: Suprise Canyon


Big Elmer
06-06-2002, 05:12 PM
STAY TUNED................... here's the NOTICE OF INTENT from Bureau of Land Management to do an Environmental Impact Study re Surprise Canyon.

For those of you that don't know about "Surprise Canyon" this is an OLD ROAD in Panament Valley California that has been in the "extreme wheel'n" framework for years before "rock crawling" became popular. This trail has REQUIRED A WINCH where you had to winch UP 7 waterfalls and then DOWN 7 waterfalls. In the 80's this was a normal ROAD to a town at the top of the mountain. Rains took out the "hill" portion of the road which left a "rocky climb with water flowing over it"............ OF COURSE the enviros decided there must be some little "buggies" in the moss, or water that we were "endangering" yada yada so this trail was closed down about 2 years ago. They are now doing the study to determine the extent of "impact" or "endangerment".................

NOW IS WHEN YOU MUST BECOME INVOLVED....................... WRITE LETTERS. LET THESE GUYS HEAR FROM YOU.

I'm certain there will be "form " or "automatic response" letters out soon but we ALL need to stay on top of this if we want to WIN. You know the "greenies" are being heard from!.......................

STAY ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!............There are several names listed below to write for more information.

S.


Subject: EIS for surprise canyon


DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR



Bureau of Land Management



[CA-650-01-1220-JG-064B]



Notice of Intent To Prepare an Amendment to the California Desert

Conservation Area Plan and Environmental Impact Statement



AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.



ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an amendment to the California

Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan and Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) for Surprise Canyon in Panamint Mountains, Inyo

County, CA.



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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.2(c), notice is hereby given that

the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to amend the CDCA Plan

(1980 as amended). The proposed amendment will establish or revise

trail designations for off-road vehicles within the Surprise Canyon

Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The authority to

designate is in accordance with 43 CFR 8342. The proposals will

pertain to public lands addressed by the California Desert

Conservation Area Plan in Inyo County that lie east of Highway 178

and approximately 23 miles north of the community of Trona. The

proposed plan amendment will include an EIS in accordance with the

National Environmental Policy Act and CFR 1610.5-5.



The EIS will evaluate a full range of alternative means of access

into the Surprise Canyon ACEC. During the 30 days scoping period, the

public can assist the BLM in developing the range of alternatives

that will be addressed.



DATES: The public is invited to submit comments on the scope of the

plan amendment and EIS. Written comments will be accepted for 30 days

from the publication date of this notice in the Federal Register. The

specific date, time, and location of public scoping meetings will be

announced by the Ridgecrest Field Office.



ADDRESSES: Scoping comments in response to this notice should be sent

to Hector Villalobos, Field Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 300

South Richmond Road, Ridgecrest CA 93555, (760) 384-5405. Comments,

including names and addresses of respondents, will be available for

public review at the Ridgecrest Field Office during normal working

hours (7:45 AM to 4:30 PM, except holidays), and may be published as

part of the EIS or other related documents. Individuals may request

confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or address from

public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information

Act, you must state this promptly at the beginning of you comment.

Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All

submissions from organizations or businesses will be made available

for public

inspection in their entirety.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffery Aardahl, Bureau of Land

Management, Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 South Richmond Road,

Ridgecrest CA 93555, (760) 384-5420.



SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 29, 2001, BLM implemented an

interim closure to all motorized vehicles on Route P71 in the

Surprise Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The closure

will remain in effect until the plan amendment is approved and

implemented.



The following are preliminary issues identified: (1) The canyon area

currently does not meet the BLM's minimum standards for a properly

functioning riparian system due to soil erosion and streambed

alternations caused by motorized vehicle use; (2) several federal and

state sensitive plant and animal species that inhabit the area are

being affected; and (3) value of the canyon area for recreation,

including use of motorized vehicles.



The preliminary planning criteria include: (1) The CDCA amendment

will be consistent with officially approved resource related plans,

policies and programs of other Federal agencies, State and local

governments, and Indian Tribes; (2) the amendment process and ORV

trail designations shall be conducted in compliance with the Federal

Land Policy Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), planning regulations (43

CFR 1600), ORV trail designation regulations (43 CFR 8340), BLM

manual guidance, and all applicable Federal laws affecting BLM land

use decisions and ORV designations; (3) the planning process shall

include an EIS with a biological evaluation prepared in compliance

with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the

President's Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40

CFR 1500), and BLM guidance.



The public is invited to submit written information to the BLM that

will be used to identify issues, concerns and opportunities related

to various alternative means of access in the Surprise Canyon ACEC.

Those members of the public who simply want to be placed on the

mailing list for this project can make such a request in writing.



All such information and requests should be submitted in writing to:

Field Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Ridgecrest Field Office,

300 S. Richmond Rd., Ridgecrest, CA 93555, Attn: Resources

Management Branch Chief.



Digital electronic photos and maps of the Surprise Canyon area can be

found at: http://www.ca.blm.gov/ridgecrest.



Dated: April 12, 2002.

Alan Stein,

Acting California Desert District Manager.

[FR Doc. 02-13571 Filed 5-29-02; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-40-P



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John Stewart

KF6ZPL

Webmaster of Tierra del Sol 4 Wheel Drive Club of San Diego -

http://www.tds4x4.com

Webmaster of Jeep-L ...The Web Site - http://www.jeep-l.net

Conservation and Recreational Access Editor - http://www.outdoorwire.com







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