61164 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 15, 2008 / Notices 

private lands, state lands, tribal trust 

lands, federal lands not administered by 

the BLM, lands located within the 

planning area of the RMP for the 

McInnis Canyons National Conservation 

Area and associated Wilderness Area. 

The plan will fulfill the needs and 

obligations set forth by the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 

associated Council of Environmental 

Quality Regulations 40 CFR part 1500. 

The plan also fulfills requirements of 

the Federal Land Policy and 

Management Act (FLPMA: 43 U.S.C. 

1711), applicable planning regulations 

at 43 CFR part 1600, and BLM 

management policies. 

Parties interested in leasing and 

development of Federal coal in the 

planning area should provide coal 

resource data for their area(s) of interest. 

Specifically, information is requested on 

the location, quality, and quantity of 

Federal coal with development 

potential, and on surface resource 

values related to the 20 coal 

unsuitability criteria described in 43 

CFR part 3461. This information will be 

used for any necessary updating of coal 

screening determination (43 CFR 

3420.1–4) in the area and in the 

environmental analysis. In addition to 

coal resource data, the BLM seeks 

resource information and data for other 

public land values (e.g., air quality, 

cultural and historic resources, fire/ 

fuels, fisheries, forestry, lands and 

realty, non-energy minerals and geology, 

oil and gas (including coalbed methane), 

paleontology, rangeland management, 

recreation, soil, water, and wildlife) in 

the planning area. The purpose of this 

request is to assure that the planning 

effort has sufficient information and 

data to consider a reasonable range of 

resource uses, management options, and 

alternatives for the public lands. 

Proprietary data marked as 

confidential may be submitted in 

response to this call for coal and other 

resource information. Please submit all 

proprietary information submissions to 

the address listed above. The BLM will 

treat submissions marked as 

‘‘Confidential’’ in accordance with the 

laws and regulations governing the 

confidentiality of such information. 

The BLM GJFO will work 

collaboratively with interested parties to 

identify the management actions and 

decisions that are best suited to local, 

regional, and national needs and 

concerns of the public, subject to 

planning criteria to be developed to 

guide the plan. Preliminary issues and 

management concerns have been 

identified by the BLM, other agencies, 

and meetings with individuals and user 

groups. The major issue themes to be 

addressed in the RMP effort include: 

• Management and protection of 

public land resources while allowing for 

multiple uses. 

• Management of riparian areas and 

water quality concerns. 

• Recreation/visitor use and safety 

management. 

• Travel management, including Off 

Highway Vehicle. 

• Management of areas with special 

values. 

• Energy and minerals management. 

• Management of wildlife habitat 

including protection of sensitive species 

habitat. 

• Community expansion and urban 

interface. 

• Land Tenure Adjustments. 

After gathering public comments, issues 

will be placed in one of three categories. 

1. Issues to be resolved by the plan; 

2. Issues resolved through policy or 

administrative action; or 

3. Issues beyond the scope of this 

plan. 

Rationale will be provided in the plan 

for each issue placed in category two or 

three. In addition to these major issues, 

a number of management questions and 

concerns will be addressed in the plan. 

The public is encouraged to help 

identify these questions and concerns 

during the scoping phase. An 

interdisciplinary approach will be used 

to develop the plan in order to consider 

the variety of issues and concerns 

identified. Disciplines involved in the 

planning process will include 

specialists with expertise in rangeland 

management, minerals and geology, 

outdoor recreation, archaeology, 

paleontology, wildlife, fisheries, wild 

horse, weeds, lands and realty, 

hydrology, soils, engineering, fire, 

wilderness, hazardous materials, and 

social and economic. The BLM has 

identified some preliminary planning 

criteria to guide the development of the 

plan. The following planning criteria 

have been proposed to guide the 

development of the plan, to avoid 

unnecessary data collection and 

analyses, and to ensure the plan is 

tailored to issues. Other criteria may be 

identified during the public scoping 

process. Proposed planning criteria 

include the following: 

• The plan will comply with all 

applicable laws, regulations and current 

policies. 

