For Immediate Release: November 19, 2004 CA-CDD-05-12
Contact: Doran Sanchez (951) 697-5220; E-mail: Doran_Sanchez@ca.blm.gov

BLM Releases Environmental Assessment and Proposed Plan Amendment for Flat-tailed Horned Lizard Rangewide Management Strategy

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today released an environmental assessment (EA) and proposed plan amendment of the California Desert Conservation Area Plan to adopt the Flat-tailed Horned Lizard Rangewide Management Strategy, 2003 Revision, an Arizona-California Conservation Strategy (Strategy).

The Strategy will provide guidance for the conservation and management of sufficient habitat to maintain existing populations of flat-tailed horned lizards within five management areas located only on BLM-managed public lands within Imperial County. The proposed plan amendment will update the 1980 California Desert Conservation Area Plan to formally incorporate the Strategy into BLM's land use planning. The EA and Strategy are available for review on line at http://www.ca.blm.gov/elcentro/EA-Lizard.html.
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Written protests on the proposed plan amendment will be accepted if received at the Washington DC Office by December 18, 2004. Protests may be submitted by regular mail to Director (210), Attn: Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 66538, Washington, DC 20035, or overnight mail to U.S. Department of the Interior, Director, Bureau of Land Management, Protest Coordinator (WO-210), 1620 L Street, NW, Room 1075, Washington, DC 20036. Please send a copy of the protest letter to Gary Taylor, Bureau of Land Management, 1661 South 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243.

The BLM was one of 13 agencies that participated in the development of the Strategy in 1997 and its revision in 2003. The public was notified of this project through a notice in the Federal Register on June 21, 2004, and invited to submit comments from June 21, 2004, through August 5, 2004. BLM did not receive any comments.

The scope of the decision would apply only to federal lands managed by the BLM in Imperial County, California. Final plan approval will be documented in a Decision Record, which will be made available to the public electronically and/or by mail to all interested parties.

For more information contact Taylor at (760) 337-4422.

-BLM-

visit our website at www.ca.blm.gov

California Desert District Office - 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, California - (951) 697-5220