Bureau of Land Management July 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is issuing this rule to amend regulations on locating, recording, and maintaining mining claims or sites. In this rule, the BLM amends its regulations to respond to a recent law that changes the way the maintenance fee is calculated for unpatented placer mining claims. The law specifies that the holder of an unpatented placer mining claim must pay the initial and annual maintenance fee for each 20 acres or portion thereof contained in the claim; and reiterates that an initial maintenance fee payment is due at the time of recording the claim with the BLM and that the annual maintenance fee is due on or before September 1 of each year.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from Marshall & Winston, Inc., for competitive oil and gas lease WYW154148 for land in Carbon 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.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from Legacy Energy, Inc., for competitive oil and gas lease WYW179184 for land in Park 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.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) for competitive oil and gas lease WYW156551 for land in Natrona 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.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease COC73875 from Baseline Minerals, Inc., for lands in Morgan County, Colorado. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease COC69997 from SWEPI LP, for lands in Huerfano County, Colorado. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease COC66020 from Robert P. Kirgan, for lands in Rio Blanco, Colorado. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

Pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulations, notice is hereby given that the Betty's Kitchen Wildlife and Interpretive Area (Betty's Kitchen) located on Federal lands administered by the Yuma Field Office, BLM, is temporarily closed to motorized vehicle and public use.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease COC69996 from SWEPI LP, for lands in Huerfano County, Colorado. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has officially filed the plats of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Idaho State Office, Boise, Idaho, effective 9:00 a.m., on the dates specified.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 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 Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument (Monument), and by 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) Eastern Montana Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing supplementary rules for all BLM-administered public lands within the approximately 483,700-acre Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA), addressed in the September 2008 Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Record of Decision (ROD). The Snake River Birds of Prey NCA RMP identifies implementation level decisions which describe an array of management actions designed to conserve natural and cultural resources on BLM administered land while providing for recreational opportunities. These supplementary rules would help enforce the decisions in the NCA RMP.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to revise the collection of information from mining claimants who seek a waiver from annual maintenance fees. This information collection activity is part of a collection that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has previously approved under the control number 1004- 0114.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 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 Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Rio Puerco Field Office and by this notice is announcing the opening of the public comment period.

Under the authority of the Mineral Leasing Act, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a draft Order of the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary's Order) to address oil, gas, and potash leasing and development within the Designated Potash Area in Eddy and Lea counties in New Mexico. The draft Secretary's Order would supersede the current Secretary's Order that addresses those issues. By this notice, the BLM announces the opening of a 30-day public comment period regarding the draft Secretary's Order. The revised guidelines in the draft Secretary's Order are designed to further promote the efficient development of potash, oil, and gas resources, while minimizing conflict between the industries and ensuring the safety of operations. Among other benefits, the revised guidelines are expected to enhance the safety of underground potash miners and allow for full development of oil and gas leaseholds with fewer environmental impacts.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to sell a 5-acre parcel of public land in Harney County, Oregon, by direct sale procedures to Allan and Ethel Bossuot for the approved appraised fair market value of $13,200.

Notice is hereby given that certain coal reserves in the Wadge Seam described below in Routt County, Colorado, will be offered for competitive lease by sealed bid in accordance with the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended.