Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 11 / Friday, January 17, 2025 / Notices 5981 

by delegation of the Assistant 

Secretary—Indian Affairs, made a final 

agency determination to acquire in trust 

68.60 acres, more or less, of land known 

as the Shiloh Site in Sonoma County, 

California, for the Koi Nation of 

Northern California for gaming and 

other purposes. 

DATES: This final determination was 

made January 13, 2025. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Paula L. Hart, Director, Office of Indian 

Gaming, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary—Indian Affairs, Washington, 

DC 20240, IndianGaming@bia.gov; (202) 

219–4066. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On the 

date listed in the DATES section of this 

notice, the Director, Bureau of Indian 

Education, exercising authority by 

delegation of the Assistant Secretary— 

Indian Affairs, made a final agency 

determination to acquire the Shiloh Site 

(Site), consisting of 68.60 acres, more or 

less, in trust for the Koi Nation of 

Northern California under the authority 

of the section 20 of the Indian Gaming 

Regulatory Act, 25 U.S.C. 2719 

(b)(1)(B)(iii). 

The Director, Bureau of Indian 

Education, exercising authority by 

delegation of the Assistant Secretary— 

Indian Affairs, on behalf of the Secretary 

of the Interior, will immediately acquire 

the title to the Site in the name of the 

United States of America in trust for the 

Koi Nation of Northern California upon 

fulfillment of all Departmental 

requirements. The 68.60 acres, more or 

less, are described as follows: 

Legal Description of Property 

For APN/Parcel ID(s): 059–300–003– 

000 

The land referred to herein below is 

situated in the unincorporated area in 

County of Sonoma, State of California 

and is described as follows: 

Being a tract of land in Section 20, 

Township 8 North, Range 8 West, 

M.D.B. and M. and beginning at a iron 

pin which marks the 1⁄4 section corner 

between Sections 19 and 20; thence East 

along the Northerly line of the 

Southwest 1⁄4 of said Section 20, a 

distance of 40.00 chains, more or less, 

to the center of Section 20; thence 

South, along the Easterly line of said 

Southwest 1⁄4, 17.01 chains, more or 

less, to the Northeast corner of a tract of 

land conveyed by Elisha C. Mayo to 

Charles T. Mathisen and Cynthia E. 

Mathisen, his wife, by Deed dated 

January 28, 1905 in Book 216 of Deeds 

at Page 298, Sonoma County Records; 

thence South 76° 15′ West, along the 

Northerly boundary of said tract of land 

conveyed to said Mathison, 25.69 

chains, more or less, to the center of the 

State Highway leading from Santa Rosa 

to Healdsburg; thence Northwesterly 

along the center of said State Highway, 

26.85 chains, more or less, to the section 

line between Section 19 and 20; thence 

North along said section line, 1.62 

chains, more or less, to the point of 

beginning. 

Excepting therefrom that portion 

thereof conveyed to the County of 

Sonoma by deed recorded April 25, 

1950 in Book 955 at Page 376, Sonoma 

County Records. 

Also excepting therefrom that portion 

conveyed to the County of Sonoma by 

Deed recorded October 27, 2006 as 

Instrument No. 2006132956, of Official 

Records. 

Authority: This notice is published in the 

exercise of authority delegated by the 

Secretary of the Interior to the Assistant 

Secretary—Indian Affairs by the 

Departmental Manual in part 209, chapter 8, 

paragraph 8.1 and is published to comply 

with the requirements of 25 CFR 151.13 

(c)(2)(ii) that notice of the decision to acquire 

land in trust be promptly provided in the 

Federal Register. 

Tony Dearman, 

Director, Bureau of Indian 

Education,Exercising authority by delegation 

of the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2025–01083 Filed 1–16–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4337–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Office of the Secretary 

[MO4500181943] 

National Environmental Policy Act 

Implementing Procedures for the 

Bureau of Land Management (516 DM 

11) 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

Department of the Interior’s 

(Department) proposal to revise the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) implementing procedures for 

the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 

at chapter 11 of part 516 of the 

Departmental Manual (DM) to add a 

new categorical exclusion (CX) for 

geothermal resource exploration 

operations. 

DATES: Comments must be postmarked 

(for mailed comments), delivered (for 

personal or messenger delivery 

comments), or filed (for electronic 

comments) no later than February 18, 

2025. 

ADDRESSES: The public can review the 

substantiation report for the new 

proposed CX online at: http://

eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/ 

project/2034945/510. Comments can be 

submitted using: 

BLM National NEPA Register: http://

eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/ 

project/2034945/510. Follow the 

instructions at this website. 

Mail: U.S. Department of the Interior, 

Bureau of Land Management, 

Attention: BLM HQ330 Geothermal 

Exploration Operations Categorical 

Exclusion, 1849 C Street NW, 

Washington, DC 20240. 

Personal or messenger delivery: U.S. 

Department of the Interior, Bureau of 

Land Management, Attention: BLM 

HQ330 Geothermal Exploration 

Operations Categorical Exclusion, 

1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 

20240. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Heather Bernier, Division Chief, 

Decision Support, Planning, and NEPA, 

at (303) 239–3635, or hbernier@blm.gov. 

Individuals in the United States who are 

deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have 

a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, 

TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 

telecommunications relay services for 

contacting Ms. Bernier. Individuals 

outside the United States should use the 

relay services offered within their 

country to make international calls to 

the point-of-contact in the United 

States. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., requires 

Federal agencies to consider the 

environmental effects of their proposed 

actions in their decision-making 

processes and inform and engage the 

public in that process. Section 101(a) of 

NEPA sets forth a national policy to use 

all practicable means and measures, 

including financial and technical 

assistance, in a manner calculated to 

foster and promote the general welfare, 

to create and maintain conditions under 

which humans and nature can exist in 

productive harmony, and to fulfill the 

social, economic, and other 

requirements of present and future 

generations of Americans. 42 U.S.C. 

4331(a). Section 102 of NEPA directs 

agencies to interpret and administer 

Federal policies, regulations, and laws 

consistent with NEPA’s policies. 42 

U.S.C. 4332. 

To comply with NEPA, agencies 

determine the appropriate level of 

review for a proposed action: an 

environmental impact statement (EIS), 

an environmental assessment (EA), or a 

CX. 40 CFR 1501.3(c). If a proposed 

action is likely to have significant 


KHAMMOND on DSK9W7S144PROD with NOTICES
5982 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 11 / Friday, January 17, 2025 / Notices 

1Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), 

Establishing, Applying, and Revising Categorical 

Exclusions under the Environmental Policy Act. 

November 23, 2010, at 2–3. https://ceq.doe.gov/ 

docs/ceq-regulations-and-guidance/NEPA_CX_

Guidance_Nov232010.pdf. 

environmental effects, the agency will 

prepare an EIS and document its 

decision in a record of decision. 40 CFR 

part 1502, 1505.2. If the proposed action 

is not likely to have significant 

environmental effects or where the level 

of significance is unknown, the agency 

will prepare an EA, which involves a 

more concise analysis and process than 

an EIS. 40 CFR 1501.5. Following 

preparation of an EA, the agency may 

reach a finding of no significant impact 

(FONSI) if the analysis shows that the 

action will have no significant effects. 

40 CFR 1501.6. If, following preparation 

of an EA, the agency finds that the 

proposed action will have significant 

effects, it will prepare an EIS before 

authorizing the action. 40 CFR 

1501.6(a)(3). 

Under NEPA and Council on 

Environmental Quality’s (CEQ’s) 

implementing regulations, a Federal 

agency must establish CXs—categories 

of actions that the agency has 

determined normally do not 

significantly affect the quality of the 

human environment, individually or in 

the aggregate—in its agency NEPA 

procedures. 42 U.S.C. 4336(e)(1); 40 

CFR 1501.4, 1507.3(c)(8), 1508.1(e). If an 

agency determines that a CX covers a 

proposed action, the agency then 

evaluates the proposed action for any 

extraordinary circumstances in which a 

normally excluded action may have a 

significant effect. 40 CFR 1501.4(b), 

1508.1(o). Responsible officials in the 

Department’s bureaus evaluate proposed 

actions for the existence of 

extraordinary circumstances in 

accordance with the Department’s 

NEPA implementing regulations at 43 

CFR 46.205 and 46.215; see also 40 CFR 

1501.4(b), (b)(1)–(2). 

Under NEPA, a CX is defined as ‘‘a 

category of actions that a Federal agency 

has determined normally does not 

significantly affect the quality of the 

human environment.’’ 42 U.S.C. 4336e. 

The CEQ recognizes that CXs increase 

efficiency by reducing the resources 

spent analyzing proposals that normally 

do not have potentially significant 

environmental effects, thereby allowing 

those resources to be focused on 

proposals that are more likely to have 

significant environmental effects.1 The 

appropriate use of CXs allows NEPA 

compliance, in the absence of 

extraordinary circumstances that merit 

further consideration, to be concluded 

without preparing either an EA or an 

EIS. 

The Department’s revised NEPA 

procedures were published in the 

Federal Register on October 15, 2008 

(73 FR 61292) and are codified at 43 

CFR part 46. Additional Departmentwide NEPA policy may be found in the 

DM, in chapters 1 through 4 of part 516. 

The NEPA procedures for the 

Department’s bureaus are published as 

additional chapters of this DM part 516. 

Chapter 11 of 516 DM covers the BLM’s 

procedures. The BLM’s current 

procedures can be found at: https://

www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/elips/ 

documents/516-dm-11_0.pdf. These 

procedures address policy as well as 

procedure to assure compliance with 

the spirit and intent of NEPA. 

Rationale for the Proposed New CX 

The establishment of this new 

Geothermal Exploration Operations 

(GEO) CX is intended to facilitate the 

approval of notices of intent (NOIs) to 

conduct geothermal resource 

exploration operations that do not have 

the potential to result in significant 

environmental effects and to expedite 

renewable energy development on 

public lands. BLM currently prepares an 

EA to comply with NEPA for approval 

of an NOI to permit any pre-leasing 

geothermal resource exploration 

operation that includes construction of 

roads and/or well pads. The BLM’s goal 

is to shift its analytical resources away 

from preparing EAs for actions that have 

been demonstrated to result in no 

significant effects towards those actions 

that may result in significant effects. 

BLM has long experience with approval 

of NOIs for exploration activities and is 

familiar with the environmental effects 

of this activity, none of which are 

normally significant. 

To substantiate a determination that 

the proposed new GEO CX describes a 

category of actions that does not 

normally have a significant effect on the 

environment, individually or in the 

aggregate, BLM assessed the 

environmental effects of similar 

previously implemented actions by 

evaluating 57 BLM EAs that supported 

FONSIs and validating these 

environmental reviews by conducting 

post-implementation evaluations that 

confirmed the findings. 

A record of the BLM’s review can be 

found in the substantiation report for 

the proposed new CX (‘‘Substantiation 

of Proposed National Environmental 

Policy Act Categorical Exclusion for 

Geothermal Resource Exploration 

Operations,’’ dated October 15, 2024), 

which is incorporated by reference here 

and summarized in ‘‘Justification for 

Change’’ section below. Based upon this 

information, the BLM has found that the 

establishment of a CX is appropriate 

because of the evidence that no 

significant effects normally result from 

geothermal exploration operations 

conducted within the proposed 

parameters. Establishing the new CX as 

proposed would ensure a timely process 

towards implementing geothermal 

exploration projects that do not have 

significant effects. 

Description of Change 

The Department proposes to add one 

CX to the BLM chapter of the 

Departmental Manual 516 DM 11 at 

paragraph 11.9.B, ‘‘Oil, Gas and 

Geothermal Energy.’’ The language of 

the proposed new CX citation at 516 DM 

11.9.B(8) is: 

Approval of a Notice of Intent to 

Conduct Geothermal Resource 

Exploration Operations that: 

• Does not include the direct testing 

of geothermal resources or resource 

utilization; 

• Does not exceed 10 acres of total 

(contiguous or noncontiguous) surface 

disturbance; 

• Requires reclamation of surface 

disturbances when their intended 

purpose has been fulfilled; 

• Requires reclamation of temporary 

routes when their intended purpose(s) 

has been fulfilled, unless through a 

separate review and decision-making 

process the BLM incorporates and 

appropriately designates the route as 

part of its transportation system; 

• Does not make a temporary route 

available for public use unless the 

temporary route is specifically intended 

to accommodate public use; 

• Requires temporary routes to be 

constructed or used so as to allow for 

the reclamation, by artificial or natural 

means, of vegetative cover on the 

temporary route and areas where the 

vegetative cover was disturbed by the 

construction or use of the route, and 

requires such treatment to be designed 

to reestablish vegetative cover as soon as 

possible, but at most within 10 years 

after approved reclamation commences; 

and, 

• Includes design elements to protect 

resources and resource uses consistent 

with the applicable Resource 

Management Plan, laws, regulations, 

and any lease terms (as applicable). 

