Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 1 / Wednesday, January 2, 2002 / Notices 101

including threatened and endangered 

species, cultural resources, and Native 

American concerns. 

Interested members of the public are 

now invited to participate in a NEPA 

scoping process, and are requested to 

help identify new issues or concerns 

and alternatives to be considered related 

to this proposed Project. Comments 

previously submitted during the CPUC 

scoping process are part of the official 

record and need not be resubmitted 

during this NEPA process. Written 

comments must be submitted no later 

than 30-days from the date of this notice 

to ensure that your comments are 

included in the draft EIS/EIR. When 

available, the public will be provided a 

60-day public review period on the EIS/

EIR. These documents will be made 

available on the Internet at BLM’s Web 

site: www.ca.blm.gov and the CPUC 

Web site: www.cpuc.ca.gov/divisions/

energy/Environmental/info/DUDEK/

valleyrainbow.htm and at local public 

libraries in the California communities 

of Chula Vista, Escondido, Fallbrook, 

San Clemente, Sun City and Temecula. 

Contact the BLM if you would like to be 

included in the mailing list to receive 

copies of all public notices relevant to 

this project. Local notice will be 

provided a minimum of 15 days prior to 

the scoping open house date.

Dated: November 30, 2001. 

James G. Kenna, 

Field Manager.

[FR Doc. 01–32124 Filed 12–31–01; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–40–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management 

(WO–220–01–1020–JA–VEIS) 

Notice of Extension of Public 

Comment Period and Schedule of 

Public Scoping Meetings for the 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Conservation and Restoration of 

Vegetation, Watershed, and Wildlife 

Habitat Treatments on Public Lands 

Administered by the Bureau of Land 

Management in the Western United 

States, Including Alaska

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of public 

comment period for scoping; and dates 

and locations for public scoping 

meetings. 

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

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act of 1969 (NEPA), the BLM will 

prepare a national, programmatic EIS 

and conduct public scoping meetings on 

(1) management opportunities and 

treatment methods for noxious weeds 

and other invasive species, and (2) the 

conservation and restoration of native 

vegetation, watersheds, and wildlife 

habitat. The EIS will cover the public 

lands administered by BLM in 16 

western states, including Alaska. The 

period for initial scoping comments 

from the public has been extended to 

March 29, 2002.

DATES: Written or e-mailed comments 

for the initial scoping phase may be 

submitted through March 29, 2002. BLM 

will hold public scoping meetings to 

focus on relevant issues and 

environmental concerns, identify 

possible alternatives, and help 

determine the scope of the EIS. 

Dates and locations for the scoping 

meetings are as follows:

Date and time Locations BLM contact 

January 8, 5–8 p.m ........................................ Utah Dept. of Natural Resources Bldg. 1594 W. 

North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT.

Verlin Smith (801) 539–4055. 

January 10, 3–6 p.m ...................................... Western Wyoming Community College, Room 1003, 

2500 College Drive, Rock Springs, WY.

Lance Porter (307) 352–0252. 

January 14, 6–9 p.m ...................................... Holiday Inn Express—Neptune Room, 1100 North 

California, Socorro, NM.

Margie Onstad (505) 838–1256. 

January 16, 3–5 p.m. and 6–9 p.m ............... Holiday Inn Crown Plaza, 2532 W. Peoria Avenue, 

Phoenix, AZ.

Deborah Stevens (602) 417–9215. 

January 22, 6–9 p.m ...................................... BLM Office Conference Room, 345 E. Riverside 

Drive, St. George, UT.

Kim Leany (435) 688–3208. 

January 24, 2–5 p.m. and 6–9 p.m ............... Grand Vista Hotel, 2790 Crossroads Blvd, Grand 

Junction, CO.

Harley Metz (970) 244–3076. 

January 29, 4–7 p.m ...................................... Miles Community College—Room 106, 2715 Dickinson, Miles City, MT.Jody Weil (406) 896–5258. 

