Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 9 / Thursday, January 14, 2021 / Notices 3181 

and in site-specific analyses. To address 

public comments raised during the 

supplemental EIS process, the BLM 

convened a team of biologists and land 

use planners to evaluate scientific 

literature provided to the agency. The 

BLM found that the most up-to-date 

Greater Sage-Grouse science and other 

information has incrementally 

increased, and built upon, the 

knowledgebase of Greater Sage-Grouse 

management evaluated by the BLM most 

recently in its 2019 land use plan 

amendments, but does not change the 

scope or direction of the BLM’s 

management; however, new science 

does suggest adaptations to management 

may be warranted at site-specific scales. 

(3) Cumulative Effects Analysis: The 

BLM considered cumulative impacts on 

a rangewide basis, organizing that 

analysis at the geographic scale of each 

Western Association of Fish and 

Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) 

management zone, in order to consider 

impacts at biologically meaningful 

scales. In the 2019 planning process, the 

BLM incorporated by reference 

cumulative effects analysis conducted 

in the 2015 planning process and other 

environmental impact statements. Since 

the nature and context of the cumulative 

effects scenario has not appreciably 

changed since 2015, and the 2015 

analysis covered the entire range of the 

Greater Sage-Grouse, the BLM’s 

consideration of cumulative effects in 

the 2015 planning process adequately 

addresses most, if not all, of the 

planning decisions made through the 

2019 planning process. 

While the 2019 planning process 

largely incorporated by reference the 

analysis from the 2015 planning 

process, and updated it where needed to 

account for current conditions, the 2020 

supplemental EIS process elaborated on 

this information in greater detail and 

updated the analysis to ensure that the 

BLM appropriately evaluated 

cumulative effects at biologically 

meaningful scales. 

(4) BLM’s Approach to Compensatory 

Mitigation: In the 2019 planning 

process, the BLM requested public 

comments on a number of issues, 

including the BLM’s approach to 

compensatory mitigation. As part of the 

2015 Approved Resource Management 

Plan Amendments, the BLM selected a 

net conservation gain standard in its 

approach to compensatory mitigation, 

which the 2019 land use plan 

amendments modified to align with the 

BLM’s 2018 policy on compensatory 

mitigation. Through the 2020 

supplemental EIS process, the BLM 

requested further comments about the 

BLM’s approach to compensatory 

mitigation. After reviewing the 

comments that the BLM received about 

compensatory mitigation, the BLM 

determined that its environmental 

analysis supporting the 2019 land use 

plan amendments was sound. The 

public has now had substantial 

opportunities to consider and comment 

on the BLM’s approach to compensatory 

mitigation at the land use planning 

level, including the approach taken in 

the 2019 land use plan amendments. 

Based on the final supplemental EIS, 

the BLM has determined that its decadelong planning and NEPA processes have 

sufficiently addressed Greater SageGrouse habitat conservation and no new 

land use planning process to consider 

additional alternatives or new 

information is warranted. This 

determination is not a new planning 

decision. Instead, it is a determination 

not to amend the applicable land use 

plans. Thus, it is not subject to appeal 

or protest. The BLM’s decision remains 

as identified in the 2019 Approved 

Resource Management Plan Amendment 

for Greater Sage-Grouse conservation in 

Idaho. 

(Authority: 40 CFR 1505.2; 40 CFR 1506.6; 

References to the CEQ regulations are to the 

regulations in effect prior to September 14, 

2020. The revised CEQ regulations effective 

September 14, 2020, are not cited because 

this supplemental EIS process began prior to 

that date.) 

John F. Ruhs, 

BLM Idaho State Director. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00662 Filed 1–13–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–DQ–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[(LLCA930000.L13400000.DS0000.21X) 

MO#450014117] 

Notice of Availability of the Draft 

Desert Plan Amendment and Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement, 

California 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft 

Land Use Plan Amendment (LUPA) and 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS), for an amendment to the 

California Desert Conservation Area 

(CDCA) Plan and the Bakersfield and 

Bishop Resource Management Plans 

(RMPs). The Desert Plan Amendment 

Draft LUPA/EIS includes consideration 

of changes to the management or 

modification to the boundaries of 129 

Areas of Critical Environmental Concern 

(ACECs). By this notice, the BLM is 

announcing the availability of the Draft 

LUPA/EIS. In order to comply with 

Federal regulations, the BLM is also 

announcing a comment period on 

proposed changes to the ACECs within 

the planning area. 

DATES: To ensure that comments will be 

considered, the BLM must receive 

written comments on the Draft LUPA/ 

EIS within 90 days following the date 

the Environmental Protection Agency 

publishes its notice of the Draft LUPA/ 

EIS in the Federal Register. The BLM 

will announce future meetings and any 

other public participation activities at 

least 15 days in advance through public 

notices, news releases, and/or mailings. 

ADDRESSES: The Desert Plan 

Amendment Draft LUPA/EIS are 

available on the BLM ePlanning project 

website at https://go.usa.gov/x7hdj. 

Click the ‘‘Documents’’ link on the left 

side of the screen to find the electronic 

version of these materials. Hard copies 

of the Desert Plan Amendment Draft 

LUPA and Draft EIS are also available 

for public inspection at the following 

BLM locations: 

California State Office, 2800 Cottage 

Way, Suite W–1623, Sacramento, CA 

95825; 

California Desert District Office, 22835 

Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno 

Valley, CA 92553; 

Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow 

Road, Barstow, CA 92311; 

El Centro Field Office, 1661 S. 4th 

Street, El Centro, CA 92243; 

Needles Field Office, 1303 S. Highway 

95, Needles, CA 92363; 

Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 S. 

Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, CA 

93555; 

Bakersfield Field Office, 3801 Pegasus 

Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308; and 

Bishop Field Office, 351 Pacu Lane, 

Suite 100, Bishop, CA 93514. 

You may submit written comments 

related to the Desert Plan Amendment 

by either of the following methods: 

• Website: https://go.usa.gov/x7hdj. 

• Mail: Bureau of Land Management, 

California State Office, Attn: Desert Plan 

Amendment, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite 

W–1623, Sacramento, CA 95825. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jeremiah Karuzas, Renewable Energy 

Program Manager, telephone: 916–978– 

4644, email: jkaruzas@blm.gov; address 

Bureau of Land Management, 2800 

Cottage Way, W–1623, Sacramento, CA 

95825. Persons who use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Relay 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
3182 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 9 / Thursday, January 14, 2021 / Notices 

Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to 

contact Mr. Karuzas during normal 

business hours. The FRS is available 24 

hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a 

message or question. You will receive a 

reply during normal business hours. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

September 2016, the BLM issued a 

Record of Decision (ROD) for the Desert 

Renewable Energy Conservation Plan 

(DRECP) LUPA, which amended the 

CDCA Plan, the Bishop RMP, and the 

Bakersfield RMP in the Mojave and 

Colorado/Sonoran Desert regions of 

southern California. The 2016 ROD was 

intended to address the streamlining of 

renewable energy development, 

conservation of desert resources, and to 

support multiple use and recreation on 

the nearly 11 million acres of BLMmanaged public land in the planning 

area. In response to challenges that 

arose with the implementation of the 

2016 DRECP LUPA, as well as in 

response to Executive Order 13783, 

Promoting Energy Independence and 

Economic Growth, and Executive Order 

13821 on Streamlining and Expediting 

Requests to Locate Broadband Facilities 

in Rural America, the BLM published a 

Notice of Intent in the Federal Register 

on February 2, 2018 (83 FR 4921) 

initiating a 45-day public comment 

period. The BLM sought comments on: 

• The potential impacts that land use 

designations contained in the amended 

Land Use Plans will have on 

commercial-scale renewable energy 

projects, including wind, solar and 

geothermal energy; 

• ACECs that were designated, 

including where private lands lie within 

the external boundaries of such 

designations, as well as comments on 

increasing opportunities for increased 

renewable energy development, 

recreational and off-highway vehicle 

access, mining access, and grazing; and 

• The impact that land-use 

designations, land-disturbance limits 

(‘‘disturbance caps’’), and visualmanagement classifications contained in 

the plans may have on the deployment 

of future communications 

infrastructure. 

The BLM used public scoping 

comments to help identify planning 

issues to formulate alternatives and 

frame the scope of analysis in the Draft 

LUPA/EIS. Issues considered in the 

Draft LUPA/EIS are management actions 

associated with conservation areas, 

biological resources (including special 

status species), cultural resources, 

renewable energy, minerals, livestock 

grazing, visual resources, air resources, 

water resources, and recreation. The 

LUPA also considers decisions 

regarding ACECs, California Desert 

National Conservation Lands (CDNCL), 

and management of lands with 

wilderness characteristics. The Desert 

Plan Amendment Draft LUPA/EIS 

evaluates the No Action Alternative and 

two action alternatives (Alternatives 1 

and 2). The BLM identifies Alternative 

1 as the Preferred Alternative. This 

alternative, however, does not represent 

the final agency direction. After the 

public comment period closes, the BLM 

will prepare a Proposed LUPA, which 

may reflect changes or adjustments 

based on information received during 

public comment on the Draft LUPA/EIS, 

new information, or changes in BLM 

policies or priorities. 

The No Action Alternative would 

retain the decisions specified in the 

2016 ROD for the DRECP LUPA, as 

recently modified by Public Law 116–9. 

Alternative 1 would reduce the number 

of ACECs from 129 to 97 thus reducing 

the acreage of the ACECs by 

approximately 1.8 million acres; reduce 

the areas identified as CDNCL by 

approximately 2.2 million acres; and 

result in an additional 450,000 acres of 

General Public Lands (GPL). Alternative 

1 would also modify or eliminate 68 

Conservation Management Actions 

(CMAs), which would also change the 

manner in which disturbance caps are 

implemented, including elimination of 

disturbance caps in CDNCL, as well as 

allowing renewable energy development 

in Special Recreation Management 

Areas (SRMA). 

Alternative 2 would reduce the 

number of ACECs to 100, and reduce the 

acreage of the ACECs by approximately 

1.5 million acres; reduce the areas 

identified as CDNCL by approximately 

2.1 million acres; and result in an 

additional approximate 274,000 acres of 

General Public Lands (GPL). Alternative 

2 would also modify or eliminate the 

same 68 CMAs, which would also 

change the manner in which 

disturbance caps are implemented 

similar to Alternative 1 but Alternative 

2 would retain the one percent 

disturbance cap for CDNCL. Alternative 

2 CMAs would be modified to only 

allow renewable energy development in 

a SRMA where there is overlap with 

Development Focus Areas (DFAs). All 

other land use allocation decisions and 

CMAs from the 2016 ROD would be 

retained in both Alternative 1 and 

Alternative 2. 

As a result of proposed CMA changes, 

the resource use limitations of the 129 

ACECs within the planning area will 

also change. Therefore, pursuant to 43 

CFR 1610.7–2(b), this notice announces 

a concurrent public comment period on 

proposed management changes 

(including alteration or elimination of 

disturbance caps), and boundary 

modifications or elimination of the 

existing ACECs as identified in Table 1. 

TABLE 1—ACECS PROPOSED FOR BOUNDARY MODIFICATION OR ELIMINATION

ACEC name No action 

acres 

Alternative 1 

acres 

Alternative 2 

acres 

Afton Canyon ............................................................................................................................... 8,800 8,800 8,800 

Alligator Rock ............................................................................................................................... 6,800 6,200 6,200 

Amargosa North ........................................................................................................................... 114,000 72,760 72,760 

Amargosa South .......................................................................................................................... 148,410 134,410 134,410 

Amboy Crater ............................................................................................................................... 640 640 640 

Avawatz Mountains WSA ............................................................................................................ 49,900 0 0 

Ayers Rock .................................................................................................................................. 1,500 1,500 1,500 

Barstow Woolly Sunflower ........................................................................................................... 19,100 19,100 19,100 

Bedrock Spring ............................................................................................................................ 440 0 0 

Bendire’s Thrasher ...................................................................................................................... 9,800 9,800 9,800 

Big Morongo Canyon ................................................................................................................... 25,000 24,600 24,600 

Big Rock Creek Wash ................................................................................................................. 310 310 310 

Bigelow Cholla ............................................................................................................................. 4,200 4,200 4,200 

Black Mountain ............................................................................................................................ 51,300 0 0 

Brisbane Valley Monkey Flower .................................................................................................. 11,700 11,700 11,700 

Bristol ........................................................................................................................................... 213,600 116,400 116,400 

Cadiz Valley ................................................................................................................................. 191,200 67,600 67,600 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 9 / Thursday, January 14, 2021 / Notices 3183 

TABLE 1—ACECS PROPOSED FOR BOUNDARY MODIFICATION OR ELIMINATION—Continued 

ACEC name No action 

acres 

Alternative 1 

acres 

Alternative 2 

acres 

Cady Mountains WSA ................................................................................................................. 101,400 0 101,400 

Calico Early Man Site .................................................................................................................. 840 840 840 

Carbonate Endemic Plants RNA ................................................................................................. 5,000 5,000 5,000 

Castle Mountain ........................................................................................................................... 3,180 0 0 

Cerro Gordo ................................................................................................................................. 10,400 9,700 9,700 

Cerro Gordo WSA ....................................................................................................................... 630 0 0 

Chemehuevi ................................................................................................................................. 864,200 578,600 578,600 

Chuckwalla ................................................................................................................................... 512,300 319,400 319,400 

Chuckwalla to Chemehuevi tortoise linkage ............................................................................... 318,600 269,900 269,900 

Chuckwalla Valley Dune Thicket ................................................................................................. 2,200 2,200 2,200 

Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard ........................................................................................... 10,300 10,300 10,300 

Conglomerate Mesa .................................................................................................................... 1,700 1,700 1,700 

Coolgardie Mesa .......................................................................................................................... 9,800 9,800 9,800 

Corn Springs ................................................................................................................................ 2,500 900 900 

Coyote Mountains Fossil Site ...................................................................................................... 5,900 5,900 5,900 

Cronese Basin ............................................................................................................................. 8,500 0 0 

Dagget Ridge Monkey Flower ..................................................................................................... 26,100 26,100 26,100 

Dead Mountains ........................................................................................................................... 27,200 0 0 

Death Valley 17 WSA .................................................................................................................. 20,600 0 0 

Denning Springs .......................................................................................................................... 390 0 0 

Desert Lily Preserve .................................................................................................................... 2,100 2,100 2,100 

Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area ...................................................................................... 22,200 22,200 22,200 

Dos Palmas ................................................................................................................................. 8,600 8,600 8,600 

Eagles Flyway .............................................................................................................................. 10,900 0 0 

East Mesa .................................................................................................................................... 88,500 38,200 88,500 

El Paso to Golden ....................................................................................................................... 57,800 57,800 57,800 

Fossil Falls ................................................................................................................................... 1,700 1,700 1,700 

Fremont-Kramer ........................................................................................................................... 236,000 236,000 236,000 

Granite Mountain Corridor ........................................................................................................... 39,300 0 34,500 

Great Falls Basin ......................................................................................................................... 10,300 0 0 

Halloran Wash ............................................................................................................................. 1,700 1,700 1,700 

Harper Dry Lake .......................................................................................................................... 490 490 490 

Horse Canyon .............................................................................................................................. 1,500 1,500 1,500 

