From: Subject: FR Doc E7-13102 Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2007 22:01:37 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-13102.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3138 FR Doc E7-13102 
[Federal Register: July 6, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 129)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 37047-37048]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06jy07-96]                        =20

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-050-5853-EU]

=20
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact=20
Statement to the Las Vegas Valley Disposal Boundary Final Environmental=20
Impact Statement to Analyze Boundary Adjustments to and Management of=20
the Conservation Transfer Area

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 102(2)(c) of the National=20
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management=20
(BLM) Las Vegas Field Office, Nevada intends to prepare a Supplemental=20
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to the Las Vegas Disposal=20
Boundary Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to analyze a=20
possible adjustment of the boundary of the Conservation Transfer Area=20
(CTA) referenced in the December 2004 FEIS and Record of Decision=20
(ROD). Analysis of this possible boundary adjustment will include the=20
management of approximately 13,400 acres of lands managed by the BLM.=20
Under the ROD for the 2004 FEIS, approximately 5,000 acres were=20
determined to be subject to a process of more study, collaboration,=20
further NEPA analysis, and approval of a conservation agreement, prior=20
to the transfer of title. The conservation agreement would determine=20
the allowable uses to protect the resources within the CTA.=20
Furthermore, the ROD stated that the boundary of the CTA would be=20
adaptable to the needs and concerns of interested parties. The option=20
was open to increase or decrease the size of the CTA with additional=20
analysis. The SEIS to be prepared will analyze the effects of a variety=20
of options for a final boundary for the CTA, as well as the impacts of=20
several proposed uses, and the effect of retention of the CTA by the=20
United States for management by the BLM. This analysis, and any=20
decision made on the basis of this analysis, will ensure the direction=20
reflected in the 2004 FEIS and ROD is met. This action is consistent=20
with the Las Vegas Resource Management Plan of 1998, as superseded by=20
the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (SNPLMA) of 1998 and=20
the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act=20
(Clark County Act) of 2002.

DATES: Publication of this notice initiates the public scoping process.=20
Scoping meetings will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada. All public meetings=20
will be announced through the local news media, newsletters, and the=20
BLM Web site at http://frwebga=
te.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlin=
klog&to=3Dhttp://www.nv.blm.gov at least 15 days prior to the=20

meeting.

ADDRESSES: Comments and information should be submitted to the BLM=20
within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.=20
You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     E-mail: Jeffrey_Steinmetz@nv.blm.gov=
.
     Fax: 702-515-5023.
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Las Vegas Field Office,=20
Attention: Jeffrey Steinmetz, 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas,=20
Nevada 89130-2301. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined=20
at the Las Vegas Field Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information and/or to have your=20
name added to our mailing list, contact Jeffrey Steinmetz, BLM Las=20
Vegas Field Office, by telephone (702) 515-5097 or by e-mail (
Jeffrey_Steinmetz@nv.blm.gov).


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM conducted 10 public stakeholder=20
meetings from November, 2004 to August, 2005. More than 160 members of=20
the public participated in this process. Input was received on behalf=20
of (1) the City of Las Vegas, (2) the City of North Las Vegas, (3)=20
conservation groups, (4) recreation groups, (5) regional governmental=20
entities (flood, water, transportation), (6) State of Nevada, (7) U.S.=20
Fish and Wildlife Service (both Ecological Services and Refuge), (8)=20
Clark County, (9) education institutions, (10) utilities, (11)=20
builders/developers, and (12) Native American Tribes. All meetings were=20
open to the public. The BLM received preliminary input on a variety of=20
topics, including vision statements, goals and objectives, boundaries,=20
infrastructure, recreation, education, and management options. By the=20
end of this process, the BLM determined that a SEIS was warranted to=20
analyze proposed boundaries and management of the CTA because the=20
complexity of issues surrounding the CTA and the interest of local=20
governments and citizens necessitates a comprehensive analysis of any=20
adjustment to the boundary and/or management of the CTA, as referenced=20
in the 2004 FEIS and ROD. The major issue themes anticipated to be=20
addressed in the SEIS include: Impacts to air quality; impacts to=20
surface water hydrology and water quality; protection of fossil-bearing=20
formations; protection of federally-listed species, state-listed=20
species, and BLM sensitive species; analysis of development scenarios=20
based on updated local community development land use plans; impacts to=20
visual resources; balancing conflicting and compatible land uses;=20
protection of cultural and paleontological resources; environmental=20
justice, social and economic impacts, cumulative impacts of the project=20
based on build-out (build-out will include land sales and other land=20
use authorizations); and assessment of land surface conditions.
    The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant=20
issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis as=20
well as alternatives analyzed in the SEIS. You may submit comments on=20
issues and planning criteria in writing to the BLM at any public=20
scoping meeting, or you may submit them to the BLM using one of the=20
methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. To be most helpful, you=20
should submit formal scoping comments within 30 days after publication=20
of this notice in the Federal Register. Before including your address,=20
phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information=20
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly=20
available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold=20
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot=20
guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from=20
organizations and businesses, and from individuals identifying=20
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or=20
businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety.=20
The minutes and list of attendees for each scoping meeting will be=20
available to the public and open for 30 days after the meeting to any=20
participant who wishes to clarify the view he or she expressed.

[[Page 37048]]

    After gathering public comments on what additional issues the SEIS=20
should address, the suggested issues will be placed in one of two=20
categories:
    1. Issues to be analyzed in the SEIS and
    2. Issues beyond the scope of the SEIS.
    Rationale for the placement of each issue in category one or two,=20
as well as for the resolution of such issue(s) will be included in the=20
SEIS and/or ROD for the CTA. During the scoping phase, the public is=20
encouraged to help identify questions and concerns to be addressed=20
through the management of the CTA.
    An interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the SEIS in=20
order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns=20
identified. Disciplines involved in the SEIS process will include=20
specialists with expertise in soils, minerals and geology; hydrology;=20
botany; wildlife; transportation; visual resources; air quality; lands=20
and realty; outdoor recreation; archaeology; paleontology; and=20
sociology and economics, including community development.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.

    Dated: April 3, 2007.
Juan Palma,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. E7-13102 Filed 7-5-07; 8:45 am]

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