Land Management Bureau – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Atlantic Rim Natural Gas Development Project FEIS. The FEIS analyzes the environmental consequences of a proposed natural gas development and production operations on the 270,080 acres Atlantic Rim project area. The area is located within the administrative jurisdiction of the BLM Rawlins Field Office, and runs in an arc between Rawlins and Baggs in Townships 12-20 North, Ranges 89-93 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Carbon County, Wyoming.

Notice is hereby given that all BLM-administered public lands at the Pond, Poore, Gold Run, Poison Lake, Davis and Longfellow abandoned mine land (AML) sites located in Amador, Placer, Nevada and Tuolumne Counties, California are closed to all forms of entry by the public, including mineral entry under the 1872 Mining Law. This closure is necessary to protect the public from hazards associated with these sites and to enable the remediation of the sites pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). Sampling of water and sediment at these sites indicates substantial amounts of mercury and/or arsenic are present in sluice tunnel floor sediments and in mill tailings. Shafts and tunnel inlets/outlets are also present at these sites. These conditions represent significant health and physical safety hazards to the public. The closure and segregation of these lands from all forms of land and mineral entry is also needed to prevent the location of any new mining claims on these lands pending completion of necessary removal and remediation actions. This closure will remain in effect until the Folsom Field Manager determines it is no longer needed. This closure does not apply to authorized employees and contractors.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and found suitable for classification for conveyance under the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (R&PP), as amended (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.), 63.67 acres in Vilas County, Wisconsin. The Vilas County Forestry, Recreation and Land Department has filed an application and plans proposing to use the land for recreational purposes.

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 Act (R&PP), as amended (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.), approximately 2.5 acres of public land in Inyo County, California. The Southern Inyo County Fire Protection District proposes to use the land for a fire station and related facilities to include a water well with storage tanks, a helipad, two shade structures, two storage buildings, and a septic system enclosed within a chain link fence, as specified in the County's development plan (henceforth, fire station).

The Bureau of Land Management announces the continuation of temporary closure of certain public lands in Cassia County. This closure prohibits bolting and placement of fixed anchors to rocks, and overnight camping. This is to allow further time for analysis of a fixed anchor management plan.

This order restricts all public use on a year-round basis on approximately 289 acres of public lands in the Saginaw Hill area administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Tucson Field Office, Arizona. Existing management designations established in the Phoenix Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement, dated September 1989, remain unchanged. This order modifies the restriction order published in the Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 68, Monday, April 11, 2005, page 18420. This order is issued under the authority of 43 CFR 8364.1 and affects the following public lands:

The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) (43 U.S.C. 1730) directs the Secretary of the Interior to involve the public in planning and issues related to management of lands administered by Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Section 309 of FLPMA authorizes the Secretary to establish 10 to 15 member citizen-based advisory councils, whose operation shall be consistent with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). As required by FACA, Resource Advisory Council (RAC) membership must be balanced and representative of the various interests concerned with the management of the public lands. The BLM regulations governing RACs are found at 43 CFR part 1784. The BLM Utah State Office is hosting a call for nominations for a Transportation/Rights-of-Way position on the Utah RAC. Upon appointment, the individual selected to this position will fill the seat until September 20, 2008, the remainder of this position's term.

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) Boise District Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will meet as indicated below.

This is to give public notice of a survey plat filing for the State of Maine as requested by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act of February 25, 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 Title 43, Code of Federal Regulations, Subpart 3410, all interested qualified parties, as provided in 43 CFR 3472.1 are hereby invited to participate with Bowie Resources, LLC, on a pro rata sharing basis in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America containing the following described lands in Delta County, Colorado.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) inadvertently published an incorrect version of this notice in the Federal Register on July 20, 2006 [71 FR 41234]. The BLM is republishing the revised version of this notice. In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Jack Morrow Hills Coordinated Activity Plan (JMH CAP) and Green River Resource Management Plan (GRRMP) Amendment. The ROD documents the BLM's decision to approve a land use plan amendment that addresses approximately 574,800 acres of public land located in Sweetwater, Sublette, and Fremont counties in southwestern Wyoming. The JMH CAP/ GRRMP Amendment contains land use plan decisions that supersede previous land use planning decisions made in the GRRMP and completes decisions deferred in the GRRMP. The JMH CAP/ROD went into effect on the date the Wyoming State Director signed the ROD.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is scheduled to file the plats of surveys of the lands described below thirty (30) calendar days from the date of this publication in the BLM Wyoming State Office, Cheyenne, Wyoming.

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 COC68455 from Western Energy Resources Inc. for lands in Gunnison 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.

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 COC64777 from Vessels Coal Gas Inc for lands in Delta 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 Southeast Oregon Resource Advisory Council (SEORAC) will hold a meeting Monday, August 7 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Holiday Inn Ontario, 1249 Tapadera Avenue, Ontario, Oregon 97914. A field trip to the Bully Creek area of the Vale District Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for SEORAC members will follow on Tuesday, August 8. Agenda items for Monday's session include liaison reports from SEORAC members; updates from Designated Federal Officials; follow-up information sharing on the Grazing Administration Rule, the Recreation Resource Advisory Council (RAC), and Statewide transportation planning and a joint sub-committee with the John Day/Snake RAC; review of SEORAC jurisdictional boundaries and district-by-district planning efforts through fiscal year 2007; and discussion on the Malheur National Forest Plan, energy issues, the monitoring pilot project, and possible RAC involvement. Other matters that may reasonably come before the SEORAC may also be addressed. The public is welcome to attend all portions of the meeting and may contribute during the public comment session at 11 a.m. Those who verbally address the SEORAC during public comment are asked to also provide a written statement of their comments or presentation. Unless otherwise approved by the SEORAC Chair, the public comment period will last no longer than 30 minutes, and each speaker may address the SEORAC for a maximum of 5 minutes. If you have information you would like distributed to SEORAC members, please send it to Sally Nelson at the Burns District Office, 28910 Hwy 20 West, Hines, Oregon 97738, prior to the start of the meeting.

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Grand Junction Field Office located in Grand Junction, CO, will be directing the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed Red Cliff Coal Mine near Loma, Colorado, including Right-of-Way and Land Use Applications for facilities on Federal Lands, submitted by CAM-Colorado, LLC (CAM). The EIS will analyze the development of surface facilities for coal mining associated with CAM's proposed underground Red Cliff Mine, including roads, a water pipeline, coal stockpile and waste disposal areas, a coal preparation plant, the mine portal, other administrative and operations facilities, and a railroad spur line that would connect to the existing Union Pacific Railroad line near Mack, Colorado. Cooperating agencies include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Office of Surface Mining, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Mesa County, and Garfield County. The BLM invites the public to participate in the NEPA process.

This order partially revokes four Secretarial Orders, one Bureau of Reclamation Order, and one Public Land Order insofar as they affect approximately 25,133 acres of lands withdrawn for the Bureau of Reclamation's Central Utah and Strawberry Valley Projects. This order opens approximately 24,293 acres of Federal lands to such forms of disposition as may by law be authorized on National Forest System lands and to mining.

This order withdraws approximately 6,450 acres of National Forest System lands from location and entry under the United States mining laws, for a term of 20 years, and reserves the lands for the Department of the Interior, Central Utah Project Completion Act Office for use in conjunction with the Utah Lake Drainage Basin and Diamond Fork Systems, Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah Project.

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 Fellows Energy Ltd. for competitive oil and gas lease WYW158351 for land in Weston 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 BLM Coos Bay District RAC is scheduled to meet on August 3, 2006 from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the BLM Coos Bay District Office. The BLM Office is located at 1300 Airport Lane in North Bend, Oregon. The purpose of this meeting will be for the RAC to recommend funding for Title II projects, as identified under Public Law 106-393. There will be an opportunity for the public to address the RAC at approximately 11 a.m. at this meeting. The RAC may also meet on August 10, 2006 for the same purpose. The need for this meeting will be dependent upon the progress made in making recommendations at the August 3, 2006 meeting. The scheduled meeting time and location for the August 10, 2006 meeting will be the same as for the meeting scheduled on August 3, 2006.

This proposed rule would revise the Bureau of Land Management's existing geothermal resources leasing and unit agreement regulations to implement the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The proposed rule would restructure existing regulations concerning the general geothermal leasing process and would revise existing regulations on royalties and readjustment of lease terms, conditions, and rentals. The rule would also revise existing regulations on lease duration and work commitment requirements, annual rental and credit of rental towards royalty, unit and communitization agreements, and acreage limitations. Additional revisions required by the Energy Policy Act include various technical corrections. Other proposed changes in sections unaffected by changes in the statute would clarify existing procedures, improve grammatical construction, conform the regulations to new administrative regulatory standards, and correct existing errors.

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, interested parties are hereby invited to participate with Spring Creek Coal Company on a pro rata cost sharing basis in its program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in lands located in Big Horn County, Montana, encompassing 6,051.92 acres.

Notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada State Office, will reopen the public scoping period for the proposed Clark, Lincoln and White Pine Counties Groundwater Development to provide opportunity for comment on substantive project changes. The additional public scoping input will be used to prepare the Draft EIS. A notice of intent to prepare and EIS was published in the Federal Register on April 8, 2005, 70 FR 18043-18044.

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, New Mexico Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will meet as indicated below.

A 33.85 parcel in Coos County, Oregon, is being considered for direct sale to the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay (the Port). The parcel proposed for sale is identified as suitable for disposal in the Coos Bay District Resource Management Plan & Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision, dated May 1995, as supplemented and amended.