Field Office Field Manager, 
telephone: (775) 623-1500, address: 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard, 
Winnemucca, Nevada 89445. Contact Mark Hall to have your name added to 
our mailing list. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the 
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FRS 
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 applicant, BRC, has applied for a 10-
year SRP under 43 CFR 2930 and has submitted a proposal to conduct the 
Burning Man event on public lands administered by the BLM Black Rock 
Field Office. BRC's proposal includes the following:
     Population increase to permit up to 100,000 total persons 
at the event;
     Expansion of the BLM Closure Order boundary by 561 acres, 
to a total of 14,714 acres;
     Creation of alternative transportation (Burner Express 
Bus/Burner Express Air);
     Expansion of the perimeter fence to 10.4 miles total 
length;
     Arrival of as many as 30,000 staff and builders one week 
prior to opening;
     Expansion of Black Rock City to 1,250 acres;
     Installation of additional interactive camps;
     Installation of additional large scale art pieces;
     BRC licensing of art cars and ADA compliant vehicles to 
drive on the playa during event week;
     Use of approximately 16.5 million gallons of water per 
year would be

[[Page 9553]]

obtained from private groundwater wells, located at Fly Ranch owned by 
BRC, for dust abatement and in support of event activities; and
     BRC management of vendor and compliance monitoring.

The Draft EIS describes and analyzes the proposed Project's direct, 
indirect, and cumulative impacts on all affected resources. In addition 
to the Proposed Action (Alternative A), the following alternatives are 
also analyzed in the document: The Reduced Population (50,000 
participants) Alternative B, The Alternate Site Alternative 
(Alternative C, moves the Event northeast of its' current location); 
The No Population Change (80,000 participants) Alternative (Alternative 
D) would keep the population as it was in 2017 and 2018; and the No 
Permit Alternative (Alternative E).
    In December 2017, pre-scoping meetings were held in northern Nevada 
in Gerlach, Lovelock, and Reno. During those meetings the public was 
asked to submit comments regarding BRC's SRP renewal. The pre-scoping 
comment period received 77 comment letters.
    On June 20, 2018, an initial Notice of Intent was published in the 
Federal Register inviting scoping comments on the Proposed Action. A 
total of 327 scoping comment letters were received for the 45-day 
public scoping period. A total of 404 scoping comment letters were 
received during the two public scoping periods. Concerns raised 
included impacts to air quality, cultural resources, environmental 
justice, and transportation, Native American religious concerns, 
recreation, visual resources including Night Skies, wastes and 
materials (hazardous and solid), water resources, vegetation, wildlife, 
and Public Health and Safety.
    The BLM has utilized and coordinated the NEPA scoping and comment 
process to help fulfill the public involvement requirements under the 
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. 306108) as 
provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3)--and continues to do so. The information 
about historic and cultural resources within the area potentially 
affected by the proposed Project has assisted the BLM in identifying 
and evaluating impacts to such resources in the context of both NEPA 
and Title 54 of the NHPA.
    The BLM has consulted and will continue to consult with Indian 
tribes on a government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive 
Order 13175 and other policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts to 
Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural resources have 
been analyzed in the Draft EIS. Federal, State, and local agencies, 
along with tribes and other stakeholders that may be interested in or 
affected by the proposed Project that the BLM is evaluating, are 
invited to participate in the comment process.
    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 1501.7.

Mark Hall,
Field Manager, Black Rock Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2019-04888 Filed 3-14-19; 8:45 am]
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