16178 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 65 / Friday, April 4, 1997 / Notices

Meetings

BLM will conduct scoping meetings

on the following dates at the specified

locations:

May 13—Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park,

303 N. River Drive, Spokane, WA

May 13—Colorado Room, Holiday Inn,

14707 W. Colfax Ave., Golden, CO

May 15—Pioneer Room, Carleson

Center, 2010 Second Ave., Fairbanks,

AK

May 15—Park Suite, Best Western

Executive Park Hotel, 1100 North

Central, Phoenix, AZ

May 20—Silver Legacy, 407 N. Virginia

Street, Reno, NV

May 22—Pan American Room, Capitol

Hilton, 16th and K Streets, NW,

Washington, DC

May 28—Colonial Inn, 2301 Colonial

Way, Helena, MT

BLM will conduct separate afternoon

and evening meetings at each location,

except for the Washington, DC location

where we will hold only an afternoon

meeting beginning at 1:00 p.m. BLM

will hold the afternoon meetings from

1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. local time and the

evening meetings from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00

p.m. local time at each location. In

Helena, the afternoon meeting will

begin at 2:00 p.m.; in Fairbanks, the

afternoon meeting will begin at 3:00

p.m.

The meeting sites for the public

scoping meeting are accessible to

individuals with disabilities. An

individual with a disability who needs

an accommodation to participate in the

meeting (e.g., interpreting service,

assistive listening device, or materials in

alternative format) should notify the

contact person listed in this notice at

least two weeks before the scheduled

meeting date. Although BLM will

attempt to meet a request received after

this date, the requested accommodation

may not be available.

II. Background and Discussion of

Information Solicited

In a memorandum dated January 6,

1997, the Secretary of the Interior

directed BLM to revise and update its

Surface Management regulations (43

CFR part 3809) for operations under the

Mining Law of 1872, as amended (30

U.S.C. 22 et seq.). This is a resumption

of a rules revision effort that

commenced in 1991, but was suspended

in 1993 without publication of proposed

rules, pending Congressional action that

would have amended the Mining Law.

Any regulatory changes would have

been superseded and possibly

incompatible with such legislative

reform.

While the proposal to undertake

comprehensive revisions to the Surface

Management regulations was on hold,

BLM did move forward to complete and

implement specific Surface

Management regulatory revisions,

including the following final rules: Use

and Occupancy of Mining Claims (July

16, 1996, 61 FR 37116), and Bonding

(February 28, 1997, 62 FR 9093).

In the Secretary’s direction to the

BLM, he identified several areas of

concern with the existing regulations.

These include:

Definition of ‘‘unnecessary or undue

degradation.’’ BLM contemplates

revising the definition to more clearly

require the use of ‘‘best available

technology and practices,’’ local or State

‘‘best management practices,’’ or other

similar technology-based standards

appropriate in the conduct of hardrock

mining.

Mining and reclamation performance

standards. BLM currently does not have

detailed performance addressing such

areas as revegetation, contouring, and

hydrology in the Surface Management

regulations.

Notice level operations. For many

hardrock mining operations that disturb

5 acres or less, the existing Surface

Management regulations do not require

advance approval of a plan of operations

by BLM. Instead, an operator must

provide BLM a ‘‘notice’’ which

completely describes the operation and

measures to protect the environment at

least 15 calendar days before beginning

activities on the site (43 CFR 3809.1–3).

The task force is expected to propose at

least three alternative ways of

addressing this issue. One alternative

would be to require all those intending

to conduct mining to submit a plan of

operations and receive BLM’s approval

before commencing operations

(elimination of notice-level operations).

A second alternative would be to

narrow the scope of the notice

provision; for example in areas of

environmental sensitivity an operator

planning to disturb 5 acres or less

would have to submit a plan of

operations and receive BLM’s approval

before commencing operations. A third

alternative would be to tighten up the

current notice provisions to better

protect the environment, such as by

requiring more information from an

operator, allowing BLM more time to

review a notice, and providing greater

penalties for not meeting the

requirements of the notice provisions.

Coordination with State regulatory

programs. To ensure that the Federal

Land Policy and Management Act’s

purpose of avoiding unnecessary or

undue degradation is achieved, BLM

would adopt rules that would minimize

duplication and promote cooperation

among regulators.

Issues tentatively identified for

analysis in the EIS include impacts to:

Air and water resources;

Soils, vegetation, and topography;

Threatened and endangered species;

Cultural resources;

Fish and wildlife;

Exploration and mining activities; and

Local and regional economies.

Dated: March 31, 1997.

Bob Armstrong,

Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals

Management.

[FR Doc. 97–8601 Filed 4–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–84–P

[AZ-950–57–77; AZA 28900]

Public Land Order No. 7251;

Withdrawal of National Forest System

Lands for State Highway 87 Roadside

Zone; Arizona

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Public Land Order.

SUMMARY: This order withdraws 7,550

acres of National Forest System lands

from location and entry under the

United States mining laws for 20 years

to protect the State Highway 87

Roadside Zone. The lands have been

and will remain open to mineral leasing.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 4, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cliff

Yardley, BLM Arizona State Office, 222

North Central Ave., Phoenix, Arizona

85004–2203, 602–417–9437.

By virtue of the authority vested in

the Secretary of the Interior by Section

204 of the Federal Land Policy and

Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C.

1714 (1988), it is ordered as follows:

1. Subject to valid existing rights, the

following described National Forest

System lands are hereby withdrawn

from location and entry under the

United States mining laws (30 U.S.C.

Ch. 2 (1988)), but not from leasing under

the mineral leasing laws, to protect the

scenic values of the State Highway 87

Roadside Zone:

Gila and Salt River Meridian

Tonto National Forest

T. 7 N., R. 9 E.,

Sec. 1, W1⁄2;

Sec. 11, S1⁄2SW1⁄4, and NE1⁄4SE1⁄4;

Sec. 12, NW1⁄4, and N1⁄2SW1⁄4;

Sec. 14, NW1⁄4NW1⁄4;

Sec. 15, NE1⁄4NE1⁄4.

T. 8 N., R. 9 E.,

Sec. 36, SE1⁄4SW1⁄4.

T. 8 N., R. 10 E.,

Sec. 5, lot 3, E1⁄2SW1⁄4NW1⁄4, SE1⁄4NW1⁄4,

W1⁄2NE1⁄4SW1⁄4, N1⁄2NE1⁄4SW1⁄4SW1⁄4,

and S1⁄2SE1⁄4SW1⁄4SW1⁄4;
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 65 / Friday, April 4, 1997 / Notices 16179

Sec. 7, E1⁄2SE1⁄4NE1⁄4, and SE1⁄4;

Sec. 8, SW1⁄4NW1⁄4NW1⁄4, and

W1⁄2NE1⁄4NW1⁄4NW1⁄4;

Sec. 17, SW1⁄4SW1⁄4SW1⁄4;

Sec. 18, E1⁄2;

Sec. 20, W1⁄2;

Sec. 29, W1⁄2, and W1⁄2W1⁄2SE1⁄4;

Sec. 31, lot 3, SE1⁄4NE1⁄4, NE1⁄4SW1⁄4, and

NW1⁄4SE1⁄4;

Sec. 32, NW1⁄4NW1⁄4.

T. 9 N., R. 10 E.,

Sec. 3, lots 3 and 4, and S1⁄2NW1⁄4;

Sec. 4, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, and S1⁄2N1⁄2;

Sec. 5, lots 1 and 2, S1⁄2NE1⁄4, and SE1⁄4;

Sec. 8, N1⁄2, and SW1⁄4;

Sec. 9, E1⁄2, and E1⁄2SW 1⁄4;

Sec. 10, NW1⁄4;

S. 16, N1⁄2, and NW1⁄4SW1⁄4.

T. 9 N., R. 10 E.,

Sec. 17, W1⁄2, and SE1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4;

Sec. 20, N1⁄2;

S. 32, W1⁄2.

T. 10 N., R. 10 E.,

Sec. 9, SE1⁄4SW1⁄4, and SW1⁄4SE1⁄4;

Sec. 16, E1⁄2, and E1⁄2E1⁄2W1⁄2;

Sec. 21, E1⁄2, and E1⁄2E1⁄2W1⁄2.

T. 10 N., R. 10 E.,

Sec. 22, W1⁄2SW1⁄4NW1⁄4, and

W1⁄2NW1⁄2SW1⁄4;

Sec. 28, NE1⁄4, and S1⁄2;

Sec. 33, NW1⁄4, and S1⁄2;

Sec. 34, SW1⁄4.

The areas described aggregate 7,550 acres

in Gila County.

2. The withdrawal made by this order

does not alter the applicability of those

land laws governing the use of the

National Forest System lands under

lease, license, or permit, or governing

the disposal of their mineral or

vegetative resources other than under

the mining laws.

3. This withdrawal will expire 20

years from the effective date of this

order unless, as a result of a review

conducted before the expiration date

pursuant to Section 204(f) of the Federal

Land Policy and Management Act of

1976, 43 U.S.C. 1714(f) (1988), the

Secretary determines that the

withdrawal shall be extended.

Dated: March 27, 1997.

Bob Armstrong,

Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

[FR Doc. 97–8627 Filed 4–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–32–P

[NV–930–1430–01; N–59269]

Realty Action: Sale of Public Lands in

Nye County, Nevada, by

Noncompetitive Sale Procedures

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management;

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before May 19, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the

District Manager, Battle Mountain Field

Office, 50 Bastian Road, P.O. Box 1420,

Battle Mountain, NV 89820.

SUMMARY: The following described land

in Nye County, Nevada, has been

examined and identified as suitable for

disposal by direct sale, at the appraised

fair market value, under Section 203

and Section 209 of the Federal Land

Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of

October 21, 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1713 and

1719).

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada

T. 7 S., R. 44 E.,

Sec. 33, E1⁄2NE1⁄4NE1⁄4SE1⁄4.

Comprising 5 acres, more or less.

The lands will be sold to the adjacent

land owner, John R. Wellborn. The

lands are hereby classified for disposal

in accordance with Executive Order

6910 and the Act of June 28, 1934, as

amended. The land will not be offered

for sale until at least 60 days after the

date of publication of this notice in the

Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Craggett, Realty Specialist, Bureau

of Land Management, Battle Mountain

Field Office, at (702) 635–4000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The land

has been identified as suitable for

disposal by the Esmeralda/Southern

Nye Resource Management Plan. The

land is not needed for any resource

program and is not suitable for

management by the Bureau or another

Federal department or agency.

The locatable and salable mineral

estates have been determined to have no

known value. Therefore, the mineral

estate, excluding leasable minerals, will

be conveyed simultaneously with the

surface estate in accordance with

section 209(b)(1) of Federal Land Policy

and Management Act of 1976.

Acceptance of the sale offer will

constitute application for conveyance of

the available mineral interests. The sale

proponent will be required to submit a

$50.00 nonrefundable filing fee for

conveyance of the mineral interests

specified above with the purchase price

for the land. Failure to submit the

nonrefundable fee for the mineral estate

within the time frame specified by the

authorized officer will result in

cancellation of the sale.

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 mining laws, but not

the mineral leasing laws or disposals

pursuant to Sections 203 and 209 of

FLPMA. The segregation shall terminate

upon issuance of a patent or other

document of conveyance, upon

publication in the Federal Register of a

termination of segregation, or 270 days

from date of this publication, whichever

occurs first.

The patent, when issued, will contain

the following reservations to the United

States:

1. A right-of-way thereon for ditches or

canals constructed by the authority of

the United States. Act of August 30,

1890 (43 U.S.C. 945);

2. Leasable minerals (43 CFR 2430.5(a));

And will be subject to:

1. Those rights for highway purposes

granted to the Nevada Department of

Transportation, its successors or assigns,

by right-of-way Nev-042808, pursuant to

the Act of August 27, 1958;

2. Those rights for powerline

purposes granted to Valley Electric

Association, its successors or assigns, by

right-of-way Nev-066116, pursuant to

the Act of March 4, 1911; and

3. All other valid existing rights.

Should the sale proponent not

purchase the parcel, the lands may

remain for sale, over the counter, at the

appraised fair market value, until the

segregation terminates 270 days from

publication of this Notice in the Federal

Register. Interested parties may inquire

about the parcel at the Bureau of Land

Management, 50 Bastian Road, Battle

Mountain, NV 89820, Monday through

Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Adverse comments submitted during

the 45-day comment period will be

evaluated by the State Director, who

may sustain, vacate or modify this realty

action and issue a final determination.

In the absence of timely filed objections,

this realty action will become a final

determination of the Department of the

Interior.

Dated: March 21, 1997.

Gerald M. Smith,

District Manager.

[FR Doc. 97–8600 Filed 4–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P

[CO–956–97–1420–00]

Colorado: Filing of Plats of Survey

March 27, 1997.

The plats of survey of the following

described land, will be officially filed in

the Colorado State Office, Bureau of

Land Management, Lakewood,

Colorado, effective 10:00 am., March 27,

1997. All inquiries should be sent to the

Colorado State Office, Bureau of Land

Management, 2850 Youngfield Street,

Lakewood, Colorado 80215.

The plat representing the retracement

of a portion of the Colorado-New

Mexico boundary and the dependent

resurvey of a portion of the Eighth

Standard Parallel North (north