Land Management Bureau – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The surface owner of the land described in this notice, aggregating approximately 260 acres, has filed an application for the purchase of the Federally-owned mineral interests. Publication of this notice temporarily segregates the mineral interest from appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining laws.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and found suitable for classification for lease and subsequent conveyance under the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act, as amended, approximately 207.15 acres of public land in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada. The Clark County School District proposes to use the lands for nine public schools. This land disposal action has been coordinated with Clark County, in whose jurisdiction such lands are located for joint selection purposes pursuant to Sec. 4(d)(1) of the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act, Pub. L. 105-263, (112 Stat. 2345).

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to offer for sale competitively one parcel of federally owned land in Lincoln County located southeast of Alamo, Nevada, which totals approximately 159 acres, more or less. The sale is authorized under sections 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) 43 U.S.C. 1713 and 1719, respectively.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to sell a 217 acre parcel (N-80737) of federally owned lands in Lincoln County, located south of Alamo, Nevada. These public lands have been examined and found suitable for disposal utilizing direct sale procedures. The authority for the sale is established under section 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) (43 U.S.C. 1713 and 1719).

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Field Office, Kingman, Arizona intends to prepare an amendment to the Kingman Resource Management Plan (RMP) to determine if a parcel of public lands (identified below) should be classified under Section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act (43 U.S.C. 315f) and Executive Order No. 6910, for actions under the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.).

Notice is hereby given that approximately 560 acres of public lands have been temporarily closed to all public use. This closure is made under the authority of 43 CFR 8364.1 Closure and Restriction Orders. The closed area is in the vicinity of Kaweah, California in Tulare County and is within sections 13, 23, 24, and 26 T. 16S.R.28E. Mount Diablo Baseline and Meridian. All entry will be restricted during this emergency closure to protect persons, property, public lands, and natural resources. Closure signs will be posted at main entry points to this area. Gates and fencing will be installed to exclude vehicular entry and parking.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Buffalo Field Office, Wyoming, proposes to amend its 1985 Resource Management Plan (RMP) because of changes in circumstances and proposed actions that may result in changes in the scope of resource uses and/or changes in decisions of the approved plan. The BLM will evaluate the following: (1) Management guidance for the Fortification Creek area, (2) Designation of an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) in the Fortification Creek area, and (3) a potential land exchange with the State of Wyoming to consolidate ownership and facilitate management of the Fortification Creek area. The BLM may consider further land use planning decisions for the area surrounding the proposed ACEC.

In accordance with Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 1610.2), the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Carrizo Plain National Monument Advisory Committee will meet as indicated below:

The public comment period is being reopened to allow the public to submit comments on the proposed ACECs in the PRMPA/FEIS in an electronic format as well as in writing.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and found suitable for classification for lease or conveyance to Washoe County, Nevada under the authority of the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act as amended, approximately 343 acres of public land in Washoe County, Nevada. Washoe County proposes to use the land for a regional park.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and found suitable for classification for conveyance under section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act, 43 U.S.C. 315f, and the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act, as amended, 10 acres of public land in Tulare County, California. Tulare County has filed an application to purchase the 10-acre parcel of BLM land that contains a closed, solid waste landfill facility.

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 Alabama and Mississippi and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

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 September 6, 2007, 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 June 8, 2007, meeting minutes for RAC and Recreation Resource Advisory Council (RRAC) business; BLM State Director's update on statewide issues; presentations on: the BLM wilderness program in Arizona, how recreation benefits communities, and Arizona water rights; 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 September 6, 2007, 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 September 6 will include discussion and review of the Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) Working Group Report, the Fiscal Year 2008 (Tentative) quarterly schedule for BLM and FS recreation fee proposals, and one FS fee proposal in Arizona: (1) Upper Salt River Canyon Wilderness Private River Permit System(Tonto National Forest). The Forest Service is considering a change for the Private Permit Fees for running the Upper Salt River through the Salt River Canyon Wilderness from March 1 to May 15 each year. The application fee of $10 will remain the same. The permit fee is proposed from the current $75 to a fee of $125. The purpose of the proposed fee increase is to help better cover the cost of managing the river program for the Upper Salt River Canyon Wilderness. The proposed fees are in line with those charged by other Forest Service and Federal Government agencies for similar river permits in the western United States. Following the FS proposals, the RRAC will open the meeting to public comments on the fee proposal. After completing their RRAC business, the BLM RAC will reconvene to provide recommendations to the RAC Designated Federal Official on the fee proposal and discuss future RAC meetings and locations.

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.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) gives notice of revised policies and procedures for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as amended, Executive Order (E.O.) 11514, as amended, E.O. 12114, and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA. These final implementing procedures are being issued as Chapter 11 of the Department of the Interior's Departmental Manual Part 516 (516 DM 11) and supersedes previous implementation guidance. These revisions update the procedures used to implement NEPA for actions taken in managing public lands. The BLM's NEPA compliance procedures can be found at the Department of the Interior (DOI) Electronic Library of Interior Policies (ELIPS) https:// elips.doi.gov. The following sections in 516 DM 11 (dated 5/27/04) are affected by this Federal Register notice: Purpose (11.1); NEPA Responsibilities (11.2); External Applicant's Guidance (11.3); General Requirements (11.4), Parts A-G; Plan Conformance (11.5); Existing Documentation (11.6), Parts A-E; Actions Requiring an Environmental Assessment (11.7), Parts A-E; and Actions Eligible for Categorical Exclusions (11.9), categories B-D and G-J. New sub-parts have been added to the Oil, Gas and Geothermal Energy (B), Forestry (C), and Rangeland Management (D) categories. Two new categories have been added: Recreation Management (H) and Emergency Stabilization (I). Transportation category sub-parts G(1), (2), and (3) have been expanded to include trails.

This order extends the withdrawal created by Public Land Order No. 6652 for an additional 20-year period. This extension is necessary to continue protection of the Petersburg Administrative Site in Siskiyou County.

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 site of the Burning Man event administered by the BLM Winnemucca Field Office in Pershing County, Nevada. These lands are referred to in this notice as the ``Event Area'' and the ``Public Closure Area,'' respectively. The specified closures, restrictions and prohibitions are made in the interest of public safety, to protect public resources, and to enable BLM law enforcement personnel to support State and local law enforcement agencies with enforcement of the law. The Burning Man event is authorized on public lands under a special recreation permit and is expected to attract approximately 40,000 participants this year.

Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be directing the preparation of an EIS and conducting public scoping meetings for the proposed construction of a 12'' liquid petroleum products pipeline. UNEV, LLC was established by Holly Corporation to construct and operate the pipeline. The proposed route for the UNEV Pipeline is approximately 400 miles in length and would, except for the northernmost portion of the route, generally follow the existing Kern River pipeline corridor. The pipeline inlet would be located near Holly Corporation's Woods Cross, Utah, refinery, which announced last year its intent to upgrade its crude oil processing capabilities, enabling the refinery to process high value, low priced black wax crude oil and heavy Canadian crude oils. The outlet terminals for the proposed pipeline would be located northwest of Cedar City, Utah, and northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to the inlet pumping station, one additional pumping station is proposed with pressure reduction stations located at the terminals. The corridor contains two Kern River Pipeline Company natural gas pipelines, the newest of which was constructed in 2003. The Kern River Pipeline Environmental Impact Statement was completed in 2002. In Utah the proposed UNEV Pipeline would originate in Davis County and cross Salt Lake, Tooele, Juab, Millard, Beaver, Iron, and Washington Counties. In Nevada the pipeline would cross Lincoln County and terminate in Clark County. A map of the proposed project is available for viewing at https://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/prog/more/landsand realty/unevpipelineeis.html and the Utah and Nevada State Offices. The UNEV Pipeline project as proposed would function as a ``common carrier'' pipeline. In general terms, common carrier is an entity that transports goods or products and offers its transportation services to others. This means that the UNEV Pipeline would provide an alternative means of transportation from other modes, i.e., truck or rail, etc., for refined products from other refineries in the area as well as Holly's refinery.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and determined that two parcels of public land comprising 9.6 acres, more or less, located in Custer and Lemhi Counties, Idaho are suitable for a renewable, direct (non-competitive), 20-year agricultural use lease to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) pursuant to Section 302 (b) of The Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1732 (b)), and the implementing regulations at 43 CFR part 2920, as amended. This action will resolve an historic encroachment occurring on public lands. The encroachment dating back to on or before 1976 was originally attributed to parties from whom TNC purchased property (adjacent to the subject parcels) in 2003. Rent for the use was determined by Department of the Interior appraisal to be BLM minimum annual lease fee of $250.00. Rent may be re-appraised annually, or at an interval not to exceed every 5 years to remain consistent with market trends.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, California, intends to revise its 1994 South Coast Resource Management Plan (RMP) and prepare an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The revised RMP will replace the current RMP. This notice initiates the scoping process, invites public participation, and announces public scoping meetings.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is requesting public nominations to fill two unexpired terms on the Steens Mountain Advisory Council (SMAC). Nominations will be accepted for a person who is a recreational permit holder or is a representative of a commercial recreation operation in the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area (CMPA); and a person with expertise and interest in wild horse management on Steens Mountain.

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 COC59157 from Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. for lands in Garfield 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) proposes to sell a 10-acre parcel of public land in the southwest portion of the Las Vegas Valley, Nevada to Clark County for affordable housing purposes. BLM proposes that the parcel be sold by direct sale to Clark County at less than the appraised fair market value (FMV), pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (Pub. L. 105-263, SNPLMA) and the Nevada Guidance on Policy and Procedures for Affordable Housing Disposals (Nevada Guidance) approved on August 8, 2006. BLM proposes to sell the parcel in accordance with the applicable provisions in Sections 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. (FLPMA), and the BLM land sale and mineral conveyance regulations at 43 CFR Section 2710 and Section 2720, respectively.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Maysdorf Coal Lease-by-Application (LBA).