Bureau of Land Management June 2013 – 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 continue the collection of information that enables the BLM to manage Federal coal resources in accordance with applicable statutes. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has assigned control number 1004-0073 to this information collection.

This order partially revokes a withdrawal created by an Executive Order insofar as it affects 1,037.66 acres of public lands withdrawn from settlement, sale, location, or entry under the public land laws, including location for non-metaliferous minerals under the United States mining laws, for protection of springs and waterholes and designated as Public Water Reserve No. 107. This order also opens the lands to conveyance out of Federal ownership.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is scheduled to file the plat of survey of the land described below thirty (30) calendar days from the date of this publication in the BLM Wyoming State Office, Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado State Office is publishing this notice to inform the public of the official filing of the survey plat listed below. The plat will be available for viewing at https://www.glorecords.blm.gov.

In accordance with Federal coal management regulations, the Bowie Resources, LLC, Federal Coal Lease-By-Application (LBA) Environmental Assessment (EA) is available for public review and comment. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado State Office will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the EA, Fair Market Value (FMV), and Maximum Economic Recovery (MER) of the coal resources for Bowie Resources, LLC, serial number COC-75916.

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) Idaho Falls District Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will meet as indicated below.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, notice is hereby given that the U.S. 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 (CTNF), will jointly prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to determine and analyze the effects of approving a proposed phosphate mine lease and mine plan modifications (the Proposed Action) on Federal mineral leases held by the J.R. Simplot Company (Simplot), in southeastern Idaho. The EIS will tier to the Final EIS prepared by the BLM and USFS for Panels F and G at Smoky Canyon Mine in 2007 and will consider the effects of the proposed lease and mine plan modifications.

Members of the public are invited to participate with BNI Coal Ltd. on a pro rata cost sharing basis in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in lands located in Oliver County, North Dakota, encompassing 480 acres.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Record of Decision (ROD)/ approved Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) and California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment, Imperial County, California. The BLM California State Director signed the ROD on June 18, 2013, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved RAMP/CDCA Plan Amendment effective immediately.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Utah Resource Advisory Council (RAC) Subgroup will host a conference call.

In accordance 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 BLM has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendments for the SunZia Southwest Transmission Line Project (Project), and by this notice is announcing its availability.

In accordance 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) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the South Dakota Field Office and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

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, the United States Department of the Interior (USDOI), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Coeur d'Alene Indian Tribe (Tribe), and the State of Idaho (State) intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice are announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reopening the comment period for the proposed rule to amend the BLM's commercial oil shale regulations that published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2013. The 60-day comment period for the proposed rule ended on May 28, 2013. This notice reopens the comment period for 30 days.

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 The Kuskokwim Corporation. The decision approves the surface estate in the lands described below for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601, et seq.). The subsurface estate in these lands will be conveyed to Calista Corporation when the surface estate is conveyed to The Kuskokwim Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Georgetown, Alaska, and are located in:

On May 11, 2012, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published in the Federal Register a proposed rule to regulate hydraulic fracturing on Federal and Indian land. Due to the complexity of the rule and the issues surrounding it, the BLM extended the comment period for 60 days beyond the end of the initial comment period. On May 24, 2013, the BLM published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment. Key issues in the revised proposed rule include: the use of an expanded set of cement evaluation tools to help ensure that usable water zones have been isolated and protected from contamination and more detailed guidance on how trade secrets claims will be handled. The revised proposed rule would also provide opportunities for the BLM to coordinate standards and processes with individual States and tribes to reduce administrative costs and improve efficiency. This notice extends the public comment period on the revised proposed rule for 60 days beyond the initial comment period.

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 for the regulations at 43 CFR Parts 3832 through 3838. These regulations pertain to the location, recording, and maintenance of mining claims and sites. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has assigned control number 1004- 0114 to this information collection.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska State Office is issuing a call for nominations and comments on tracts for oil and gas leasing for the 2013 National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) oil and gas lease sale. A map of the NPR-A showing available areas is online at https://www.blm.gov/ak.

The purpose of this notice is to reopen the request for public nominations for certain Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Advisory Councils (RAC) that have member terms expiring this year. These RACs provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on land use planning for management of the National System of Public Lands within their respective geographic areas. The RACs covered by this request for nominations are identified below. The BLM will accept public nominations for 30 days after the publication of this notice.