Availability of Proposal To Expand Boundaries of an Existing Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) in the Clear Creek Management Area, To Rename the San Benito Mountain Outstanding Natural Area To the San Benito Mountain Research Natural Area; Av

Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610. 2 (c) and 43 CFR 1610.7(1)(b), a final Resource Management Plan Amendment/Environmental Impact Statement (RMP Amendment/EIS) has been prepared by the Hollister Resource Area. The final RMP Amendment/EIS describes and analyzes alternative management scenarios for about 50,000 acres of public lands in the Clear Creek Management Area. These lands are located in south San Benito and Fresno Counties in central California. This Federal Register notice provides notice about decisions and/or proposed actions regarding two existing designations within the Clear Creek Management Area. The first notice is with regard to the Serpentine Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), and the second is with regard to the San Benito Mountain Outstanding Natural Area. (1) Serpentine Area of Critical Environmental Concern. One of the decisions proposed in the Final EIS and RMP Amendment is to expand the existing Serpentine ACEC. The 23,834-acre ACEC was originally designated in 1984 through the public planning process. The Serpentine ACEC was designated because soils in the area contain natural asbestos and there are health issues associated with recreating in the area. It was also designated an ACEC because the vegetative communities associated with serpentine soils are quite unusual. The Serpentine ACEC boundary was reviewed in 1992 during the EIS process, and adjustments were made based upon soil surveys. The map provided with the final EIS reflects the new known boundaries of the serpentine mass on public land. The adjustments result in a proposed addition of about 10%, or about 2,500 acres, to the geologic boundary line. The changes can be viewed in the ``Errata Sheet'' map included in the Final EIS, or can be reviewed at the locations listed below. The legal description will be published with the Record of Decision for the Final EIS. (2) San Benito Mountain Natural Area: Given the heavy emphasis of research suggested for this area, the BLM is proposing to change the name of the Natural Area to the ``San Benito Mountain Research Natural Area''. Management of the Natural Area would remain as described in the Final EIS, and the name change would be consistent with the proposed primary use of the area. Finally, to formalize and complete the designation process for this Natural Area, the public is hereby notified that a 380-acre extension approved for re-incorporation under previous planning efforts is now formally re-incorporated into the San Benito Mountain Natural Area. The legal description of this extension is: