News Release

For Release:  August 8, 2007                                                          
Contact:  Stephen Razo 951-697-5217;  Email: srazo@ca.blm.gov
 CA-CDD-07-42

BLM Intends to Revise South Coast Management Plan and Associated Environmental Impact Statement

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office officials say they intend to revise the 1994 South Coast Resource Management Plan (RMP) and prepare an associated environmental impact statement (EIS) to replace the current plan.  The announcement is the start of the scoping process, which invites public participation, and schedules public scoping meetings. 
 
The public is encouraged to help identify questions and concerns during the scoping phase. Disciplines involved in the planning process will include specialists with expertise in rangeland management, minerals and geology, wildland fire and fuels management, outdoor recreation, archaeology, paleontology, wildlife, fisheries, lands and realty, soils, water and air, wild horses, environmental justice, and sociology and economics.
 
All public meetings will be announced through the local news media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site (http://www.blm.gov/ca) at least 15 days prior to the event. Written comments and resource information should be submitted within 30 calendar days of the last scheduled public scoping meeting.  Public scoping meetings will be held in San Diego County, Riverside County, and Los Angeles County in order to ensure local community participation and input.
 
Written comments may be submitted by any of the following methods: Mail: Field Manager, South Coast Resource Management Plan and EIS, Bureau of Land Management, Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, P.O. Box 581260, North Palm Springs, CA 92258. Fax: (760) 251-4899. E-mail: gchill@ca.blm.gov.

Documents pertinent to this proposal, including comments with the names and addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the BLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office located at 690 W. Garnet Avenue, North Palm Springs, California, or the San Diego project office located at 10845 Rancho Bernardo Road, Suite 200, San Diego, California, during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays, and may be published as part of the EIS.

The South Coast RMP provides guidance for the management of approximately 300,000 acres of BLM administered public lands in portions of five highly urbanized southern California counties: San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, and Los Angeles. These public lands include over 130,000 acres of BLM administered surface lands and 167,000 acres of federal mineral ownership where the surface is privately owned.

The existing South Coast RMP was completed and signed in 1994. Since that time there have been significant changes in the patterns of urban growth, increased demands on the resources of the public lands, changing policies and emphasis on the management of public lands and local land use planning, and new data that has led to the listing of additional threatened or endangered species. Under BLM planning regulations, planning revisions are necessary if monitoring and evaluation findings, new data, new or revised policy, or changes in circumstances indicate that decisions for an entire plan or a major portion of the plan no longer serve as a useful guide for resource management. Plan revisions are prepared using the same procedures and documentation as for new plans.
 
For further information or to have your name added to our mailing list contact Greg Hill at (760) 251-4840, or by e-mail to gchill@ca.blm.gov.

-BLM-

California Desert District Office – 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553- (951) 697-5217