Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 65 / Wednesday, April 4, 2012 / Notices 20409 

Conservation Needs, which are 

announced annually by AFWA at the 

same time as its request for proposals. 

Further, applicants must provide 

certification that no activities conducted 

under a Multistate Conservation grant 

will promote or encourage opposition to 

regulated hunting or trapping of wildlife 

or to regulated angling or taking of fish. 

Eligible project proposals are 

reviewed and ranked by AFWA 

Committees and interested 

nongovernmental organizations that 

represent conservation organizations, 

sportsmen’s and women’s organizations, 

and industries that support or promote 

fishing, hunting, trapping, recreational 

shooting, bowhunting, or archery. 

AFWA’s Committee on National Grants 

recommends a final list of priority 

projects to the directors of State fish and 

wildlife agencies for their approval by 

majority vote. By statute, AFWA then 

must transmit the final approved list to 

the FWS for funding under the 

Multistate Conservation Grant program 

by October 1 of the fiscal year. 

This year, we received a list of 12 

recommended projects from AFWA. We 

recommend all of them for funding in 

fiscal year 2012. The list follows: 

MULTISTATE CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM—FY 2012 CYCLE RECOMMENDED PROJECTS

ID Title Submitter PR funding 1 DJ funding 2 Total 2012 

grant request 

12–034 ...... Multistate Conservation Grant Program 

Coordination.

AFWA ........................................... $145,260.00 $145,260.00 $290,520.00 

12–001 ...... Coordination of Farm Bill Program Implementation to Optimize Fish and Wildlife 

Benefits to the States.

AFWA ........................................... 156,600.00 52,200.00 208,800.00 

12–008 ...... Coordination of the Industry, Federal and 

State Agency Coalition.

AFWA ........................................... 152,775.00 50,925.00 203,700.00 

12–028 ...... State Fish and Wildlife Agency Coordination and Administration.AFWA ........................................... 299,359.80 299,359.80 598,719.60 

12–029 ...... State Fish and Wildlife Agency Director 

Travel Coordination and Administration.

AFWA ........................................... 64,075.00 64,075.00 128,150.00 

12–010 ...... 2011 Economic Impacts of Sportfishing .... American Sportfishing Association 0.0 82,503.00 82,503.00 

12–022 ...... The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration 

Program 75th Anniversary.

Wildlife Management Institute ...... 50,000.00 50,000.00 100,000.00 

12–011 ...... Investigating Factors Related to Hunting 

and Fishing License Sales Increases.

American Sportfishing Association 92,886.15 92,886.15 185,772.30 

12–017 ...... Longitudinal Evaluation of Hunting, Fishing, and Shooting Recruitment/Retention Programs.National Wild Turkey Federation 173,172.38 173,172.38 346,344.76 

12–033 ...... Organizational Development Training for 

Fish Habitat Partnerships to Increase 

Capacity.

National Fish Habitat Action Plan 

Board.

0 100,000.00 100,000.00 

12–021 ...... Trailblazer Adventure Program .................. U.S. Sportsman Alliance Foundation.40,000.00 40,000.00 80,000.00 

12–030 ...... Conserving Fish Habitat from Whitewater 

to Bluewater.

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 

Commission.

0 261,440.38 261,440.38 

1,174,128.33 1,411,821.71 2,585,950.04 

1PR Funding: Pitman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration funds. 

2 DJ Funding: Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration funds. 

Dated: December 28, 2011. 

Rowan W. Gould, 

Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7998 Filed 4–3–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLCA9300000 L13400000.DS0000] 

Notice of Amendment to the Notice of 

Intent To Prepare an Environmental 

Impact Statement for the Proposed 

Desert Renewable Energy 

Conservation Plan, Including Kern, Los 

Angeles, San Bernardino, Inyo, 

Riverside, Imperial, and San Diego 

Counties; and Possible Land Use Plan 

Amendments 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 

Central California District, Sacramento, 

California and California Desert District, 

Moreno Valley, California intend to 

prepare an Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS) which may include 

amendments to the California Desert 

Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan, Bishop 

Resource Management Plan (RMP), 

Caliente/Bakersfield RMP, and Eastern 

San Diego County RMP for the areas that 

are within the planning boundary of the 

proposed Desert Renewable Energy 

Conservation Plan (DRECP). These 

potential plan amendments will be 

analyzed in the DRECP Draft EIS and 

CDCA Plan Amendment (PA), as 

noticed in the Federal Register on 

November 20, 2009 (74 FR 60291) and 

August 29, 2011 (76 FR 45606). By this 

notice, the BLM is announcing the 

beginning of the scoping process to 


emcdonald on DSK29S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
20410 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 65 / Wednesday, April 4, 2012 / Notices 

solicit public comments and identify 

issues related to the proposed RMP 

amendments. 

