4322 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 19 / Wednesday, January 29, 1997 / Notices

amendment are to be submitted to:

Bureau of Land Management, Attention:

Las Vegas District Manager, 4765 Vegas

Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89108.

Comments can also be hand delivered to

the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael F. Dwyer, Las Vegas District

Manager, Cheryl Frassa, Reality

Specialist or Jeffrey G. Steinmetz,

Planning and Environmental

Coordinator, at (702) 647–5000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The lands

identified for the exchange are within

the Community District 2 (CD2)

designation which Clark County

Comprehensive Planning has

developed. The purpose of CD2 is to

guide growth where urban development

already exists. Therefore, the

amendment and exchange are consistent

with County development guidelines.

The federal lands (105 acres)

identified by the proponent are not

within the existing land disposal

boundary designated in the Clark

County Management Framework Plan,

for the Las Vegas Valley.

Dated: January 15, 1997.

Michael F. Dwyer,

District Manager, Las Vegas District.

[FR Doc. 97–2121 Filed 1–28–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–HC–M

[NM–030–1430–00; NMNM 96543]

Notice of Realty Action; Public Land

Purchase for Recreation and Public

Purposes (R&PP Act) as Amended,

Sierra County

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management

(BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Realty Action.

SUMMARY: The following described

public land in Sierra County, New

Mexico, has been identified and

examined and found suitable for

purchase for recreational or public

purposes under the provisions of the

R&PP Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 869 et

seq.). Sierra County proposes to use the

land for a solid waste transfer station.

T. 16 S., R. 7 W., NMPM

sec. 10, NW1⁄4SW1⁄4NW1⁄4SW1⁄4.

Containing 21⁄2 acres more or less.

DATES: Comments regarding the

proposed conveyance or classification

must be submitted on or before March

17, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to

the BLM, Las Cruces District Office,

1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, New

Mexico 88005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bernie Creager at the address above or

at (505) 525–4325.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The land

is not required for any Federal purpose.

The purchase is consistent with the

current Bureau planning for this area

and would be in the public interest. The

conveyance will be subject to the

following terms, conditions, and

reservations:

1. A right-of-way thereon for ditches

and canals constructed by the authority

of the United States, Act of August 30,

1890 (U.S.C. 945).

2. The subject parcel will be conveyed

in accordance with the approved plan of

development and management. The

mineral estate will be conveyed

simultaneously pursuant to Section 209

of the Act of October 21, 1976 (43 U.S.C.

1719).

3. All valid existing rights

documented on the official public land

records at the time of patent issuance.

4. Subject to a 30-foot easement over

an existing road through the parcel.

Detailed information concerning this

action is available for review at the

BLM, Cruces District Office, 1800

Marquess, Las Cruces, New Mexico

88005. Upon publication of this notice

in the Federal Register, the lands will

be segregated from all forms of

appropriation under the public land

laws, including the general mining laws,

except for conveyance under the R&PP

Act, as amended.

For a period of 45 days from the date

of publication of this notice in the

Federal Register, interested parties may

submit comments to the District

Manager, Las Cruces District Office,

1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, New

Mexico 88005. Any adverse comments

will be reviewed by the State Director.

In the absence of any adverse

comments, the classification of the land

described in this Notice will become

effective 60 days from the date of

publication in the Federal Register. The

land will not be offered for purchase

until after the classification becomes

effective.

Dated: January 23, 1997.

Linda S.C. Rundell,

District Manager.

[FR Doc. 97–2214 Filed 1–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–VC–P

[NV–020–1990–01]

Record of Decision

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability, Record of

Decision for Sante Fe Pacific Gold

Corporation’s Twin Creeks Mine

Expansion Project.

DATES: The Record of Decision will be

distributed and made available to the

public on January 23, 1997. Anyone

wishing to appeal the Record of

Decision has 30 days following the date

of publication of this notice in the

Federal Register. The appeal must be

postmarked no later than February 27,

1997.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the Record of

Decision can be obtained from: Bureau

of Land Management, Winnemucca

District Office, 5100 East Winnemucca

Boulevard, Winnemucca, Nevada 89445.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Gerald L. Moritz, Project Manager, at the

above Winnemucca District address or

telephone (702) 623–1500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Record of Decision consists of the action

proposed in the Plan of Operation and

analyzed in the Draft and Final

Environmental Impact Statements. The

agency Preferred Alternative includes

all components of the Proposed Action,

as well as the Partial Vista Pit Backfill

alternative, the Overburden and

Interburden Storage Area Reclamation

alternative 1, West Side alternative, and

the East Side alternative. The Agency

Preferred Alternative is also the

environmentally preferred alternative

incorporating mitigation and monitoring

measures. The Proposed Action consists

of expanding mining and ore processing

activities at the Twin Creeks Mine.

Dated: January 22, 1997.

Bud C. Cribley,

Acting Winnemucca District Manager.

[FR Doc. 97–2278 Filed 1–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–HC–M

Minerals Management Service

Outer Continental Shelf, Western Gulf

of Mexico, Oil and Gas Lease Sales

171, 174, 177, and 180

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service

(MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Call for Information and

Nominations and Notice of Intent (Call/

NOI) to Prepare an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS).

Call for Information and Nominations

1. Authority

This Call is published pursuant to the

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands

Act as amended (43 U.S.C. 1331–1356,

(1994)), and the regulations issued

thereunder (30 CFR Part 256).
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 19 / Wednesday, January 29, 1997 / Notices 4323

2. Purpose of Call

The purpose of the Call is to gather

information for the following tentatively

scheduled OCS Lease Sales in the

Western Gulf of Mexico (WGOM):

Sale No. Tentative sale

date

171 ..................................... Aug. 1998.

174 ..................................... Aug. 1999.

177 ..................................... Aug. 2000.

178 ..................................... Aug. 2001.

Information and nominations on oil

and gas leasing, exploration, and

development and production within the

WGOM are sought from all interested

parties. This early planning and

consultation step is important for

ensuring that all interests and concerns

are communicated to the Department of

the Interior for future decisions in the

leasing process pursuant to the OCS

Lands Act and regulations at 30 CFR

256.

This is the second issuance of a

multisale Call by MMS for proposed

Gulf of Mexico sales in the 5-year

program for 1997–2002. A multisale Call

for Central Gulf of Mexico (CGOM) sales

in the new 5-year program was

published in August 1996. Responses

are requested relative to all sales

included herein. The MMS has

modified its prelease planning and

decision process for proposed Central

and Western Gulf lease sales. This

multisale process is based on over a

dozen years of leasing at an annual pace

which have shown that the sale

proposals in the WGOM and the CGOM

are very similar from year to year. The

multisale process in the WGOM will

incorporate planning and analysis for

four sales: Sales 171, 174, 177, and 180.

(The first WGOM sale in the new 5-year

program, scheduled for August 1997,

was covered in an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) filed in

December 1996.) From the initial step in

the process (the Call for Information and

Nominations) through the final EIS/

Consistency Determination (CD) step,

this process will cover multiple sale

proposals. There will also be complete

National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA), OCS Lands Act, and Coastal

Zone Management Act coverage for each

sale after the first sale—either an

Environmental Assessment (EA) or

Supplemental EIS and a CD, focusing

primarily on new issues or changes in

a State’s federally-approved coastal

management plan, will be prepared for

each subsequent sale. A proposed and

final Notice of Sale will be prepared for

each proposed sale.

This Call does not indicate a

preliminary decision to lease in the area

described below. Final delineation of

the area for possible leasing will be

made at a later date and in compliance

with applicable laws including all

requirements of the NEPA and the OCS

Lands Act. Established departmental

procedures will be employed.

3. Description of Area

The general area of the Call covers the

entire WGOM. The WGOM is bounded

on the west and north by the FederalState boundary offshore Texas; the

eastern boundary begins at the offshore

boundary between Texas and Louisiana

and proceeds southeasterly to

approximately 28 degrees North

latitude, thence east to approximately

92 degrees West longitude, thence south

to the provisional maritime boundary

with Mexico which constitutes the

southern boundary of the area. It is

offshore Texas and, in deeper water,

offshore Louisiana. The area available

for nominations and comments at this

time consists of approximately 35.9

million acres, of which approximately

28.4 million acres are currently

unleased.

A standard Call for Information Map

depicting the WGOM on a block-byblock basis is available without charge

from: Minerals Management Service,

Public Information Unit (MS 5034),

1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, New

Orleans, Louisiana 70123–2394,

Telephone: 1–800–200–GULF.

4. Areas Excluded From This Call

The entire WGOM is proposed for

possible leasing except two blocks in

the vicinity of the East and West Flower

Garden Banks (and the Flower Garden

Banks National Marine Sanctuary): High

Island Area, East Addition, South

Extension, Blocks A–375 and A–398;

and three blocks near Corpus Christi,

Texas, which are used by the Navy for

mine warfare exercises: Mustang Island

Area Blocks 793, 799, and 816.

5. Instructions on Call

Indications of interest and comments

must be received no later than 45 days

following publication of this document

in the Federal Register in envelopes

labeled ‘‘Nominations for Proposed

1998–2001 Lease Sales in the Western

Gulf of Mexico’’ or ‘‘Comments on the

Call for Information and Nominations

for Proposed 1998–2001 Lease Sales in

the Western Gulf of Mexico.’’ The

standard Call for Information Map and

indications of interest and/or comments

must be submitted to the Regional

Supervisor, Leasing and Environment,

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, at the above

address.

The standard Call for Information

Map delineates the Call area, all of

which has been identified by the MMS

as having potential for the discovery of

accumulations of oil and gas.

Respondents are requested to indicate

interest in the comment on any or all of

the Federal acreage within the

boundaries of the Call area that they

wish to have included in each of the

proposed sales in the WGOM.

Although individual indications of

interest are considered to be privileged

and proprietary information, the names

of persons or entities indicating interest

or submitting comments will be of

public record. Those indicating such

interest are required to do so on the

standard Call for Information Map by

outlining the areas of interest along

block lines.

Respondents should rank areas in

which they have expressed interest

according to priority of their interest

(e.g., priority 1 [high], 2 [medium], or 3

[low]). Respondents are encouraged to

be specific in indicating blocks by

priority, as blanket nominations on large

areas are not useful in the analysis of

industry interest. Areas where interest

has been indicated but on which

respondents have not indicated

priorities will be considered priority 3

(low).

Respondents may also submit a

detailed list of blocks nominated (by

Official Protraction Diagram and

Leasing Map designations) to ensure

correct interpretation of their

nominations. Specific questions may be

directed to the Chief, Leasing Activities

Section at (504) 736–2761. Official

Protraction Diagrams and Leasing Maps

can be purchased from the Public

Information Unit referred to above.

Comments are sought from all

interested parties about particular

geological environmental, biological,

archaeological and socioeconomic

conditions or conflicts, or other

information that might bear upon the

potential leasing and development of

particular areas. Comments are also

sought on possible conflicts between

future OCS oil and gas activities that

may result from the proposed sales and

State Coastal management Programs

(CMP). If possible, these comments

should identify specific CMP policies of

concern, the nature of the conflict

foreseen, and steps that the MMS could

take to avoid or mitigate the potential

conflict. Comments may either be in

terms of broad areas or restricted to

particular blocks of concern. Those

submitting comments are requested to

list block numbers or outline the subject
4324 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 19 / Wednesday, January 29, 1997 / Notices

area in the standard Call for Information

Map.

6. Use of Information From Call

Information submitted in response to

this Call will be used for several

purposes. First, responses will be used

to identify the areas of potential for oil

and gas development. Second,

comments on possible environmental

effects and potential use conflicts will

be used in the analysis of environmental

conditions in and near the Call area.

This information will be used to make

a preliminary determination of the

potential advantages and disadvantages

of oil and gas exploration and

development to the region and the

Nation. A third purpose for this Call is

to use the comments collected in the

scoping process for the Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) and to develop

proposed actions and alternatives.

Fourth, comments may be used in

developing lease terms and conditions

to ensure safe offshore operations. And,

fifth, comments may be used to assess

potential conflicts between offshore oil

and gas activities and a State CMP.

7. Existing Information

The MMS routinely assesses the

status of information acquisition efforts

and the quality of the information base

for potential decisions on tentatively

scheduled lease sales. As a result of this

continually ongoing assessment, it has

been determined that the status of the

existing data available for planning,

analysis, and decisionmaking is

adequate and extensive.

An extensive environmental studies

program has been underway in the

WGOM since 1973. The emphasis,

including continuing studies, has been

on environmental characterization of

biologically sensitive habitats, physical

oceanography, ocean-circulation

modeling, socioeconomic effects, and

ecological effects of oil and gas

activities. A complete listing of

available study reports and information

for ordering copies can be obtained from

the Public Information Unit referenced

above or from the MMS homepage on

the Internet at http://www.mms.gov.

The reports may also be ordered, for a

fee, from the U.S. Department of

Commerce, National Technical

Information Service, 5285 Port Royal

Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161, or

telephone (703) 487–4650. In addition,

a program status report for continuing

studies in this area can be obtained from

the Chief, Environmental Studies

Section, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (see

address under ‘‘Description of Area’’), or

telephone (504) 736–2896.

Summary Reports and Indices and

technical and geological reports are

available for review at the MMS, Gulf of

Mexico OCS Region. Copies of the Gulf

of Mexico OCS Regional Summary

Reports may be obtained from the

Technical Communication Service,

Minerals Management Service, at 381

Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170,

telephone: (703) 787–1080.

