California Desert District Office
| Contacts: | Stephen Razo 951-697-5217 | |||
| David Briery 951-697-5220 |
BLM Announces Intent to Prepare Environmental Document for Motorized Vehicle Management in West Mojave Planning Area
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), California Desert District, announced its intent to prepare an environmental document to analyze a proposed plan amendment and alternatives covering the management of motorized vehicles on public lands in the West Mojave (WEMO) area.
A Notice of Intent to prepare the plan for areas in Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties published in the Federal Register today.
By this Notice, the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments on:
(1) issues related to plan decisions which will guide the management of motorized vehicle access in the WEMO plan area;
(2) process and decision criteria to be used during plan implementation to designate routes;
(3) issues and concerns within each subregion;
(4) additional issues cited by the January 28, 2011 Court Order including special status species, vegetation communities (including unique plant assemblages), special area designations, air quality, cultural resources, soils, springs and seeps and Mojave fringe-toed lizard habitat; and
(5) the “bundling of analysis areas” for route designation.
A lawsuit was filed by a variety of Plaintiffs challenging the BLM’s Record of Decision (ROD) for the 2006 WEMO Plan. On January 28, 2011, the Court issued an Order-Remedy and remanded the 2006 WEMO ROD to the BLM and, in part, directed the BLM to amend the plan and to reconsider route designations. The court required that a revised decision for the WEMO route designation be completed by March 31, 2014.
Two BLM public scoping meetings will be held: one in Ridgecrest and one in Barstow. Details on the public scoping meetings are provided below. Any additional public meetings will be announced through the local news media, newspapers, mailings, and at the BLM web page: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd.html at least 15 days prior to the event.
September 27, 2011: 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Kerr McGee Center | September 29, 2011: 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Hampton Inn |
The public may submit comments on issues and planning criteria related to the WEMO EA for the Motorized Vehicle Access Element, by any of the following methods:
1) Email: cawemopa@blm.gov
2) Fax: (951) 697-5299
3) Mail: ATTN: Alan Stein, BLM California Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553-9046
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the California Desert District Office, address above, or the BLM’s California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825. For further information contact: Alan Stein, (951) 697-5382.
California Desert District Office 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553