Independence Creek WSA .......................................................................................................... 6,500 0 0 

Indian Pass .................................................................................................................................. 1,900 1,900 1,900 

Ivanpah ........................................................................................................................................ 78,600 63,900 78,600 

Jawbone/Butterbredt .................................................................................................................... 145,700 114,900 114,900 

Juniper Flats ................................................................................................................................ 2,400 2,400 2,400 

Kingston Range ........................................................................................................................... 18,900 15,200 15,200 

Kingston Range WSA .................................................................................................................. 40,000 0 0 

Lake Cahuilla ............................................................................................................................... 8,600 8,600 8,600 

Lake Cahuilla Shoreline ............................................................................................................... 11,900 11,900 11,900 

Last Chance Canyon ................................................................................................................... 5,100 3,500 3,500 

Manix ........................................................................................................................................... 2,900 2,900 2,900 

Manzanar ..................................................................................................................................... 540 540 540 

Marble Mountain Fossil Bed ........................................................................................................ 230 0 0 

McCoy Valley ............................................................................................................................... 26,200 26,200 26,200 

McCoy Wash ............................................................................................................................... 6,400 6,400 6,400 

Mesquite Hills/Crucero ................................................................................................................. 5,000 5,000 5,000 

Mesquite Lake ............................................................................................................................. 6,800 6,800 6,800 

Middle Knob ................................................................................................................................. 17,800 17,800 17,800 

Mohave Ground Squirrel ............................................................................................................. 165,200 170,800 170,800 

Mojave Fishhook Cactus ............................................................................................................. 637 635 635 

Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard ........................................................................................................... 22,500 11,500 11,500 

Mopah Spring .............................................................................................................................. 1,900 0 0 

Mountain Pass Dinosaur Trackway ............................................................................................. 630 630 630 

Mule McCoy Linkage ................................................................................................................... 51,200 51,200 51,200 

Mule Mountains ........................................................................................................................... 4,100 4,100 4,100 

Northern Lucerne Wildlife Linkage .............................................................................................. 21,900 21,900 21,900 

Ocotillo ......................................................................................................................................... 14,600 14,600 14,600 

Olancha Greasewood .................................................................................................................. 25,600 19,500 19,500 

Old Woman Springs Wildlife Linkage .......................................................................................... 55,600 43,200 55,600 

Ord-Rodman ................................................................................................................................ 195,300 140,700 140,700 

Owens Lake ................................................................................................................................. 10,200 10,200 10,200 

Palen Dry Lake ............................................................................................................................ 3,600 3,600 3,600 

Palen Ford ................................................................................................................................... 41,400 25,600 41,400 

Panamint Lake ............................................................................................................................. 21,700 0 0 

Panamints and Argus .................................................................................................................. 102,900 71,500 71,500 

Parish’s Phacelia ......................................................................................................................... 560 560 560 

Patton Military Camps ................................................................................................................. 16,400 21,100 21,100 

Picacho ........................................................................................................................................ 183,500 133,600 133,600 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
3184 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 9 / Thursday, January 14, 2021 / Notices 

TABLE 1—ACECS PROPOSED FOR BOUNDARY MODIFICATION OR ELIMINATION—Continued 

ACEC name No action 

acres 

Alternative 1 

acres 

Alternative 2 

acres 

Pilot Knob .................................................................................................................................... 860 860 860 

Pinto Mountains ........................................................................................................................... 108,200 84,200 84,200 

Pipes Canyon .............................................................................................................................. 8,700 4,600 4,600 

Pisgah .......................................................................................................................................... 46,600 46,600 46,600 

Piute-Fenner ................................................................................................................................ 155,500 146,200 146,200 

Plank Road .................................................................................................................................. 420 420 420 

Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon ........................................................................................................ 4,100 4,100 4,100 

Red Mountain Spring ................................................................................................................... 700 700 700 

Rodman Mountains Cultural Area ............................................................................................... 6,200 0 0 