8. Tentative Schedule

The following is a list of tentative

milestone dates applicable to sales

covered by this Call:

Multisale process

milestones for proposed 1998–2001

WGOM sales

Call/NOI published .... Jan. 1997.

Comments due on

Call/NOI.

March 1997.

Area Identification ..... April 1997.

Draft EIS published ... Nov. 1997.

Public Hearings ......... Dec. 1997.

Final EIS published ... May 1998.

Sale-specific process

milestones for proposed 1998–2001

WGOM sales

Request for Information to Begin SaleSpecific Process.12 months before

each sale.

Environmental Review

(EA/FONSI/SEIS)

published.

4 to 7 months before

each sale.

Proposed Notice and

Consistency Determination.

4 months before each

sale.

Final Notice of Sale ... 1 month before each

sale.

Tentative Sale Date .. August of each year.

Notice of Intent To Preoare an

Environmental Impact Statement

1. Authority

The NOI is published pursuant to the

regulations (40 CFR 1501.7)

implementing the provisions of the

National Environmental Policy Act of

1969, as amended (42 USC 4321 et seq.

(1988)(NEPA).

2. Purpose of Notice of Intent

Pursuant to the regulations

implementing the procedural provisions

of the NEPA, the MMS is announcing its

intent to prepare a multisale EIS on the

tentatively scheduled 1998–2001 oil and

gas leasing proposals in the WGOM,

offshore Texas and in deeper water

offshore Louisiana. The NOI also serves

to announce the scoping process that

will be followed for this EIS.

Throughout the scoping process,

Federal Agencies and State and local

governments and other interested

parties have the opportunity to aid the

MMS in determining the significant

issues and alternatives to be analyzed in

the EIS.

The EIS analysis will focus on the

potential environmental effects of

leasing, exploration, and development

of the blocks included in the areas

defined in the Area Identification

procedure as the proposed areas of the

Federal actions. Alternatives to the

proposals which may be considered for

each sale are to delay the sale, cancel

the sale, or modify the sale.

3. New EIS Procedure

MMS is proposing to prepare a single

EIS for all four proposed WGOM sales

from 1998 to 2001. The resource

estimates and scenario information on

which the EIS analyses are based will be

presented as a range of resources and

activities that would encompass any of

the four proposed sales in the WGOM.

The proposal will provide several

benefits. It will focus the NEPA process

by making impact types and levels that

change between sales more easily

recognizable. New issues will be more

easily highlighted for the

decisionsmakers and public. For sales

after 1998, the process will allow for

presale planning that spans only 1 year,

rather than the current 2-year process

which causes confusion because of the

overlap in planning for sales in

successive years and makes it difficult

for the decisionmaker, industry, and the

public to keep track of which sale

process is being referred to for any given

decision point. It will also eliminate the

repetitive issuance of a complete EIS for

each sale, a practice that has resulted in

‘‘review burnout’’ in Federal, State, and

local governments, and the public.

The proposed actions analyzed in the

EIS will be each of the sales on the 5-

year schedule for the Western Gulf of

Mexico planning area. The EIS will

include an analysis of the

environmental effects of holding one

sale, a sale ‘‘typical’’ of any in the

planning area, which may be held in the

remainder of the 5-year program. The

scenario will cover a range of resources

and activities that will encompass any

of the four proposed actions. Later sales

can then be compared to the initial

analysis in an environmental

assessment or supplemental

environmental impact statement.

Formal consultation with the public

will be initiated in subsequent years to

obtain input to assist in the

determination of whether or not the

information and analyses in the original

multisale EIS are still valid. An

Information Request would be issued
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 19 / Wednesday, January 29, 1997 / Notices 4325

that will specifically describe the action

for which we are requesting input.

4. Instructions on NOI To Prepare and

EIS

Federal Agencies and State and local

governments and other interested

parties are requested to send their

written comments on the scope of the

EIS, significant issues which should be

addressed, and alternatives that should

be considered to the Regional

Supervisor, Leasing and Environment,

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, at the

address stated under ‘‘Description of

Area.’’ Comments should be enclosed in

an envelope labeled ‘‘Comments on the

NOI to Prepare an EIS on the proposed

1998–2001 Lease Sales in the Western

Gulf of Mexico.’’ Comments on the NOI

should be submitted no later than 45

days from publication of this Notice.

Scoping meetings will be held in

appropriate locations to obtain

additional comments and information

regarding the scope of the EIS.

Dated: January 23, 1997.

Cynthia Quarterman,

Director, Minerals Management Service.

[FR Doc. 97–2210 Filed 1–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–M

National Park Service

General Management Plan; Final

Environmental Impact Statement;

Manzanar National Historic Site;

Record of Decision

Summary: Pursuant to Section

102(2)(C) of the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91–190 as

amended), and specifically to

regulations promulgated by the Council

on Environmental Quality at 40 CFR

1505.2, the National Park Service,

Department of the Interior, has

approved a Record of Decision (ROD)

for the Final General Management Plan

and Environmental Impact Statement,

Manzanar National Historic Site,

California.

The National Park Service will

implement the proposed plan as

identified in the Final Environmental

Impact Statement, dated August, 1996.

Copies of the Record of Decision and

final environmental impact statement

may be obtained by writing to the

Superintendent, Manzanar National

Historic Site, P.O. Box 426,

Independence, CA. 93526–0426 or by

calling the park at (619) 878–2932.

Dated: January 8, 1997.

Stanley T. Albright,

Field Director, Pacific West Area.

[FR Doc. 97–2072 Filed 1–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

Rock Creek Tennis Stadium Record of

Decision

Summary

Pursuant to § 102(2)(C) of the National

Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C.

4332 et seq.) and the regulations

promulgated by the Council of

Environmental Quality (40 CFR 1505.2),

the Department of the Interior, National

Park Service, has prepared a Record of

Decision on the Final Environmental

Impact Statement for the Rock Creek

Tennis Center and Associated

Recreation Fields, Washington, D.C.,

(FES 950286). This Record of Decision

is a concise statement of what decisions

were made, what alternatives were

considered, the basis for the decision,

and the mitigating measures developed

to avoid or minimize environmental

impacts.

Background

The purpose of the Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) was to examine

impacts related to the activities at the

tennis center and surrounding fields so

those impacts could be considered in

making a decision regarding future

management of the Rock Creek Park

Tennis Center and associated recreation

fields. Currently, two major professional

tennis tournaments a year may be held

at the stadium under the auspices of the

Washington Tennis Foundation. The

Washington Tennis Foundation, as well

as other groups and organizations, has

asked to use the tennis center for a

variety of activities.

Decision

The National Park Service will

implement alternative 2, the preferred

alternative, with two modifications.

Alternative 2 allows for one

professional tennis tournament to be

held annually at the tennis center.

Amateur and league tennis and public

court use and instruction would

continue. This alternative assumes that

the professional tournament would be

operated in accordance with the Interim

Operating Plan between the National

Park Service and the Washington Tennis

Foundation and existing regulations (36

CFR 7.96) with regard to limited

commercial activities at the tennis

center.

The modifications to alternative 2 are

as follows. First, the National Park

Service will retain management

authority to consider allowing a second

large-scale tennis event on a case-bycase basis under certain circumstances

(but only when such an event would

generate a significant amount of funding

in advance for tennis programs for

youth, seniors and special populations).

Second, the National Park Service will

retain management authority to consider

allowing parking on the grass

recreational field south of Morrow Drive

(the south field) on a trial basis in

varying configurations provided that

weather and field conditions permit and

provided that recreational opportunities

on the field remain and can be

satisfactorily segregated.

In order to implement this decision,

previous agreements with the

Washington Tennis Foundation that

allow a second tournament would be

superseded by a new agreement

restricting the use of the center to one

annual professional tournament. The

Washington Tennis Foundation would

not have any contractual rights to a

second tournament. As part of the new

agreement, the National Park Service

would seek funding or reimbursement

from the Washington Tennis

Foundation for repairs of structural

defects and/or accessibility

modifications to the tennis stadium.

The annual professional tennis

tournament would last approximately

20 days—7 days for the setup of

equipment and facilities, 8 days of

tournament play, and 5 days for

takedown of equipment and facilities.

Attendance would be limited to 7,500

spectators per session.

In addition to restrictions for parking

on the fields that were incorporated into

alternative 2, the mitigation measures

adopted are improving uses of remote

parking lots and a shuttle bus system,

attempting to restrict on-street parking,

and prohibiting concurrent events at

both the Rock Creek Tennis Center and

the Carter Barron Amphitheatre.

Alternatives Considered

Four alternatives were dismissed from

further analysis in the EIS. Changing the

jurisdiction of stadium management

from the National Park Service to

another governmental entity such as the

District of Columbia and operating all

stadium activities under a concession

contract were eliminated because these

alternatives would not alter the

magnitude of the impacts. Creating a

recreational use zone encompassing the

stadium and fields with distinct

operational policies and objectives, and

limiting the attendance levels and

duration of stadium activities were

incorporated into the alternatives as

mitigation measures, where appropriate,