[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 428-429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-31251]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLNVSO0000.L16100000.DO0000.LXSS100F0000; 9-08807; TAS: 14X1109]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Revision to the Las Vegas Resource
Management Plan and Associated Environmental Impact Statement, Nevada
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976,
as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Southern Nevada
District intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) revision
with an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Las
Vegas RMP and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping
process and soliciting input on the identification of issues and the
proposed planning criteria. The RMP revision will replace the existing
Las Vegas RMP.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the RMP
with an associated EIS. Comments on issues may be submitted in writing
until February 4, 2010. The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping
meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local
media, newspapers and the BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.html. In order to be included in the Draft EIS, all comments
must be received prior to the close of the scoping period or 15 days
after the last public
[[Page 429]]
meeting, whichever is later. We will provide additional opportunities
for public participation upon publication of the Draft EIS.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria
related to the Las Vegas RMP/EIS Revision by any of the following
methods:
Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.html.
E-mail: [email protected].
Fax: (702) 515-5023.
Mail: Bureau of Land Management, 4701 North Torrey Pines
Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89130-2301.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the
Southern Nevada District Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to the mailing list, contact Carrie Ronning, Telephone
(702) 515-5143 or by e-mail [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM
Field Office, Las Vegas, Nevada intends to prepare a RMP with an
associated EIS for the Las Vegas Office and part of the Pahrump Field
Office. The document also announces the beginning of the scoping
process and the opportunity for public input on issues and planning
criteria. The planning area is located in Nye and Clark counties and
encompasses approximately 3.1 million acres of public land. 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 planning area have been identified by BLM personnel, other State
and Federal agencies, and other stakeholders. The issues include
renewable energy development for geothermal, wind, and solar power;
management of site type rights-of-way for renewable energy and other
uses; visual resource management; land tenure adjustments to meet
community growth needs; management of split-estate lands; evaluation of
existing and potential new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern;
Wild and Scenic River designation for the Virgin River; Off-Highway
Vehicle Designations and Special Recreation Management Areas; and fluid
minerals management stipulations to protect sensitive resources. The
preliminary planning criteria include the items discussed below.
(1) The planning area is defined as the area covered by the
existing Las Vegas RMP. The plan revision will make planning
determinations for public lands within the defined planning area
boundary.
(2) The plan revision effort will rely on available inventories of
the lands and resources as well as data gathered during the planning
process, which will include an updated wilderness characteristics
inventory, to reach sound management decisions. Any decisions requiring
additional inventories will be deferred until such time as the
inventories can be conducted.
(3) Use and protection of water, water resources, riparian zones,
and other related values will be given a high priority.
(4) Geographic Information Systems and corporate geospatial data
will be used to the extent practicable.
(5) The plan revision will be consistent to the maximum extent
possible with the plans and management programs of local government,
consistent with state and Federal laws and regulations and coordinated
with other Federal agencies where appropriate.
(6) The principles of multiple use and sustained yield will be
followed.
(7) The planning process will involve consultation with Native
American Tribal governments.
(8) The RMP revision will acknowledge valid existing rights
established under the current Las Vegas RMP.
(9) Federal Geographic Data Committee standards and other
applicable BLM data standards will be followed.
(10) Opportunities for public involvement will be encouraged
throughout the RMP process.
(11) Findings and tentative classification of waterways as eligible
for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River System will follow
the criteria contained in 43 CFR 8351.
(12) The impacts of various proposed land uses on land with
wilderness characteristics will be analyzed as part of the RMP process.
(13) Environmental protection and energy production are desirable
and necessary objectives and will not be considered mutually exclusive
priorities.
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. To
be most helpful, you should submit comments within 60 days of the last
public meeting. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail
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 minutes and list of attendees for each
scoping meeting will be available to the public and open for 30 days
after the meeting to any participant who wishes to clarify the views he
or she expressed. The BLM will evaluate identified issues to be
addressed in the plan and will place them into one of three categories.
These categories are:
(1) Issues to be resolved in the plan;
(2) Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action;
or
(3) Issues beyond the scope of this plan.
The BLM will provide an explanation in the plan as to why it placed
an issue 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 use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan
and to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns identified.
Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines will be
involved in the planning process: renewable energy, lands and realty,
minerals management, outdoor recreation, air resources, visual
resources, vegetation, cultural resources, paleontology, botany,
special status species, wildlife and fisheries, hydrology, sociology
and economics.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.
Ron Wenker,
Nevada State Director.
[FR Doc. E9-31251 Filed 1-4-10; 8:45 am]
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