News Release

For Release: October 30, 2006
Contact: BLM: Stephen Razo (951)-697-5217; E-mail: srazo@ca.blm.gov
USFS: Nancy Upham (760) 873-2427; E-mail: nupham@fs.fed.us
CA-CDD-07-04

BLM Releases Proposed Plan Amendment to Designate Furnace Creek Road

The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) notice of intent (NOI) to prepare a proposed amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) plan for the long-term management of a 3.7 mile-long portion of the Furnace Creek Road is available for public comment.

This portion of the Furnace Creek Road is located on BLM-managed public lands in Mono County and leads up to the Inyo National Forest boundary. The proposed amendment will consider whether to designate this section of the road as OPEN, CLOSED, or LIMITED.

A plan amendment is needed to complete the motorized vehicle access and travel management planning initiated under the CDCA plan and subsequent amendment for the Northern and Eastern Mojave Desert (NEMO) area. In its May 2004 NEMO route designation amendment, BLM committed to addressing the Furnace Creek Road in a "separate planning process."

In June 2004, Ridgecrest BLM and the Inyo National Forest entered into a memorandum of understanding to develop an environmental assessment (EA) to analyze potential impacts of closing the Furnace Creek Road to vehicular traffic. As part of the public involvement process, the agencies conducted six public meetings and two field trips from November 2003 through August 2004 to gather additional public input.

The Furnace Creek Road EA (EA-650-2005-121) was released for a 30-day public comment period in January 2005. Two additional public meetings were held in February 2005 to gather additional public comments. The EA has been updated to reflect the comments received and is available for review at http://www.ca.blm.gov/ridgecrest.

Publication of the NOI in the Federal Register initiates the 30-day public comment and review portion of the land use plan amendment process. The public may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing to the Field Office Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 South Richmond Road, Ridgecrest CA 93555, (760) 384-5400. Comments should only address the 3.7 mile BLM portion of the Furnace Creek Road. The Forest Service has completed their part of the EA and is not soliciting or accepting comments at this time.

For more information contact the BLM Ridgecrest Field Office at (760) 384-5400.

-- BLM--

California Desert District Office
22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553
(909) 697-5200