• Broad-based public participation 

will be an integral part of the planning 

and EIS process. 

• The plan will recognize valid 

existing rights. 

• Areas with special designations as 

appropriate. 

Dated: October, 2008. 

Raul Morales, 

Associate Field Manager, Grand Junction 

Field Office. 

[FR Doc. E8–24374 Filed 10–14–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[NV–040–07–5101–ER–F344; N–78091] 

Notice of Availability of the Final 

Environmental Impact Statement for a 

Proposed Coal-Fired Electric Power 

Generating Plant in Eastern White Pine 

County, NV 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) 

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA) of 1969, a Final 

Environmental Impact Statement (Final 

EIS) has been prepared by the Bureau of 

Land Management (BLM), Ely Field 

Office for the White Pine Energy Station 

(WPES) and is now available. This 

document evaluates the environmental 

effects of constructing a coal-fired 

electric power generating plant (up to 

1,600-megawatts) and associated 

features on public lands in White Pine 

County, Nevada. 

DATES: The Final EIS will be available 

for review until November 3, 2008, 

which is 30 days following the date the 

EPA published their notice in the 

Federal Register, [73 FR 57620]. 

ADDRESSES: The Final EIS and 

associated documents will be available 

for review in hard copy and on compact 

disk at the following locations: 

—University of Nevada-Reno, Getchell 

Library, Government Publication 

Dept., Reno, NV 89507 

—Washoe County Library, 301 South 

Center Street, Reno, NV 89501 

—White Pine County Library, 950 

Campton Street, Ely, NV 89301 

—Clark County Library, 1401 E. 

Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89119 

A limited number of copies of the 

document will be available at the 

following BLM offices: 

—Elko Field Office, 3900 Idaho Street, 

Elko, NV 89801 

—Carson City Field Office, 5665 Morgan 

Mill Road, Carson City, NV 89701 

—Ely Field Office, 702 North Industrial 

Way, Ely, NV 89301–9408 

—Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial 

Boulevard, Reno, NV 89502–7147 

—Washington Office of Public Affairs, 

18th and C Street, NW., Washington, 

DC 20240 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 15, 2008 / Notices 61165 

The entire document can also be 

reviewed or downloaded at the Ely BLM 

Field Office Web site http:// 

www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/ 

ely_field_office. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Doris Metcalf, 775–289–1852. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final 

EIS addresses alternatives to resolve the 

following major issues: ground water, 

air quality, visual resources, biological 

resources, and socioeconomic effects. 

The Proposed Action includes the 

following actions: coal-fired power 

plant site right-of-way (ROW), 

transmission line alignment and 

substations ROW, well field and water 

line ROW, railroad spur ROW, and 

access roads ROW. The Proposed Action 

includes the following project actions 

and features: issue ROWs for White Pine 

Energy Station construction and 

operation and subsequently arrange for 

the sale of the power plant site to White 

Pine Energy Associates; construct, 

operate, and maintain an up to 1,600- 

megawatt (maximum) coal-fired electric 

power generating plant using hybrid 

cooling systems with an expected 

commercial life of 50 years or longer; 

develop a well field in the Steptoe 

Valley Hydrographic Basin to meet the 

water needs of the power plant; 

construct a new rail spur from the 

Nevada Northern Railway to the power 

plant site to supply coal; develop the 

linear infrastructure necessary to 

connect the power plant to the new 

water source, to existing electric 

transmission lines serving the region, 

and to provide site access; and 

implement a seeding project to enhance 

the grazing and wildlife value of 700 to 

900 acres. 

The BLM issued the Notice of 

Availability of the Draft Environmental 

Impact Statement for a Proposed CoalFired Electric Power Generating Plant in 

Eastern White Pine County and Notice 

of Public Meetings; Nevada, in the 

Federal Register on April 20, 2007, with 

a 60-day public comment period. The 

BLM held two public meetings, one in 

Ely, Nevada and one in Reno, Nevada. 