The BLM’s intent in establishing this 

CX is to improve the efficiency of 

routine environmental review processes 

for pre-leasing geothermal resource 

exploration operations. The scope of 

geothermal resource exploration 

operations allowed under an NOI is 

defined at 43 CFR 3200.1. 


KHAMMOND on DSK9W7S144PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 11 / Friday, January 17, 2025 / Notices 5983 

When applying this CX, responsible 

officials at the BLM will evaluate the 

proposed actions to determine whether 

there are any extraordinary 

circumstances. The Department’s 

extraordinary circumstances are listed at 

43 CFR 46.215. 

Responsible officials in the BLM are 

required to review any proposed action 

for which they intend to rely on a CX, 

as provided at 43 CFR 46.205, by 

comparing it with the list at 43 CFR 

46.215 and to document that review in 

accordance with any applicable BLM 

NEPA or program guidance. The 

responsible official will assess whether 

an extraordinary circumstance exists. If 

the responsible official cannot rely on a 

CX to support a decision on a particular 

proposed action due to extraordinary 

circumstances, the responsible official 

will prepare an EA or EIS, consistent 

with 40 CFR 1501.4(b)(2) and 43 CFR 

46.205(c). 

The public is asked to review and 

comment on the newly proposed CX. To 

be considered, any comments on this 

proposed addition to the list of CXs in 

the DM must be received by the date 

listed in the DATES section of this notice 

at the location listed in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments received after that 

date will be considered only to the 

extent practicable. Comments, including 

names and addresses of respondents, 

will be part of the public record and 

available for public review at the BLM 

address shown in the ADDRESSES

section, during business hours, 8 a.m. to 

4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except holidays. Before including your 

address, telephone 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. 

Justification for Change 

The BLM proposes the GEO CX after 

reviewing existing BLM NEPA analyses 

and available scientific research on the 

effects of routine actions that would be 

included in the proposed new CX over 

time and over different geographic 

areas. The BLM has documented in 

detail the justification for establishing 

this new CX in its substantiation report, 

which is available to review in full at 

the websites shown in ADDRESSES. 

Pursuant to the Geothermal Steam Act 

of 1970, the BLM is responsible for 

issuing leases for and managing 

geothermal resource development, in 

part by processing permit applications 

for exploration, drilling, production, 

and utilization (electrical generation) on 

the Federal mineral estate. This 

authority encompasses approximately 

700 million acres of Federal minerals, 

including BLM managed public lands, 

National Forest System lands, other 

Federal lands, as well as split estate 

(e.g., non-Federal surface) lands where 

the Federal Government has retained 

the subsurface mineral estate. 

Geothermal energy offers the nation a 

clean, domestic, and abundant 

renewable energy resource. 

Conventional (hydrothermal) 

geothermal power plants use heat 

energy found in rock formations 

containing hot water or steam below the 

Earth’s surface to turn a turbine and 

generate electrical power. Geothermal 

energy is a baseload source of 

electricity, generating energy 24 hours a 

day, regardless of changing weather 

patterns; as such, geothermal energy can 

help bridge the gap created by the 

intermittent generation of power from 

other renewable energy sources like 

solar and wind. Among renewable 

energy sources, geothermal power 

plants also have the smallest amount of 

surface disturbance relative to 

electricity produced, with a generationweighted average of 0.34 acre/Gigawatt 

hour. Currently, approximately 70 

percent of geothermal installed capacity 

includes Federal resources (Richter 

2019). For these reasons, the BLM’s 

geothermal energy program is a critical 

component to the efforts of the 

administration and various western 

states to advance and diversify the 

nation’s energy portfolio. 

A CX to support streamlined project 

authorization at the exploration 

operations phase would simplify and 

focus the NEPA process. Establishment 

of a CX that could support more 

efficient authorization of geothermal 

exploration could be vital to the 

expansion of the geothermal industry. 

To support the development of the 

CX, the BLM examined 28 geothermal 

projects analyzed in EAs that all 

supported FONSIs, and that were 

completed between 2003 and 2019, to 

identify potential effects resulting from 

the kinds of activities normally 

included in NOIs, as outlined in 43 CFR 

3200.1 and the 43 CFR part 3200, 

subpart 3250 regulations. As explained 

in the accompanying substantiation 

report, these 28 geothermal projects 

represent the majority of geothermal 

resource exploration projects that have 

been approved by BLM and 

implemented in full over the last 21 

years, and the entire universe of projects 

that are suitable for comparison to the 

actions covered by the proposed CX. A 

team, which included geothermal and 

planning and environmental subject 

matter experts from the BLM, the 

Department’s Office of the Solicitor, and 

the National Renewable Energy 

Laboratory, reviewed the NEPA 

documents to determine the scope of 

environmental consequences 

anticipated to result from the proposed 

actions. The team evaluated the actions’ 

scope (e.g., construction of temporary 

routes for site access, drilling of TGWs 

or shallow wells, construction of well 

pads) and potential effects (e.g., no longterm effects to natural resources) in the 

geothermal EAs to inform the types of 

projects that may be approved pursuant 

to the proposed GEO CX. As discussed 

in the ‘‘Methods’’ section of the 

substantiation report, the BLM currently 

authorizes NOI permit projects that 

include construction of roads and/or 

well pads supported by EAs. In the EAs 

reviewed, no significant individual or 

cumulative effects were predicted to 

result from the kinds of activities 

included in the proposed CX for 

geothermal exploration operations, nor 

were any unanticipated effects observed 

after projects were implemented. Actual 

effects were the same as predicted 

effects in all cases. 

The projects evaluated for 

establishment of this proposed CX 

include ‘‘design elements’’ to minimize 

any effects to other resources. As part of 

the Resource Management Plan (RMP) 

conformance process and application of 

relevant Federal laws, the BLM employs 

design elements specified in the RMP to 

minimize effects as it considers 

proposals that fit its category of 

excluded actions, and often coordinates 

with applicants to revise their proposals 

to minimize effects prior to or during 

the review process. ‘‘Design elements’’ 

refers to mitigation measures that are 

outlined in RMPs, as well as geothermal 

lease stipulations that are attached to 

individual lease parcels and applicable 

laws. The design elements are 

applicable to all NOIs, and the BLM will 

impose them, to the extent applicable, 

as conditions of approval (COAs) if not 

already included in the proposal. The 

regulations at 43 CFR 3251.12 provide 

authority for BLM to require COAs on 

permit authorizations to provide 

protections for resource values. 

There were no instances where any of 

the projects evaluated in EAs would 

have required completion of an EIS had 

these measures not been applied as 

design elements of the proposed action 

or alternatives. In all instances projects 

were designed such that the proposed 

action or alternatives minimized 


KHAMMOND on DSK9W7S144PROD with NOTICES
5984 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 11 / Friday, January 17, 2025 / Notices 

adverse effects. Each project proposed 

in reliance on the new CX would be 

evaluated to determine if extraordinary 

circumstances apply. If the BLM’s 

review determines that extraordinary 

circumstances exist for an action that 

might otherwise be categorically 

excluded, or where the level of effects 

cannot be ascertained, the BLM would 

either require modification of the 

proposed action or would prepare an EA 

or EIS to support its decision making. 

Departmental and BLM regulations, 

manuals, handbooks, policies, and 

applicable land use plans provide 

direction and requirements regarding 

project design. 

As described in the substantiation 

report, the BLM has experience 

analyzing and authorizing geothermal 

exploration projects in an 

environmentally sustainable manner 

and considers the activities described in 

this proposal to be routine and their 

effects to be non-significant. Expediting 

permit approvals for geothermal 

exploration projects is essential to 

respond to the need to combat climate 

change using renewable resources 

managed on BLM-administered lands. 

Establishment of this proposed new CX 

would also facilitate implementation of 

BLM priorities for identifying steps to 

establish and implement a program to 

improve Federal permit coordination 

with respect to eligible projects, with 

the goal of accelerating responsible 

development of renewable energy (i.e., 

geothermal) on public lands. See 43 

U.S.C. 3002. 

Authorities: NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 

seq.); Executive Order (E.O.) 11514, 

March 5, 1970, as amended by E.O. 

11991, May 24, 1977; and CEQ 

regulations (40 CFR 1507.3). 

Stephen G. Tryon, 

Director,Office of Environmental Policy and 

Compliance. 

[FR Doc. 2025–01084 Filed 1–16–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4331–84–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[PO4820000251] 

Notice of Availability of the Record of 

Decision and Approved Resource 

Management Plan for the CascadeSiskiyou National Monument in 

Oregon/Washington and California 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) announces the 

availability of the Record of Decision 

(ROD) for the Approved Resource 

Management Plan (RMP) for the 

Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument 

(CSNM) located in Oregon/Washington 

(OR/WA) and California (CA). The 

Director signed the ROD on January 7, 

2025, which constitutes the decision of 

the BLM and makes the Approved RMP 

effective immediately. 

