Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 122 /Thursday, June 25, 1998 / Notices 34661

(PRT–840287) to import a sport-hunted

polar bear (Ursus maritimus) trophy

taken prior to April 30, 1994, from the

Lancaster Sound population, Northwest

Territories, Canada, for personal use.

Notice is hereby given that on June 4,

1998, as authorized by the provisions of

the Marine Mammal Protection Act of

1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et

seq.) the Fish and Wildlife Service

authorized the requested permit subject

to certain conditions set forth therein.

On March 4, 1998, a notice was

published in the Federal Register, Vol.

63, No. 43, Page 10931, that an

application had been filed with the Fish

and Wildlife Service by the Jacksonville

Field Office, USFWS, Jacksonville, FL,

for renewal and amendment of a permit

(PRT–770191) for enhancement of West

Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus)

through recovery, rehabilitation and

release.

Notice is hereby given that on May 13,

1998, as authorized by the provisions of

the Marine Mammal Protection Act of

1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et

seq.) the Fish and Wildlife Service

authorized the requested permit subject

to certain conditions set forth therein.

On April 9, 1998, a notice was

published in the Federal Register, Vol.

63, No. 63, Page 17436, that an

application had been filed with the Fish

and Wildlife Service by the Long Beach

Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach,

CA, for a permit (PRT–840350) for

enhancement of two southern sea otters

(Enhydra lutris nereis) through public

education.

Notice is hereby given that on June 1,

1998, the application request was

withdrawn. The Service has authorized

the Long Beach Aquarium to maintain

these sea otters for continued

rehabilitation under section 109(h) of

the Marine Mammal Protection Act of

1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et

seq.).

Documents and other information

submitted for these applications are

available for review by any party who

submits a written request to the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of

Management Authority, 4401 North

Fairfax Drive, Rm 430, Arlington,

Virginia 22203. Phone (703) 358–2104

or Fax (703) 358–2281.

Dated: June 19, 1998.

MaryEllen Amtower,

Acting Chief, Branch of Permits, Office of

Management Authority.

[FR Doc. 98–16872 Filed 6–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM–030–1220–00]

Emergency Closure of the Lordsburg

Playa to Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV),

Hidalgo County, NM

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management

(BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Emergency closure.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

effective immediately, the Las Cruces

Field Office is implementing emergency

closure of an existing OHV area known

as the Lordsburg Playa. The area is

closed to all vehicle use except for

administrative purposes. This closure

extends to both motorized and nonmotorized vehicles, including landsail

craft. This action is taken to aid in

reducing the blowing dust from the

Lordsburg Playa across Interstate

Highway 10 west of Lordsburg, New

Mexico. The dust storms have caused

four fatalities on this portion of the

Interstate and resulted in closure of the

Interstate on 5 consecutive days since

June 13. The authority for this

emergency closure is 43 CFR 8364.1:

Closure and Restriction Orders.

The following public land is affected

by the closure:

T.23 S., R.20 W., NMPM

Sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, all;

Section 11, W1⁄2;

Sections 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,

all;

Section 26, N1⁄2;

Section 27, NE1⁄4NE1⁄4, W1⁄2E1⁄2, W1⁄2,

SE1⁄4SE1⁄4;

Sections 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, all;

Section 34, W1⁄2.

T.24 S., R.20 W., NMPM

Section 5, N1⁄2, N1⁄2S1⁄2, SW1⁄4SW1⁄4;

Section 6, all.

DATES: This closure is effective June 19,

1998 and shall remain in effect until

rescinded or modified by the authorized

officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim

C. McCormick, Assistant Field Office

Manager for Renewable Resources, or

Dwayne Sykes, Multi-Resource Staff

Chief, 1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, New

Mexico or call (505) 525–4300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Violations

of this closure are punishable by fines

not to exceed $1,000 and/or

imprisonment not to exceed one year.

The purpose of this action is to reduce

impacts to the soil on the Lordsburg

Playa. Once the soil surface is disturbed,

it is highly susceptible to wind erosion.

Windy conditions this year have

produced heavy dust storms in the area

resulting in low visibility on nearby

Interstate Highway 10. These conditions

have caused 4 fatal accidents on the

highway and required that the highway

be closed for up to 9 hours per day for

5 consecutive days since June 13.

Copies of this closure order and maps

showing the location of the area are

available from the Las Cruces Field

Office, 1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, New

Mexico, 88005 during normal business

hours, Monday through Friday, 7:45

a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Dated: June 19, 1998.

Josie Banegas,

Acting Field Manager, Las Cruces.

[FR Doc. 98–16899 Filed 6–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–VC–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM–030–1430–01; NMNM99245]

Notice of Realty Action; Recreation

and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act

Classification; New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management

(BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Realty Action; R&PP

Act Classification.

SUMMARY: The following public land in

Dona Ana County, New Mexico has

been examined and found suitable for

classification for lease or conveyance to

Las Cruces Public Schools under the

provision of the R&PP Act, as amended

(43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.). Las Cruces

Public Schools propose to use the land

for the K–2 Sunrise Elementary School

and playgrounds.

T. 22 S., R. 3 E., NMPM

Sec. 18, Part of lot 11.

Containing 30 acres, more or less.

DATES: Comments regarding the

proposed lease/conveyance or

classification must be submitted on or

before August 13, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to

the Bureau of Land Management, Las

Cruces Field Office, 1800 Marquess, Las

Cruces, New Mexico 88005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Marvin M. James at the address above or

at (505) 525–4349.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Lease or

conveyance will be subject to the

following terms, conditions, and

reservations:

1. Provisions of the R&PP Act and to

all applicable regulations of the

Secretary of the Interior.

2. All valid existing rights

documented on the official public land

records at the time of lease/patent

issuance.