Bureau of Land Management – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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) Wyoming Buffalo Field Office intends to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and potential amendment for the 2015 Buffalo Field Office Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP). The Supplemental EIS is in response to a United States District Court, District of Montana, opinion and order (Western Organization of Resource Councils, et al vs BLM). This notice announces the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues presented in the opinion and order.

In accordance with the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska State Office, Anchorage, Alaska, intends to prepare a new Integrated Activity Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (IAP/EIS) for BLM-managed lands within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). By this notice, the BLM is announcing the beginning of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

The Department of the Air Force (DAF), Nellis Air Force Base (AFB) has filed an application with the Department of the Interior to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 7419 for an additional 20-year term for the same military purpose and location. PLO No. 7419 withdrew 2,252 acres of public land from settlement, sale, location, or entry under the general land laws, including the United States mining laws, but not the mineral leasing laws. PLO No. 7419 was issued for the United States Air Force to provide safety buffers from potentially hazardous areas, to protect populated areas, and to comply with ammunition and explosives safety standards. This Notice gives the public an opportunity to comment on the withdrawal extension application and to request a public meeting. This Notice also amends PLO No. 7419's legal land description to reflect an amended land survey plat completed in 2016.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) California Desert District Advisory Council (DAC) will meet as indicated below.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is scheduled to file plats of survey 30 calendar days from the date of this publication in the BLM Wyoming State Office, Cheyenne, Wyoming. The surveys, which were executed at the request of the BLM, are necessary for the management of these lands.

The Secretary of the Interior proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 5683 for an additional 40-year term. PLO No. 5683 withdrew 37.50 acres of public land from settlement, sale, location, or entry under the general land laws, including the mining laws, but not from leasing under the mineral leasing laws and reserved under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior as part of the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge (PINWR), administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This Notice gives an opportunity for the public to comment on the petition/application for the proposed withdrawal extension and to request a public meeting.

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 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Socorro Field Office will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which includes a potential Plan Amendment to the 2010 Socorro Field Office Resource Management Plan (RMP) for a proposed commercial wind energy project located on public lands in Catron County, New Mexico. Publication of this Notice initiates the scoping process and opens a 30-day public comment period to solicit public comments and identify issues. Publication of this Notice also serves to segregate the public lands from appropriation under the public land laws, including location under the Mining Law, but not the Mineral Leasing Act or the Materials Act, subject to valid existing rights. This Notice initiates the public scoping process and the public lands segregation.

On July 13, 2018, the Bureau of Land Management published a Notice in the Federal Register terminating the San Rafael Swell Master Leasing Plan process. The name of the master leasing plan in the Notice was incorrect. This Notice corrects the name of the master leasing plan.

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 an Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft Land Use Plan Amendment (LUPA) of the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan for the OMYA Direct Land Sale Project, and by this Notice is announcing the opening of a 60-day public comment period.

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 Record of Decision (ROD) to Authorize a Right-of-Way (ROW) and amend the California Desert Conservation Area Plan (CDCA Plan) for the EDF Renewable Energy Palen Solar Photovoltaic Project, and by this Notice is announcing its availability. The Assistant SecretaryLand and Minerals Management (ASLM) signed the ROD on October 29, 2018, which constitutes the final decision of the Department, and makes the Approved Land Use Plan Amendment to the CDCA Plan and authorization of a ROW effective immediately. This decision is not subject to appeal under Departmental regulations, and any challenge to this decision, including the BLM Authorized Officer's issuance of the ROW as directed by this decision, must be brought in Federal district court.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing an early revision to an information collection.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Northwest Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

The plats of survey for the lands described in this notice are scheduled to be officially filed 30 calendar days after the date of this publication in the BLM Montana State Office, Billings, Montana.

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) Mount Lewis Field Office, Battle Mountain, Nevada, has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and is announcing the beginning of the public comment period to solicit public comments on the DEIS. Barrick Cortez, Inc. (BCI) is proposing to expand its existing Cortez Hills Project mining operations, which would require a modification to the Plan of Operations to increase the plan boundary by 4,279 acres: From 58,093 acres to 62,372 acres.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Southeast Oregon Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

This PLO partially revokes 18.67 acres of public land from a withdrawal created by two Secretarial Orders dated July 19, 1904, and January 28, 1905, which withdrew land for the Bureau of Reclamation's (BOR) Klamath River Project. The land will remain closed to surface entry and mining under the public land laws including the United States mining laws due to an overlapping withdrawal for the Tule Lake Segregation Center, World War II Valor of the Pacific National Monument created by Presidential Proclamation No. 8327, dated December 5, 2008.

The plats of surveys for the lands described in this notice are scheduled to be officially filed 30 calendar days after the date of this publication in the BLM Montana State Office, Billings, Montana. The surveys, which were executed at the request of the BLM, are necessary for the management of these lands.

This notice corrects a previous notice of official filing that was published in the Federal Register on Sept. 12, 2018 (83 FR 46188), which excluded the location information for U.S. Survey No. 14495, Alaska. The plats of survey of lands described in this notice are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Alaska State Office, Anchorage, Alaska. The survey, which was executed at the request of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is necessary for the management of these lands.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the San Juan Islands National Monument, and, by this notice, is announcing the opening of the comment period.

This Order partially revokes five Public Land Orders (PLO) insofar as they affect approximately 229,715 acres of public lands. The lands were reserved for study and classification as appropriate by the Department of the Interior (DOI). The purposes for which these lands were withdrawn no longer exist as described in the analysis and decisions made through the Bay Resource Management Plan (RMP) and associated Environmental Impact Statement. Of the lands described within the Orders being revoked, approximately 83.30 acres have been conveyed out of Federal ownership and the revocation of the Order on these lands is a record-clearing action only.

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

This final rule updates the fees set forth in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mineral resources regulations for the processing of certain minerals program-related actions. It also adjusts certain filing fees for minerals-related documents. These updated fees include those for actions such as lease renewals and mineral patent adjudications.

In this action, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is revising its regulations, as amended by the November 18, 2016, rule entitled, ``Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation,'' in a manner that reduces unnecessary compliance burdens, is consistent with the BLM's existing statutory authorities, and re-establishes longstanding requirements that had been replaced. The BLM is rescinding the novel requirements pertaining to waste-minimization plans, gas-capture percentages, well drilling, well completion and related operations, pneumatic controllers, pneumatic diaphragm pumps, storage vessels, and leak detection and repair (LDAR). The BLM is also revising other provisions related to venting and flaring and is adding provisions regarding deference to appropriate State or tribal regulation in determining when flaring of associated gas from oil wells will be royalty-free.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management North Slope Science Initiative (NSSI)Science Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) will meet as indicated below in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972.

As provided for under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of competitive oil and gas leases OHES058186, OHES058187, OHES058188, OHES058191, OHES058198, OHES058199, OHES058200, OHES058203, OHES058204, OHES058205, and OHES058213 from Eclipse Resources I, LP for land in Monroe County, Ohio. The lessee filed the petition on time, along with all rentals due since the leases terminated under the law. No leases affecting these lands were issued before the petition was filed. The BLM proposes to reinstate the leases.