DATES: This notice initiates the public 

scoping process for the EIS and possible 

RMP amendments. Comments on issues 

may be submitted in writing until May 

4, 2012. In order to be included in the 

Draft EIS/PA, all comments must be 

received prior to the close of the scoping 

period. We will provide additional 

opportunities for public participation 

upon publication of the Draft EIS/PA. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

in writing on issues and planning 

criteria related to the Bishop, Caliente/ 

Bakersfield, or Eastern San Diego plan 

amendments as addressed in the DRECP 

Draft EIS/PA by any of the following 

methods: 

• Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/ 

en/fo/cdd.html. 

• Email: DRECP@blm.gov or 

docket@energy.state.ca.us (include 

‘‘Docket No. 09–RENEW EO–01/ 

Scoping’’ in the subject line). 

• Fax: (916) 978–4657 or (916) 654– 

4421 (Attn: Kristy Chew). 

• Mail: ATTN: Vicki Campbell, 

DRECP Program Manager, BLM 

California State Office, 2800 Cottage 

Way, Suite W–1623, Sacramento, 

California 95825, or California Energy 

Commission, Dockets Office, MS–4, 

Docket No. 09–RENEW E0–01, Scoping 

Comments, 1516 Ninth St., Sacramento 

California 95814–5512. 

Documents pertinent to this proposal 

may be examined at the BLM California 

State Office (see ADDRESSES above); 

BLM California Desert District office, 

22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, 

Moreno Valley, California 92553–9046; 

BLM Bakersfield Field Office, 3801 

Pegasus Drive, Bakersfield, California 

93308; or the BLM Bishop Field Office, 

351 Pacu Lane, Suite 100, Bishop, 

California 93514. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information and/or to have your 

name added to our mailing list, contact 

Vicki Campbell, DRECP Program 

Manager, telephone (916) 978–4320; 

address BLM California State Office, 

2800 Cottage Way, Suite W–1623, 

Sacramento, California 95825; email 

DRECP@blm.gov. Persons who use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at (800) 877–8339 

to contact the above individual during 

normal business hours. The FIRS is 

available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 

to leave a message or question with the 

above individual. You will receive a 

reply during normal business hours. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM, 

along with the California Department of 

Fish and Game, the California Energy 

Commission, and the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service propose to amend the 

CDCA Plan, Bishop RMP, Caliente/ 

Bakersfield RMP, and Eastern San Diego 

RMP within the DRECP planning area. 

The DRECP will advance State and 

Federal conservation goals in the desert 

regions of California while also 

facilitating the timely permitting of 

renewable energy projects under 

applicable State and Federal laws, and 

is intended to complement the Solar 

Programmatic EIS, which is currently 

under environmental review as well. 

Thus far, the agencies have identified 

the need to: provide conservation and 

management of identified species in the 

planning area, along with the natural 

communities and ecosystems that 

support these species, build on the 

Competitive Renewable Energy Zones 

identified by the State’s Renewable 

Energy Transmission Initiative, while 

identifying the most appropriate 

locations in the planning area for 

development of utility scale renewable 

energy projects that will not burden 

existing resources, standardize 

mitigation and compensation 

requirements for energy activities in the 

planning area, and to streamline the 

permitting process of energy projects 

that results in greater conservation 

values than current methods. 

The purpose of the public scoping 

process is to determine relevant issues 

that will influence the scope of the 

environmental analysis, including 

alternatives for the RMP areas and to 

guide the process for developing the 

Draft EIS/PA. The BLM has identified 

the following preliminary issues: special 

status species, mitigation measures for 

special status species, vegetation 

communities, cultural resources, special 

area designations, and areas of high 

potential for renewable energy 

development. These issues along with 

interagency guidance and cooperation 

have helped frame preliminary planning 

criteria, which will work to define the 

scope of the planning area. These 

criteria include: 

• The plan amendments will be 

completed in compliance with FLPMA, 

NEPA, and all other relevant Federal 

law, implementing regulations, 

Executive Orders, Secretarial Orders, 

and management policies of the 

Department of Interior and the BLM. 

• The plan amendment will recognize 

BLM’s responsibility to manage for 

multiple use and sustained yield 

throughout the planning area. 

• Although the plan amendments will 

only apply to BLM-managed lands, the 

BLM will develop and analyze in its 

range of alternatives, potential land use 

plan decisions that address a larger, 

landscape context, which will include 

considerations of private lands. 

• The California Desert Conservation 

Area Plan Amendment will recognize 

the unique values and resources in the 

California Desert, as found by Congress 

in Sec. 601 of FLPMA. 

• The plan amendments will be 

consistent with the California Natural 

Communities Conservation Planning 

Act, to the extent that the decisions 

reached in the NCCP are consistent with 

Federal law, regulation, and BLM 

policies regarding management of 

public lands. 

• The plan amendment will comply 

with the Memorandums of 

Understanding between the Department 

of the Interior (including those 

agreements signed by BLM–CA) and the 

State of California (including those 

agreements signed by state agencies and 

commissions) and the DRECP Planning 

Agreement, to the extent that the 

direction in those documents is 

consistent with Federal law, regulation, 

and BLM policies regarding the 

management public lands. 

• Native American Tribal 

consultation will be conducted in 

accordance with Federal law, 

regulation, and policy, and Tribal 

concerns will be given due 

consideration. 

• Plan amendment decisions will 

strive to be compatible with the existing 

plans and policies of adjacent local, 

state, tribal, and federal agencies, or 

with changes to those policies and plans 

contemplated as part of the DRECP, as 

long as the decisions are in conformance 

with Federal law, regulation, and BLM 

policies on management of public lands. 

Authorization of this proposal will 

require amendments of the CDCA Plan, 

Bishop RMP, Caliente/Bakersfield RMP, 

and Eastern San Diego RMP. By this 

notice, the BLM is complying with 

requirements in 43 CFR 1610.2(c) to 

notify the public of potential 

amendments to land use plans 

predicated on the findings of the 

environmental review process. The BLM 

is integrating the land use plan 

amendment process with the NEPA 

process for this project. 

The BLM will use and coordinate the 

NEPA commenting process to help 

fulfill the public involvement process 

under Section 106 of the National 

Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 

470(f)) as provided for in 36 CFR 

800.2(d)(3). Native American Tribal 

consultations will be conducted in 

accordance with policy, and Tribal 

concerns will be given due 

consideration, including potential 

impacts on Indian trust assets. Federal, 


emcdonald on DSK29S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 65 / Wednesday, April 4, 2012 / Notices 20411 

state, and local agencies, along with 

tribes and other stakeholders that may 

be interested or affected by the BLM’s 

decision on this project are invited to 

participate in the scoping process and, 

if eligible, may request or be requested 

by the BLM to participate as a 

cooperating agency. 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. 

The minutes and list of attendees for 

each scoping meeting will be available 

to the public and open for 30 days after 

the meeting to any participant who 

wishes to clarify the views he or she 

expressed. The BLM will evaluate 

identified issues to be addressed in the 

plan, and will place them into one of 

three categories: 

1. Issues to be resolved in the plan 

amendment; 

2. Issues to be resolved through policy 

or administrative action; or 

3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan 

amendment. 

The BLM will provide an explanation 

in the Draft RMP/Draft EIS as to why an 

issue was placed in category two or 

three. The public is also encouraged to 

help identify any management questions 

and concerns that should be addressed 

in the plan. The BLM will work 

collaboratively with interested parties to 

identify the management decisions that 

are best suited to local, regional, and 

national needs and concerns. 

The BLM will use an interdisciplinary 

approach to develop the plan 

amendment in order to consider the 

variety of resource issues and concerns 

identified. Specialists with expertise in 

the following disciplines will be 

involved in the planning process: 

rangeland management, minerals and 

geology, outdoor recreation, 

paleontology, archaeology, wildlife, 

lands and realty, hydrology, soils, 

sociology and economics. 

Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 

1610.2. 

Thomas Pogacnik, 

Deputy State Director. 

[FR Doc. 2012–8101 Filed 4–3–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–40–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Western Area Power Administration 

[LLNM930000 L51010000.ER0000 

LVRWG11G0790 NMNM124104] 

Notice of Intent To Prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Proposed Southline Transmission 

Line Project in New Mexico and 

Arizona (DOE/EIS–0474) and Possible 

Land Use Plan Amendments 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

U.S. Department of the Interior; Western 

Area Power Administration, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

ACTION: Notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Las 

Cruces District Office, Las Cruces, New 

Mexico, intends to prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

analyzing the impacts of the proposed 

Southline Transmission Line Project 

(Project), a 345-kilovolt (kV) and 230-kV 

transmission line, and addressing 

associated potential land use plan 

amendments. This notice announces the 

beginning of the scoping process to 

solicit public comments and identify 

issues. Western Area Power 

Administration (Western) is a joint lead 

agency with BLM for preparing the EIS. 

Western is a power-marketing agency 

within the Department of Energy (DOE) 

and is proposing to participate in the 

Project with the applicant, Southline 

Transmission, LLC (Southline). 

DATES: This notice initiates a 60-day 

public scoping process to solicit public 

comments and identify issues, 

opportunities, and concerns that should 

be considered in the preparation of a 

Draft EIS. During the scoping process, 

the BLM will also evaluate the need for 

any land use plan amendments to any 

of the affected Resource Management 

Plans (RMPs). The scoping period will 

end on June 4, 2012, or 15 days after the 

date of the last public scoping meeting, 

whichever is later. In order to ensure 

consideration in the Draft EIS, all 

comments must be received prior to the 

close of the scoping period. The BLM 

and Western will provide additional 

opportunities for public participation 

upon publication of the Draft EIS. The 

public will be notified in advance of 

future opportunities for participation as 

the EIS is prepared. 

To provide the public with an 

opportunity to review the proposal and 

project information, the BLM and 

Western expect to hold six public 

meetings at various locations in New 

Mexico and Arizona during the public 

scoping period. The BLM will announce 

public scoping meetings through local 

news media, newsletters, and posting on 

the BLM Web site at http:// 

www.blm.gov/nm/southline at least 15 

days prior to each meeting. 

ADDRESSES: Comments related to the 

proposed Project may be submitted by 

any of the following methods: 

Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nm/ 

southline. 

Fax: (575) 525–4412. 

Mail: BLM, Las Cruces District Office, 

Southline Transmission Project, 

Attention: Frances Martinez, Realty 

Specialist, 1800 Marquess Street, Las 

Cruces, New Mexico 88005. 

Email: fmartine@blm.gov. 

Documents pertinent to this proposal 

may be examined at the Las Cruces 

District Office or on the above Web site. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom 

Hurshman, BLM National Project 

Manager; telephone (970) 240–5345; 

email: thurshma@blm.gov. 

For information about Western’s 

involvement, contact Mark Wieringa, 

Western NEPA Document Manager; 

telephone (800) 336–7288 or (720) 962– 

7448; email: wieringa@wapa.gov. For 

general information on DOE NEPA 

(42 U.S.C. 4321–4347) review 

procedures or on the status of a NEPA 

review, contact Carol M. Borgstrom, 

Director of NEPA Policy and 

Compliance, GC–54, U.S. Department of 

Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue 

SW., Washington, DC 20585–0119, 

telephone (202) 586–4600 or toll free at 

(800) 472–2756, fax (202) 586–7031. 

People who use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD) may call the 

Federal Information Relay Service 

(FIRS) at (800) 877–8339 during normal 

business hours to contact the BLM 

Project Manager listed above. The FIRS 

is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a 

week, to leave a message or question for 

the above individual. You will receive 

a reply during normal business hours. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Southline 

has filed a right-of-way (ROW) 

application with the BLM pursuant to 

Title V of FLPMA proposing to 

construct, operate, maintain, and 

eventually decommission a highvoltage, alternating current electric 

transmission line. The proposed Project 

would consist of two segments. The first 

segment would be the construction of a 


emcdonald on DSK29S0YB1PROD with NOTICES