[Federal Register: May 25, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 101)]
[Notices]
[Page 29750]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25my04-71]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CA-170]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Proposed Resource Management Plan
Amendment and Associated Environmental Assessment for the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM), Bishop Field Office, Located in Eastern
California
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the BLM intends to prepare
a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and associated
Environmental Assessment for the Bishop Field Office, located in
eastern California. The Bishop Field Office manages approximately
750,000 acres of public lands, with its headquarters located in Bishop,
California. An amendment to the existing 1993 RMP is needed to update
Land Use Plan decisions to comply with new national direction for the
National Fire Plan/ Comprehensive Strategy and BLM directives.
The Proposed RMP Amendment and EA would fulfill the needs and
obligations set forth by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and BLM management
policies. The BLM will work collaboratively with interested parties to
identify management decisions that best address local, regional, and
national needs and concerns. The public scoping process will identify
wildland fire and hazardous fuels management planning issues and
develop planning criteria.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. Public
comments will be accepted throughout the entire planning process, but
to be most beneficial comments on the preliminary issues and
suggestions for potential planning criteria should be submitted in
writing to the address listed below and will be accepted for 30 days
following the publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
Public meetings will be held throughout the plan scoping and
preparation period. In order to ensure local community participation
and input, public meetings will be held in locations most closely
affiliated with the public lands in the planning area. Probable
locations include Bridgeport and Bishop, California. These public
meetings are scheduled to be held the month of May 2004. Specific dates
and meeting locations will be announced by BLM through news releases,
direct mailings or other applicable means of public notification within
15 days of the event.
ADDRESSES: Scoping comments should be sent to Bill Dunkelberger, Field
Office Manager, BLM--Bishop Field Office, 351 Pacu Lane, Suite 100,
Bishop, California 93514. Comments will also be received via Fax at
(760) 872-5050 or e-mail at caweb170@ca.blm.gov.
The BLM will maintain a record of public documents related to the
development of the RMP amendment at the Bishop Field Office at the
address listed above. Comments, including names and street addresses of
respondents will be available for public review at the Bishop Field
Office in Bishop, California during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays, and may be
published as part of the EA. Individual respondents may request
confidentiality. Individuals who wish to withhold their name or street
address from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of
Information Act must state this prominently at the beginning of their
written comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by
law. BLM will not consider anonymous comments. All submissions from
organizations and businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dale Johnson, Fuels Specialist, BLM--
Bishop Field Office, 351 Pacu Lane, Suite 100, Bishop, California
93514, (760) 872-5055 or via e-mail at dale_f_johnson@ca.blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Preliminary issues and management concerns
have been identified by BLM personnel in consultation with other
agencies, individuals and organizations, and include: Management of
special areas, health and resilience of wetland, riparian and upland
ecosystems, management and protection of sensitive, rare, threatened or
endangered species, community protection, firefighter safety, invasive
plants, visual resources management, Native American traditions and
practices, and protection of cultural resource sites.
Disciplines involved in the planning process include specialists
with expertise in wildlife and fisheries management, forestry, botany
and vegetation community ecology, fire/fuels management and ecology,
hydrology and watershed management, archeology, lands and realty,
minerals and geology, grazing management and recreation management.
Authority: 43 CFR 1610.5-5.
Dated: April 2, 2004.
Bill Dunkelberger,
Field Office Manager, Bishop Field Office.
[FR Doc. 04-11731 Filed 5-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P