96-6815. Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Development of Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Grazing Management on Public Lands in California and Northwestern Nevada, and To Amend Land Use Plans ...

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 58 (Monday, March 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 12085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6815]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[CA-930-06-1020-00, 4000/1790]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Development of Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for 
Grazing Management on Public Lands in California and Northwestern 
Nevada, and To Amend Land Use Plans Pursuant to the Planning 
Regulations

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in California intends to 
develop a statewide Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address 
Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Grazing Management as 
provided in the BLM's new grazing regulations (43 CFR Part 4100) and to 
amend, as necessary, existing Land Use Plans (LUP) in the State. The 
EIS is being prepared in compliance with section 102(2)(C) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This notice invites public 
input on the development of the Standards and Guidelines, issues to be 
addressed, planning criteria, and the alternatives to be considered in 
the EIS.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the EIS and Plan Amendment must 
be received by April 24, 1996. No public scoping meetings are 
anticipated. However, other opportunities for public involvement will 
be provided during the NEPA/Plan Amendment process.

ADDRESSES: Any scoping comments or requests to be placed on the mailing 
list should be sent to Rangeland Health Coordinator, Bureau of Land 
Management, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Morrison at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM's new grazing administration 
regulations (43 CFR Part 4100), which became effective August 21, 1995, 
provide for the development of state Standards for Rangeland Health and 
Guidelines for Grazing Management. A national programmatic EIS was 
completed by BLM in 1993 in support of the new regulations. This EIS 
for California and northwestern Nevada will be tiered to the national 
EIS, and will incorporate applicable information from previously 
prepared BLM grazing EISs.
    These Standards and Guidelines are to be developed through BLM's 
planning process (43 CFR part 1600), with input from Resource Advisory 
Councils as well as the public. The analysis will be conducted using an 
interdisciplinary team of specialists. All existing LUPs for public 
lands in the California and northwestern Nevada will be examined for 
conformance with the proposed standards and guidelines. Approval of the 
standards and guidelines by the Secretary of Interior will also 
constitute approval of an amendment to the existing LUP's.

Description of Possible Alternatives

    At this time two preliminary reasonable alternatives have been 
identified: (1) the application of fallback Standards and Guidelines 
contained in the regulations at 43 CFR 4180(f) (1) and (2) the adoption 
of Standards and Guidelines developed locally and in consultation with 
California's Resource Advisory Councils and the public. Additional 
alternatives may be added as a result of scoping or subsequent public 
or agency input.

Anticipated Issues

    Issues anticipated during the NEPA analysis include, but may not be 
limited to, the following: the effect that adoption of Standards will 
have on resource conditions, uses, and users of public land, and the 
effect that adoption of Guidelines will have on livestock operations.

    Dated: March 11, 1996.
Ed Hastey,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 96-6815 Filed 3-22-96; 8:45 am]
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