[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6322-6323]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2756]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AK-932-1410-ET; F-14838]


Public Land Order No. 7595; Withdrawal of Public Lands for Bethel 
Village Selection; Alaska

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Public land order.

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SUMMARY: This order withdraws approximately 61,139 acres of public 
lands located within and outside of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife 
Refuge from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, 
including the mining and mineral leasing laws, pursuant to section 
22(j)(2) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. This action also 
reserves the lands for selection by the Bethel Native Corporation, the 
village corporation for Bethel. This withdrawal is for a period of 120 
days; however, any lands selected shall remain withdrawn by the order 
until they are conveyed. Any lands described herein that are not 
selected by the corporation will remain withdrawn as part of the Yukon 
Delta National Wildlife Refuge, pursuant to the Alaska National 
Interest Lands Conservation Act, and will be subject to the terms and 
conditions of any other withdrawal or segregation of record.

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 10, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robbie J. Havens, Bureau of Land 
Management, Alaska State Office, 222

[[Page 6323]]

W. 7th Avenue, No. 13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513-7599, 907-271-5477.

Order

    By virtue of the authority vested in the Secretary of the Interior 
by Section 22(j)(2) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 43 
U.S.C. 1621 (j)(2) (2000), it is ordered as follows:
    1. Subject to valid existing rights, the following described public 
lands located within and outside of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife 
Refuge are hereby withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the 
public land laws, including the mining and mineral leasing laws, and 
are hereby reserved for selection under Section 12 of the Alaska Native 
Claims Settlement Act, 43 U.S.C. 1611 (2000), by the Bethel Native 
Corporation, the village corporation for Bethel:

Seward Meridian

T. 10 N., R. 61 W., (unsurveyed)
    Secs. 5 to 8, inclusive;
    Secs. 16, 17, and 18.
T. 11 N., R. 61 W., (unsurveyed)
    Secs. 3 to 8, inclusive;
    Secs. 17 to 20, inclusive;
    Secs. 30 and 31.
T. 12 N., R. 61 W., (unsurveyed)
    Secs. 27 to 34, inclusive.
T. 10 N., R. 62 W., (unsurveyed)
    Secs. 1 and 2;
    Secs. 7 to 18, inclusive, excepting therefrom Native Allotment 
application F-17230.
T. 11 N., R. 62 W., (unsurveyed)
    Secs. 1 and 2;
    Secs. 11 to 14, inclusive;
    Secs. 23 to 26, inclusive;
    Secs. 35 and 36.
T. 10 N., R. 63 W., (unsurveyed)
    Secs. 9 to 16, inclusive.
T. 5 N., R. 68 W., (unsurveyed)
    Secs. 1 to 36, inclusive, excepting therefrom Native Allotment 
Certificates 50-2000-0148, 50-2000-0045, 50-2000-0015, and 50-2000-
0078.

    The areas described aggregate a total of approximately 61,139 
acres.
    2. Prior to conveyance of any of the lands withdrawn by this order, 
the lands shall be subject to administration by the Secretary of the 
Interior under applicable laws and regulations, and his authority to 
make contracts and to grant leases, permits, rights-of-way, or 
easements shall not be impaired by this withdrawal.
    3. This order constitutes final withdrawal action by the Secretary 
of the Interior under section 22(j)(2) of the Alaska Native Claims 
Settlement Act, 43 U.S.C. 1621(j)(2)(2000), to make lands available for 
selection by the Bethel Native Corporation, to fulfill the entitlement 
of the village for Bethel, under section 12 and section 14(a) of the 
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 43 U.S.C. 1611 and 1613 (2000).
    4. This withdrawal will terminate 120 days from the effective date 
of this order, provided, any lands selected shall remain withdrawn 
pursuant to this order until conveyed. Any lands described in this 
order not selected by the corporation shall remain withdrawn as part of 
the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, pursuant to section 303 (7) 
of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 
668(dd) (2000); and will be subject to the terms and conditions of any 
other withdrawal or segregation of record.
    5. It has been determined that this action is not expected to have 
any significant effect on subsistence uses and needs pursuant to 
section 810(c) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, 
16 U.S.C. 3120(c) (2000) and this action is exempted from the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321 note (2000), by 
section 910 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, 43 
U.S.C. 1638 (2000).

    Dated: January 9, 2004.
Rebecca W. Watson,
Assistant Secretary--Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 04-2756 Filed 2-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JA-P