[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5839-5840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3020]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[NV-930-1430-00; Nev-043278]


Proposed Continuation of Withdrawal; Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, proposes that 
113,260 acres of the Hawthorne Army Depot (HWAD) withdrawal at 
Hawthorne, Nevada, be continued for 75 years. The Bureau of Land 
Management proposes that 69,037 acres of the HWAD withdrawal be 
continued for 20 years.

DATE: Comments should be received by May 8, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments and meeting requests should be sent to the Nevada 
State Director, BLM, 850 Harvard Way, P.O. Box 12000, Reno, Nevada 
89520.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis J. Samuelson, BLM Nevada State 
Office, 702-785-6532.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of the Army, Corps of 
Engineers, proposes that a portion (113,260 acres) of the existing 
withdrawal made by Executive Order No(s). 4531 of October 27, 1926; 
5664 of July 2, 1931; 5828 of March 30, 1932, and 6958 of February 4, 
1935, be continued for a period of 75 years. The Bureau of Land 
Management proposes that 69,037 acres of the same withdrawal be 
continued for a period of 20 years. The continuation will be made 
pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 43 
U.S.C. 1714 (1988).
    The area the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers proposes 
for continuation is described as follows (excluding any non-Federal 
land):

Mount Diablo Meridian

T. 7 N., R. 28 E.,
    Sec. 1.
T. 8 N., R. 28 E.,
    Secs. 1 to 3;
    Sec. 10, E\1/2\;
    Secs. 11 to 14;
    Sec. 15, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Secs. 23 to 25;
    Sec. 36.
T. 9 N., R. 28 E.,
    Sec. 10, S\1/2\;
    Secs. 11 to 15;
    Secs. 22 to 27;
    Secs. 34 to 36, inclusive.
T. 7 N., R. 29 E.,
    Secs. 5 and 6.
T. 8 N., R. 29 E.,
    Secs. 1 to 33.
T. 9 N., R. 29 E.,
    Secs. 1 to 4;
    Secs. 7 to 36, inclusive.
T. 7 N., R. 30 E.,
    Secs. 1 to 3;
    Sec. 4, lot 1, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\ east of 
Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 9, E\1/2\, SW\1/4\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Secs. 10 to 15;
    Sec. 16, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 21, E\1/2\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Secs. 22 to 26;
    Sec. 27, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 34, NE\1/4\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 35, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 36.
T. 8 N., R. 30 E.,
    Sec. 1;
    Sec. 2;
    Sec. 3, lots 4 to 18, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Secs. 4 to 7;
    Sec. 8, lots 1, 2, 5, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 9, lots 4 to 10, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 10, lots 6 to 12;
    Secs. 11 to 14;
    Sec. 15, lots 1 to 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, subdivisions undescribed;
    Sec. 16, lots 4 to 6, subdivisions undescribed;
    Sec. 17, lots 6 to 14, NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 18;
    Sec. 19, lots 5 to 7, NE\1/4\E\1/4\, W\1/2\E\1/2\, W\1/2\;
    Sec. 20, lots 3 to 11, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;

[[Page 5840]]

    Sec. 21, lots 4-8, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, 
NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, subdivisions undescribed;
    Sec. 22, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, subdivision undescribed;
    Secs. 23 to 25;
    Sec. 26, lot 2, E\1/2\E\1/2\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, 
S\1/2\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 33, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\ west of 
Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 34, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\ and W\1/2\SW\1/4\ west of Hwy 359 right-
of-way;
    Sec. 35;
    Sec. 36.
T. 9 N., R. 30 E.,
    Secs. 25 to 36.
T. 7 N., R. 31 E.,
    Secs. 2 to 11;
    Secs. 14 to 23;
    Secs. 26 to 35.
T. 8 N., R. 31 E.,
    Secs. 1 to 23;
    Secs. 26 to 35.
T. 9 N., R. 31 E.,
    Sec. 31.

    The area described contains approximately 113,260 acres in 
Mineral County. The area the Bureau of Land Management proposes for 
continuation is described as follows (excluding any non-Federal 
land):

Mount Diablo Meridian

T. 8 N., R. 29 E.,
    Sec. 1;
    Sec. 12;
    Sec. 13, N\1/2\.
T. 9 N., R. 29 E.,
    Sec. 25;
    Sec. 36.
T. 7 N., R. 30 E.,
    Secs. 1 to 3;
    Sec. 4, lot 1, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\ east of 
Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 9, E\1/2\, SW\1/4\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Secs. 10 to 15;
    Sec. 16, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 21, E\1/2\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Secs. 22 to 26;
    Sec. 27, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 34, NE\1/4\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 35, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 36.
T. 8 N., R. 30 E.,
    Sec. 1;
    Sec. 2;
    Sec. 3, lots 4 to 18, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Secs. 4 to 7, inclusive;
    Sec. 8, lots 1, 2, 5, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 9, lots 4 to 10, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 10, lots 6 to 12;
    Secs. 11 to 14;
    Sec. 15, lots 1 to 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, subdivisions undescribed;
    Sec. 16, lots 4 to 6, subdivisions undescribed;
    Sec. 17, lots 6 to 14, NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 18;
    Sec. 19, lots 5 to 7, NE\1/4\E\1/4\, W\1/2\E\1/2\, W\1/2\;
    Sec. 20, lots 3 to 11, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 21, lots 4 to 8, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/
4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, subdivisions undescribed;
    Sec. 22, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, subdivision undescribed;
    Secs. 23 to 25, inclusive;
    Sec. 26, lot 2, E\1/2\E\1/2\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, 
S\1/2\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 33, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
    Sec. 34, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\, 
SW\1/4\ east of Hwy 359;
    Sec. 35;
    Sec. 36.
T. 9 N., R. 30 E.,
    Secs. 25 to 36.
7 N., R. 31 E.,
    Secs. 2 to 11;
    Secs. 14 to 23;
    Secs. 26 to 35.
T. 8 N., R. 31 E.,
    Secs. 1 to 23;
    Secs. 26 to 35.
    T. 9 N., R. 31 E.,
    Sec. 31.

    The area described contains approximately 60,037 acres in 
Mineral County.

    The HWAD was originally established as a naval ammunition depot. 
The facility was subsequently transferred from the Department of the 
Navy to the Department of the Army. The HWAD serves as the primary 
ammunition depot and plant on the west coast, with service provided to 
the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
    The difference between the portion of the withdrawal proposed for 
continuation by the Army and the portion proposed for continuation by 
the Bureau of Land Management is the Mt. Grant area.
    The Army states that the Mt. Grant watershed is the source of water 
required to support the missions at the HWAD. The Mt. Grant area is 
undeveloped except for a water delivery system maintained by the Army. 
The Army states that full control of the area is needed to monitor and 
control access by the public. The Army is concerned that uncontrolled 
access could lead to degradation of the watershed. The Army has 
acquired non-Federal land in the Mt. Grant area in order to protect the 
watershed. Degradation of the watershed would require the Army to 
install an expensive water filtration system. The Army contends that 
Mt. Grant is being used for the purpose for which it was withdrawn, 
which is to provide water in support of the depot. At one time, a small 
portion of the Mt. Grant area was used as a live fire area and is 
contaminated by munitions. The Army has been making periodic sweeps of 
this area for clean up purposes.
    The Bureau of Land Management's finding is that the Mt. Grant area 
is not being used for the purpose for which it was withdrawn, which is 
``development and use as an ammunition depot.'' Although there is a 
water delivery system that supports the depot, that system can be 
authorized by a right-of-way reservation to the Army. The BLM has 
mechanisms, such land use planning decisions, to protect the watershed. 
Mt. Grant is generally undeveloped and pristine and the area has 
outstanding scenic, natural, and recreation values. Currently, access 
by the public is allowed, but controlled by the Army. The Bureau of 
Land Management can manage the Mt. Grant area for recreation while 
protecting the watershed values for the Army.
    For a period of 90 days from the date of publication of this 
notice, all persons who wish to submit comments in connection with the 
proposed continuation of the withdrawals may present their views in 
writing to the Lands Team Lead in the Nevada State Office. The 
authorized officer of the Bureau of Land Management will undertake such 
investigations as are necessary to determine the existing and potential 
demand for the land and its resources. A report will also be prepared 
for consideration by the Secretary of the Interior, the President, and 
Congress, who will determine whether or not the withdrawals will be 
continued and if so, for how long. The final determination on the 
continuation of the withdrawals will be published in the Federal 
Register. The existing withdrawals will continue until such final 
determination is made. The withdrawals segregate the land from 
operation of the public land laws generally, including the mining laws, 
but not the mineral leasing laws.

    Dated: January 28, 1997.
William K. Stowers,
Lands Team Lead.
[FR Doc. 97-3020 Filed 2-6-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P