January 31, 4–7 p.m ...................................... Elks Lodge 604 Coburn Avenue, Worland, WY .......... Janine Terry (307) 347–5194. 

February 5, 5–8 p.m ...................................... Sacred Heart Parish Hall, 507 East 4th Street, 

Alturas, CA.

Jennifer Purvine (530) 233–7932. 

February 11, 5–8 p.m .................................... U.S. Forest Service, Helena National Forest Headquarters, 2880 Skyway Drive, Helena, MT (across 

from airport).

Jody Weil (406) 896–5258. 

February 13, 6–9 p.m .................................... Vista Inn, 2645 Airport Way Boise, ID ........................ Barry Rose (208) 373–4014. 

February 14, 6–9 p.m .................................... College of Southern Idaho, 315 Falls Ave, Shields 

Bldg, Room 117, Twin Falls, ID.

Eddie Guerrero (208) 736–2355. 

February 19, 4–7 p.m .................................... BLM-Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., 

Reno, NV.

JoLynn Worley (775) 861–6515. 

February 21, 2–5 p.m. and 6–9 p.m .............. Hilton Garden Inn, 3650 East Idaho Street, Elko, NV Mike Brown (775) 753–0200. 

February 26, 5–8 p.m .................................... Holiday Inn Select, 801 Truxton Ave,Bakersfield, CA Stephen Larson (661) 391–6099. 

February 28, 6–9 p.m .................................... Valley Library, 12004 East Main, Spokane, WA ......... Kathy Helm (509) 536–1252. 

March 4, 6–9 p.m ........................................... Days Inn City Center, 1414 SW 6thPortland, OR ....... Chris Strebig (503) 952–6003. 

March 6, 3–6 p.m ........................................... Anchorage Field Office—BLM, 6881 Abbott Loop 

Road, Anchorage, AK.

Gene Terland (907) 271–3344. 

March 12, 9 a.m.–12 noon ............................ Washington Plaza Hotel, Franklin Room, 10 Thomas 

Circle (Massachusetts and 14th Street), Washington, D.C..

Sharon Wilson (202) 452–5130. 

102 Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 1 / Wednesday, January 2, 2002 / Notices 

ADDRESSES: For further information, to 

provide written comments, or to be 

placed on the mailing list, contact Brian 

Amme, Acting Project Manager, Bureau 

of Land Management, P.O. Box 12000, 

Reno, Nevada 89520–0006; E-mail 

brianlamme@nv.blm.gov; telephone 

(775) 861–6645. Comments will be 

available for public inspection at the 

BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 

Financial Blvd.; Reno, Nevada 89502. 

Individual respondents may request 

confidentiality. If you wish your name 

and/or address withheld from public 

review or disclosure under the Freedom 

of Information Act, you must state this 

prominently at the beginning of your 

written or e-mailed comment. Such 

requests will be honored to the extent 

allowed by law. All submissions from 

organizations or businesses, and from 

individuals identifying themselves as 

representatives or officials of 

organizations or businesses, will be 

available for public inspection in their 

entirety.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

national, programmatic EIS will provide 

a comprehensive cumulative analysis of 

BLM conservation and restoration 

treatments involving vegetation 

communities, watersheds and wildlife 

habitats. 

• It will also consider state-specific, 

reasonably foreseeable activities, 

including hazardous fuels reduction 

treatments. 

• It will address human health risk 

assessments for proposed use of new 

chemicals on public lands. 

• Restoration activities may include 

but are not limited to prescribed fire, 

riparian restoration, native plant 

community restoration, invasive plants 

and noxious weeds treatments, 

understory thinning, forest health 

treatments, or other activities related to 

restoring fire-adapted ecosystems. 

The EIS is not a land-use plan or a 

land-use plan amendment. It will 

provide a comprehensive programmatic 

NEPA document to allow effective 

tiering and serve as a baseline 

cumulative impact assessment for other 

new, revised or existing land use and 

activity level plans that involve 

vegetation, wildlife habitat and 

watershed treatment, modification or 

maintenance. 

• This EIS will consolidate four 

existing BLM vegetation treatment EISs 

developed in compliance with the 

NEPA between 1986 and 1992 into one 

programmatic document for the western 

United States, including Alaska. The 

EIS will update information and change 

to reflect new information and changed 

conditions on public lands since that 

time. 

• An updated EIS is necessary for 

BLM to analyze proposed treatments of 

4 to 5 million acres of prescribed and 

managed natural fire, Integrated Weed 

Management, hazardous fuels reduction, 

Emergency Stabilization and 

Restoration, and landscape-level 

restoration initiatives such as Great 

Basin Restoration Initiative. Current 

average annual acres of treatment 

selected in the existing BLM records of 

decision (RODS) equate to about 

350,000 acres. 

• The analysis area includes only 

surface estate public lands administered 

by 11 BLM state offices: Alaska, 

Arizona, California, Eastern States, 

Idaho, Montana (Dakotas), New Mexico 

(Oklahoma/Texas/Nebraska), Nevada, 

Oregon (Washington), Utah and 

Wyoming. 

The BLM has initially identified the 

following issues for analysis in this 

programmatic EIS: hazardous fuels 

reduction and treatment including 

mechanical treatments, wildlife habitat 

improvement, restoration of ecosystem 

processes; protection of cultural 

resources, watershed and vegetative 

community health, new listings of 

threatened and endangered species and 

consideration of other sensitive and 

special status species, new chemical 

formulations for herbicides deemed to 

be more environmentally favorable, 

smoke management and air quality, 

emergency stabilization and restoration, 

and watershed and water quality 

improvement.

Dated: December 10, 2001. 

Henri Bisson, 

Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and 

Planning.

[FR Doc. 01–32232 Filed 12–31–01; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–84–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management 

[MT–070–1020–PG] 

Notice of Meeting

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management 

(BLM), Montana, Butte, Dillon, and 

Missoula Field Offices, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Western Montana 

Resource Advisory Council will have a 

meeting on January 15, 2002, at the 

BLM—Butte Field Office Conference 

Room, 106 North Parkmont, Butte, 

Montana starting at 9 a.m. Primary 

agenda topics include orientation for 

new members and the Dillon Resource 

Management Plan. 

The meeting is open to the public and 

the public comment period is set for 

11:30 a.m. The public may make oral 

statements before the Council or file 

written statements for the Council to 

consider. Depending on the number of 

persons wishing to make an oral 

statement, a per person time limit may 

be established. Summary minutes of the 

meeting will be available for public 

inspection and copying during regular 

business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard Hotaling, Butte Field Office 

Manager and Designated Federal 

Official, (406) 533–7600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

purpose of the Council is to advise the 

Secretary of the Interior, through the 

BLM, on a variety of planning and 

management issues associated with 

public land management. The 15 

member Council includes individuals 

who have expertise, education, training 

or practical experience in the planning 

and management of public lands and 

their resources and who have a 

knowledge of the geographical 

jurisdiction of the Council.

Dated: November 21, 2001. 

Scott Powers, 

Dillon Field Manager.

[FR Doc. 01–32128 Filed 12–31–01; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–$$–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management 

[NV–030–00–1020–24] 

Mojave Southern Great Basin 

Resource Advisory Council; Notice of 

Meeting Location and Time

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting location and 

time for the Mojave Southern Great 

Basin Resource Advisory Council 

(Nevada). 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act and the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. 

Department of the Interior, Bureau of 

Land Management (BLM) Mojave 

Southern Great Basin Resource 

Advisory Council (RAC), Nevada, will 

be held as indicated below. Topics for 

discussion will include manager’s 

reports of field office activities; an 

update on the Southern Nevada Public 

Land Management Act of 1998; and 

other topics the council may raise. 

All meetings are open to the public. 

The public may present written and/or