Land Management Bureau – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 Eastern Washington Resource Advisory Council will meet as indicated below.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to sell a 1.556 acre triangular parcel of public land in the northwest portion of the Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, to the owner of lands adjoining two sides of the parcel. The third side is bounded by a street right-of-way. The adjoining private owner has requested that the parcel be sold to him by direct sale at not less than the appraised market value of the land.

In accordance with the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act of 2000 (43 U.S.C. 2303) (FLTFA), this notice provides the public the opportunity to nominate inholding properties within the States of Oregon and Washington for possible acquisition by the Federal agencies identified below.

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's (BLM) Utah Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

The State of Alaska has filed applications for recordable disclaimers of interest in certain lands underlying Chilkat Lake, Chilkat River, Tsirku River, and Klehini River in Southeast Alaska by the United States.

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (the Act) (Pub. L. 102-486) requires that the Secretary of the Interior administer a Federal program to regulate coalbed methane development in states where coalbed methane development has been impeded by disputes or uncertainty over ownership of coalbed methane gas. As required by the Act, the Department of the Interior, with the participation of the Department of Energy, developed a List of Affected States to which this program would apply (58 FR 21589, April 22, 1993). Section 1339 of the Act provides three mechanisms by which a state may be removed from the List of Affected States. The List of Affected States is currently comprised of the States of Kentucky and Tennessee. Section 387 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-58) provided a three-year period for state action to seek removal from the List of Affected States, including action taken prior to enactment of that Act (August 8, 2005). In 2004, the Kentucky General Assembly passed and the Governor signed a coalbed methane law, codified as Chapter 349 of Kentucky Revised Statutes. The law created a state authority and procedures to facilitate coalbed methane development. It further explicitly sought, in subsection 349.005(4)(e), deletion of Kentucky from the List of Affected States. We find that this Kentucky statute fulfills two of the Act's Section 1339 removal standards: (a) A law requesting removal and (b) a law permitting and encouraging the development of coalbed methane. Therefore, the State of Kentucky is officially removed from the List of Affected States.

The Secretary of the Interior proposes to extend on behalf of the Bureau of Land Management, the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6631 for an additional 20 year period. PLO No. 6631 withdrew 24.65 acres of public land in Okanogon County, Washington, from settlement, sale, location or entry under the general land laws, including the United States mining laws, to protect the natural and recreational values, and the investment in Federal funds at the Split Rock Recreation Area. This notice also gives an opportunity to comment on the proposed action and to request a public meeting.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Montana State Office, Billings, Montana, thirty (30) days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

This notice announces a meeting of the Arizona Resource Advisory Council (RAC). The business meeting will be held on June 8, 2006, in Elgin, Arizona, at the National Audubon Society Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch located at 366 Research Ranch Road (approximately 55 miles from Tucson east on I-10 and south on State Route 83S past Sonoita, AZ). It will begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m. The agenda items to be covered include: Review of the March 2, 2006 Meeting Minutes; BLM State Director's Update on Statewide Issues; Presentations on BLM's Invasive Weeds Program and the San Juan Bautista De Anza TrailArizona segment, Updates on the Recreation Resource Advisory Committee and Arizona Land Use Planning; RAC Questions on Written Reports from BLM Field Managers; Field Office Rangeland Resource Team Proposals; Reports by the Standards and Guidelines, Recreation, Off-Highway Vehicle Use, Public Relations, Land Use Planning and Tenure, and Wild Horse and Burro Working Groups; Reports from RAC members; and Discussion of future meetings. A public comment period will be provided at 11:30 a.m. on June 8, 2006, for any interested publics who wish to address the Council.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (1976) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (1972), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pinedale Anticline Working Group (PAWG) was planned to meet in Pinedale, Wyoming, for a business meeting. Due to lack of PAWG member availability, this meeting has been cancelled.

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 NMNM 105214 from the lessee, CHI Energy, Inc., for lands in Eddy County, New Mexico. 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) NLCS survey will provide us with social science input to support planning for facilities, programs, services, and interpretive exhibits. The BLM anticipates that the information we collect could lead to revisions in processes, policies, and improvement in serving the American public. The study will use the surveys to: (1) Better understand the needs and desires of the public; and (2) respond to those needs and desires accordingly.

