Land Management Bureau September 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The plat of survey of the following described lands was officially filed in the Oregon State office, Portland, Oregon, on May 15, 2006.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has signed a Record of Decision (ROD) concerning two right-of-way applications filed by Private Fuel Storage (PFS), L.L.C, for an independent spent fuel storage installation on reservation lands of the Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians (Band or Skull Valley Band). The installation is described in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), entitled ``Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Construction and Operation of an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation on the Reservation of the Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians and the Related Transportation Facility in Tooele County, Utah (December 2001).'' Spent nuclear fuel (SNF), the focus of the EIS, is the primary by- product from a nuclear reactor. As proposed, the fuel would be transported from an existing Union Pacific railroad site to the Reservation of the Skull Valley Band in Tooele County, Utah. The applications seek right-of-way grants under Title V of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), 43 U.S.C. 1761, to transport SNF across public lands managed by the BLM. The BLM was a cooperating agency in the preparation of this EIS, as were the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), U.S. Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Surface Transportation Board. This EIS is available online at https:// www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1714/v1 /. Additional comments were received by the BLM following its publication on February 7, 2006, of a Federal Register notice at 71 FR 6286 requesting comments on the two right-of-way applications then pending before the agency. The BLM ROD is based on review of the draft EIS; the FEIS; comments received from the public, other Federal agencies, and State and local governments; and discussion of all the alternatives with the cooperating agencies. The BLM decision is to choose the No Action alternative from the EIS. The effect of this decision is to reject applications U 76985 and U 76986 for right-of-way grants filed by PFS, L.L.C.

Pursuant to Title 43 Code of Federal Regulations, subpart 8364.1, the Bureau of Land Management, Lake Havasu Field Office, will close portions of roads on public lands to motorized and mechanized vehicle use. The purpose of the emergency closure is to protect soils, vegetation and cultural resources that have been adversely impacted, or are at risk of being adversely impacted, by off-highway vehicle (OHV) use. In addition, this closure is needed to alleviate congestion in the project area during Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) remediation of hexavalent chromium in the groundwater at the Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Topock Compressor Station in Needles, California. Copies of this Emergency Closure Notice and map are available at the BLM Lake Havasu Field Office, 2610 Sweetwater Avenue, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86406, phone (928) 505-1200.

Pursuant to section 2(b) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended by section 4 of the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1976, 90 Stat. 1083, 30 U.S.C. 201(b), and to the regulations adopted as 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 3410, all interested qualified parties, as provided in 43 CFR 3472.1, are hereby invited to participate with Ark Land Company on a pro rata cost sharing basis in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in the following-described lands in Campbell County, Wyoming:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reopening and extending by 30 days, the public comment period for the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) published in the Federal Register on August 25, 2006 (71 FR 50378). The ANPR requested comments and suggestions to assist in the writing of a proposed rule to establish a commercial leasing program for oil shale. In order to provide the public with additional time to prepare and submit comments, the BLM is extending the comment period 30 days from the original comment period closing date of September 25, 2006. The comment period is extended to October 25, 2006.

Notice is hereby given of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM's) implementation of the Recreation Resource Advisory Committee provisions of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. Pursuant to the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act and a signed Interagency Agreement between the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, the BLM will utilize existing BLM Resource Advisory Councils to make recommendations on BLM and Forest Service recreation fee issues in the following States: Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah. Both the BLM and the FS will use new Recreation RACs, chartered by the FS, for the Pacific Northwest Region (Oregon and Washington), the Pacific Southwest Region (California), the State of Colorado, and for the Eastern and Southern Regions (these represent most States east of the Rockies). Any of the existing BLM Resource Advisory Councils or the new FS- chartered RRACs may also establish Subcommittees for recreation fee- related matters.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (1976) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (1972), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pinedale Anticline Working Group (PAWG) will meet in Pinedale, Wyoming, for a business meeting. Group meetings are open to the public.

Per 30 U.S.C. 188(d), Baldwin Exploration Corp. timely filed a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease NDM 94458, Mountrail County, North Dakota, together with a request for a rental and royalty reduction allowed under 43 CFR 3108.2-3(f). The lessee paid the required rental at the rate provided in the original lease terms. No leases were issued that affect these lands. The lessee paid the $500 administration fee for the reinstatement of the lease and $163 cost for publishing this Notice. The lessee met the requirements for reinstatement of the lease per Sec. 31 (d) and (e) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 188). We are proposing to reinstate the lease, effective the date of termination subject to the original terms and conditions of the lease.

These interim final supplementary rules, applicable to specified public lands administered by BLM's Moab Field Office, require the possession, set up for usage, and use of portable toilets for individuals and groups camping on public lands administered by the Moab Field Office in the White Wash Sand Dunes area of Grand County Utah. This action is necessary to protect public health and maintain public land recreation opportunities in the area.

This order revokes two Secretarial Orders in their entirety, which withdrew 240 acres of National Forest System land for use as an administrative site known as Station No. 34 or Baca Administrative Site.

In accordance with the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act of 2000, 43 U.S.C. 2303 (FLTFA), this notice provides the public the opportunity to nominate lands within the State of Idaho for possible acquisition by the Federal agencies identified below. Such lands must be (1) inholdings within a federally designated area or (2) lands that are adjacent to federally designated areas and contain exceptional resources.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has filed the plats of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Wyoming State Office, Cheyenne, Wyoming, on the dates indicated.

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.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is amending its regulations governing Alaska Native veteran allotments. The existing regulations allowed certain Alaska Native veterans another opportunity to apply for a Native allotment under the repealed Native Allotment Act of 1906. This final rule will remove the requirement that veteran applicants must have posted the land by marking all corners on the ground with their name and address prior to filing an application with BLM. This change to the regulations will make the processing of Alaska Native veteran allotments more like that of allotments adjudicated under the 1906 act.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving lands owned by the United States for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to White Mountain Native Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of White Mountain, Alaska, and are located in:

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Advisory Council meeting will be held as indicated below.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment/Final Environmental Impact Statement (PRMPA/FEIS) for the Roan Plateau planning area.

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 for the proposed Hiawatha Regional Energy Project, a natural gas development project consisting of conventional natural gas well development in established, producing fields.

Notice is hereby given that certain lands located in northwestern Nevada partly within the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area will be temporarily closed or restricted and certain activities will be temporarily prohibited in and around the Burning Man event site administered by the BLM Winnemucca Field Office in Pershing County, Nevada. The specified closures, restrictions and prohibitions are made in the interest of public safety at and around the public lands location of an event known as the Burning Man Festival. This event is authorized on public lands under a special recreation permit and is expected to attract approximately 37,000 participants this year. In summary, these lands will be closed or restricted with regard to the following: August 11, 2006 through September 18, 2006 inclusive: Discharge of firearms, possession of weapons, waste water disposal, camping, and circumstances and procedures for eviction of persons from public lands. August 25, 2006 through September 4, 2006 inclusive: Aircraft landing, possession of fireworks, possession of alcohol by minors, vehicle use, and all public uses.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6630 for an additional 20-year period. PLO No. 6630 withdrew 49.26 acres of public lands comprised of 61 islands and one waterfront lot in St. Louis County, Minnesota from surface entry and transferred jurisdiction from the BLM to the National Park Service to be administered as part of the National Park System. This notice also gives an opportunity to comment on the proposed action and to request a public meeting.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS) for the Cottonwood Field Office and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

Notice is hereby given that the Notice of Temporary Closure for the Manning Canyon area, first published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2002 page 66000, volume 67, number 209, is hereby extended until rehabilitation, and range, habitat, and watershed restoration are successful. The area described is hereby closed to all motorized vehicle and mechanized vehicle use to protect the rehabilitation efforts of the Manning Canyon hazardous mine tailings remediation project. The opening date for the West Manning Canyon and Lewiston roads will be determined by mutual agreement with Utah County. The public lands affected by this closure are all public lands within the following described area which is approximately 2,971 acres in size: