The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Hollister Field Office will hold public scoping meetings in San Benito and Fresno counties on a Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment for the San Joaquin Desert Hills.

The times and locations of the public meetings are:

Oct. 9: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Veterans Memorial Hall 649 San Benito St. Hollister, CA 95023

Oct. 11: Panoche School, 5:30–7:30 p.m., 31441 Panoche Road, Paicines, CA 95043

The Hollister Field Office intends to prepare a RMP Amendment with an associated environmental assessment for the public lands in the San Joaquin Desert Hills, including the 56,000-acre Panoche-Coalinga Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The BLM public lands in the western San Joaquin Valley stretch from the Panoche Hills southwards to Coalinga, connecting a vast landscape of ancient desert-like habitats and open space with outstanding scenic and recreational values.

During the scoping meetings, the BLM will seek public input on preliminary issues and planning criteria for the RMP Amendment.  The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the environmental analysis, including alternatives, and guide the planning process.  Preliminary issues for the plan amendment include: ACEC designation; special status species recovery; recreation and travel management; and lands available for disposal or of interest for acquisition.

Comments may be submitted verbally during public scoping workshops, by email to BLM_CA_Hollister_RMP@blm.gov, or in writing to the Hollister Field Office, 20 Hamilton Court, Hollister, CA 95023.

All comments must be received no later than 30 days after the last public meeting. For further information, contact Sky Murphy, planning and environmental coordinator, at (831) 630-5039 or e-mail, Sky_Murphy@ blm.gov.