This order partially revokes a Public Land Order insofar as it affects 200 acres of National Forest System lands withdrawn for the Clear Creek Recreation Area.

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

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 Twin Hills Native Corporation, for lands in the vicinity of Twin Hills, Alaska, and located in:

Members of the public are hereby invited to participate with Western Energy Company in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in lands located in Treasure and Rosebud Counties, Montana, encompassing 548.17 acres.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requests comments and suggestions to assist in the writing of a proposed rule to update the linear right-of-way rental schedule in 43 CFR parts 2800 and 2880. The rental schedule covers most linear rights-of-way granted under section 28 of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (MLA), and Title V of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA). Both laws require the holder of a right-of-way to pay annually, in advance, the fair market value to occupy, use, or traverse public lands for facilities such as power lines, fiber optic lines, pipelines, roads, and ditches. Section 367 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (the Act) directs the Secretary of the Interior to update the per-acre rental fee schedule found in 43 CFR 2806.20. This update is to be completed not later than one year after the date of enactment of the Act, which occurred on August 8, 2005. The Act requires that the BLM revise the per-acre rental fee-zone value schedule by state, county, and type of linear right-of-way use to reflect current land values in each zone. The Act also requires the Secretary of Agriculture (Forest Service) to make the same revisions for rights-of-way on National Forest System lands. We encourage members of the public to provide comments and suggestions to help with updating the BLM's and the Forest Service's rental schedule, as described in the Act.

Pursuant to 43 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 3425.4, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Utah State Office, held a public meeting on March 30, 2006 on the environmental assessment and Documentation of NEPA Adequacy (DNA), the proposed sale and requests public comment on the fair market value of the certain coal resources it proposes to offer for competitive lease sale. The EA/DNA analyzes and discloses direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts of issuing a Federal coal lease competitively for 1,760.00 acres in Carbon County, Utah. The purpose of the public hearing was to solicit comments from the public on (1) the proposal to issue a Federal coal lease; (2) the proposed competitive lease sale; (3) the Fair Market Value (FMV) of the Federal coal; and (4) Maximum Economic Recovery (MER) of the Federal coal included in the tract.

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.

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 Doyon, Limited, for lands located within Secs. 3 and 10, T. 30 N., R. 54 W., Seward Meridian, Alaska, in the vicinity of Shageluk, Alaska. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Tundra Drums.

The Bureau of Land Management Medford District Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Medford, Oregon to tour project sites and to discuss proposed 2007 projects, pursuant to Public Law 106-393. Agenda topics include on-site inspections of previous projects and proposed 2007 projects, review of last meeting minutes, presentations on proposed fiscal year 2007 Title II projects, and discussion regarding proposed projects.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Redding Field Office is publishing interim final supplementary rules applicable to public lands within the Swasey Drive Planning Area, as identified in the Swasey Drive Area Implementation Plan. The interim final supplementary rules will govern activities such as target shooting, motor vehicle use, and camping on public lands managed by the Redding Field Office. These interim final supplementary rules are needed to protect recreation opportunities, public health and safety, and cultural and natural resources in accordance with the Swasey Drive Area Implementation Plan/ Environmental Assessment and Decision Record (DR) of September 2004.

Pursuant to the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, the Bureau of Land Management proposes to lease or convey to the City of Las Vegas, Nevada, 70 acres of public land within the City, for a public safety training center.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to sell by public auction 72 parcels of Federal public land, aggregating approximately 705.235 acres, more or less, in the Las Vegas Valley, Nevada. The sale will be under the authority of the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2343), as amended by Title IV of the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002 (116 Stat. 1994) (SNPLMA). The SNPLMA sale will be subject to the applicable provisions of Sections 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) (43 U.S.C. 1713 and 1719), and BLM land sale and mineral conveyance regulations at 43 CFR parts 2710 and 2720. The sale will be conducted in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 2, 2006, using competitive bidding procedures under the regulations, at not less than the appraised fair market value (FMV) of each parcel.

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 COC64230 from Elm Ridge Exploration Company, LLC for lands in Moffat 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.