Palm Springs–SouthCoast Field Office BLM South Coast Resource Management Plan Draft Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement United States Department of the Interior Volume 1: Bureau of Land Management Chapters 1 through 3 August 2011 South Coast Draft Resource Management Plan Revision and Draft Environmental Impact Statement Prepared by US Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management California Desert District Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office California ABSTRACT The Draft South Coast Resource Management Plan Revision and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DRMP/DEIS) describes and analyzes four alternatives for managing approximately 300,820 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered land in the coastal region of five Southern California counties. Information provided by the public, other agencies and organizations, and BLM personnel has been used to develop and analyze the alternatives in the DRMP/DEIS. Alternative A is the No-action Alternative and represents continuation of current management. Alternative B, the Conservation Alternative, generally places emphasis on the maximum preservation of the Planning Area’s natural and cultural resources. Alternative C, the Public Use Alternative generally provides more opportunities for development such as oil and gas and renewable energy, saleable minerals, rights-of-way, and enhanced recreational opportunities while ensuring that resource protection is not compromised. Alternative D, the BLM Preferred Alternative, emphasizes coordination with regional habitat conservation planning and provides for a balance between authorized resource use and the protection and long-term sustainability of sensitive resources. Major issues addressed in the DRMP/DEIS include coordination with local governments for habitat conservation; lands, realty, energy and minerals management; recreation and public access; designation and management of Special Areas; wildland fire, fuels, and rangeland management; protection of cultural resources; and management of visual resources. MISSION STATEMENT The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the balanced management of the BLM-administered lands and resources and their various values so that they are considered in a combination that will best serve the needs of the American people. Management is based upon the principles of multiple use and sustained yield; a combination of uses that take into account the long-term needs of future generations for renewable and nonrenewable resources. These resources include recreation, range, timber, minerals, watershed, fish and wildlife, wilderness, and natural, scenic, scientific, and cultural values. August 2011 i United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Palm Springs/South Coast Field Office 1201 Bird Center Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 Voice (760) 833-7100 Fax (760) 833-7199 August 2011 Dear Reader: Enclosed for your review and comment is the Bureau of Land Management’s Draft Resource Management Plan Revision and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the South Coast Planning Area. This document describes and analyzes a range of alternatives that updates and revises the existing South Coast Resource Management Plan, published in 1994. Among these alternatives, the BLM’s preferred alternative is identified, as well as a description of the no-action alternative, a continuation of the existing management plan. The South Coast Resource Management Plan (RMP) provides guidance for the management of approximately 300,000 acres of BLM administered public lands and sub-surface minerals in portions of five Southern California counties: San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, and Los Angeles. Since completion of the original South Coast RMP in 1994, new circumstances have prompted the need for a revision of the plan. These include continued population growth and urban development, the creation of multi-jurisdictional habitat conservation plans in San Diego and Riverside Counties, designation of wilderness, land acquisitions to support habitat conservation by the BLM and other agencies, and the changing needs and interests of the public. The BLM appreciates all those who contributed their time and expertise to this planning effort, including other federal, state, and local government agencies, public organizations, tribal entities, and interested members of the public that attended scoping meetings or provided comments. Public collaboration led to shaping of issues and alternatives which address land use allocations and designations of areas requiring special management including Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, lands with wilderness character- istics, recreation, access and transportation, utility corridors, grazing allotments, wildlife management areas, and land disposal categories. In developing the Proposed RMP and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the decision maker may select various management decisions from each of the alternatives analyzed in the Draft RMP/EIS. Comments from the public may also lead to a change in the preferred alternative or in development of a new alternative. The Proposed RMP or new alternative in the Final EIS may be a combination of existing alternatives or an alternative within the spectrum of alternatives already analyzed for the purpose of creating a management strategy that best meets the needs of the resources and values of the public lands within the South Coast Planning Area. Release of the Draft RMP and Draft EIS initiates a 90-day public comment period. Written comments will be considered in the development of the Proposed RMP and Final EIS. The BLM encourages the public to provide information and comments pertaining to the Draft RMP/EIS, particularly feedback concerning the adequacy and accuracy of the proposed alternatives, the analysis of their respective manage- ment decisions, and any new information that would help the BLM as it develops the plan. If you wish to submit comments on the Draft RMP/EIS, we request that you make your comments as specific as possible. Comments will be more helpful if they include suggested changes, sources, or methodologies, and reference to a section or page number. Comments containing only opinion or preferences will be considered and included as part of the decision making process, however, such comments will not receive a formal response from the BLM. Comments will be accepted for ninety (90) calendar days following the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) publication of its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. Comments may be submitted electronically at: www.blm.gov/ca/palmsprings. Comments may also be submitted by mail to: South Coast RMP, Bureau of Land Management, Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262, or by FAX at (760) 833-7199. To facilitate analysis of comments and information submitted, we strongly encourage you to submit comments in an electronic format. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment, including your personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. If public meetings are held by BLM to provide an overview of the document, respond to questions, and take public comments, these will be announced by local media, website, and/or public mailings at least 15 days in advance. Copies of the Draft RMP/EIS have been sent to affected Federal, state and local government agencies, as well as affected tribal governments. Copies of the Draft RMP/EIS are available for public inspection at the BLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office (see address above), and the BLM California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825. Thank you for your continued interest in the public lands of Southern California. We appreciate the information and suggestions you contribute to the planning process. For additional information or clarification regarding this document or the planning process, please contact Greg Hill, RMP Team Lead, BLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office at (760) 833-7140 or [email protected]. Sincerely, John R. Kalish Field Manager READER’S GUIDE How to Use this Document This Draft Resource Management Plan Revision/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft RMP/Draft EIS) is presented in five chapters and appendices, consistent with federal requirements that guide the preparation of an EIS. Chapter 1 sets the stage by describing the purpose and need for its preparation as well as providing key background information. Chapter 2 describes several potential management approaches, or “alternatives.” This document describes four alternative land use plans, including the no action alternative and a preferred alternative. Chapter 3 describes the environment, or resources, that would be affected by the decisions contained in the individual alternatives. Chapter 4 describes the impacts of the potential decisions on these resources. Chapter 5 describes the actions undertaken to provide open and effective participation from members of the public, as well as from organizations, governmental agencies, and consultation with the tribes that all have a stake in the outcome of this process. The appendices and glossary provide more detailed information, which some readers may find helpful