Draft California desert conservation area plan amendment for the Coachella Valley, Draft Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains Trails management plan, and Draft environmental impact statement.

498 Pages·2002·88.9 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Palm Springs/South Coast Field Office

BLM LIBRARY
88057689
United States Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
California Desert District June 2002
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for the
Draft California Desert Conservation Area
Plan Amendment for the Coachella Valley
and the
Draft Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains
Trails Management Plan
BLM/CA/ES-2002/003+1790-1600
OEPC Control No^ DES-02-21
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United States Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
California Desert District
Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office
Draft California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment
for the Coachella Valley
Draft Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains
Trails Management Plan
and Draft Environmental Impact Statement
^^
Riverside County, California
June 2002
Mike Pool, State Director - California

United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office
690 West Garnet Avenue
P.O. Box 581260
North Palm Springs, CA 92258-1260
Visit us on the Internetat
www.ca.blm.gov/palmsprings
IN REPLY REFER TO:
1610P
CA660 21
' MAY 3 C
2i
Dear Reader:
Enclosed for your review and comment is the Draft California Desert Conservation Area
(CDCA) Plan Amendment for the Coachella Valley, Draft Santa Rosa and San Jacinto
Mountains Trails Management Plan, and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This
document describes and analyzes a range of alternatives for managing the public lands
administered by the Bureau of Land Management in the Coachella Valley of southern
California. Amongst these alternatives, the BLM's preferred alternative is identified, and a
description ofthe "no-action" alternative (i.e. continuation of current management) is included.
These draft plans/draft EIS may also be accessed via internet at the web address listed
above. This document is being prepared in tandem with the Coachella Valley Multi-Species
HabitatConservation Plan (CVMSHCP), and in collaboration with the local governments ofthe
Coachella Valley, State and other Federal agencies, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians,
and private entities.
Comments received from the public shall be incorporated into the Final EIS, including names
and addresses. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold
your name or address from public review orfrom disclosure under the Freedom of Information
Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comments. Such requests will
be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or businesses,
and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their entirety.
Please submit your comments in writing to the address listed in this letterhead, no later than
September 5, 2002, which ends the 90-day public review period. Comments may be sent by
fax at [phone] or electronic mail to [email protected]. Your interest in
collaborative stewardship of the public lands is appreciated.
Sincerely,
XJames G. Kenna
Field Manager
Draft California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment
for the Coachella Valley,
Draft Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains Trails Management Plan,
and Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Location: Riverside County, California
Responsible Agency Department of the Interior
:
Bureau of Land Management
California State Office
Prepared by Department of the Interior
:
Bureau of Land Management
Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office
and
Terra Nova Planning and Research
400 S. Farrell Drive, Suite 205
Palm Springs, California 92262 Nova
Public Comment Period: 90 days, ending September 5, 2002
For further information contact Field Manager
:
Bureau of Land Management
690 W. Garnet Avenue; P.O. Box 581260
North Palm Springs, CA 92258
[phone]
Abstract This draft CDCA Plan Amendment, trails management plan, and
:
draft EIS describes and analyzes a range of alternatives for
managing the public lands administered by the Bureau of Land
Management in the Coachella Valley of southern California. This
document is being prepared in tandem with the Coachella Valley
Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan, in coordination with the
local governments of the Coachella Valley, State and other Federal
agencies, and private entities.
Draft California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment
for the Coachella Valley,
Draft Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains Trails Management Plan,
and Draft Environmental Impact Statement
CONTENTS
Executive Summary
Introduction ES-1
Alternatives ES-7
Environmental Consequences ES-8
The Collaborative Planning Process ES-8
Chapter 1 - Introduction
1.1 Description ofthe Coachella Valley Planning Area 1-1
1.2 Purpose and Need 1-2
1.3 Issues Addressed 1-3
1.4 Alternatives Considered and Not Analyzed in Detail 1-4
1.5 Relationship to Other Plans 1-5
1.6 Planning Criteria 1-15
Chapter 2 - Alternatives
2.1 Coachella Valley California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment 2-1
2.1.1 General Description ofEach Alternative 2-2
2.1.2 Plan Goals Common to All Alternatives 2-2
2.1.3 Land Use Plan Alternatives 2-4
2.1.3.1 Wild and Scenic Rivers 2-4
2.1.3.2 Visual Resource Management 2-5
2.1.3.3 Land Health Standards 2-6
2.1.3.4 Air Quality 2-8
2.1.3.5 Multiple Use Classification 2-8
2.1.3.6 Habitat Conservation Objectives 2-9
2.1.3.7 Fire Management 2-10
2.1.3.8 Special Area Designations 2-11
2.1.3.9 Land Tenure: Exchange and Sale Criteria 2-12
2.1.3.10 Land Tenure: Acquisition Criteria 2-14
2.1.3.11 Management ofAcquired & Formerly Withdrawn Lands 2-14
2.1.3.12 Communication Sites and Utilities 2-14
2.1.3.13 Sand and Gravel Mining 2-15
2.1.3.14 Livestock Grazing 2-15
2.1.3.15 Wild Horse and Burro Program 2-16
Contents
2.1.3.16 Motorized Vehicle Area Designations 2-17
2.1.3.17 Motorized Vehicle Route Designations 2-20
2.1.3.17 Special Recreation Management Area 2-23
2.1.3.18 Recreation: Stopping, Parking and Vehicle Camping 2-24
. .
2.1.3.19 Recovery Strategy for Peninsular Ranges Bighorn Sheep 2-25
2.1.3.20 Hiking, Biking and Equestrian Trails 2-28
2.1.4 Plan Maintenance 2-29
2.1.5 Plan Implementation 2-29
....
2.2 Santa Rosa and SanJacinto Mountains Trails Management Plan 2-31
Chapter 3 - Affected Environment
3.1 Land Use Designations 3-1
3.1.1 Existing Land Use Designations 3-1
3.1.2 Potential Areas ofCritical Environmental Concern 3-3
3.1.3 Wild and Scenic Rivers 3-7
3.1.4 Wilderness 3-9
3.1.5 Farmlands 3-12
3.1.6 Livestock Grazing 3-13
3.1.7 Wild Horse and Burro Herd Management Areas 3-17
3.2 Transportation, Traffic and Circulation 3-19
3.3 Soils, Geology, Mineral and Energy Resources 3-23
3.4 Recreation 3-28
3.5 Motorized-Vehicle Access 3-31
3.6 Flooding and Hydrology 3-34
3.7 Water Resources/ Quality 3-37
3.8 Biological Resources 3-39
3.9 Cultural Resources and Native American Concerns 3-42
3.10 Air Quality 3-47
3.11 Noise 3-51
3.12 Hazardous Materials and Toxic Wastes 3-54
3.13 Visual and Scenic Resources 3-56
3.14 Utilities, Public Services and Facilities 3-58
3.15 Socio-Economic Considerations 3-61
3.16 EnvironmentalJustice and Health Risks to Children 3-64
Contents
Chapter 4 - Environmental Consequences
4.1 Coachella Valley California Desert Conservation Area Plan Amendment 4-1
.
4.1.1 Land Use Designations 4-1
4.1.1.1 Areas ofCritical Environmental Concern 4-1
4.1.1.2 Wild and Scenic Rivers 4-3
4.1.1.3 Wilderness 4-10
4.1.1.4 Farmlands 4-15
4.1.1.5 Livestock Grazing 4-15
4.1.1.6 Wild Horse and Burro Herd Management Areas 4-17
. . . .
4.1.2 Transportation, Traffic and Circulation 4-18
4.1.3 Soils, Geology, Mineral and Energy Resources 4-22
4.1.4 Recreation 4-27
4.1.5 Motorized-Vehicle Access 4-36
4.1.6 Flooding and Hydrology 4-39
4.1.7 Water Resources/ Quality 4-43
4.1.8 Biological Resources 4-48
4.1.9 Cultural Resources and Native American Concerns 4-61
4.1.10 Air Quality 4-65
4.1.11 Noise 4-71
4.1.12 Hazardous Materials and Toxic Wastes 4-74
4.1.13 Visual and Scenic Resources 4-74
4.1.14 Utilities, Public Services and Facilities 4-76
4.1.15 Socio-Economic Considerations 4-80
4.1.16 EnvironmentalJustice and Health Risks to Children 4-88
4.1.17 Cumulative Impacts 4-92
....
4.2 Santa Rosa and SanJacinto Mountains Trails Management Plan 4-97
Chapter 5 - The Collaborative Planning Process
5.1 Public Participation 5-1
5.2 Coordination with LocalJurisdictions 5-2
5.3 Consultation and Coordination with Tribal Governments 5-4
5.4 Consultation with State and Federal Agencies 5-5
5.5 Development ofTrails Management Plan Alternatives 5-6
5.6 List ofPreparers 5-7
Glossary
References
Contents
Appendices
Appendix A: Notice ofintents; Notice ofAvailability; EIS Distribution List
Appendix B: Wild and Scenic Rivers
Appendix C: Air Quality
Appendix D: Motorized Vehicle Access
Appendix E: Recreational Trail Use
List ofFigures
Figure 1-1 California Desert Conservation Area Planning Areas
Figure 1-2 Coachella Valley Planning Area
Figure 2-1 Wild and Scenic Rivers
Figure 2-2 Visual Resources Management
Figure 2-3a Multiple Use Classification - Preferred Alternative (B)
Figure 2-3b Multiple Use Classification - No Action Alternative (D)
Figure 2-4 General Habitat Types
Figure 2-5 Fire Management Category
Figure 2-6a Special Area Designations - Preferred Alternative (A)
Figure 2-6b Special Area Designations - Alternative B
Figure 2-6c Special Area Designations - Alternative C
Figure 2-7 Windparks and Sand & Gravel Mining
Figure 2-8 Livestock Grazing
Figure 2-9 Wild Horse and Burro Herd Management Areas - Preferred Alternative (B)
Figure 2-10a Motorized Vehicle Area Designations - Alternative A
Figure 2-1Ob Motorized Vehicle Area Designations - Preferred Alternative (B) and
Special Recreation Management Area- Preferred Alternative (B)
Figure 2-1 la Motorized Vehicle Route Designations - Alternative A
Figure 2-1 lb Motorized Vehicle Route Designations - Preferred Alternative (B)
Figure 2-1 lc Motorized Vehicle Route Designations - Alternative C
Figure 2-1 Id Motorized Vehicle Route Designations - No Action Alternative (D)
Figure 2-12 Trails Management Plan
Figure 3-1 Existing Special Area Designations