[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 188 (Friday, September 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79305-79306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22130]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_NM_FRN_MO4500180051; NMNM-035829]


Notice of Application for Withdrawal Extension, Public Meeting, 
and Availability of a Legislative Environmental Assessment; McGregor 
Range, New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of proposed extension.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army (Army) filed an application with 
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for extension of the withdrawal of 
public lands for the Army's use for the McGregor Range, located in 
Otero County, New Mexico. The McGregor Range encompasses 608,385 acres 
that Congress withdrew from all forms of appropriation under the public 
land laws, including the mining, mineral leasing, and geothermal 
leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights, for a 25-year period 
and reserved for the Army's use. The current withdrawal will expire on 
November 6, 2026, unless Congress approves the extension. This notice 
advises the public of an opportunity to comment on the application, 
attend a public meeting, and review the legislative environmental 
assessment (EA).

DATES: Comments regarding this withdrawal application must be received 
by December 26, 2024. In addition, the BLM and the Army will host 
public meetings addressing the withdrawal application.
    The BLM and the Army will hold a virtual public meeting in 
connection with the proposed withdrawal extension on November 20, 2024, 
via Zoom at 6 p.m. (Mountain Time). To register for the meeting, visit 
https://blm.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_0NWB3vqpSUuJzi955PHQpw.

ADDRESSES: All comments should be sent to State Director, Bureau of 
Land Management, New Mexico State Office, 301 Dinosaur Trail, Santa Fe, 
New Mexico 87508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jillian Aragon, Project Manager, 
Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office, telephone: 505-564-
7722 or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#79131e180b181e1617391b1514571e160f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cba1acaab9aaaca4a58ba9a7a6e5aca4bd">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of 
hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals 
outside the United States

[[Page 79306]]

should use the relay services offered within their country to make 
international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3011(d) of the Military Lands 
Withdrawal Act (MLWA) of 1999 (Pub. L. 106-65) withdrew approximately 
608,385 acres of public land for the McGregor Range from all forms of 
appropriation under public land laws and reserved them for use by the 
Army. The withdrawal will expire on November 6, 2026, unless extended 
by Congress. The Army has filed an application for extension of the 
current withdrawal for 25 years. Extension of the withdrawal is 
warranted by the purpose of the withdrawal established by Congress: to 
allow for continued military use of the McGregor Range, which is used 
to train military personnel and test equipment to meet nationally 
directed missions and requirements.
    The public land withdrawn under Public Law 106-65 encompasses 
approximately 608,385 acres in Otero County, New Mexico. As noted in a 
previous Federal Register notice (66 FR 26881, May 15, 2001), this land 
is accurately described under a previous Federal Register notice (52 FR 
18960, May 20, 1987) and two Federal Register correction notices (52 FR 
22577, June 12, 1987; 52 FR 26188, July 13, 1987).
    The Engle Act (Pub. L. 85-337, 43 U.S.C. 155-157) requires 
withdrawals for defense purposes of more than 5,000 acres in the 
aggregate for any one defense project or facility to be authorized by 
an Act of Congress. Section 3016 of the MLWA requires the Army to 
notify the Secretary of the Interior and Congress whether there is a 
continuing military need for the withdrawn land. The Army and the 
Department of the Interior (DOI) intend to submit a legislative 
proposal for extension of the withdrawal and reservation to Congress 
not later than May 1, 2025.
    As required by section 204(b)(1) of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C. 1714(b)(1), and BLM regulations at 43 
CFR part 2300, the BLM is publishing notice of the Army's application. 
While the BLM and the DOI assist the Army with the processing of 
withdrawal applications, and the Secretary of the Interior makes a 
recommendation to Congress on applications for withdrawals of this size 
for defense purposes, Congress will decide whether to extend the 
existing withdrawal for the McGregor Range.
    The Army is preparing a legislative EA in support of the 
legislative proposal and is conducting public scoping under NEPA. The 
Army will host a joint virtual public scoping meeting and will accept 
comments on potential alternatives, potential environment impacts, 
information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action. The BLM is 
participating as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the 
legislative EA. Information on the environmental review process can be 
viewed using the link in the ADDRESSES section. This notice invites the 
public to comment on the application for withdrawal extension, notifies 
the public that a public meeting will occur, and provides the 
opportunity for the public to review the legislative EA.
    For a period until December 26, 2024, all persons who wish to 
submit comments in connection with the withdrawal application and the 
legislative EA may present their comments in writing to the address 
listed in the ADDRESSES section. All comments received will be 
considered before the Secretary of the Interior makes any 
recommendation to Congress.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware 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 your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.
    The withdrawal extension application will be processed in 
accordance with MLWA, and to the extent consistent with MWLA, the 
regulations set forth in 43 CFR 2310.4.

(Authority: 43 CFR 2310.4)

Melanie G. Barnes,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-22130 Filed 9-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-23-P


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