Land Management Bureau July 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lander Field Office intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed coal bed natural gas (CBNG) development approximately 9 miles southeast of Riverton, Wyoming. The proposed development project is known as the Beaver Creek Coal Bed Natural Gas Development Project (Project), located in Fremont County, Wyoming.

The BLM is soliciting comments, electronic or written, on significant changes and clarifications (collectively ``changes'') to the Proposed Plan as set forth in the PRMP for wind energy and VRM. The environmental consequences of the proposed changes and clarification have been analyzed as part of the RMP/EIS process. After considering public comments on these changes, BLM will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Eastern San Diego County Resource Management Plan.

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 Bering Straits Native Corporation for lands located in the vicinity of Saint Michael, Alaska. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Nome Nugget.

The BLM announces the availability of the ROD for the Northeast NPR-A planning area, located within the NPR-A in northern Alaska.

This order modifies Public Land Order No. 3982, which withdrew public land for protection of recreation values and road relocation purposes, to allow for disposal of a 0.76 acre parcel. This order opens the land to sale only.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the surface and subsurface estates in certain lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Kotlik Yupik Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Kotlik, Alaska, and are located in:

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the surface and subsurface estates in certain lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Nunapiglluraq Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Hamilton, Alaska, and are located in:

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 Bureau of Land Management Winnemucca Field Office. These closures are authorized under the provisions of 43 CFR 8364.1. 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 Special Recreation Permit NV- 025-06-01 and is expected to attract approximately 50,000 participants.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Kingman Field Office, Kingman, Arizona, intends to amend the Kingman Resource Management Plan (RMP) with an associated Environmental Assessment (EA) and by this notice is announcing the start of the public scoping period. The Kingman RMP, approved March 1995, requires amendment in order to designate a Transportation Corridor in response to an Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) proposal to realign State Route 95 (SR-95).

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Jarbidge Field Office, Twin Falls District, Idaho, is extending the scoping period for the Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed China Mountain Wind Project, located in the Jarbidge Foothills, southwest of Rogerson, Idaho, and west of Jackpot, Nevada. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) (43 U.S.C. 1701), as amended; the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321), as amended; and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508). This notice extends the public scoping process to identify relevant issues associated with the proposed project.

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), together with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA, Pub. Res. Code Sec. 21000 et seq.), has prepared a Recirculated Draft EIR/Supplemental Draft EIS (RDEIR/SDEIS) to augment the analysis for the Sunrise Powerlink Project proposed by San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E).

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) Alaska Resource Advisory Council will meet as indicated below.

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.

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 from Prima Exploration, Inc., Gunlikson Petroleum, Inc., and Niwot Resources, LLC for competitive oil and gas lease WYW143963 for land in Converse 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) has examined and found suitable for classification for conveyance under the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act, as amended, approximately 140 acres of public land in Carbon County, Wyoming. The City of Rawlins proposes to continue the use of the land as the Rawlins landfill.

This notice corrects the legal description of the Notice of Realty Action published on May 23, 2002, which classified land under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act in Sweetwater County for a county jail facility.

This document provides notice that the BLM intends to prepare an amendment to the Upper Deschutes Resource Management Plan for the Prineville District, Deschutes Resource Area and an associated Environmental Assessment (EA). The proposed amendment would reclassify some lands designated for BLM retention and management (Z-1) in the existing Resource Management Plan (RMP) as suitable for disposal (Z-3). The BLM is also providing notice of the proposed classification of these same lands under Section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act as suitable for disposal. These classifications are required to allow consideration of transfer of these lands to the State of Oregon (``the State'') under the State Indemnity Selection process. When Oregon was admitted into the Union in 1859, the Federal government granted sections 16 and 36 within every township to the State for support of public schools. However, if the Federal government had already disposed of these specific sections or reserved them for some other purpose, the State is allowed to select other public lands ``in-lieu'' of the unavailable sections. To date the State has received approximately 3,000 of the 5,202 acres owed. The State of Oregon Department of State Lands has selected parcels with potential to produce income for the Common School Fund through subsequent development of the lands. The planning area is located in Deschutes County, Oregon and is described as follows:

Pursuant to the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease NVN-74775 for lands in Eureka County, Nevada, was timely filed and was accompanied by all the required rentals accruing from August 1, 2006, the date of termination. No valid lease has been issued affecting the lands. The lessee, Newmont Mining Corporation has agreed to new lease terms for rentals and royalties at rates of $10 per acre or fraction thereof and 16\2/3\ percent, respectively. Newmont Mining Corporation has paid the required $500 administrative fee and has reimbursed the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the cost of this Federal Register notice. Newmont Mining Corporation has met all the requirements for reinstatement of the lease as set out in Sections 31(d) and (e) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 188), and the BLM is proposing to reinstate the lease effective August 1, 2006, subject to the original terms and conditions of the lease and the increased rental and royalty rates cited above.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision adjusting the entitlement granted to the Native village of Chickaloon by Section 12(a) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Chickaloon Moose Creek Native Association, Inc. The adjustment is made pursuant to Sec. 12(a)(3) of the Act of January 2, 1976, and Section 4(a) of the Act of October 4, 1976. The adjusted entitlement is as follows: