Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 191 / Wednesday, October 2, 2024 / Notices 80263 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[BLM_NM_FRN_MO4500181426; 

NM105857366)] 

Notice of Competitive Offer for Solar 

Energy Development on Public Land in 

Don ̃ a Ana County, NM 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior 

ACTION: Notice of competitive offer. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) is accepting 

competitive bids on one parcel of public 

land in Don ̃ a Ana County, New Mexico, 

for solar energy development. The 

parcel offered for lease, Parcel 5, is 

located within the Afton Solar Energy 

Zone (SEZ). Bidders in this competitive 

bid process are competing to become the 

presumptive leaseholder of the specified 

lease. 

DATES: The BLM will hold an in-person, 

competitive oral auction on November 

14, 2024, at 10 a.m. Mountain Time. 

Interested bidders are required to preregister for the in-person competitive 

oral auction by November 1, 2024, to 

allow sufficient time for the BLM to 

verify their qualifications and variable 

offsets (discounts). To register or learn 

more information about this effort, visit 

https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/ 

project/2032349/510. 

ADDRESSES: The competitive live 

auction will be held at the BLM Las 

Cruces District Office, 1800 Marquess 

Street, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

BLM Project Manager Paula Montez at 

telephone: (575) 525–4387 or email: 

pmontez@blm.gov. Individuals in the 

United States who are deaf, deafblind, 

hard of hearing, or have a speech 

disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 

Tele Braille) to access 

telecommunications relay services. 

Individuals outside the United States 

should use the relay services offered 

within their country to make 

international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM 

received a high level of interest in the 

development of solar energy projects 

within the Afton SEZ, including 

through the submission of nominations 

and expressions of interest. 

Parcel 5 Information 

The BLM is conducting an in-person 

oral auction to lease one parcel of land: 

Parcel 5, consisting of approximately 

937.5 acres of public lands within the 

Afton SEZ. The area is described as 

follows: 

New Mexico Principal Meridian, New 

Mexico 

T. 25 S., R. 1 E., 

Sec. 15, W1⁄2NE1⁄4, W1⁄2, NW1⁄4SE1⁄4, 

NE1⁄4NE1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4, 

W1⁄2NE1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4, 

W1⁄2NE1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4, 

NW1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4, 

W1⁄2SW1⁄4SE1⁄4, and W1⁄2SE1⁄4SW1⁄4SE1⁄4; 

Sec. 21, E1⁄2NE1⁄4, NW1⁄4NE1⁄4, 

NE1⁄4SW1⁄4NE1⁄4, N1⁄2SE1⁄4SW1⁄4NE1⁄4, 

SE1⁄4SE1⁄4SW1⁄4NE1⁄4, NE1⁄4NW1⁄4, 

NE1⁄4NW1⁄4NW1⁄4, E1⁄2NW1⁄4NW1⁄4NW1⁄4, 

S1⁄2NW1⁄4NW1⁄4, and N1⁄2N1⁄2NE1⁄4SE1⁄4; 

Sec. 22, W1⁄2NW1⁄4NE1⁄4, 

W1⁄2W1⁄2SW1⁄4NE1⁄4, NW1⁄4, N1⁄2N1⁄2

SW1⁄4, N1⁄2SW1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4, 

SE1⁄4SW1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4, and 

SE1⁄4NE1⁄4SW1⁄4. 

The area described is 937.5 acres. 

Any lease issued will be subject to the 

terms and conditions specified in 43 

CFR 2809.18, requirements identified 

through site-specific environmental 

analysis, and the terms and conditions 

outlined in the Determination of 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) Adequacy document, dated July 

27, 2024. 

Auction Information 

As provided for in 43 CFR 2809.13(a), 

bidding will occur through an in-person 

oral auction. More information will be 

made available at https://

eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/ 

project/2032349/510. 

Interested bidders are required to preregister with the BLM by November 1, 

2024, to allow sufficient time for the 

BLM to verify bidders’ qualifications 

and variable offsets. As required in 43 

CFR 2803.10, bidders must be: 

• An individual, association, 

corporation, partnership, or similar 

business entity, a Federal agency, or a 

State, Tribal, or local government; 

• Technically and financially able to 

construct, operate, maintain, and 

terminate the use of the public lands 

being applied for; and 

• Of legal age and authorized to do 

business in New Mexico. 

Bidders may demonstrate their 

technical and financial capability by: 

• Providing documentation of any 

successful experience in construction, 

operation, and maintenance of a similar 

sized solar facility on either public or 

non-public lands; and 

• Providing documentation on the 

availability of sufficient capitalization to 

carry out development, including the 

preliminary study stage of the project 

and the environmental review and 

clearance process. 

In order to be considered for a 

variable offset, bidders must submit 

their documentation to the BLM with 

their pre-registration packages. 

Pre-registered bidders will be 

confirmed before the auction 

commences. To review complete details, 

frequently asked questions on the 

screening and bidding process, and to 

register for the auction, please visit: 

https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/ 

project/2032349/510. 

The BLM has determined a minimum 

acceptable bid for Parcel 5. The 

minimum bid represents the rent value 

of the land for 1 year under the BLM’s 

solar per-acre rent schedule and an 

administrative fee of approximately $24 

per acre. This cost covers the BLM’s 

costs of preparing and conducting the 

competitive sale process. Rounding up 

to the nearest thousand-dollar value, the 

BLM has determined the minimum bid 

for Parcel 5 is $26,000. Bidding will 

start with the minimum bid and 

increase with subsequent bonus bids. 

The bonus bid consists of any dollar 

amount that a bidder wishes to bid in 

addition to the minimum bid. Variable 

offsets of up to 20 percent are available 

for qualified bidders. Variable offsets 

will reduce the bonus bid amount (not 

the minimum bid) that must be paid by 

the percent in which the bidder 

qualified. To qualify for variable offsets, 

bidders must meet any of the following 

criteria, each of which individually 

represents a potential percentage offset 

as indicated: (1) the bidder has 

submitted a nomination within the 

Afton SEZ prior to this notice of 

competitive offer (10 percent offset); 

and/or (2) the bidder proposes lowwater use technology, for example 

photovoltaic development (5 percent 

offset); and/or (3) the bidder has control 

of other lands in immediate proximity 

for solar development (5 percent offset). 

Bidders wishing to utilize the variable 

offset must submit documentation 

showing their qualifications with their 

bids. 

The bidder with the highest total bid 

(minimum and bonus bid), prior to any 

variable offsets, at the close of the 

auction will be the successful bidder 

and may become the presumptive 

leaseholder in accordance with 43 CFR 

2809.15(b). The successful bidder will 

become the presumptive leaseholder 

only if they: (1) satisfy the qualifications 

in 43 CFR 2803.10 and 43 CFR 2809.15; 

and (2) make the required payments 

listed in this notice per 43 CFR 

2809.15(d); and (3) do not have any 

trespass action pending against them for 

any activity on BLM-administered lands 

or have any unpaid debts owed to the 

Federal Government. Once all 

requirements of 43 CFR 2803.10 and 43 

CFR 2809.15 are met, including BLM 

approval of the proposed Plan of 

Development, as outlined in 43 CFR 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
80264 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 191 / Wednesday, October 2, 2024 / Notices 

1The record is defined in § 207.2(f) of the 

Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 

CFR 207.2(f)). 

2809.15(b)(ii), as well as NEPA 

conformance, the presumptive 

leaseholder will become the 

leaseholder. The leaseholder must then 

submit a final Plan of Development in 

accordance with 43 CFR 2809.18(c). 

The successful bidder will not 

become the presumptive leaseholder if 

they do not satisfy the requirements in 

43 CFR 2809.15, do not execute the 

lease, or is for any reason disqualified 

from holding the lease. In the case when 

the successful bidder does not satisfy 

the requirements to become a 

presumptive leaseholder, the BLM may 

make the next highest bidder the 

successful bidder or re-offer the lands. 

The BLM will keep all money that has 

been submitted with the competitive 

process if the successful bidder does not 

satisfy the requirements of 43 CFR 

2809.15(d). 

The successful bidder must submit 

payment of the minimum bid and at 

least 20 percent of the winning bonus 

bid to the BLM Las Cruces District 

Office no later than noon on November 

15, 2024. Within 15 calendar days after 

the auction, the successful bidder must: 

(1) pay the balance of the bonus bid 

(after the variable offsets are applied); 

and (2) submit the acreage rent for the 

first full year of the solar energy 

development lease. This amount will be 

applied toward the first 12 months 

acreage rent if the successful bidder 

becomes the leaseholder. 

Any required payments must be 

submitted by personal check, cashier’s 

check, certified check, bank draft (wire 

transfer or Automated Clearing House), 

or money order, or by other means 

deemed acceptable by the BLM, payable 

to the Department of the Interior— 

Bureau of Land Management. The 

administrative fee portion of the 

minimum bid will be retained by the 

agency to recover administrative costs 

for conducting the competitive bidding 

and related processes. The remainder of 

the minimum bid and bonus bid will be 

deposited with the U.S. Treasury. There 

will be no returned or refunded money 

to the successful bidder(s). 

Only interests in issued right-of-way 

(ROW) leases are assignable under the 

regulations at 43 CFR 2807.21. The 

interest acquired by the successful 

bidder from this auction may not be 

assigned or sold to another party prior 

to the issuance of a ROW lease. The 

successful bidder may, however, 

continue to pursue their application if 

the successful bidder becomes a wholly 

owned subsidiary of a new third party. 

Section 50265(b)(1) of the Inflation 

Reduction Act (codified at 43 U.S.C. 

3006(b)(1)) conditions the issuance of 

wind and solar energy development 

ROWs on: (1) the BLM having held an 

onshore oil and gas lease sale during the 

120-day period before the issuance of 

the wind or solar energy development; 

and (2) the BLM having offered—in the 

1-year period preceding the date of the 

issuance of the lease—the lesser of two 

million acres or 50 percent of acreage 

for which expressions of interest had 

been submitted in that year. The BLM 

will ensure compliance with these 

provisions prior to issuing the solar 

development ROW lease to the 

successful bidder, if any. 

(Authority: 43 CFR subpart 2809) 

Melanie G. Barnes, 

State Director, New Mexico State Office. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22597 Filed 10–1–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4331–23–P 

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 

COMMISSION 

[Investigation No. 731–TA–1110 (Third 

Review)] 

Sodium Hexametaphosphate From 

China; Determination 

On the basis of the record 1 developed 

in the subject five-year review, the 

United States International Trade 

Commission (‘‘Commission’’) 

determines, pursuant to the Tariff Act of 

1930 (‘‘the Act’’), that revocation of the 

antidumping duty order on sodium 

hexametaphosphate from China would 

be likely to lead to continuation or 

recurrence of material injury to an 

industry in the United States within a 

reasonably foreseeable time. 

Background 

The Commission instituted this 

review on February 1 (89 FR 6547, 

February 1, 2024) and determined on 

May 6, 2024, that it would conduct an 

expedited review (89 FR 48443, June 6, 

2024). 

The Commission made this 

determination pursuant to section 

751(c) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1675(c)). It 

completed and filed its determination in 

this review on September 27, 2024. The 

views of the Commission are contained 

in USITC Publication 5549 (September 

2024), entitled Sodium 

Hexametaphosphate from China: 

Investigation No. 731–TA–1110 (Third 

Review). 

By order of the Commission. 

Issued: September 27, 2024. 

Lisa Barton, 

Secretary to the Commission. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22665 Filed 10–1–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7020–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 

Antitrust Division 

Notice Pursuant to the Defense 

Production Act of 1950 

Notice is hereby given pursuant to 

section 708 of the Defense Production 

Act of 1950 (‘‘DPA’’), that the Assistant 

Attorney General finds, with respect to 

the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift 

Agreement (‘‘VISA’’) proposed by the 

Maritime Administration (‘‘MARAD’’), 

that the purposes of section 708(c)(1) of 

the may not reasonably be achieved 

through a voluntary agreement or plan 

of action having less anticompetitive 

effects or without any voluntary 

agreement or plan of action. 

Under the DPA, MARAD may enter 

into agreements with representatives of 

private industry for the purpose of 

improving the efficiency with which 

private firms contribute to the national 

defense when conditions exist that may 

pose a direct threat to the national 

defense or its preparedness. Such 

arrangements are generally known as 

‘‘voluntary agreements.’’ A defense to 

actions brought under the antitrust laws 

is available to each participant acting 

within the scope of a voluntary 

agreement that has come into force 

under the DPA. 

The DPA requires that each proposed 

voluntary agreement be reviewed by the 

Attorney General prior to becoming 

effective. If, after consulting with the 

Chair of the Federal Trade Commission, 

the Attorney General finds that the 

purpose of the DPA ‘‘may not be 

reasonably achieved through a 

voluntary agreement having less 

anticompetitive effects or without any 

voluntary agreement or plan of action,’’ 

the agreement may become effective. 50 

U.S.C. 4558 (f)(l)(B). All functions 

which the Attorney General is required 

or authorized to perform by section 708 

of the DPA have been delegated to the 

Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust 

Division. 28 CFR 0.40(l). 

The purpose of the proposed VISA is 

to support Department of Defense 

(‘‘DoD’’) contingency requirements to 

provide cargo capacity during times of 

crisis through procedures agreed in 

advance. The proposed VISA establishes 

the terms, conditions and procedures 

under which participants agree 

voluntarily to make tankers available to 


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