Bureau of Land Management 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) policies, the BLM announces the availability of the ROD for the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Resource Management Plan (RMP) located in Jackson County in southwestern Oregon. The ROD serves as a final decision for the land use plan decisions described in the approved RMP and becomes effective on the date the ROD is signed.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requesting the Secretary of the Interior to withdraw approximately 3,968 acres of National Forest System land from the mining laws for 20 years to protect cultural resources, including rock art of great cultural, scientific, and public interest within Craven Canyon.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM-Eastern States, Springfield, Virginia, 30 calendar days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

Pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committees Act (Pub. L. 92-463) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Pub. L. 94-579), the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Northeast California Resource Advisory Council will meet Thursday and Friday, Sept. 18 and 19, 2008, in the Conference Room of the BLM Alturas Field Office, 708 West 12th St., Alturas, California. The meeting location is changed from an earlier announced location of the BLM Surprise Field Office, 602 Cressler St., Cedarville, California.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Arizona Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will meet on September 18, 2008, in Phoenix, Arizona, at the BLM National Training Center located at 9828 North 31st Avenue in Phoenix from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Morning agenda items include: Review and approval of the March 6, and June 19, 2008, meeting minutes for RAC and Recreation Resource Advisory Council (RRAC) business; BLM State Director's update on statewide issues; Update on Solar Energy Rights-of-Way Application and Processing; Presentation on OHV Ambassadors Program; RAC questions on BLM Field Managers Rangeland Resource Team proposals; and, reports by RAC working groups. A public comment period will be provided at 11:30 a.m. on September 18, 2008, for any interested publics who wish to address the Council on BLM programs and business. Under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the RAC has been designated as the RRAC, and has the authority to review all BLM and Forest Service (FS) recreation fee proposals in Arizona. The afternoon meeting agenda on September 18, will include review and discussion of the Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) Working Group Report, REA Work Group meeting schedule and future BLM/FS recreation fee proposals. In addition, the following BLM and FS fee proposals will be discussed: (1) Paria Canyon/Coyote Buttes Recreation Area (BLM Arizona Strip District)The BLM proposes to increase the Paria day-use permit fee from $5 per person to $6 per person, and increase the Coyote Buttes North day-use permit fee from $5 per person to $7 per person. Implementation of these new fees is proposed to begin October 1, 2008. Funds generated through recreation fees will be used for the continued operation and maintenance of Paria Canyon/ Coyote Buttes Recreation Area. (2) Half Moon Ranch and Shaw House (Coronado National Forest)The FS is proposing to include the Half Moon Ranch and the Shaw House in the ``Rooms with a View'' Arizona Cabin Rental Program. The proposed new fee increase of $150.00 would include one night's rental at each house. Both houses are located approximately 10 miles east of Sunsites, Arizona, and can accommodate up to 10 people and 6 horses. Rental of these houses and other facilities within the Arizona National Forest has shown that the public appreciates and enjoys the availability of historic rental facilities. Funds from the rentals will be used for the continued operation and maintenance of the Half Moon Ranch and the Shaw House. (3) Apache Maid Cabin (Coconino National Forest)The FS proposes to make the historic Apache Maid Cabin available to the public as an overnight rental. The Apache Maid Cabin has served numerous functions ranging from a summer ranch headquarters to a Forest Service Ranger Station. The cabin has two bedrooms and a kitchen, an exterior vault toilet, a propane stove, and propane lighting. The cabin will accommodate a maximum of six people at a fee of $75/night. (4) Prescott National Forestwide Fee Proposal (Prescott National Forest)The FS proposes to increase fees at campgrounds from $6-15 to $10-18 and day-use sites from $2-3 to $5. Fee changes would begin in 2009 and would remain the same for the next five years. The forest is also proposing to discontinue fee collection at one campground and one- day use site. Additional components of the proposal include: (a) Camping fees would also include access to day-use sites across the Forest; (b) group sites would have two fee ranges: 1-50 people and 51- 100 people; (c) annual passes would remain at the current price of $40; however second vehicle annual passes in the same family would increase from $5 to $10; (d) an extra vehicle charge of $5 would apply to single (up to 1 vehicle, 5 people) and double (2 vehicles, 10 people) campsites. RVs towing a car count as one vehicle; and (e) Wednesday would remain a free day at day use sites. Following the BLM/FS proposals, the RRAC will open the meeting to public comments on the fee proposals. After completing their RRAC business, the BLM RAC will provide recommendations to the RAC Designated Federal Official on the fee proposal and discuss future RAC meetings and locations.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the surface and subsurface estates in certain lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Beaver Kwit'chin Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Beaver, Alaska, and are located in:

Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act request for lease and subsequent conveyance of approximately 5 acres of public land in the City of Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada. The City of Las Vegas proposes to use the land for a public park.

The Bureau of Land Management Cottonwood Field Office will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) consistent with the regulations pertaining to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Under the provisions of Section 102(2)(c) of the NEPA, the BLM announces its intentions to prepare an EIS and solicit public comments regarding issues and resource information for this project. The BLM will analyze a proposal from Elk City Mining, LLC (ECM) to advance the Buffalo Gulch Mining Project to full scale production near Elk City, Idaho County, Idaho. This project was originally permitted in 1990 but never went into production. ECM's Plan of Operations includes an open pit mining operation and a cyanide heap leach facility to recover gold from the mined ore on their unpatented mining claims.

The Bureau of Land Management published a document in the Federal Register on March 31, 2008, transferring public land to the Department of Energy. The document contained some errors in the land description.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Central California Resource Advisory Council Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Subcommittee will meet as indicated below.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), and the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 (FLREA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Twin Falls District Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM-Eastern States, Springfield, Virginia, 30 calendar days from the date of publication in the Federal Register. Contact Information: Bureau of Land Management, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, Virginia 22153. Attn: Cadastral Survey.

The U.S. Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, has filed an application requesting the Secretary of the Interior to process, in accordance with the Engle Act (43 U.S.C. 155-158), a proposed legislative withdrawal from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining laws, of approximately 18,248 acres of public lands located in Tooele County, Utah. The withdrawal would reserve the lands for use as a military training range. This notice temporarily segregates the lands from surface entry and mining for up to two years while the legislative withdrawal application is being processed.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared Proposed Resource Management Plans and a Final Environmental Impact Statement (PRMPs/FEIS) for the Agua Fria National Monument and Bradshaw-Harquahala Planning Area.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (PRMP/FEIS) for the Richfield Field Office.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Kikiktagruk Inupiat Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Kotzebue, Alaska, and are located in:

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment and Environmental Assessment (RMPA/EA) for the Buffalo Field Office (BFO) and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period for the Draft Buffalo RMPA and Fortification Creek Management Area EA. The BLM also announces the availability of information regarding a proposed Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) designation considered in the Draft RMPA/EA.

This order partially revokes a Public Land Order insofar as it affects approximately 1,099.51 acres, more or less, of public lands withdrawn from surface entry and mining for the Bureau of Land Management to protect public health and safety and to perform site reclamation activities of the Paradise Peak and County Line mines. The lands surrounding the County Line mine have been reclaimed and are no longer needed for reclamation purposes. This order opens those lands to surface entry and mining. The lands surrounding the Paradise Peak mine have not undergone complete reclamation and will remain withdrawn.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Boise District, Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) and Recreation Transportation Management Sub-group of the Resource Advisory Council, will hold meetings as indicated below.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Montana State Office, Billings, Montana, (30) days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) management policies, the BLM announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Truckhaven Geothermal Leasing Area, Imperial County, managed by the El Centro Field Office. The El Centro Field Manager has signed the ROD, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM.

This is Notice of Bull Mountain Coal Properties Coal Lease Application MTM 97988 for certain coal resources within the Bull Mountain Mine. The land included in Coal Lease Application MTM 97988 is located in Musselshell County, Montana, and is described as follows:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lander Field Office intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed coal bed natural gas (CBNG) development approximately 9 miles southeast of Riverton, Wyoming. The proposed development project is known as the Beaver Creek Coal Bed Natural Gas Development Project (Project), located in Fremont County, Wyoming.

The BLM is soliciting comments, electronic or written, on significant changes and clarifications (collectively ``changes'') to the Proposed Plan as set forth in the PRMP for wind energy and VRM. The environmental consequences of the proposed changes and clarification have been analyzed as part of the RMP/EIS process. After considering public comments on these changes, BLM will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Eastern San Diego County Resource Management Plan.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Bering Straits Native Corporation for lands located in the vicinity of Saint Michael, Alaska. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Nome Nugget.