[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 193 (Friday, October 4, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53169-53170]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-21556]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAD08000.L16100000.DT0000.19XL1109AF.LXSSB0010000 (MO#4500137107)]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Approved 
Land Use Plan Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan 
for the West Mojave Route Network 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, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the 
availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the West Mojave Route 
Network Project (WMRNP) Approved Land Use Plan Amendment (LUPA) for 
public lands located in Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San 
Bernardino counties, California.

DATES: The California State Director signed the ROD on October 3, 2019, 
which constitutes the final decision of the BLM, and the Approved LUPA 
takes effect immediately.

[[Page 53170]]


ADDRESSES: The ROD/Approved LUPA and associated Travel Management Plans 
(TMPs) are available electronically on the BLM ePlanning project 
website at https://go.usa.gov/xE6YH. Copies of the ROD/Approved LUPA 
and TMPs are available for public inspection at the BLM-Ridgecrest 
Field Office, 300 South Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, CA 93555; the BLM-
Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311; and the 
BLM-California Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los 
Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Toedtli, BLM Planning and 
Environmental Coordinator, telephone: 760-252-6026; address: 2601 
Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311; email: [email protected]. Persons who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact Mr. Toedtli during 
normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a 
week, to leave a message or question. You will receive a reply during 
normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ROD also approves a travel and 
transportation route network and nine associated TMPs. These 
implementation-level decisions for each of the nine individual travel 
management plans are subject to appeal pursuant to 43 CFR, part 4, 
subpart E.
    The ROD contains the BLM's decisions and rationale, and a brief 
summary of alternatives considered, public involvement, required 
findings, and other information. The ROD includes three appendices: 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion (Appendix 
A), an Errata to the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 
(Appendix B), and the WMRNP Programmatic Agreement (Appendix C).
    The WMRNP includes both plan-level and implementation-level 
actions. The WMRNP ROD approves seven land use plan amendments to the 
motor vehicle access, recreation and livestock grazing elements within 
the California Desert Conservation Area Plan for the West Mojave 
planning area. It also approves nine travel management plans, including 
a designated route network and implementation strategies and actions.
    The WMRNP ROD, Approved LUPA and Final Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS), including Errata, were developed pursuant to a 
U.S. District Court Order that partially remanded the 2006 West Mojave 
(WEMO) Plan Amendment ROD to the BLM and directed the BLM to reconsider 
route designation throughout the WEMO Planning Area, as well as other 
specified issues in the 2006 WEMO Plan. In response to public comments, 
updated information, and internal review, the BLM did not carry forward 
the Preferred Alternative identified in the Draft LUPA/Draft 
Supplemental EIS, published in March 2018. Rather, the Proposed LUPA/
Final Supplemental EIS, published on April 26, 2019, identified 
Alternative 5 as the Selected Alternative. There were no 
inconsistencies with State- or local-plans, policies or programs 
identified during the Governor's consistency review of the Proposed 
LUPA/Final Supplemental EIS.
    At the close of the protest period, 29 protests were received. The 
Director's Protest Summary Report containing Protest Resolution is 
available electronically at https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/public-participation/protest-resolution-reports. Minor 
modifications were made to the Final Supplemental EIS to provide 
further clarification of the environmental impacts from the decisions. 
These minor modifications and changes in land status from the John D. 
Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Pub. L. 116-
9) resulted in an Errata to the WMRNP Final Supplemental EIS.
    In response to changes in land status from Public Law 116-9 and 
comments received during the protest period, modifications were made to 
the travel and transportation management route network. The Selected 
Alternative has approximately 6,000 miles of OHV open and limited 
routes and 230 miles of OHV closed routes that include non-motorized 
and non-mechanized use designations.
    Any party adversely affected by the approved route designations may 
appeal within 30 days of publication of this Notice of Availability 
pursuant to 43 CFR, part 4, subpart E. The appeal must be filed with 
the California Desert District Manager at the previously listed address 
(see ADDRESSES). Please consult the appropriate regulations (43 CFR, 
part 4, subpart E) for further appeal requirements.
    Before including your phone number, email address, or other 
personal identifying information in your appeal, you should be aware 
that your entire appeal--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your appeal 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)

Danielle Chi,
Deputy State Director, Fire and Resources.
[FR Doc. 2019-21556 Filed 10-3-19; 8:45 am]
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