Land Management Bureau December 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Tonopah Solar Energy Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Secretary of the Interior approved the ROD on December 20, 2010, which constitutes the final decision of the Department.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a 3-year renewal of OMB Control Number 1004-0042 under the Paperwork Reduction Act. This control number covers paperwork requirements in 43 CFR part 4700, which pertain to the protection, management, and control of wild free-roaming horses and burros.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management will issue an appealable decision to The Aleut Corporation. The decision will approve the conveyance of only the surface estate in certain lands pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The lands are located on the Near Islands, west of Adak, Alaska, and aggregate 66.01 acres. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Anchorage Daily News.

All interested qualified parties are hereby invited to participate with PacifiCorp on a pro rata cost sharing basis in its program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in Emery County, Utah.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Ridgecrest Field Office, proposes to sell a parcel of public land consisting of 160 acres in Kern County, California to the County of Kern for the appraised fair market value of $380,000.

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) Dominguez- Escalante Advisory Council (Council) will meet as indicated below.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), and the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970, the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) have prepared a Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Eldorado-Ivanpah Transmission Project (EITP), Clark County, Nevada, and San Bernardino County, California, and by this notice are announcing its availability.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from Energy West Corporation for competitive oil and gas lease WYW163284 for land in Sweetwater 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) proposes the sale of 26 parcels of public lands totaling 1,543.14 acres in Bear Lake County, Idaho, under the authority of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) at no less than the appraised fair market value. This notice segregates the lands being considered for sale from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining laws, except the sale provisions of the FLPMA for a period of up to 2 years.

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, North Slope Science Initiative (NSSI) Science Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) will meet as indicated below:

The plats of survey of the following described lands are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington State Office, Portland, Oregon, 30 days from the date of this publication.

This order withdraws approximately 9,460.66 acres of public lands from settlement, sale, location, and entry under the general land laws, including the mining laws, and 5,570.02 acres of reserved Federal minerals from location under the mining laws, subject to valid existing rights, for a period of 20 years to protect the habitat of 12 endangered species. This order also transfers jurisdiction of the public lands within the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge boundary to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and found suitable for classification for conveyance to San Juan County, under the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act, as amended, a 2.5 acre parcel of public land in San Juan County, Utah. San Juan County proposes to maintain a multi-purpose municipal building in Mexican Hat, Utah, to include fire and emergency services facilities, office space, equipment yard, weatherization services, and elections office.

On Wednesday, November 3, 2010, the Bureau of Land Management, (BLM) published a Notice of Filing of Plats in the Federal Register (75 FR 67766) declaring the intent to file certain plats on Friday, December 3, 2010. The BLM Colorado State Office is publishing this notice to inform the public that the proposed filing of the plat and field notes of the dependent resurvey and surveys in Township 9 South, Range 93 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado accepted on August 5, 2010, is hereby postponed in order to extend the period of time for interested parties to communicate with the BLM regarding this proposed filing and to extend the period of time for interested parties to protest this action.

Per 30 U.S.C. 188(d), Antelope Resources Inc. filed a petition for reinstatement of noncompetitive oil and gas lease MTM 91627, Musselshell County, Montana. 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 $5 per acre and 16\2/3\ percent. 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 $5 per acre; The increased royalty of 16\2/3\ percent; and The $163 cost of publishing this Notice.

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) Front Range Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will meet as indicated below.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the One Nevada Transmission Line (ON Line Project) and by this notice is announcing its availability.

The Forest Service (FS) has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requesting the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management to withdraw 10 acres of public land adjacent to the Clearwater National Forest from mining to protect the Lenore Tree Improvement Area near Orofino, Idaho and adjacent to the Clearwater River. This notice segregates the land for up to 2 years from settlement, sale, location or entry under the United States mining laws. The land will remain open to mineral leasing and to all activities currently consistent with applicable Forest plans and those related to the exercise of valid existing rights. This parcel of land has been withdrawn for FS use since 1990 for genetic seedling testing purposes. This proposed withdrawal covers the same 10 acres that were withdrawn for FS use under Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6799, BLM Serial Number IDI-26701, published on Friday, September 14, 1990 in the Federal Register (55 FR 37878). Due to an administrative oversight on the part of the FS, PLO 6799 expired before an extension of the withdrawal can be processed. Therefore, the FS is requesting a new 20- year withdrawal covering the same area.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) filed an application to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6849 for an additional 20-year term. PLO No. 6849 withdrew approximately 457,800 acres of Federal lands, known as the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, from mineral entry and location under the United States mining laws to protect the wildlife habitat and unique resource values of the refuge lands. In addition, this notice corrects errors made in describing unsurveyed lands in Township 46 North, Range 27 East, and in the calculation of total acreage withdrawn by PLO No. 6849. This notice gives an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed withdrawal extension and announces the date, time, and location of a public meeting.