News Release

For  Release:  February 2, 2007                                                   
Contact:  Stephen Razo 951-697-5217, e-mail: srazo@ca.blm.gov
CA-CDD-07-16

Environmental Assessment to Renew Grazing Leases Available for Public Review

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, is seeking public comment on two environmental assessments: CA-660-06-54 & 55; “Ephemeral Sheep Grazing Lease Renewal for Rice Valley and Ford Dry Lake Allotments.”  A 30-day comment period will begin on February 5, 2007 and run through March 7, 2007.

The BLM is proposing to renew the Rice Valley ephemeral sheep grazing lease for a period of ten (10) years under the grazing prescriptions contained in the Northern & Eastern Colorado Desert (NECO) Plan Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan and the associated biological opinion.   The BLM is also proposing to convert the Ford Dry Lake ephemeral sheep grazing allotment to a purpose that precludes livestock grazing, also under the grazing prescriptions contained in the NECO plan and the associated biological opinion. These actions affect livestock grazing on two allotments entirely within the Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office.

These complete environmental assessment documents appear on our website at http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings.html.  Public comments may be submitted by mail to:  Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 690 West Garnet, P.O. Box 581260, North Palm Springs, CA 92258 or by email to ca660@ca.blm.gov (Palm Springs). All comments must be received or postmarked by Wednesday, February 28, 2007.
 
Reading copies are available at the Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 690 West Garnet, North Palm Springs (760) 251-4800; and at the California Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley (951) 697-5200.
 
For further information or to request a printed copy of the environmental assessment, contact the  Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office at the address above or call: (760) 251-4800.

-BLM-

California Desert District Office
22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, California
(951) 697-5217