Notice of Availability of a Proposed Yuma District Resource Management Plan Amendment, Finding of No Significant Impact, and Environmental Assessment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[AZ-050-96-1610]

Notice of Availability of a Proposed Yuma District Resource

Management Plan Amendment, Finding of No Significant Impact, and

Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability, notice of comment period, notice of

protest period.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of

1969, the Bureau of Land Management, Yuma District, Havasu Field

Office, has prepared a Yuma District proposed plan amendment and

environmental assessment (EA) that assesses the impacts of a proposed

transmission line between Kingman, Arizona and Lake Havasu City,

Arizona. The 230 kV transmission line has been proposed to go through

the Crossman Peak Natural Scenic Area. This EA describes and analyzes

the proposed project and project alternatives, including the no action

option. Furthermore, the route through the Crossman Peak Natural Scenic

area, if approved, will involve amending the Yuma District Resource

Management Plan. This notice is intended to invite the public to

comment on the analysis of impacts presented in the proposed plan

amendment and EA.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted for up to 30 days following

the publication of this notice. Any comments received by the close of

the comment period will be evaluated and those letters that identify

issues, where clarification or discussion is required, will be

addressed in the Decision Record (DR). Copies of this DR will be

provided to any person or agency commenting, or to other interested

parties, upon written request. Furthermore, the resource management

planning process includes an opportunity for administrative review

through a plan protest to the BLM Director. Only those persons or

organizations who participated in the planning process leading to this

proposed plan amendment may protest. The subject of the proposed plan

amendment is the route through the Crossman Peak Natural Scenic Area,

therefore, this is the only route that may be protested. The protest

period extends for 30 days from the date of publication of this notice.

Protest must be made in accordance with the provisions of 43 CFR

1610.5-2. Comments on the overall project should be sent to the Havasu

Resource Area office at the address listed below. Protest letters

concerning the route across the Crossman Peak Natural Scenic area

should be sent to the Director of the BLM, Department of the Interior,

Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20240.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on the overall project to: Bureau of Land

Management, Kingman Field Office, 2475 Beverly Avenue, Kingman,

Arizona, 86401.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Wadsworth Realty Specialist,

Kingman Field Office. Telephone: (520) 757-3161.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The planning area is located in northwestern

Arizona. The proposed plan amendment is part of an overall project

which proposes construction of a transmission line between Kingman and

Lake Havasu City. Based on the issues and concerns identified during

scoping, the EA focuses on impacts to wildlife management, visual

quality, unique vegetation, Native American religious concerns, access,

and urban planning. The proposed plan amendment is needed because one

alternative route goes through the Crossman Peak Natural Scenic Area. A

portion of another alternative route is within the city limits of Lake

Havasu City, Arizona. The primary concerns for the route through the

Scenic Area are the impacts on visual quality and the potential impact

to Native American religious concerns. The issues for the other

alternative deal mostly with the proximity of the route to Lake Havasu

City, Arizona. For all routes it is anticipated that a Finding of No

Significant Impact (FONSI) will be issued. The rationale for issuing a

FONSI will be based on the analysis and mitigation measures described

in the Proposed Plan Amendment and Environmental Assessment.

Dated: October 17, 1996.

Michael A. Ferguson,

Acting State Director, Arizona.

[FR Doc. 96-27271 Filed 10-24-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-32-P