DATES: The Director signed the ROD on 

January 7, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: The ROD/Approved RMP is 

available online at https://eplanning.

blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2023675/ 

510. Printed copies of the ROD/ 

Approved RMP are available for public 

inspection at the BLM Medford District 

Office, 3040 Biddle Rd, Medford, OR 

97504; the BLM Klamath Falls Field 

Office, 2795 Anderson Avenue, Bldg. 

#25, Klamath Falls, OR 97603; the 

Redding Field Office, 6640 Lockheed 

Drive, Redding, CA 96002–9003; or can 

be provided upon request by contacting 

Lauren Brown, Field Manager, Ashland 

Field Office, lpbrown@blm.gov or (541) 

618–2200, or by contacting Joel Brumm, 

Assistant Monument Manager, 

jbrumm@blm.gov or (541) 618–2200. 

A copy of the Protest Resolution 

Report is available at: https://

www.blm.gov/programs/planning-andnepa/public-participation/protestresolution-reports. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Lauren Brown, Ashland Field Office, 

Field Manager, telephone (541) 618– 

2200; address 3040 Biddle Rd, Medford, 

OR 97504; email blm_csnm_rmp@

blm.gov. Individuals in the United 

States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of 

hearing, or have a speech disability may 

dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to 

access telecommunications relay 

services for contacting Ms. Brown. 

Individuals outside the United States 

should use the relay services offered 

within their country to make 

international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

CSNM boundary, as identified by 

Presidential Proclamation Nos. 7318 

and 9564, constitutes the planning area 

for the Approved RMP. The planning 

area is 170,407 acres and includes lands 

within Jackson and Klamath Counties in 

Oregon, and Siskiyou County in 

California. The CSNM’s decision area is 

the approximately 113,500 acres of 

BLM-administered lands within the 

planning area. While most of the BLMadministered lands are within the BLM 

Ashland and Klamath Falls Field 

Offices in Oregon, approximately 5,000 

acres are located within the BLM 

Redding Field Office in California. 

The Approved RMP will ensure that 

all legal mandates related to 

management of the congressionally 

designated National Conservation Lands 

(i.e., Soda Mountain Wilderness; the 

Jenny Creek and Spring Creek Wild and 

Scenic Rivers; the Applegate Trail, 

which is part of the California National 

Historic Trail; and the Pacific Crest 

National Scenic Trail), as well as lands 

included in President Obama’s 

enlargement of the monument 

boundary, are fully addressed. In 

addition, the Approved RMP will 

update existing management plans to 

align with current BLM policies, thereby 

ensuring comprehensive management of 

the decision area. 

The RMP’s underlying purpose (40 

CFR 1502.13) is to provide a 

management framework, including 

objectives and management direction, 

that guides the BLM’s management of 

the decision area to protect and restore 

the resources, objects, and values for 

which the area was designated. 

The Approved RMP emphasizes 

flexibility in planning-level direction 

but promotes a moderate level of active 

management for protection, 

maintenance, and restoration of CSNM 

resources, and sets some limitations on 

management actions and tools available. 

The Approved RMP does not carry 

forward any Areas of Critical 

Environmental Concern (ACEC) or 

Research Natural Areas. The BLM 

determined that special management 

attention would be provided by 

management direction in the plan from 

other designations and management 

areas that apply monument-wide and 

would adequately protect the resource 

or value. The BLM determined that the 

entire monument holds historic, 

cultural, fish and wildlife, and scenic 

values that meet the relevance and 

importance criteria for an ACEC. The 

Approved RMP is designed to protect 

the monument’s objects of scientific and 

historic interest outlined in Presidential 

Proclamations Nos. 7318 and 9564, 

which would safeguard these resources 

or values. 

In developing the Approved RMP, the 

analysis in the Proposed RMP/Final EIS 

demonstrated that it best meets the 

purpose and need for the action 

compared to the alternatives. The 

planning process included results from 

close collaboration with several agency 

partners, including regulatory agencies 

and Tribal Nations, and their support 

will be integral to effectively 

implementing the Approved RMP. 

The BLM provided the Proposed 

RMP/Final EIS for public protest on 

October 11, 2024, for a 30-day protest 

period and received 11 protest letters. 


KHAMMOND on DSK9W7S144PROD with NOTICES