Land Management Bureau February 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Members of the public are invited to participate with Transalta Centralia Mining LLC in its program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in Lewis County, Washington.

A five acre parcel of public land near the town of Gerlach, in Washoe County, Nevada, has been examined and found suitable for sale utilizing direct sale procedures.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM-Eastern States, Springfield, Virginia, 30 calendar days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

Notice is given that, pursuant to section 209b of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1719(b)), Mr. Tim Weikert has applied to purchase the mineral estate described as follows:

On September 15, 2004 the State of Utah and Daggett County submitted two applications for recordable disclaimers of interest from the United States. These recordable disclaimer of interest applications are identified by BLM Serial Number UTU-81879 for Road D28 and UTU- 81880 for Road D30, both in Daggett County, Utah. On December 8, 2004 the State of Utah and Beaver and Iron Counties submitted two additional applications for recordable disclaimers of interest from the United States. These recordable disclaimer of interest applications are identified by BLM Serial Number UTU-82193 for Hickory Peak Road in Beaver County, Utah and UTU-82194 for Horse Valley Road in Beaver and Iron Counties, Utah. Recordable disclaimers of interest, if issued, would confirm that the United States has no property interest in the identified public highway rights-of-way. This Notice is intended to notify the public of the pending applications and the State's and Counties' grounds for supporting them. Specific details of the applications are provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has determined that 30 acres of public land located in Owyhee County, Idaho is suitable for direct sale to Owyhee County under Sections 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (90 Stat 2750, 43 U.S.C. 1713).

Public Land Order 6550, which withdrew 159.91 acres of National Forest System lands from mining for use by the Bureau of Reclamation in constructing recreation facilities associated with the Upalco Unit of the Central Utah Project, has expired. This order opens the lands to location and entry under the mining laws.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Igiugig, Native Corporation. The lands are located in Tps. 11 and 12 S., R. 37 W., Seward Meridian, Alaska, in the vicinity of Igiugig, Alaska, and contain 503.00 acres. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Anchorage Daily News.

An application has been filed by Dana L. Hofstetter, Attorney at Law on behalf of Ray and Dorolene Obendorf and prospective purchaser, Jim Scarrow, for a recordable disclaimer of interest from the United States.

Public Law 106-485 (November 9, 2000; 114 Stat. 2199) directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to convey all right, title, and interest (excluding mineral interest) in a parcel of public land in Big Horn County and Washakie County, Wyoming. The parcel of land to be conveyed comprises approximately 16,500 acres. Conveyance is to be made to the Westside Irrigation District at appraised value. The sale to the District is to take place after ``completion of an environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act'' (NEPA) by the BLM. Under the provisions of Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the BLM announces its intentions to prepare an EIS and to solicit public comments regarding issues and resource information.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease WYW155783 for lands 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.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Butte Field Office, and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the ``M'' Pit Mine Expansion at Montana Tunnels Mine. The BLM and DEQ will announce a public scoping meeting to identify relevant issues in advance through BLM's and DEQ's web sites and in local news media at least 15 days prior to the event.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will hold a public hearing and requests written comments on the fair market value (FMV) and maximum economic recovery (MER) of certain coal resources it proposes to offer for competitive lease sale. The coal in the tracts would be mined by either surface, underground or auger mining methods. The Oklahoma Field Office, BLM has completed the Oklahoma Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and Decision Record for competitive coal lease applications OKNM 104763, OKNM 107920 and OKNM 108097 in Haskell, Latimer and LeFlore Counties, Oklahoma. The Decision Record was signed by the New Mexico BLM State Director on September 29, 2004. The decision is to implement the BLM's preferred alternative, which will result in offering for lease, the three lease application areas with stipulations, and mitigations as described in the RMPA. The Liberty West tract, OKNM 104763 is located in Haskell County, Oklahoma, and encompasses 640 acres. Estimated recoverable Federal reserves of bituminous coal from the Stigler seam is 2.366 million tons; 2.322 million tons recoverable by surface mining methods, and 44,000 tons recoverable by auger mining. The proximate analysis of the coal on a received basis averages 14,087 BTU/lb., with 2.2% moisture, 1.4% sulfur, 6.7% ash, 64.2% fixed carbon, and 26.7% volatile matter. The Bull Hill tract, OKNM 107920 is located in Latimer and LeFlore Counties, Oklahoma, and encompasses 3,863.17 acres. Estimated recoverable Federal reserves of bituminous coal from two splits of the Lower Hartshorne seam is 8.993 million tons; 4.107 million tons recoverable by surface mining methods, 2.724 million tons recoverable by auger mining, and 2.162 million tons recoverable by underground mining methods. The proximate analysis of the coal on a received basis averages 13,450-14,000 BTU/lb., with 2.9-4.7% moisture, 0.8-1.4% sulfur, 5.6-7.1% ash, 53.5-72.3% fixed carbon, and 17.8-35.9% volatile matter. The McCurtain tract, OKNM 108097 is located in Haskell County, Oklahoma, and encompasses 2,380 acres. Estimated recoverable Federal reserves of bituminous coal from the Hartshorne seam is 6.538 million tons recoverable by underground mining methods. The proximate analysis of the coal on a received basis averages 13,960 BTU/lb., with 3.1% moisture, 0.9% sulfur, 6.7% ash, 68.2% fixed carbon, and 22.0% volatile matter. The public is invited to submit written comments on the FMV and MER of the tracts proposed to be offered for lease and on factors that may affect FMV and MER. A public hearing will be held to accept testimony on FMV and MER of the proposed lease tracts at 1 p.m., on Tuesday, March 1, 2005, at the BLM Oklahoma Field Office in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The plats of survey of the following described land will be officially filed in the Colorado State Office, Bureau of Land Management, Lakewood, Colorado, effective 10 a.m., February 10, 2005. All inquiries should be sent to the Colorado State Office, Bureau of Land Management, 2850 Youngfield Street, Lakewood, Colorado 80215-7093. The field notes of the remonumentation of certain corners in Township 2 North, Range 43 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Group 750, Colorado, was accepted October 18, 2004. The Plat, representing the dependent resurveys and surveys in section 34, Township 36 North, Range 7 West, New Mexico Principal Meridian, Group 1401, Colorado, was accepted October 20, 2004. The plat (in 2 sheets), of the entire record, representing the dependent resurvey and survey, in Township 22 South, Range 71 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Group 1275, Colorado, was accepted November 5, 2004. The Plat, representing the dependent resurveys and surveys in Township 2 South, Range 80 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Group 1402, Colorado, was accepted November 15, 2004. The Plat, representing the dependent resurveys and surveys in Township 1 North, Range 80 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Group 1402, Colorado, was accepted November 15, 2004. The Plat, representing the dependent resurvey in Township 8 South, Range 76 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Group 1409, Colorado, was accepted December 9, 2004. The Supplemental Plat, creating new lots 86 and 87, in section 30, Township 1 North, Range 71 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado, was accepted December 27, 2004. These plats and remonumentation notes were requested by the Bureau of Land Management for administrative and management purposes. The Supplemental Plat, creating lot 1 in section 30, Township 3 South, Range 74 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado, was accepted November 30, 2004. The Plat (in 6 sheets), representing the segregation of mineral surveys in section 30, Township 1 North, Range 71 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Group 1008, Colorado, was accepted December 21, 2004. These plats were requested by the U. S. Forest Service, to facilitate a land exchange, and for administrative and management purposes.

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.

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) Central California Resource Advisory Council will meet as indicated below.

Notice is hereby given that 2235 acres of public land is closed to the discharge of firearms for public safety concerns. The closed property is within the Glendive Short Pine OHV Management Area, which is located six and a half miles south of the town of Glendive, Montana by way of highway 335, commonly known as the Marsh Road. The specific land identified for closure includes:

Pursuant to 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) subpart 8364, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces its intentions to close certain BLM-administered public lands to all types of motor vehicle use during the period of January 1 through April 30, annually. This seasonal closure is needed to protect public lands and resources and to minimize stress to wintering elk, moose, pronghorn antelope and mule deer. This seasonal closure affects public lands located within the Raymond Mountain Wilderness Study Area (WSA), Slate Creek, Rock Creek, and Bridger Creek winter ranges. Except for travel on highways or county roads, motorized vehicle travel within these areas will be allowed only by written authorization from the Kemmerer Field Manager. Personnel of the BLM, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture-APHIS & Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and law enforcement personnel are exempt from this closure only when performing official duties. Operators of existing oil and gas facilities may perform maintenance and pumping, as approved, and livestock operators may perform permitted activities.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) and associated regulations, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in cooperation with the State of Wyoming, announces the availability of a DEIS that evaluates, analyzes, and discloses to the public direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts of a proposal to continue to develop a natural gas field by increasing the density of well locations by drilling additional wells. This practice is known as ``infill'' drilling. The Jonah Infill Drilling Project (JIDP) area is located approximately 32 miles southeast of Pinedale and 28 miles northwest of Farson, Sublette County, Wyoming. The JIDP area is approximately 30,200 acres in Townships 29 and 30 North, Range 114 West, 6th Principal Meridian. The DEIS analyzes a proposal made by EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc., (EnCana) and BP America Production Company (BP), referred to collectively as ``the Companies,'' to increase development of Federal natural gas resources in an area known as the Jonah Field. The Companies' proposal includes drilling up to 3,100 natural gas wells from existing and new well pads, at a minimum well pad density of 64 well pads per aliquot section (1 wellpad/10 acres), and at a rate of 250 wells per year. The infill drilling is expected to be concentrated in a 21,000 acre portion of the Jonah Field. The proposed life of project (LOP) is 70 to 80 years with the majority of drilling and development activities to occur within the first 8 to 12 years following approval. The proposal also includes constructing or upgrading associated ancillary transportation and transmission facilities within the 30,200 acres project area. The total project area is comprised of: Approximately 28,280 acres of Federal surface and mineral estate administered by the BLM; 1,280 acres of State of Wyoming surface and minerals; and 640 acres of private surface ownership with Federal mineral (split estate). Under the provisions of NEPA, the State of Wyoming assisted in the preparation of the DEIS as a cooperating agency.

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.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease WYW149228 for lands in Campbell 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.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM-Eastern States, Springfield, Virginia, 30 calendar days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

In Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 2, Notices, beginning on page 379 in the issue of Tuesday, January 4, 2005, make the following correction. Under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION heading, the legal description should read:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has received a competitive coal lease application from Cordero Mining Company for a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the company's Cordero Rojo Mine in Campbell County, Wyoming. A maintenance tract is a parcel of land containing coal reserves nominated for leasing that may be used to extend an existing mine. This tract, which was applied for as a lease by application (LBA) under the provisions of 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 3425.1, is called the Maysdorf Tract and has been assigned LBA case number WYW154432. Consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations, BLM must prepare an environmental analysis prior to holding a competitive Federal coal lease sale. In accordance with the provisions of section 102(2)(C) of NEPA, BLM is announcing it will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this lease application and is soliciting public comments regarding issues and resource information.