Rose Spring ................................................................................................................................. 840 840 840 

Saline Valley ................................................................................................................................ 1,400 0 0 

Salt Creek Hills ............................................................................................................................ 2,200 1,600 1,600 

Salton Sea Hazardous ACEC ..................................................................................................... 5,100 5,100 5,100 

San Sebastian Marsh/San Felipe Creek ..................................................................................... 6,600 6,600 6,600 

Sand Canyon ............................................................................................................................... 2,600 0 0 

Santos Manuel ............................................................................................................................. 27,500 0 0 

Shadow Valley ............................................................................................................................. 197,300 159,700 159,700 

Short Canyon ............................................................................................................................... 750 0 0 

Sierra Canyons ............................................................................................................................ 26,300 27,000 27,000 

Singer Geoglyphs ........................................................................................................................ 2,000 2,000 2,000 

Soda Mountains Expansion ......................................................................................................... 16,700 0 0 

Soda Mountains WSA ................................................................................................................. 88,800 0 0 

Soda Mountains ........................................................................................................................... 0 0 33,300 

Soggy Dry Lake Creosote Rings ................................................................................................. 180 180 180 

Southern Inyo WSA ..................................................................................................................... 2,700 0 0 

Steam Well .................................................................................................................................. 40 0 0 

Superior-Cronese ......................................................................................................................... 315,800 310,900 310,900 

Surprise Canyon .......................................................................................................................... 4,600 0 0 

Symmes Creek WSA ................................................................................................................... 8,400 0 0 

Trona Pinnacles ........................................................................................................................... 4,100 4,100 4,100 

Turtle Mountains .......................................................................................................................... 50,400 0 0 

Upper Johnson Valley Yucca Rings ............................................................................................ 330 330 330 

Upper McCoy ............................................................................................................................... 37,400 37,400 37,400 

Warm Sulfur Springs ................................................................................................................... 350 350 350 

West Mesa ................................................................................................................................... 82,500 18,700 82,500 

West Paradise ............................................................................................................................. 240 0 0 

Western Rand Mountains ............................................................................................................ 30,400 30,400 30,400 

Whipple Mountains ...................................................................................................................... 2,800 2,100 2,100 

White Mountain City .................................................................................................................... 820 820 820 

White Mountains WSA ................................................................................................................. 1,600 0 0 

Whitewater Canyon ..................................................................................................................... 14,900 2,800 2,800 

Yuha Basin .................................................................................................................................. 77,300 73,600 73,600 

A more detailed description of all 

proposed ACEC modifications, 

including maps, is included in the Draft 

LUPA/EIS and Appendix B of the Draft 

LUPA/EIS. 

The BLM will utilize and coordinate 

the NEPA process to help fulfill the 

public involvement process under the 

National Historic Preservation Act (54 

U.S.C. 306108), as provided in 36 CFR 

800.2(d)(3). The BLM will continue to 

consult with Indian tribes on a 

government-to-government basis, in 

accordance with Executive Order 13175 

and other policies. Tribal concerns, 

including impacts on Indian trust assets 

and potential impacts to cultural 

resources, will continue to be given due 

consideration. Federal, State, and local 

agencies, along with tribes and other 

stakeholders that may be interested in or 

affected by the proposed action that the 

BLM is evaluating, are invited to 

participate in the comment period. 

Please note that public comments and 

information submitted, including 

names, street addresses, and email 

addresses of persons who submit 

comments, will be available for public 

review and disclosure at the BLM 

California State Office (see ADDRESSES) 

during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 

4 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except 

holidays. 

Before including your address, phone 

number, email address, or other 

personal identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10) 

Karen E. Mouritsen, 

State Director, California. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00579 Filed 1–13–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–40–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[212.LLWO230000. 

L11700000.PH0000.LXSGPL000000] 

Notice of Availability of the Record of 

Decision for Greater Sage-Grouse 

Management, Wyoming 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES