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

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a new control number for applications for membership in federal advisory committees.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Front Range Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will meet as indicated below.

This order extends the duration of the withdrawal created by Public Land Order No. 6944 for an additional 20-year period. The extension is necessary to continue protection of the cultural and historical values of the Granite Chinese Walls Historic Site, which would otherwise expire on September 30, 2012.

This order withdraws 4.93 acres of public land from settlement, sale, location, and entry under the general land laws, including the United States mining laws, for a period of 20 years to protect the Rock Springs Administrative Site addition.

This order partially modifies a withdrawal which established Power Site Classification No. 126, insofar as it affects approximately 21.70 acres of National Forest System land withdrawn to protect water power values along the Nooksack River in Whatcom County, Washington. This order opens the land to such forms of disposition as may by law be made of National Forest System lands subject to a Section 24 Federal Power Act reservation.

The plats of survey of the described lands were officially filed in the Arizona State Office, Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix, Arizona, on dates indicated.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pinedale Anticline Working Group (PAWG) will meet in Pinedale, Wyoming. All PAWG meetings are open to the public.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended; the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended; and the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Coos Bay, Roseburg, and Medford Districts and the Klamath Falls Resource Area of the Lakeview District in Oregon and the Forest Service Umpqua, Rogue River, and Winema National Forests, Oregon, propose to amend their land management plans to make provision for the proposed Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline (Project) if the Project is authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or the Commission). The BLM also proposes to respond to Pacific Connector LP's application for a right- of-way grant for the Project to occupy Federal lands. The FERC is the lead agency for preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline (FERC Docket PF12-17), which includes the analysis for possible land use plan amendments.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Hollister Field Office, Hollister, California intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment for the Southern Diablo Mountain Range and Central Coast of California RMP with an associated Environmental Assessment (EA) to address the Panoche-Coalinga Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Advisory Committee (GSENMAC) will meet as indicated below.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is processing an application under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act to convey the federally owned mineral interests of 111.33 acres located in Maricopa County, Arizona, to the surface owner, Gavilan Peak Estates, LLC. Upon publication of this notice, the BLM is temporarily segregating the federally owned mineral interests in the land covered by the application from all forms of appropriation under the mining and mineral leasing laws for up to 2 years while the BLM processes the application.

The plats of survey of the described lands were officially filed in the Arizona State Office, Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix, Arizona, on the dates indicated.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from Ellwood Exploration, LLC, for competitive oil and gas lease WYW179119 for land in Niobraba 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 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) Amendment and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the White River Field Office (WRFO) and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

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 OKNM 119314 from the lessee Jones Energy, Ltd., for lands in Woodward County, Oklahoma. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

This order partially revokes the withdrawal created by Public Land Order No. 995 insofar as it affects approximately 82.81 acres of public land reserved for military purposes on behalf of the United States Department of the Air Force for the portion now containing the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute. The land is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was withdrawn. This order also transfers administrative jurisdiction to the Department of Energy to allow for a subsequent conveyance of the land in accordance with the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.

The Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, Management and Budget proposes to withdraw, on behalf of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), approximately 6,737.42 acres of public lands from location and entry under the United States mining laws for a period of 20 years to protect natural resources and recreation values associated with the congressionally designated Auburn Reservoir Site and Recreation Area. This notice temporarily segregates the land for up to 2 years from mining while various studies and analyses are made to support a final decision on the withdrawal application.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) invites public comments on, and plans to request approval to continue, the collection of information under the General Mining Law. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has assigned control number 1004-0025 to this information collection.

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 October 4, 2012.