Bureau of Land Management September 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule amends the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mineral resources regulations to update some fees that cover the BLM's cost of processing certain documents relating to its mineral programs and some filing fees for mineral-related documents. These updates include fees for actions such as lease applications, name changes, corporate mergers, and lease consolidations.

This notice announces the availability of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) 2009 edition of the Manual of Surveying Instructions (Manual) to support implementation of the policy, responsibility, coordination, and procedures the BLM uses to conduct official surveys of Federal lands and ownership interests delineated on the ground and described in the official records of the United States.

This order revokes a Bureau of Reclamation Order insofar as it affects 20 acres of National Forest System land withdrawn for reclamation purposes. This order also opens the land to exchange.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon State Office is proposing supplementary rules for public lands within the States of Oregon and Washington. These supplementary rules revise existing supplementary rules and will apply to all BLM-managed lands within the States of Oregon and Washington. These revisions are necessary in order to protect public land natural resources and provide for the public's health and safety, provide needed guidance in the areas of special forest products and recreation, allow for the assessment of penalties that are commensurate with the magnitude of prohibited acts, and promote consistency between the BLM and other natural resource agencies.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reopening the public comment period to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed Solar Millennium, LLC, Amargosa Farm Road Solar Energy Project. A notice published in the Federal Register on Monday, July 13, 2009 [74 FR 33458] provided for a public comment period ending on August 12, 2009.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the surface estate in certain lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., Successor in Interest to Koovukmeut, Inc. and Isingnakmeut, Inc. The lands are in the vicinity of Kobuk and Shungnak, Alaska, and are located in:

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1976 (NEPA), as amended, and section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ridgecrest Field Office intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the proposed leasing of approximately 22,060 acres of BLM-managed public lands for geothermal exploration, development, and utilization in the Haiwee Geothermal Leasing Area located in Inyo County, California. The leasing of public lands for geothermal resources will require an amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan of 1980. Comments are being solicited to help identify significant issues or concerns related to the proposed action, determine the scope of issues, and identify and refine alternatives to the proposed action. The BLM will also use and coordinate the NEPA commenting process to satisfy the requirements for public involvement in section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

The Secretary of the Interior proposes to extend a withdrawal established by Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6760 for an additional 20 years. PLO No. 6760 withdrew 30 acres of National Forest System land from location under the mining laws to protect the Austin Administrative Site in Lander County, Nevada. The lands will remain open to the mineral leasing laws. This notice gives an opportunity to comment on the proposed action and to request a public meeting.

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 Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will hold a meeting as indicated below.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the conveyance of surface and subsurface estates for certain lands pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Ahtna, Incorporated for 773.78 acres located southwesterly of the Native village of Tazlina, Alaska. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Anchorage Daily News.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado is proposing supplementary rules for the GGNCA and adjacent public lands included in the 2004 GGNCA Resource Management Plan (RMP) and managed by the GGNCA and Uncompahgre Field Offices in Montrose and Delta Counties, Colorado. The rules implement decisions found in the RMP and relate to the use of the lands, conduct, health and safety of public land users, and

The plats of survey described below are scheduled to be officially filed in the New Mexico State Office, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Santa Fe, New Mexico, 30 calendar days from the date of this publication.