Land Management Bureau – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Pinedale Field Office announces the availability of a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) on a proposal for long-term development of natural gas resources in the Pinedale Anticline Project Area (PAPA). The BLM published the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a SEIS for the Pinedale Anticline Project in the Federal Register on October 21, 2005.

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) Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to sell a 5-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 will sell the parcel under direct sale procedures in accordance with the applicable provisions 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 parts 2710 and 2720.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Central Montana Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

Notice is hereby given that the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Colorado State Office, will offer certain coal resources in the B, D/E seams in Gunnison County, Colorado, hereinafter described as Federal coal lease application (LBA) COC 67232 for competitive lease by sealed bid in accordance with the provisions for competitive lease sales in 43 CFR 3422.2(a), and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended and supplemented (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.).

The termination of benefits for stripper well properties was effective February 1, 2006, and replaced by Section 343 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which was established a Marginal Property Production Incentives Program (MPPIP).

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 Windsor Beaver Creek LLC for competitive oil and gas lease WYW147368 for land in Sheridan 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 plats of survey of the following described lands were officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington State Office, Portland, Oregon, on September 28, 2006.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6675 for an additional 20 years. PLO No. 6675 withdrew 264.39 acres of public lands in Taos and Rio Arriba Counties from settlement, sale, location or entry under the general land laws, including the United States mining laws, to protect, preserve, and maintain existing and future recreational values and the Federal investment in improvements located along the ``Pilar'' section of the Rio Grande.

The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (U.S. Forest Service), has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requesting the Secretary of the Interior to withdraw from mining 65 acres of National Forest System land in the Water Canyon Recreation Area of the Cibola National Forest. This notice segregates the land from location and entry under the United States mining laws for 2 years, while various studies and analyses are made to support a final decision on the withdrawal application.

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 Westmoreland Savage Corporation 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 Richland County, Montana:

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) Mojave Southern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

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 124.67 acres of public lands in Elko County, Nevada. The City of West Wendover proposes to use the lands for public buildings, including a new town hall and a convention center, parks and recreation, parking, and other public uses.

Notice is hereby given that the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Colorado State Office, will offer certain coal resources in Moffat County, Colorado, hereinafter described as Federal coal lease application (LBA) COC 68590 for competitive lease by sealed bid in accordance with the provisions for competitive lease sales in 43 CFR 3422.2(a), and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended and supplemented (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.).

Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Pit 14 Coal Lease By Application (LBA) FEIS. The tract is being considered for sale as a result of coal lease application received from Black Butte Coal Company (BBCC) operating the adjacent mine in southwestern Wyoming.

The plats of survey, supplemental and amended protraction diagram described below are scheduled to be officially filed in the Arizona State Office, Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix, Arizona, December 27, 2006.

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, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (PRMP/FEIS) for the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument.

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.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), two meetings of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council (RAC), Nevada, will be held as indicated below. Topics for discussion at the meetings will include, but are not limited to: manager's reports of field office activities; RAC subcommittee reports; Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act-Round 7 Nominations; Pine Nut Mountain RMP Amendment/DEIS; Winnemucca RMP/DEIS; Alpine County RMP Amendment; Sand Mountain Conservation Strategy; Coer-Rochester Mine Plan/DEIS; Aqua Trac Water Export Project; Echo Canyon Cement Plant Plan; renewable energy projects review; grazing allotment review; and additional topics the council may raise during the meetings. Dates & Times: The RAC will meet on Wednesday-Thursday, February 7- 8, 2007, at the BLM-Carson City Field Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, Nevada; and on Wednesday-Thursday, July 11-12, 2007, at the BLM-Winnemucca Field Office, 5100 East Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, Nevada. All meetings are open to the public. A general public comment period, where the public may submit oral or written comments to the RAC, will be held on the first day of each two-day meeting at 4 p.m. (February 7 & July 11). Final agendas, with any additions/corrections to agenda topics, the starting and ending times of each meeting, and details of any planned field trips, will be determined/posted at least two weeks before each two-day meeting on the BLM-Nevada State Office Web site at https:// www.nv.blm.gov/rac; hard copies of the agendas can also be mailed or sent via FAX. Individuals who need special assistance such as sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodations, or those who wish a hard copy of the agenda, should contact Mark Struble, Carson City Field Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV 89701, telephone (775) 885-6107, no later than two weeks before each two-day meeting.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) amends its procedural regulations pertaining to the time allowed for the segregation of public lands proposed for sale. Under existing regulations, the BLM may segregate these lands from the operation of the public land and mineral laws for a period up to 270 days following publication of a Notice of Realty Action in the Federal Register. The Department of the Interior has imposed this time constraint under its discretion and not as a requirement of law. The current segregation period compresses the time necessary to address comments or protests the BLM receives after publication of a Notice of Realty Action. In order to address comments or protests in the normal course of business, as to future proposed sales, this final rule allows the BLM to segregate lands initially for a period of up to two years with the option to extend, if necessary, the initial period of segregation up to two additional years on a case- by-case basis. The BLM also is amending its segregation regulation at 43 CFR 2091.2-1 so that it will be consistent with the changes made in the BLM's public sale regulations.

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, BLM John Day/Snake Resource Advisory Council, will meet on November 27, 2006, at the Oxford Suites, 2400 SW. Court Place in Pendleton, OR 97801. The meeting time will be from approximately 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A public comment will begin at 1 pm and end at 1:15 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time). The meeting may include such topics as off-highway vehicles, noxious weeds, planning, Sage-grouse, and other matters as may reasonably come before the council. Meeting Procedures: The meeting is open to the public. The public may present written comments to the John Day/Snake Resource Advisory Council. Depending on the number of persons wishing to provide oral comments and agenda topics to be covered, the time to do so may be limited. Individuals who plan to attend and need special assistance such as sign language interpretation, tour transportation or other reasonable accommodations, should contact the BLM representative indicated below. For a copy of the information to be distributed to the Council members, please submit a written request to the Prineville BLM District Office 10 days prior to the meeting.

The surface owner of the lands described in this notice, aggregating approximately 640.00 acres, has filed an application for the purchase of the federally-owned mineral interests in the lands. Publication of this notice temporarily segregates the mineral interest from appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining law.

This notice announces a meeting of the Arizona Resource Advisory Council (RAC). The business meeting will be held on December 7, 2006, in Phoenix, Arizona, at the Phoenix District Office located at 21605 North 7th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85027. It will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. The morning agenda items to be covered include: Review of the September 6, 2006, Meeting Minutes; Bureau of Land Management (BLM) State Director's Update on Statewide Issues; Presentation on Benefits- Based Recreation; RAC Questions on written reports from BLM Field Managers; Field Office Rangeland Resource Team Proposals; 2007 RAC Annual Work Plan; and Reports by the Standards and Guidelines, Recreation, Off-Highway Vehicle Use, Land Use Planning and Tenure, and Wild Horse and Burro Working Groups. A public comment period will be provided at 11:30 a.m. on December 7, 2006, for any interested publics who wish to address the Council on BLM programs and business. Under the Federal Recreation Enhancement Act, the BLM Arizona RAC has been designated the Recreation Resource Advisory Council (RRAC), and has the authority to review all BLM and Forest Service recreation fee proposals in Arizona. The afternoon meeting agenda on December 7, will be devoted to presenting the Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) Working Group Report, discussing and voting on the RRAC Protocol and Quarterly Review Schedule for Fee Proposals; and reviewing three fee proposals in Arizona: (1) Timber Camp Campground (Tonto National Forest)26 miles north of Globe, this newly-revamped recreation area includes three group sites and one day use only site. The fee proposal will consider an increase from $40 to $60 for group site reservations; $6 per vehicle per night for individual family camping; and no charge for day use only site by individuals. (2) Groom Creek School/Cabin (Prescott National Forest)20-minute drive from Prescott, this historic school house and picnic area is available for day use rental to public groups through the Forest Service Arizona Cabin Rental program. The proposed fee for the facility is $150 per day (excluding a $9 reservation fee). (3) Sycamore Cabin (Prescott National Forest)Less than 20-minute drive from Phoenix, Flagstaff and Prescott, this historic Prescott National Forest Ranger house is currently available for nightly rental. The fee proposal will consider an increase from $100 to $125 per night (excluding $9 reservation fee). An additional $25 per night will be charged if an RV is brought to the site. Following the Forest Service proposals, the RRAC will open the meeting to public comments on the fee proposals. After the comment period, the RRAC will recess into Executive Session to evaluate the proposals. After completing their RRAC business, the BLM RAC will reconvene to provide their recommendations on the fee proposals and discuss future RAC meetings and locations.

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 Bering Straits Native Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Wales and White Mountain, Alaska. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Nome Nugget.

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) Southwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.