[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 157 (Monday, August 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50492-50493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20658]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCA930000.L58790000.EU0000; CACA 50168 13]


Notice of Realty Action: Direct Sale of Public Land in San Benito 
County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Realty Action.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Hollister Field Office, 
proposes to sell a parcel of public land consisting of approximately 
15.61 acres in San Benito County, California. The public land would be 
sold to Windfield Ranch, LLC, a California Limited Liability Company,

[[Page 50493]]

for the appraised fair market value of $16,000.

DATES: Written comments regarding the proposed sale must be received by 
the BLM on or before September 29, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the proposed sale should be sent 
to the Field Manager, BLM Hollister Field Office, 20 Hamilton Court, 
Hollister, California 95023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Sloand, Realty Specialist, 
BLM Hollister Field Office, 20 Hamilton Court, Hollister, California 
95023, phone (831) 630-5022 or visit the Web site at http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/hollister/realty.html. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above 
individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours 
a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above 
individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The public land described below is proposed 
for direct sale to Windfield Ranch, LLC, the adjoining landowner, in 
accordance with Sections 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended (43 U.S.C. 1713 and 1719):

Mount Diablo Meridian

    T. 14S., R. 6E.,
    Sec. 4, lot 7;
    Sec. 9, lot 2.

    The area described contains approximately 15.61 acres, more or 
less, in San Benito County.
    The public land was first identified as suitable for disposal in 
the 1984 BLM Hollister Resource Management Plan (RMP) and remains 
available for sale under the 2007 Hollister RMP revision. The land is 
not needed for any other Federal purpose and its disposal would be in 
the public interest. The purpose of the sale is to dispose of public 
land which is difficult and uneconomic to manage as part of the public 
lands. The land proposed for sale is difficult and uneconomic for the 
BLM to manage because it is a small, isolated parcel which lacks legal 
access. The BLM is proposing a direct sale to Windfield Ranch, LLC, the 
owner of the adjoining land on three sides of the public land proposed 
for sale. A competitive sale is not considered appropriate because the 
public land lacks legal access and has no practical utility except to 
be incorporated into the adjacent ranch land. The only other adjoining 
landowner has informed the BLM that they have no interest in purchasing 
the land and do not object to the sale of the land to Windfield Ranch, 
LLC. The BLM has completed a mineral potential report which concluded 
there are no known mineral values in the land proposed for sale. The 
BLM proposes that conveyance of the Federal mineral interests would 
occur simultaneously with the sale of the land.
    On August 15, 2011, the above described land will be segregated 
from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including 
the mining laws, except for the sale provisions of the FLPMA. Until 
completion of the sale, the BLM will no longer accept land use 
applications affecting the identified public land, except applications 
for the amendment of previously filed right-of-way applications or 
existing authorizations to increase the term of the grants in 
accordance with 43 CFR 2802.15 and 2886.15. The temporary segregation 
will terminate upon issuance of a patent, publication in the Federal 
Register of a termination of the segregation, or on August 15, 2013, 
unless extended by the BLM State Director in accordance with 43 CFR 
2711.1-2(d) prior to the termination date. The land would not be sold 
until at least October 14, 2011. Windfield Ranch, LLC, would be 
required to pay a $50 nonrefundable filing fee for processing the 
conveyance of the mineral interests. Any conveyance document issued 
would contain the following terms, conditions, and reservations:
    1. A reservation of a right-of-way to the United States for ditches 
and canals constructed by authority of the United States under the Act 
of August 30, 1890 (43 U.S.C. 945);
    2. A condition that the conveyance be subject to all valid existing 
rights of record;
    3. An appropriate indemnification clause protecting the United 
States from claims arising out of the patentee's use, occupancy, or 
operations on the patented land; and
    4. Additional terms and conditions that the authorized officer 
deems appropriate.

Detailed information concerning the proposed land sale including the 
appraisal, planning and environmental documents, and a mineral report 
are available for review at the BLM Hollister Field Office at the 
address above, by calling (831) 630-5022 or visiting our Web site at 
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/hollister/realty.html.
    Public comments regarding the proposed sale may be submitted in 
writing to the attention of the BLM Hollister Field Manager (see 
ADDRESSES above) on or before September 29, 2011. Comments received in 
electronic form, such as e-mail or facsimile, will not be considered. 
Any adverse comments regarding the proposed sale will be reviewed by 
the BLM State Director or other authorized official of the Department 
of the Interior, who may sustain, vacate, or modify this realty action 
in whole or in part. In the absence of timely filed objections, this 
realty action will become the final determination of the Department of 
the Interior.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that 
your entire comment--including your personal identifying information--
may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in 
your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying 
information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

    Authority: 43 CFR 2711.1-2(a) and (c)

Tom Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director, Natural Resources.
[FR Doc. 2011-20658 Filed 8-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P