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BLM El Centro Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Management Plan

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BLM El Centro Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Management Plan BLM El Centro Field Office Imperial Sand Dunes Record of Decision and Recreation Area Management Plan El Centro Field Office United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management June 2013 BLM/CA/ES-2013/013+1793 Front cover photograph acknowledgement: Photograph Courtesy of Mr. Kevin Marty Publication Index #BLM/CA-ES-2013/013+1793 United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT TAKE PRIDE• El Centro Field Office IN th AMERICA 1661 S. 4 Street El Centro, CA 92243 (760) 337-4400 In reply refer to: 1610-DP-P 670.36 P Dear Reader: I am pleased to announce that, after several years of collaborative effort, the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) and Amendments to the California Desert Conservation Area (COCA) Plan are complete. This document will provide guidance for the management of over 160,000 acres of public lands in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area and over 50,000 acres of additional public lands surrounding the recreation area within the California Desert Conservation Area. The attached Record of Decision (ROD) and RAMP have been prepared in accordance with the Federal Land Policy Management Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. The ROD links final land use plan decisions to the proposed decisions and analysis presented in the Proposed RAMP/Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) that was released on September 14, 2012, and subject to a 30-day protest period that ended on October 14, 2012. Three protest letters were received. The protests were reviewed by the BLM Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning, in Washington, D.C. After careful consideration of all points raised in the protests, the Assistant Director concluded the responsible planning team and decision makers followed all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and pertinent resource considerations in developing the Proposed Plan and the FEIS. Adjustments and points of clarification incorporated into the RAMP in response to issues raised in the protest process and final BLM review are discussed in the ROD under the sections titled Modifications and Clarifications. The protest review did not result in any significant changes to the Proposed Plan. The ROD serves as the final decision for the land use planning decisions, described in the attached RAMP and CDCA Plan Amendments. However, pursuant to the Order of the U.S. District Court (Center for Biological Diversity v. BLM, 2006), the BLM has been maintaining interim closures of approximately 49,300 Acres to motorized vehicle use in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. These closures, and the other injunctive relief ordered by the court, shall expire 90 days after issuance of the ROD, unless the original parties file a response with the District Court explaining why the terms of the Court's Order should continue. In the event the original parties file a response objecting to the expiration of the Order, the District Court will, as appropriate, issue an Order either terminating or amending the original Order, set a status conference, and/or request further briefing. This ROD also describes a set of implementation decisions (listed in Section 1.1.1). An appeal opportunity for these decisions is being provided at this time. The process is described in the ROD and at 43 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 4, Subpart E. The appeal period will close 30 days from the date the Notice of Availability of the ROD/Approved RMP appears in the Federal Register. Now that the ROD has been signed, we look forward to your participation as we implement the plan. If you would like more information, please contact the El Centro Field Office, 1661 S. 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243, or by telephone at (760) 337-4400. Thomas F. Zale Field Manager Record of Decision for the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Management Plan and Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan June 2013 THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK. Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Management Plan and Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan Prepared by U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management El Centro Field Office California June 2013 Thomas F. Zale Field Manager, El Centro Teresa A. Rami District Manager, California Desert THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK. Executive Summary Executive Summary Introduction The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared this Record of Decision (ROD) for the Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) and Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan to provide direction for managing public lands administered by the BLM within and surrounding the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. The overall Planning Area for this document encompasses the Imperial Sand Dunes Special Recreation Management Area, which includes the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness and an approximately one-mile-wide planning zone around the entire Imperial Sand Dunes Special Recreation Management Area. The Planning Area encompasses 214,930 acres and is located in eastern Imperial County, California, within the BLM California Desert Conservation Area. This RAMP and CDCA Plan Amendment have been developed to address both federal surface lands and minerals managed by the BLM within the Planning Area. The ROD and RAMP/CDCA Plan Amendment have been prepared in compliance with BLM’s planning regulations at Title 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1600 and under the authority of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. This document also meets the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality’s Regulations for Implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508), the Department of the Interior regulations, and requirements of BLM’s Land Use Planning Handbook (MS-1601-1) and NEPA Handbook (H-1790-1). This document is also available on the El Centro Field Office web site at http://www.blm.gov/en/fo/elcentro, on the BLM California web site at http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/prog/planning.html, and on compact disc. Purpose and Need Prior to the signing of this ROD, the BLM had managed resources within the Planning Area under the CDCA Plan (1980) and CDCA Plan amendments, including the Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert Coordinated Management Plan (2002), Western Colorado Desert Routes of Travel (2003a), and Imperial Sand Dunes RAMP (1987). The BLM released a revised Imperial Sand Dunes RAMP (2003b), which was challenged in court and was subsequently vacated by the Federal District Court. As part of the Court’s decision, interim closures to protect threatened and endangered species in the Imperial Sand Dunes, in place since 2001, remain in place pending completion of this RAMP. Imperial Sand Dunes Page ES-1 ROD and RAMP/CDCA Plan Amendment June 2013 Executive Summary This ROD and the RAMP/CDCA Plan Amendment combine the relevant portions of the Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert Coordinated Management Plan and Western Colorado Desert Routes of Travel, and update the 1987 Imperial Sand Dunes RAMP with issues and concerns identified during the scoping process. The purpose is to provide direction that will guide future management actions for BLM-administered lands within the Planning Area. The ROD and RAMP/CDCA Plan Amendment resolve management issues, determine management objectives and actions, and establish methods to facilitate multiple use and sustained yield management for the entire Planning Area. Issues The Notice of Intent to prepare the RAMP/CDCA Plan Amendment and associated Environmental Impact Statement was published in the Federal Register on March 18, 2008. The BLM held three public scoping meetings in April of 2008 and solicited comments. Resource specialists were present to answer questions, and attendees were encouraged to take extra information packages and comment forms, and distribute them to interested individuals that were not able to attend the meetings. Comments were received from the public, agencies, organizations, and other interested stakeholders. Key issues identified included: designation of open and closed off-highway vehicle recreation areas; allowable uses within the Planning Area; resource protection, particularly of the microphyll woodlands, plant and wildlife species, and cultural resources; law enforcement and public health and safety; hazardous materials management; and facilities management. The formal comment period for the Draft RAMP/Draft Environmental Impact Statement was from March 26, 2010 to August 9, 2010. BLM held three public comment meetings in April 2010 at which oral comments were recorded and written comments were accepted. Written comments were also accepted via letter, email, and fax throughout the comment period. Key issues identified during the public comment period were similar to those received during the public scoping period and included air quality and protection of Peirson’s milk-vetch. Alternatives The basic goal of developing alternatives was to prepare different combinations of management actions to address issues and to resolve conflicts among uses. Alternatives must meet the purpose and need, be reasonable and practical or feasible from the technical and economic standpoint, and use common sense. Alternatives may also provide a mix of resource protection, use, and development; must be responsive to the issues; and meet the established planning criteria. Each alternative is a complete Page ES-2 Imperial Sand Dunes ROD and RAMP/CDCA Plan Amendment June 2013 Executive Summary land use plan that provides a framework for multiple-use management of the full spectrum of resources, resource uses, and programs present in the Planning Area. Alternative 8, the preferred alternative in the Proposed RAMP/Final Environmental Impact Statement, was selected as the RAMP/CDCA Plan Amendment. All other alternatives were rejected. Two types of land use planning decisions are found under each topic for Alternative 8: Desired Future Conditions (resource goals and objectives) and Management Actions (prescriptions to help achieve management objectives). Under the RAMP/CDCA Plan Amendment, the BLM will manage the public lands in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and BLM policy and guidance.
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