39886 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 142 / Friday, July 24, 1998 / Notices

than the estimated fair market value to

be established by appraisal. The City of

Glendale proposes to use the lands for

an expansion to the already existing

landfill operation. The land will not be

offered for sale for at least 60 days after

the date of this notice in the Federal

Register.

Gila and Salt River Meridian, Arizona

T. 2 N., R. 1 W.,

Sec. 1, E1⁄2SE1⁄4.

The area described contains 80 acres in

Maricopa County.

The land described above is hereby

segregated from appropriation under the

public land laws including the mining

laws, pending disposition of this action

or 270 days from the date of publication

of this notice, whichever occurs first. It

has been determined that there are no

known mineral values, therefore the

mineral interests shall be determined

suitable for sale under Section 209 of

the Federal Land Policy and

Management Act of 1976 (90 Stat. 2727;

43 U.S.C. 1719) and may be conveyed

simultaneously.

The conveyance document, when

issued, will contain certain reservations

to the United States and will be subject

to any existing rights-of-way and any

other valid existing rights. Detailed

information concerning this sale is

available for review at the Phoenix Field

Office, Bureau of Land Management,

2015 West Deer Valley Road, Phoenix,

Arizona 85027.

For a period of 45 days from the date

of publication of this notice in the

Federal Register, interested parties may

submit comments to the Field Office

Manager, Phoenix Field Office, at the

above address.

In the absence of timely objections,

this proposal shall become the final

determination of the Department of the

Interior.

Dated: July 14, 1998.

Sandra R. Nelson,

Acting Assistant Field Manager, Support

Services.

[FR Doc. 98–19732 Filed 7–23–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–32–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AZ–010–98–1150–00]

Arizona: Amend the Arizona Strip

Resource Management Plan, Arizona

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice to amend.

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land

Management has proposed to amend the

Arizona Strip Resource Management

Plan (RMP–1992), to modify RMP

decisions to comply with the

Endangered Species Act and to achieve

the goals and objectives of the recovery

plan for the Mojave population of desert

tortoises, listed by the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service as threatened. Since the

signing of the Record of Decision for the

RMP, critical habitat has been

designated, and the Desert Tortoise

Recovery Plan (1994) has been approved

by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

(USFWS).

This amendment also addresses

conservation and recovery of three other

species federally listed as endangered:

southwestern willow flycatcher, Virgin

River chub, and woundfin minnows.

Management of Virgin River chub and

woundfin were addressed in the 1992

RMP. The RMP did not address

southwestern willow flycatchers

because the listing of southwestern

willow flycatchers as endangered did

not occur until 1995, after the RMP was

finalized. Critical habitat for

southwestern willow flycatchers was

designated in 1997.

The proposed Decision Record

documents approval of an amendment

to the Arizona Strip Resource

Management Plan. This amendment

supercedes decisions in the RMP.

Decisions contained in the amendment

apply only to areas that are: within

desert tortoise habitat as categorized by

the Bureau in the RMP; within critical

habitat as designated by USFWS; within

any one of the four Areas of Critical

Environmental Concern (ACECs); or

within pastures of livestock grazing

allotments containing tortoise habitat

(including portions of Nevada and Lake

Mead NRA that are administered by the

Arizona Strip BLM).

The proposed decision is to

implement the Proposed Action as

described in Environmental Assessment

AZ–010–95–01, with additional terms

and conditions from USFWS biological

opinion 2–21–96–F–132. The Proposed

Action is designed to address tortoise

recovery goals and objectives while

reducing impacts on local communities

and human activities that occur in the

Mojave Desert.

BLM is proposing to designate three

ACECs encompassing 169,300 acres

(264.5 sq. miles) to be managed

primarily for recovery of desert

tortoises, and modify the prescriptions

for the Virgin River ACEC (8,100 acres).

Beaver Dam Slope ACEC: This would

expand the existing ACEC to include

tortoise habitat on public lands in

Arizona north of I–15 and the Virgin

River but outside the Beaver Dam

Wilderness Area, as categorized in the

RMP. This area would complement

management in Nevada and Utah and

contain approximately 51,400 acres

(80.3 sq. miles) in Arizona.

Virgin Slope ACEC: This area would

include most tortoise habitat on public

lands in Arizona between the Virgin

River (or I–15) and the Virgin

Mountains, as categorized in the RMP.

A small portion of the Mesquite

Community Allotment in Nevada would

be managed consistent with the ACEC.

This ACEC would contain

approximately 41,375 acres (64.6 sq.

miles) in Arizona.

Pakoon ACEC: This would include

tortoise habitat on public lands in the

Pakoon Basin. This area would contain

approximately 76,525 acres (119.6 sq.

miles). Activities administered by the

Arizona Strip on Lake Mead NRA and

on public lands in Nevada would be

managed in accordance with ACEC

prescriptions. This ACEC would be

closed to livestock grazing.

Virgin River ACEC: There would be

no change in the boundary of this ACEC

(8,100 ac), although prescriptions would

be modified to be consistent with the

tortoise ACECs. BLM proposes to

manage the following resources to

reduce impacts on listed species and

their habitats: mineral exploration and

development, fire suppression, livestock

grazing, vegetation harvest, lands and

realty, transportation and access, offhighway vehicles, recreation, wild, freeroaming burros, wildlife management,

and other surface-disturbing activities

(such as military maneuvers and

airports). Outside of the four ACECs

there would be no change to decisions

in the RMP, except that grazing would

be managed in accordance with the

grazing decisions issued August 11,

1995.

Management of the ACECs would be

consistent with the recommendations

found in the Desert Tortoise Recovery

Plan. Land use prescriptions within

ACECs would affect livestock grazing,

lands and realty actions, wild burros,

recreation, and other activities.

DATES: BLM proposes to implement the

proposed action on August 31, 1998.

Closure of the Pakoon ACEC to grazing

would occur following a two-year

notification period.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Protest

procedures described in 43 CFR 1610.5–

2 give the public an opportunity to seek

administrative review of perceived

oversights or inadequacies in a

proposed plan. Any proposed decision

in the resource management plan

amendment may be protested. The
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 142 / Friday, July 24, 1998 / Notices 39887

protest may only raise issues that were

submitted for the record while the plan

amendment was being prepared. Any

party who has participated in the

planning process may file a letter of

protest.

For proposed decisions in an EA-level

plan amendment, a letter of protest to

the Director must be filed within 30

days of this Federal Register notice.

Letters of protest must be complete and

respond to the content requirements

established in 43 CFR 1610.5–2(a)(2).

If you wish to protest the proposed

plan amendment, letters of protest must

be mailed to: Director, Bureau of Land

Management, Attention: Ms. Brenda

Williams, Protests Coordinator, WO–

210/LS–1075, Department of the

Interior, Washington, DC 20240.

The overnight mail address is:

Director, Bureau of Land Management,

Attention: Ms. Brenda Williams,

Protests Coordinator WO–210, 1620 L

Street, N.W., Room 1075, Washington,

DC 20240 [Phone: 202 452–5110].

Letters of protest must be filed within

30 days of this Federal Register notice.

To expedite consideration, in addition

to the original sent by mail or overnight

mail, a copy of the protest may be sent

by fax to 202/452–5112 or e-mail to

bhudgens@wo.blm.gov

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ray

Mapston, Program Manager, BLM

Arizona Strip, 345 East Riverside Drive,

St. George, Utah 84790, (435) 688–3200.

Roger G. Taylor,

Field Manager.

[FR Doc. 98–19616 Filed 7–23–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–32–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

Outer Continental Shelf, Western Gulf

of Mexico, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 171

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Final notice of sale.

1. Authority. The Minerals

Management Service (MMS) is issuing

this Final Notice of Sale under the Outer

Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43

U.S.C. 1331–1356, as amended) and the

regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR

Part 256).

A ‘‘Sale Notice Package,’’ containing

this Notice and several supporting and

essential documents referenced in the

Notice, is available from the MMS Gulf

of Mexico Regional Office Public

Information Unit (see paragraph 15 of

this Notice).

2. Filing of Bids. Bidders must comply

with the following requirements. Times

specified hereafter are local New

Orleans times unless otherwise

indicated.

(a) Filing of Bids. Sealed bids must be

received by the Regional Director (RD),

Gulf of Mexico Region, MMS, 1201

Elmwood Park Boulevard, New Orleans,

Louisiana 70123–2394, during normal

business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) until

the Bid Submission Deadline at 10 a.m.,

Tuesday, August 25, 1998. If the RD

receives bids later than the time and

date specified above, he will return the

bids unopened to bidders. Bidders may

not modify or withdraw their bids

unless the RD receives a written

modification or written withdrawal

request prior to 10 a.m. Tuesday, August

25, 1998.

(b) Bid Opening Time. Bid Opening

Time will be 9 a.m., Wednesday, August

26, 1998, in the Hyatt Regency Hotel,

500 Poydras Plaza, New Orleans,

Louisiana (Cabildo Ballrooms A, B, and

C). The MMS published a list of

restricted joint bidders, which applies to

this sale, in the Federal Register at 63

FR 14473, on March 25, 1998.

(c) Natural Disasters. In the event of

widespread flooding or other natural

disaster, the MMS Gulf of Mexico

Regional Office may extend the bid

submission deadline. Bidders may call

(504) 736–0557 for information about

the possible extension of the bid

submission deadline due to such an

event.

3. Method of Bidding.

(a) Submission of Bids. For each tract

bid upon, a bidder must submit a

separate signed bid in a sealed envelope

labeled ‘‘Sealed Bid for Oil and Gas

Lease Sale 171, not to be opened until

9 a.m., Wednesday, August 26, 1998.’’

The total amount bid must be in a whole

dollar amount; any cent amount above

the whole dollar will be ignored by the

MMS. Details of the information

required on the bid(s) and the bid

envelope(s) are specified in the

document ‘‘Bid Form and Envelope’’

contained in the Sale Notice Package

(see paragraph 15 of this Notice).

Bidders must execute all documents

in conformance with signatory

authorizations on file in the MMS Gulf

of Mexico Regional Office. Partnerships

also must submit or have on file a list

of signatories authorized to bind the

partnership. Bidders submitting joint

bids must state on the bid form the

proportionate interest of each

participating bidder, in percent to a

maximum of five decimal places, e.g.,

33.33333 percent. The MMS may

require bidders to submit other

documents in accordance with 30 CFR

256.46. The MMS warns bidders against

violation of 18 U.S.C. 1860 prohibiting

unlawful combination or intimidation of

bidders.

(b) Submission of the 1⁄5th Bonus

Payment. Bidders have the option of

submitting the 1⁄5th cash bonus in cash

or by cashier’s check, bank draft, or

certified check with the bid, or by using

electronic funds transfer (EFT)

procedures. Detailed instructions for

submitting the 1⁄5th bonus payment by

EFT are contained in the document

‘‘Instructions for Making EFT 1⁄5th

Bonus Payments’’ included in the Sale

Notice Package.

Bidders are advised that the MMS

considers the signed bid to be a legally

binding obligation on the part of the

bidder(s) to comply with all applicable

regulations, including paying the 1⁄5th

bonus on all high bids. Bidders must

include a statement to this effect on

each bid (see the document ‘‘Bid Form

and Envelope’’ contained in the Sale

Notice Package).

4. Minimum Bid, Yearly Rental, and

Bidding Systems.

The following minimum bid, yearly

rental, and bidding systems apply to

this sale (the map ‘‘Lease Terms,

Bidding Systems, and Royalty

Suspension Areas, Sale 171’’ is included

in the Sale Notice Package (see

paragraph 1)):

Note: Example for Calculating Minimum

Bid and Rental: If the block bid contains a

fraction of an acre (for example, 3,010.2

acres), round up to the next whole acre

(3,011 acres) and multiply by the applicable

dollar amount to determine the correct

minimum bid or rental. In this example, if

the established minimum bid for the block is

$25 per acre, the minimum bid for the block

would be $75,275 (3,011 × $25). If the rental

rate for the block is $5 per acre, the annual

rental for the block would be $15,055 (3,011

× $5).

(a) Minimum Bid. Bidders must

submit a cash bonus in the amount of

$25.00 or more per acre or fraction

thereof with all bids submitted at this

sale.

(b) Yearly Rental. All leases awarded

on tracts in water depths of 200 meters

and greater (i.e., tracts in any of the

three royalty suspension areas), as

depicted on the map ‘‘Lease Terms,

Bidding Systems, and Royalty

Suspension Areas, Sale 171,’’ will

require a yearly rental payment of $7.50

per acre or fraction thereof until initial

production is obtained.

All leases awarded on other tracts

(i.e., those in water depths of less than

200 meters) will provide for a yearly

rental payment of $5.00 per acre or

fraction thereof until initial production

is obtained.

(c) Bidding Systems. After initial

production is obtained, leases will

require a minimum royalty of the