Notice2025-11478
Intent To Prepare the Central Coast Field Office Oil and Gas Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Potential Resource Management Plan Amendment, California
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 23, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentLand Management Bureau
Abstract
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) California State Director intends to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) and a potential resource management plan (RMP) amendment for the Central Coast Field Office (CCFO). The supplemental EIS will analyze the impacts of oil and gas leasing and development on BLM-managed public land and mineral estate in the CCFO. Lands withdrawn from mineral entry by law, including national monuments and designated wilderness areas, would remain unavailable for leasing and development. This notice initiates the process to solicit public comments to identify issues and announces a potential RMP amendment.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 118 (Monday, June 23, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 118 (Monday, June 23, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26602-26604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-11478]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[A2407-014-004-065516; #O2412-014-004-047181.1]
Intent To Prepare the Central Coast Field Office Oil and Gas
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Potential Resource
Management Plan Amendment, California
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management
Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
California State Director intends to prepare a supplemental
environmental impact statement (EIS) and a potential resource
management plan (RMP) amendment for the Central Coast Field Office
(CCFO). The supplemental EIS will analyze the impacts of oil and gas
leasing and development on BLM-managed public land and mineral estate
in the CCFO. Lands withdrawn from mineral entry by law, including
national monuments and designated wilderness areas, would remain
unavailable for leasing and development. This notice initiates the
process to solicit public comments to identify issues and announces a
potential RMP amendment.
DATES: The BLM requests that the public submit comments concerning the
scope of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of
relevant information, and studies by July 23, 2025. The BLM will
provide additional opportunities for public participation upon
publication of the draft supplemental EIS.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria
related to this draft supplemental EIS and potential RMP amendment
through the BLM National NEPA Register: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/admin/project/2037489/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/admin/project/2037489/510</a>.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined during regular
business hours at Bureau of Land Management, Central Coast Field
Office, 940 2nd Ave., Marina, CA 93933.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Mathews, Project Manager, Bureau
of Land Management, 940 2nd Ave., Marina, CA 93933, telephone: (831)
582-2257, or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#387a7475677b79677b7b7e7767777174677f796b676b7d716b785a5455165f574e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="abe9e7e6f4e8eaf4e8e8ede4f4e4e2e7f4eceaf8f4f8eee2f8ebc9c7c685ccc4dd">[email protected]</span></a>.
Individuals in the United States who are deaf, blind, hard of
hearing, or have
[[Page 26603]]
a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services for contacting Ms. Mathews.
Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services
offered within their country to make international calls to the point-
of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM
CCFO will prepare, in accordance with FLPMA and NEPA, a draft
supplemental EIS and potential RMP amendment for oil and gas leasing
and development. The draft supplemental EIS will provide an analysis of
the six alternatives outlined in the CCFO proposed RMP amendment and
final EIS published in 2019 as agreed to in the 2019 settlement
agreement. This document announces the beginning of the scoping process
and seeks public input on issues and planning criteria which may inform
whether the BLM will amend the current RMP. Based on information
gathered during scoping, the BLM may consider additional alternatives.
The planning area is located in Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey,
San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties, and
portions of Fresno, Merced, and San Joaquin counties and encompasses
approximately 284,000 acres of public land and an additional 509,000
acres of Federal mineral estate (i.e., split estate).
The scope of this land use planning process does not include
addressing the evaluation or designation of areas of critical
environmental concern (ACEC) and the BLM is not considering ACEC
nominations as part of this process.
Purpose and Need
The purpose of the supplemental EIS is to analyze the environmental
effects of oil and gas leasing and development within the planning area
and to determine whether changes are needed to the fluid minerals
decisions based on new information or changes in circumstances in the
CCFO. The need to develop a draft supplemental EIS is established by
the settlement agreement in Case No. 3:19-cv-07155-JSC filed with the
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on December
5, 2022.
Preliminary Alternatives
The draft supplemental EIS will consider the six alternatives
outlined in the CCFO proposed RMP amendment and final EIS published in
2019 as agreed to in the 2019 settlement agreement. Potential effects
would be based on the CCFO's updated reasonably foreseeable development
scenario for oil and gas completed by the BLM in 2015.
The potential for an RMP amendment is dependent upon the
alternative selected. The BLM welcomes comments on all preliminary
alternatives as well as suggestions for additional alternatives.
Planning Criteria
Preliminary issues for the draft supplemental EIS have been
identified by BLM personnel; Federal, State, and local agencies; and
other stakeholders. The issues may include but are not limited to:
areas of critical environmental concern, fish and wildlife habitats,
cultural resources, air quality, water quality, and other public land
values; including social and economic conditions.
Preliminary planning criteria include:
1. Only those portions of the existing plan related to land use
decisions for management of Federal fluid minerals resources that need
to be updated to respond to the issues and management concerns will be
reviewed. All other portions of the (existing) RMP for the Southern
Diablo Mountain Range and Central Coast of California Record of
Decision, approved September 7, 2007, would remain unchanged.
2. The planning process will be completed in compliance with FLPMA
and all other applicable laws.
3. The planning process will include a supplemental EIS that will
comply with NEPA standards.
4. The scope of analysis will be consistent with the level of
analysis in approved plans and in accordance with Bureau-wide standards
and program guidance.
5. Public comments will be addressed during the planning process.
You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing
to the BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section
above by the date listed in the DATES section above.
Summary of Expected Impacts
Within the boundaries of the CCFO, the BLM's previous data showed
less than 1 percent of active oil and gas wells are located on Federal
mineral estate. Completion of this supplemental EIS could potentially
allow the BLM to resume oil and gas leasing within the planning area,
which could result in development of up to 37 new oil and gas wells
during the next 20 years, as described in the reasonably foreseeable
development scenario for the CCFO completed in 2015.
Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public
participation consistent with NEPA and land use planning processes. If
the BLM prepares an RMP amendment, additional opportunities will
include a 90-day comment period on the draft RMP amendment/draft
supplemental EIS and a concurrent 30-day public protest period and 60-
day Governor's consistency review on the proposed RMP amendment/final
supplemental EIS. The draft RMP amendment/draft supplemental EIS is
anticipated to be available for public review in spring 2026 and the
proposed RMP amendment/final supplemental EIS is anticipated to be
available for public protest in spring 2027 with an approved RMP
amendment and record of decision in summer 2027. The 14 implementation-
level decisions for oil and gas leases in CCFO are subject to appeal to
the Interior Board of Land Appeals after the signing of a record of
decision for this project.
Public Scoping Process
All public scoping comments must be submitted by email or by mail
to the addresses listed under ADDRESSES. The purpose of the public
scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the
scope of the environmental analysis, including alternatives, if
necessary, and guide the planning process.
Responsible Official
The California State Director is the deciding official for this
planning effort.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The nature of the decision to be made will be the State Director's
selection of land use planning decisions pursuant to this potential RMP
amendment for managing BLM-administered lands under the principles of
multiple use and sustained yield in a manner that best addresses the
purpose and need.
Additional Information
The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA and land use planning
processes for this planning effort to help support compliance with
applicable procedural requirements under the Endangered Species Act (16
U.S.C. 1536) and section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act
(54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), including public
involvement requirements of section 106. The information about historic
and cultural resources and threatened and endangered species within the
area
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potentially affected by the proposed plan amendment will assist the BLM
in identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources.
The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM Manual
1780 and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns, including
impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural
resources, will be given due consideration. Federal, State, and local
agencies, along with Indian Tribal Nations and other stakeholders that
may be interested in or affected by the proposed action that the BLM is
evaluating, are invited to participate in the scoping process and, if
eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate in the
development of the environmental analysis as a cooperating agency.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware 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.
(Authority: 43 CFR 46.435 and 43 CFR 1610.2)
Joseph Stout,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2025-11478 Filed 6-20-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-15-P
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