Bureau of Land Management 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from O'Brien Energy Resources Corporation for competitive oil and gas lease WYW160470 for land in Niobrara County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

A Notice was published in the Federal Register on August 3, 2010, temporarily segregating approximately 28,953 acres of public land within the Clear Creek Management Area (CCMA) from location and entry under the United States mining laws for up to 2 years, while various studies and analyses are made to support a final decision on the withdrawal application. The Secretary of the Interior proposes to withdraw for a period of 20 years these lands located in San Benito and Fresno Counties, on behalf of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to limit impacts to public safety and human health from naturally occurring asbestos and past mining activities. In addition, approximately 3,763 acres of non-Federal lands are located inside of the proposed withdrawal area, and if those lands should be acquired by or returned to the United States by any means, they would also be included in the proposed withdrawal. Notice is hereby given, that a public meeting will be held in accordance with the regulations set forth in 43 CFR 2310.3-1. At this meeting, the focus will be on explaining the process of withdrawing public land from location and entry under the United States mining laws.

The plats of survey of the following described lands are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington State Office, Portland, Oregon, 30 days from the date of this publication.

This Notice opens 320 acres of public land located in Elko County, Nevada, to leasing under applicable geothermal leasing laws subject to valid existing rights and reserved interest in the land.

This order extends the duration of the withdrawal created by Public Land Order No. 6833 for an additional 20-year period. The extension is necessary to continue to protect the unique natural and ecological research values of the United States Forest Service's Wolf Creek Research Natural Area.

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) the Northeastern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet in various locations in Nevada. The meetings are open to the public.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, notice is hereby given that the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Pocatello Field Office, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS), Caribou-Targhee National Forest, will jointly prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to determine and analyze the effects of a proposed phosphate mine and reclamation plan. The EIS will also consider the effects of modifying the lease to increase its size.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to sell a 0.07- acre parcel of public land in Shoshone County, Idaho, to Sunshine Precious Metals, Inc. (Sunshine) for the appraised fair market value of $280.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is adjusting certain special recreation permit fees for various recreation activities on BLM administered Public Lands and related waters. The BLM is adjusting the minimum fee for commercial, competitive and organized group activities or events.

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, North Slope Science Initiative (NSSI) Science Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) will meet as indicated below:

The purpose of this notice is to reopen the nomination period for the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Farmington, New Mexico, Resource Advisory Councils (RAC). The RACs provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on land use planning and management of the public lands within the Albuquerque and Farmington Districts. The Farmington, New Mexico, RAC is only seeking applicants who meet the criteria for elected official in Category Three.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Northern Arizona Proposed Withdrawal and with this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

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) Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet in Carson City, Nevada and Gerlach, Nevada. The meetings are open to the public.

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requesting the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management withdraw 183.47 acres of National Forest System land in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest from mining to protect the Settler's Grove of Ancient Cedars Recreation Area near Wallace, Idaho. This notice segregates the lands for up to 2 years from location and entry under the United States mining laws while the withdrawal application is being processed. The land will remain open to mineral leasing and to all activities currently consistent with applicable Forest plans and those related to the exercise of valid existing rights.

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, on March 18, 2011.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision will be issued by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to Ahtna, Incorporated. The decision approves conveyance of the surface and subsurface estates in the lands described below pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The lands are in the vicinity of Mentasta Lake, Alaska, and are located in:

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Westside Land Conveyance Project and by this notice is announcing its availability.

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.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces that the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will conduct a meeting on matters pertaining to management and protection of wild, free-roaming horses and burros on the Nation's public lands.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a 3-year extension of OMB Control Number 1004-0179 under the Paperwork Reduction Act. This control number includes paperwork requirements in regulations that provide the authority for the BLM to collect helium sales information from Federal agencies and helium suppliers of major helium requirements, in order to balance crude helium purchases from the BLM with sales of helium to Federal agencies.

On Wednesday, January 12, 2011, there was published in the Federal Register, Volume 76, Number 8, on page 2133 a notice entitled ``Eastern States: Filing of Plats of Survey''. In said notice was a plat depicting the dependent resurvey of a portion of the west boundary, a portion of the subdivisional line, and the survey of the subdivision of Section 18, of Township 15 North, Range 5 West, of the Michigan Meridian, in the State of Michigan, and was accepted September 22, 2010. The official filing of the plat is hereby stayed, pending the correction of errors. This first plat that was accepted September 22, 2010 will be canceled when the second plat accepted February 1, 2011 is official filed.

This notice announces the availability of the final signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to Promote Conservation of Migratory Birds.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to offer, by competitive sale, a parcel of Federally owned land near Golden, New Mexico, containing approximately 130.56 acres. The sale will be subject to the applicable provisions of Section 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), respectively, and the BLM land sale regulations. The purpose of the sale is to dispose of lands which are difficult and uneconomic to manage. The sale will be conducted in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as a competitive sealed bid auction in which interested bidders must submit written sealed bids equal to or greater than the appraised fair market value of the land.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from W.A. Moncrief, Jr., Providence Minerals LLC, LaMar B. Roemer, Roemer Oil Company, John F. Sheridan, and Woods Research & Development for renewal of oil and gas lease WYW50761 for land in Converse County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, and the California Environmental Quality Act, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ridgecrest Field Office, Ridgecrest, California, cooperating with Kern County, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which may include an amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (1980 as amended) and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.