At the request of environmental group 

representatives, BLM held an 

informational meeting in Las Vegas, 

Nevada. In preparing the Final EIS BLM 

responded to more than 514 comments 

received during the Draft EIS public 

review period. Comment responses and 

resultant changes in the impact analysis 

are documented in the Final EIS. The 

BLM will prepare a Record of Decision 

for the EIS 30 days following EPA’s 

publication of this notice in the Federal 

Register. 

John F. Ruhs, 

Field Manager. 

[FR Doc. E8–24508 Filed 10–14–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[CA–660–1430–ET; CACA 49558] 

Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and 

Opportunity for Public Meeting; 

California 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Secretary of the Interior 

proposes to withdraw 550 acres of 

public land from surface entry and 

mining for reclamation purposes on 

behalf of the Bureau of Reclamation. 

This notice segregates the lands for up 

to 2 years from surface entry and mining 

while various studies and analyses are 

made to support a final decision on the 

withdrawal application. The lands will 

remain open to mineral and geothermal 

leasing and mineral material sales. 

DATES: Comments should be received on 

or before January 13, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for 

a public meeting should be sent to Joe 

Liebhauser, Director, Resources 

Management Office, Lower Colorado 

Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 

P.O. Box 61470, Boulder City, Nevada 

89006–1470. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Kay Sundberg, Bureau of Reclamation, 

Lower Colorado Region, P.O. Box 61470, 

Boulder City, NV 89006–1470, 702– 

293–8176. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

applicant is the Bureau of Reclamation 

at the address stated above and its 

petition/application requests the 

Secretary of the Interior to withdraw, 

subject to valid existing rights, the 

following described public land from 

settlement, sale, location or entry under 

the general land laws, including the 

United States mining laws, but not the 

mineral leasing laws: 

San Bernardino Meridian 

T. 7 S., R. 8 E., 

Sec. 32, W1⁄2NW1⁄4NE1⁄4, SW1⁄4NE1⁄4, 

SW1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4, W1⁄2, and SE1⁄4. 

The area described contains 550 acres in 

Riverside County. 

The Bureau of Reclamation’s petition/ 

application has been approved by the 

Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals 

Management, therefore, it constitutes a 

withdrawal proposal of the Secretary of 

the Interior (43 CFR 2310.1–3(e)). 

The land would be withdrawn to 

protect both existing and planned 

Federal facilities, structures, and 

improvements that were or will be 

constructed and utilized on behalf of the 

All-American Canal Project, pursuant to 

the Boulder Canyon Project Act of 

December 21, 1928, as amended (43 

U.S.C. 617). 

The use of a right-of-way, interagency 

agreement, cooperative agreement, or 

surface management under 43 CFR Part 

3809 regulations would not adequately 

constrain non-discretionary uses that 

could irrevocably affect the use of the 

land for reclamation purposes. 

There are no suitable alternative sites 

since the land described herein contains 

the existing and planned facilities, 

structures, and improvements. 

Until January 13, 2009, all persons 

who wish to submit comments, 

suggestions, or objections in connection 

with the proposed withdrawal may 

present their views in writing to Joe 

Liebhauser, at the Bureau of 

Reclamation address above. 

Comments, including names and 

street addresses for respondents, will be 

available for public review at Bureau of 

Land Management’s (BLM) California 

State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite 

W–1834, Sacramento, California 95825– 

1886, during regular business hours, 8 

a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except holidays. Before 

including your address, phone number, 

e-mail 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. 

Notice is hereby given that an 

opportunity for a public meeting is 

afforded in connection with the 

proposed withdrawal. All interested 

persons who desire a public meeting for 

the purpose of being heard on the 

proposed withdrawal must submit a 

written request no later than January 13, 

2009. Upon determination by the 

authorized officer that a public meeting 

will be held, a notice of time and place 

will be published in the Federal 

Register and a local newspaper at least 

30 days before the scheduled date of the 

meeting. 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES