Notice of Intent To Prepare an Amendment to the Caliente Resource Management Plan Regarding Bureau of Land Management Administration of Newly Transferred Lands at Naval Petroleum Reserve #2 (NPR-2) in Kern County, CA

Résumé

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to amend the Caliente Resource Management Plan (RMP) to cover newly transferred lands at NPR-2 and prepare an environmental assessment to analyze the effects of that action. The lands addressed by this amendment were formerly under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy. However, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) transferred management responsibility from the DOE to the BLM effective August 8, 2005. As directed in the Act, "the principal purpose of the lands subject to transfer * * * is the production of hydrocarbon resources, and the Secretary of the Interior shall manage the lands in a fashion consistent with this purpose." Accordingly, this plan amendment will specify management prescriptions at NPR-2 for oil and gas related operations and specific realty actions covered under 43 CFR part 2000 by extending existing management prescriptions from the current Caliente RMP. The proposed action identifies the suitability of the newly transferred lands for leasing for oil and gas exploration and development and any constraints thereon, in addition to addressing both ongoing and new oil and gas related