West Mojave (WEMO) Route Network Project Haft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement r The BLM manages more land - 253 million acres - than any other federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western States, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, alsoadministers 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands. BLM/CA/DOI-BLM-CA-D080-2018-0008-EIS Vb&lVA HP Ip: 2H3 CZ ■ Abstract Lead Agency: U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Type of Action: Administrative Jurisdiction: San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties, California Abstract: The Draft West Mojave Route Network Project (WMRNP) and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) describe and analyze alternatives for the planning and management of a transportation and travel network and livestock grazing on public lands and resources within the West Mojave Planning Area, and administered by the BLM, California Desert District Office. The West Mojave Planning Area is located in southern California, in the northwestern third of the California Desert Conservation Area, and comprises approximately 9.4 million acres of land. Within the Decision Area, the BLM administers approximately 3.1 million acres of public lands. Through dns Resource Management Plan Amendment, the BLM is amending the 2006 West Mojave (WEMO) Plan to address specific issues raised in a federal court partial remand of the 2006 WEMO Plan and to consider new data and policies, emerging issues, and changing circumstances that have occurred since the 2006 WEMO Plan Record of Decision was signed. Many aspects of the 2006 WEMO Plan, developed as a habitat conservation plan to address sensitive species management, were kept in place. As part of the RMP revision process, the BLM conducted scoping to solicit input from the public and interested agencies on the nature and extent of issues and impacts to be addressed in the Draft RMP Amendment and Draft SEIS. Planning issues identified for this WMRNP Plan Amendment focus on transportation access for the public, commercial users, residents, associated recreational use, access impacts on sensitive resources, and livestock grazing management within the West Mojave Planning Area. To assist the agency decision maker and the public in focusing on appropriate solutions to planning issues, the Draft EIS considers four Plan Amendment alternatives. Alternative 1 is a continuation of current management (No Action Alternative). Under this alternative, the BLM would continue to manage the use of and access to public lands and resources, including livestock grazing, under the CDCA Plan, as amended by the 2006 WEMO Plan and the 2016 Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP). Alternative 2 emphasizes protection of physical, biological, and heritage resources, while providing for the smallest transportation and travel network focused on through- access, and the most limited acreage and forage allocation dedicated to livestock grazing, comparatively. Alternative 3 provides for the most extensive transportation and travel network focused on enhanced recreational and touring opportunities. Alternative 4, the Proposed Action, limits changes to the 2006 WEMO Plan to respond to community-identified enhancements and Court issues, with the least amount of changes to the transportation and travel network. This is not a final agency decision, but instead an indication of the agency’s preliminary preference that considers the recommendations of cooperating agencies, the pubhc, and BLM specialists and reflects the best combination of decisions to achieve BLM goals and policies, meet the purpose and need, and address the key planning issues. When completed, the ROD for the RMP Plan Amendment will provide comprehensive long-range decisions for (1) managing transportation and travel management resources in the West Mojave Planning Area and (2) identifying allowable livestock grazing management uses on BLM-administered public lands. Comments are accepted for 90 days following the date on which die U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publishes the Notice of Availability for this Draft Plan Amendment and Draft SEIS in the Federal Register. Comments may be submitted electronically using the WMRNP revision website at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/plans-development/cahfomia/west-mojave-plan- route-network Comments may also be submitted by mail to: California Desert District, Attn: WMRNP Plan Amendment, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553 'West Mojave Route Network Project Draft California Desert Conservation Plan Amendment and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the California Desert District January 2018 I I cyuojq ifdj /(jjouoijudjui dSvd siqj> I * <Ss United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT S T California Desert District 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos Moreno Valley, California 92553 www.bltn.gov/california In Reply Refer To: 1614 LLCAD08000.26 January 8,2018 Dear Reader: Attached for your review and comment is the West Mojave Route Network Project (WMRNP) and Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), California Desert District. Through this Resource Management Plan Amendment, the BLM is amending the 1980 California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan, as amended. The WMRNP specifically amends the decisions in the 2006 West Mojave (WEMO) Plan Amendment to the CDCA Plan for the planning and management of a transportation and travel network and livestock grazing on public lands within the West Mojave Planning Area. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared this document in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as amended, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), implementing regulations, the BLM's Land Use Planning Flandbook (FI 1601-1), and other applicable law and policy. The West Mojave Planning Area is located in southern California, in the northwestern third of the CDCA, and comprises approximately 9.4 million acres of land. Within the Planning Area, the BLM administers approximately 3.1 million acres of public lands. The WMRNP also includes implementation-level decisions, including a transportation and travel network which designates specific routes of travel in the planning area, and related implementation strategies. When approved, the WMRNP will supplement the 2006 West Mojave Plan and will guide the management of transportation and travel management in the West Mojave Planning Area into the future. The WMRNP and Draft SEIS and supporting information are available on the project web site at: https://www.blm.uov/promams/planning-and-ncpa/plans-development/california/west-moiave-plan- route-network. The BLM encourages the public to provide information and comments pertaining to the analysis presented in the Draft SEIS. We are particularly interested in feedback concerning the alternatives, associated goals and objectives, adequacy and accuracy of the analysis, and any new information that would help the BLM as it develops its plan and decision. If you wish to submit comments on the WMRNP and Draft SEIS, 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 will be accepted for ninety (90) days following the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) publication of its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM can best utilize your comments and resource information submissions if received within the review period. Comments may be submitted electronically at: [email protected]. Comments may also be submitted by mail to: California Desert District, Attn: WMRNP Plan Amendment, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553. To facilitate analysis of comments and information submitted, we encourage you to submit comments in an electronic format. In developing the Final SEIS and CDCA Plan Amendment, which is the next phase of the planning process, the decision maker may select various components from among the alternatives analyzed in the Draft SEIS for the purpose of creating a management strategy that best meets the needs of the resources and values under the BLM multiple-use and sustained yield mandate. As a member of the public, your timely comments on the WMRNP and Draft SEIS will help formulate the Final SEIS and CDCA Plan Amendment. Comments which contain only opinion or preferences will be considered and included as part of the decision making process, although they will not receive a formal response from the BLM. Before including your address, phone number, email 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 request to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, BLM cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Public meetings to provide an overview of the document, respond to questions, and take public comments will be announced by the local media, website, and/or public mailings at least 15 days in advance. Copies of the Draft SEIS have been sent to affected Federal, state, and local government agencies. Copies of the WMRNP and Draft SEIS are available for public inspection at the BLM California Desert District Office and all BLM Field Offices within the California Desert District. Copies are also available for public inspection at the following local library locations: • Kern County Library, Ridgecrest Branch, 131 E Las Flores Ave, Ridgecrest, CA; • Kern County Library, California City Branch, 9507 California City Blvd, California City, CA; • San Bernardino County Library, 57098 29 Palms Flighway, Yucca Valley, CA; • Victorville City Library, 15011 Circle Dr, Victorville, CA; • San Bernardino County Library, 777 East Rialto Ave, San Bernardino, CA. Thank you for your continued interest in the WMRNP. 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 Matt Toedtli, Project Manager, Barstow Field Office, 760-252-6026 or Craig Beck, Assistant Project Manager, Ridgecrest Field Office, 760-384-5440. Sincerely, Beth Ransel District Manager West Mojave (WEMO) Route Network Project Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........ ES-1 ES.l Introduction.....ES-1 ES.2 Supplemental EIS Goals. ES-7 ES.3 Alternatives. ES-10 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION.........1-1 1.1 Overview of the Environmental Impact Statement.1 -2 1.1.1 Site Location and Description...1-2 1.1.2 CDCA Plan, WEMO Plan, and DRECP LUPA Background....1-3 1.1.3 Court Actions.......1-7 1.1.4 Route Inventory for the WMRNP.....1-8 1.2 Purpose and Need. 1-9 1.2.1 Purpose and Need for Plan Amendment Decisions.....1-10 1.2.2 Purpose and Need for Implementation Decisions....1-12 1.3 NEPA Process. 1-13 1.3.1 Notice of Intent.........1-13 1.3.2 EIS Scoping.1-14 1.3.3 Draft SE1S. 1-15 1.3.4 Desert Advisory Council Subgroup........1-16 1.4 Planning Issues. 1-16 1.5 Planning Criteria. ...1-17 1.6 Relationship to Other Statutes, Regulations, and Policies... 1-19 1.6.1 Federal...........1-19 1.6.1.1 Other BLM Programs...... 1-19 1.6.1.2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service....1 -20 1.6.2 Relationship to Adjacent Jurisdictions and Plans and Programs.1 -22 1.6.2.1 Bordering Jurisdictions. 1-22 1.7 Coordination and Consultation.....1 -26 1.8 Organization of the Draft Plan and SEIS. 1-28 1.9 Court Issues Addressed in the Draft SEIS. 1-29 CHAPTER TWO ALTERNATIVES......... 2-1 2.1 Land-Use Plan Management, CDCA Plan Amendment, and Implementation Decisions to be Made.2-3 2.1.1 Background to Land-Use Plan - Level Decisions...2-3 2.1.2 Planning Decisions. 2-5 2.1.3 Implementation-Level Decisions....2-11 2.1.4 Process for Development of Transportation Network Alternatives....... 2-12 2.2 Plan-Level Goals and Objectives. 2-36 i West Mojave (WEMQ) Route Network Project Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 2.2.1 Alternative 1: No Action LUP-Level Goals, Objectives, and Strategies. 2-36 2.2.2 Alternative 2: Resource Conservation Enhancement LUP-Level Goals, Objectives, and Strategies.2-40 2.2.3 Alternative 3: Public Lands Access LUP-Level Goals, Objectives, and Strategies.2-42 2.2.4 Alternative 4: Proposed Action LUP Goals, Objectives, and Strategies.2-43 2.3 Description of Route Network and Network Implementation Alternatives.2-45 2.3.1 The Use of the “Baseline” of Routes in the Development of Alternatives.2-46 2.3.2 Implementation of the WEMO Route Network.2-47 2.3.2.1 Maintaining the Transportation Network.2-47 2.3.2.2 Ground-Disturbing Activities.2-48 2.3.2.3 Data / Inventory Management.2-49 2.3.2.4 Ghost Routes.2-49 2.3.2.5 Restoration.2-50 2.3.2.6 Route Numbering.2-52 2.3.2.7 Education and Outreach.2-54 2.3.2.8 Law Enforcement.2-58 2.3.2.9 Maintenance of Routes within the Network.2-59 2.3.2.10 Monitoring.2-62 2.3.2.11 Implementation Priorities.2-64 2.3.2.12 Other Travel and Transportation Management Considerations.2-70 2.3.3 Alternative 1: No Action...2-74 2.3.4 Alternative 2: Resource Conservation Enhancement.2-84 2.3.5 Alternative 3: Public Lands Access Maintenance.2-95 2.3.6 Alternative 4: Proposed Action.2-106 2.4 Comparison of Alternatives.2-118 2.5 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Evaluation.2-122 2.6 Modifying the Plan.2-123 CHAPTER THREE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT...3.1-1 3.1 Analysis of the Management Situation.3.1-1 3.1.1 Current Management Direction.3.1-2 3.1.1.1 Legislation and Policies.3.1-2 3.1.1.2 CDCA Plan.3.1-5 3.1.1.3 2006 WEMO Plan.3.1-15 3.1.1.4 Post WEMO Changes to Vehicle Access Management.3.1-18 3.1.1.5 Other Recent Policy and Planning-Related Post 2006 WEMO Developments. 3.1-19 3.1.2 Area Profile.3.1-21 3.1.2.1 Resources.3.1-21 ii