The Draft DRECP, released in September 2014, was developed to (1) advance federal and state natural resource conservation goals and other federal land management goals (2) meet the requirements of the federal Endangered Species Act, California Endangered Species Act, Natural Community Conservation Planning Act, and Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) in the Mojave and Colorado/Sonoran desert region of Southern California and (3) facilitate the timely and streamlined permitting of renewable energy projects. The Draft DRECP included a strategy that identified and mapped potential areas for renewable energy development and areas for long-term natural resource conservation. In March 2015, the DRECP partner agencies announced a phased approach to completing the DRECP. As part of the approach, the BLM component of the DRECP is being finalized first in Phase I, making designations for conservation and renewable energy on public lands. The BLM is releasing this Proposed Land Use Plan Amendment (LUPA) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as Phase I of the DRECP. The Proposed LUPA supports the overall renewable energy and conservation goals of the DRECP. The Proposed LUPA would amend the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan as well as the Bishop and Bakersfield Resource Management Plans, specifically related to natural resource conservation and renewable energy development. The National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, California Public Utilities Commission, California State Lands Commission, California State Parks, and California Independent System Operator are assisting in the preparation of the DRECP, but none of these agencies is an applicant for state or federal take authorizations at this time. Likewise, the seven counties with jurisdiction over land within the DRECP Plan Area, as well as the City of Lancaster and Town of Apple Valley, have provided comments during the development of the DRECP. The BLMs Proposed LUPA reflects input from all of these agencies, as well as tribal government and public comments received on the Draft DRECP.--Page 6.