Land Management Bureau 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This order partially revokes 3 Public Land Orders and revokes 1 Public Land Order in its entirety insofar as they affect approximately 427 acres of National Forest System lands withdrawn for use by the Forest Service as administrative sites, campgrounds, and other public purposes.

The purpose of this notice is to request a public nomination for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Front Range Resource Advisory Council (RAC) specifically in ``group 3,'' for the Elected Official Position. The RAC provides advice and recommendations to BLM on land use planning and management of the public lands along the Front Range of Colorado. The BLM will consider public nominations for 30 days after the publication date of this notice.

Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Barstow Field Office, Barstow, California, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the development and operation of a wind energy farm on public lands in the West Fry Mountains northeast of Lucerne Valley, California to meet the requirements of NEPA. The project and associated ancillary facilities will require one or more BLM right-of-way authorizations. Pursuant to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan, new power generation projects must be evaluated through the planning process. By this notice the BLM is announcing a 45-day period for public scoping of alternatives, issues, the scope of the direct, indirect, and cumulative analysis for this proposal and associated planning criteria. In addition, BLM is requesting the views of other agencies as to the scope and content of the environmental information that is germane to the statutory responsibilities or areas of expertise for your agencies in connection with the proposed project and the analysis of its impacts.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to analyze a proposed grant of rights-of-way for groundwater development and utility facilities in Lincoln County, Nevada, and by this notice invites public comments.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to offer by non- competitive sale one parcel of land in Nye County, Nevada totaling approximately 292.46 acres. This land has been examined and found suitable for disposal utilizing direct sale procedures. The authority for the sale is under Sections 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), 43 U.S.C. 1713 and 1719, respectively, and BLM land sale and mineral conveyance regulations at 43 CFR 2710 and 2720.

Under the authority of 43 CFR 8364.1, notice is hereby given that a travel closure and restriction for the use and operation of motorized vehicles, including Off-Highway Vehicles, is in effect on public lands administered by the Cedar City Field Office, Bureau of Land Management.

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 Emmonak Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Emmonak, Alaska, and are located in:

Per 30 U.S.C. 188(d), LoneTree Energy & Associates, LLC timely filed a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease NDM 95197, Divide County, North Dakota. The lessee paid the required rental accruing from the date of termination. No leases were issued that affect these lands. The lessee agrees to new lease terms for rentals and royalties of $10 per acre and 16\2/3\ percent or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate. 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; The increased rental of $10 per acre; The increased royalty of 16\2/3\ percent or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate; and The $163 cost of publishing this Notice.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), and the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 (FLREA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Twin Falls District and Elko District Resource Advisory Councils (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

On June 13, 2007, the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (FS), published in the Federal Register [72FR32679] a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a joint Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to analyze the leasing of BLM- and FS- administered lands with potential for geothermal resources in 11 western states and Alaska. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) requires the BLM to develop land use plans, also known as Resource Management Plans (RMPs), to guide the BLM's management of the public lands. The BLM's land use planning regulations, which implement FLPMA, require the BLM to publish, and provide for public review of, the proposed planning criteria that will guide the BLM's land use planning process. The purpose of this Information Notice is to identify the RMPs that the BLM may amend and set out the proposed planning criteria that would guide the BLM's planning amendment process. Please note that while the preparation of the PEIS is a joint project with the FS, this Notice applies only to public lands that the BLM manages and does not apply in any way to lands that the FS administers. The FS manages lands that are under its jurisdiction under a separate statutory and regulatory framework.

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), Arizona Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will meet on June 19, 2008, in Phoenix, Arizona, at the BLM National Training Center located at 9828 North 31st Avenue in Phoenix from 8 a.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m. Morning agenda items include: Review of the March 6, 2008, meeting minutes for RAC and Recreation Resource Advisory Council (RRAC) business; BLM State Director's update on statewide issues; RAC member orientation on BLM Programs and Federal Advisory Committee Act; presentations on BLM Solar Projects; and the proposed Goodyear Road; RAC questions on BLM Field Managers Rangeland Resource Team proposals; and reports by RAC working groups. A public comment period will be provided at 11:30 a.m. on June 19, 2008, for any interested publics who wish to address the Council on BLM programs and business. Under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the RAC has been designated the RRAC, and has the authority to review all BLM and Forest Service (FS) recreation fee proposals in Arizona. The afternoon meeting agenda on June 19 will include review and discussion of the Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) Working Group Report, REA Work Group meeting schedule and future BLM/FS recreation fee proposals.

Per 30 U.S.C. 188(d), Continental Resources, Inc. timely filed a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas leases NDM 87494 and NDM 87496, McKenzie County, North Dakota. The lessee paid the required rentals accruing from the date of termination. No leases were issued that affect these lands. The lessee agrees to new lease terms for rentals and royalties of $10 per acre and 16\2/3\ percent or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate. The lessee paid the $500 administration fee for the reinstatement of each lease and $163 cost for publishing this Notice. The lessee met the requirements for reinstatement of the leases per Sec. 31(d) and (e) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 188). We are proposing to reinstate the leases, effective the date of termination subject to: The original terms and conditions of the leases; The increased rental of $10 per acre; The increased royalty of 16\2/3\ percent or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate; and The $163 cost of publishing this Notice.

Notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) intends to temporarily close 88 miles of un-maintained, dirt- surfaced vehicle routes in the Sonoran Desert National Monument (SDNM), and one mile on the adjacent public lands managed by the Lower Sonoran Field Office to all travel by motor vehicles. A map of this closure area, documentation of categorical exclusion of this action from further review under provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the administrative decision can be viewed online at https://www.blm.gov/az/sonoran/sondes_main.htm.

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 NANA Regional Corporation Inc. The lands are in the vicinity of the Native villages of Ambler, Kobuk, and Shungnak, Alaska, and are located in:

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), the Central Montana Resource Advisory Councils will meet as indicated below. This is a change from the meeting dates previously published in the Federal Register/Vol.73, No. 75/Thursday, April 17, 2008/Notices on page 20933.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will effect temporary closure of certain public lands in Lyon, Storey, Churchill, Carson, Douglas, Mineral, Washoe, and Nye counties at various dates and locations to provide for public and participant safety and to protect adjacent natural and cultural resources during the conduct of permitted special recreation events.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby provides notice that it will offer one parcel of public land located in Conejos County, Colorado, and one parcel of public land located in Rio Grande County, Colorado, for sale at not less than their respective appraised fair market values. The Conejos County parcel has no legal public access and will be sold by modified competitive sale procedures with bidding limited to adjoining landowners. The Rio Grande County parcel does not have legal public access. However, a successful bidder may be able to obtain private access because of the Parcel's proximity to a county road. This parcel will be sold under competitive sale procedures and is open to any person or entity qualified to bid.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) policies, the BLM announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD)/Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Eagle Lake Field Office. The California State Director has signed the ROD, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), policies, the BLM announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD)/Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Surprise Field Office. The California State Director has signed the ROD, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.

In Public Land Order No. 7705, 73 FR 21151-21152, published April 18, 2008, as FR Doc. E8-8410, make the following correction: On page 21151, column 1, in T. 4 S., R. 3 E., Sec. 6, lots 3 and 4 should read ``excluding that portion withdrawn by PLO 2965''.

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 CFR 3410, all interested parties are hereby invited to participate with Antelope Coal Co., a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Energy America on a pro rata cost sharing basis in its program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in the following-described land in Converse and Campbell Counties, WY:

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 NANA Regional Corporation, Inc. for lands located in the vicinity of Ambler, Alaska. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Arctic Sounder.

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 COC60856 from Black Resources, Inc., for lands in Montezuma County, Colorado. 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) Jarbidge Field Office, Twin Falls District, Idaho, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed China Mountain Wind Project, located on 30,700 acres of public, state, and private lands in the Jarbidge Foothills, southwest of the town of Rogerson in Twin Falls County, Idaho, and west of the town of Jackpot in Elko County, Nevada. The EIS will analyze the potential environmental impacts of the construction and operation of a proposed wind power generation facility, associated transmission facilities, and access roads. 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 initiates the public scoping process to identify relevant issues associated with the proposed project.

This order withdraws 4,595.78 acres of National Forest System land from mining for a period of 20 years to preserve unique cave resources adjacent to Jewel Cave National Monument. The land has been and will remain open to such forms of disposition as may by law be made of National Forest System land and to mineral leasing.