[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 92 (Friday, May 10, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21483-21484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11659]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[CA-019-96-1220-24-1A]


Availability of Final Clear Creek Management Area Resource 
Management Plan Amendment and Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2(c), a final 
Resource Management Plan Amendment/Environmental Impact Statement (RMP 
Amendment/EIS) has been prepared by the Hollister Resource Area. The 
final RMP Amendment/EIS describes and analyzes alternative management 
scenarios for about 50,000 acres of public lands in the Clear Creek 
Management Area. These lands are located in south San Benito County in 
central California.
    Decisions relating to the management of the Clear Creek Management 
Area generated by this planning process will supersede those currently 
in the Hollister RMP. Copies of the final RMP Amendment/EIS can be 
obtained or reviewed at the Hollister Resource Area Office, 20 Hamilton 
Court, Hollister, CA 95023. Since the number of copies available is 
limited, the Hollister Office has also mailed copies to 27 public 
libraries in the following locations: Antioch, Fresno, Davis, Gilroy, 
Fairfield, Hanford, Hayward, Livermore, Madera, Menlo Park, Modesto, 
Monterey, Oroville, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, San Mateo, San 
Rafael, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Seaside, Sunnyvale, Tracy, Vallejo, 
Visalia and Yuba City. Public review copies are also available at:

(1) California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825
(2) Bakersfield District Office, 3801 Pegasus Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 
93308

    Background information and maps used in developing the final RMP 
Amendment and EIS can be reviewed at the Hollister Resource Area 
Office.

DATES: The public protest period will run for 30 days after the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes its notice of 
availability of this EIS. The publishing date will most likely be May 
3, 1996. The public should confirm this date and the end of the protest 
period by reviewing the EPA Federal Register notice. Protests must be 
postmarked within 30 days after the EPA has published its notice of 
availability. Protests must minimally contain the following 
information: (1) the name, mailing address, telephone number, and 
interest of the person filing the protest; (2) a statement of the issue 
or issues being protested; (3) a statement of the part or parts being 
protested, citing pages, paragraphs, maps, etc. of the RMP Amendment 
where practical; (4) a copy of all documents addressing the issue(s) 
for the record; (5) a concise statement of why you believe the BLM 
State Director's decision is incorrect.

ADDRESSES: Protests should be addressed to: Bureau of Land Management, 
Division of Planning and Environmental Coordination, 1849 ``C'' Street 
NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following issues were analyzed and 
addressed during this planning process: Airborne asbestos emissions, 
public health risks to environmental asbestos exposure; watershed and 
riparian resources, endangered and other special status plants and 
animals, and recreational use. A draft EIS was issued in November of 
1993. Six alternatives for management were reviewed in the draft. 
Alternative 4 of the Draft EIS, which proposed limiting motorcycle use 
to the Clear Creek watershed while allowing dispersed 4-wheel drive 
vehicle use in the backcountry, was the BLM proposed alternative. The 
San Benito Mountain Natural Area was to be expanded to 4,082 acres. 
Camping would have been eliminated inside the asbestos zone, with the 
exception of the staging areas. A public wash rack would be 
constructed, and dust-suppression would be implemented over about 30 
miles of main routes. Approximately fifty San Benito evening primrose 
habitat areas would be protected.
    Over 600 comment letters were received from the public and affected 
agencies. During review of these comments and after reanalysis of 
Alternative #4, the BLM made several revisions which are published in 
the Final EIS. Additional impact analysis was incorporated in the 
biological resource sections. Text in the watershed and soils, human 
health and recreation sections was modified, expanded and clarified. 
Additional measures common to all alternatives were drafted, covering 
education, research, and adherence to best management guidelines for 
projects affecting watershed stability. Under all alternatives, the 16 
known populations of San Benito evening primrose on public land would 
be protected.
    Five of the six alternatives remained unchanged, and one was 
changed. Alternative 1 remained the ``No Action'' alternative, whereby 
management would remain at current levels. Fifteen San Benito evening 
primrose habitat areas would be protected. Alternative 2 (entitled 
``Continued Implementation of

[[Page 21484]]

the Existing Management Plan'') remained that of implementing the 
existing (1986) management plan but accelerating completion to a five-
year schedule. Approximately fifty San Benito evening primrose habitat 
areas would be protected.
    Alternative 3 was modified and is now the BLM-preferred 
alternative. Under this alternative (entitled ``Dispersed OHV Use''), 
most of the Clear Creek Management Area would be managed under a 
``Limited Use'' designation for off-highway vehicles (OHVs). BLM would, 
over the next five years, implement a designated route system of about 
270 miles. The final mileage available would be dependent on a variety 
of factors, including protection of T&E plants, maintenance costs, 
recreation and administrative access requirements, and compliance. 
Additionally, alternative 3 would limit unrestricted OHV play on 
``barren'' hillslopes to a number of designated play areas. In the 
transition period, about 207 acres of unrestricted play areas on 
``barren'' hillslopes would be available, (down from about 2,800 
available now). This acreage could be adjusted up or down depending on 
resource inventories. Camping would continue to be allowed at the six 
Staging Areas and at Oak Flat Campground. Backcountry camping would be 
allowed in designated areas. The San Benito Mountain Natural Area would 
be expanded to approximately 4,082 acres (this proposal was unchanged 
from the draft alternative 3), to include a cross-section of unique 
ecotones associated with the San Benito Mountain forest. A public wash 
rack would be constructed and about 30 miles of main routes could be 
dust-suppressed. Approximately fifty San Benito evening primrose 
habitat areas would be protected.
    Alternative 4, entitled ``Restricted OHV use'' remains the same as 
the draft, and is described above in the discussion of the draft EIS. 
Alternative 5 (``OHV Closure''), closed the CCMA to motorcycles and 
restricted 4-wheeled vehicles to the main County road system (about 30 
miles). Camping would be limited to Oak Flat Campground only. The San 
Benito Mountain Natural Area would be expanded to 4,082 acres. 
Approximately fifty-eight San Benito evening primrose habitat areas 
would be protected. Alternative 6, (``Enhancement of Natural Values'') 
would allow vehicle use as under Alternative 5, but would expand the 
San Benito Mountain Natural Area to include the entire serpentine 
outcropping (about 30,000 acres). Approximately fifty-eight San Benito 
evening primrose habitat areas would be protected.
    Public participation has occurred throughout the planning process 
and is encouraged. Anyone wishing additional information may contact 
the Hollister Resource Area Office, located at 20 Hamilton Court, 
Hollister, CA 95023 (phone: 408-637-8183).

    Dated: May 3, 1996.
Robert E. Beehler,
Hollister Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-11659 Filed 5-9-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P