Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 146 /Thursday, July 30, 1998 / Notices 40729

burden per response for these activities

is estimated to range from 5 minutes for

a simple card to 1 hour for a focus

group. Summarized results of customer

satisfaction surveys will be published

annually by the USGS in a Report to

Customers, which will be made

available to customers through USGS

information centers and through its web

pages.

Bureau form number: None.

Frequency: An estimated 10–20

surveys (ranging from comment cards,

web-based and electronic surveys, and

mail-out questionnaires) and 5–10 focus

groups per year to evaluate customer

satisfaction with specific products,

information and services.

Description of respondents:

Representatives of state, local, and tribal

government agencies; universities and

schools; non-government and nonprofit

natural resource organizations; and

some private citizens.

Estimated completion time: Varies

depending upon the mechanism used:

approximately 5 minutes for a comment

card to one hour for a focus group

session.

Annual responses: Approximately 20

surveys each with 500 responses and 10

focus groups each with 25 responses.

Annual burden hours: 2250 hours. (20

surveys)(500 responses)(0.2 hours)+(10

focus groups)(25 responses)(1 hour)

Bureau clearance officer: John

Cordyack, 703/648–7313.

Dated: July 23, 1998.

Michael P. McDermott,

Chief, Office of Outreach.

[FR Doc. 98–20291 Filed 7–29–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–Y7–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[ES–930–08–1430–00 Michigan]

Notice of Disclaimer of Interest

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is

to inform claimants, the State of

Michigan, and the general public of a

decision by the United States Sixth

Circuit Court of Appeals affecting the

processing of claims to certain islands

under the Michigan Public Lands

Improvement Act (MPLIA) of October

28, 1998, Pub. L. No. 100–537, 102 Stat.

2711. The court’s decision in the case of

Barbara W. Wolff and Janice Wheeler

Tinker v. United States (Wheeler), 967

F. 2nd 222 (1992), held that, under

Michigan law, title to islands which had

been omitted from the original Federal

survey passed to the littoral land owner

when the littoral lands were patented.

This is because the government did not

survey the islands prior to the original

conveyance, nor did the United States

make any reservations of the islands in

the patents for the littoral lands. Upon

advice from the Department of the

Interior’s Office of the Solicitor, in

accordance with the above Sixth Circuit

Court of Appeals decision, it has been

determined that the United States has

no claim or interest in the islands listed

below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Deputy State Director, Walter Rewinski,

at (703) 440–1727, Eastern States,

Division of Resources Planning, Use and

Protection, 7450 Boston Boulevard,

Springfield, VA 22153.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Federal land policy has long held that

lands, including islands, that were

omitted from the original Federal survey

remain the property of the United States

until the United States officially patents

the lands out of Federal ownership. In

1988, the MPLIA was enacted to transfer

unsurveyed islands in Michigan to the

State of Michigan unless a valid claim

by a private party to an island exists.

Section 3 of the MPLIA allows islands

to be sold by the Secretary of the

Interior to parties who could

demonstrate valid claims. The rights,

title, and interest of the United States to

any islands not purchased by claimants

within 10 years after the date of

enactment of the MPLIA would be

transferred by the Secretary of the

Interior to the State of Michigan under

and subject to this Act. Following the

passage of the MPLIA, the BLM received

claims for a number of unsurveyed

islands. In the early 1990’s, the BLM

transferred ownership of all unsurveyed

islands that did not receive claims to the

State of Michigan in accordance to the

MPLIA. The BLM then began

adjudicating the claims filed under the

MPLIA. Before adjudication could be

completed, however, the Sixth Circuit

decided Wheeler. The court held that

under Michigan law, the unsurveyed

islands had passed to the owners of the

adjacent littoral land because the

Government did not survey the island

prior to the conveyance of the adjacent

littoral lands, nor had the United States

made any reservation of the islands in

the patents for the littoral lands.

According to Wheeler, the United States

no longer has jurisdiction to sell islands

to qualified claimants or to transfer

islands to the State of Michigan.

Therefore, the United States disclaims

any interest in the islands listed below

subject to Wheeler. Seventeen islands

were surveyed by the United States after

the MPLIA was enacted but before the

Wheeler decision was made. These

islands are subject to Wheeler and the

United States disclaims interest in these

islands also.

UNSURVEYED ISLANDS SUBJECT TO WHEELER

[All are in Michigan Meridian]

County CCN TNP RNG SEC Acres Location

Alpena ................................. 001 31N 6E 3 0.80 Island in Thunder Bay River.

002 31N 6E 3 1.50 Island in Thunder Bay River.

003 31N 6E 11 0.30 Island in Thunder Bay River.

004 31N 6E 3 0.20 Island in Thunder Bay River.

005 32N 6E 36 0.20 Island in Thunder Bay River.

006 31N 8E 7 1.50 Island in Thunder Bay River.

007 31N 8E 7 0.20 Island in Thunder Bay River.

008 31N 8E 7 0.30 Island in Thunder Bay River.

009 31N 8E 7 0.40 Island in Thunder Bay River.

009 31N 8E 7 0.40 Island in Thunder Bay River.

010 31N 8E 18 0.30 Island in Thunder Bay River.

Barry .................................... 004 1N 10W 7 1.30 Island In Pine Lake.

005 1N 10W 15 2.80 Island In Crooked Lake.

Berrien ................................. 005 6S 18W 1 0.80 Island in St. Joseph River.

Branch ................................. 002 7S 5W 5 1.50 Island in Marble Lake.
40730 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 146 /Thursday, July 30, 1998 / Notices

UNSURVEYED ISLANDS SUBJECT TO WHEELER—Continued

[All are in Michigan Meridian]

County CCN TNP RNG SEC Acres Location

Calhoun ............................... 011 3S 6W 15 1.50 Island in Cedar Lake.

Cass .................................... 005 7S 13W 19 0.80 Island in Shavehead Lake.

012 7S 15W 30 1.50 Island in Pine Lake.

Clare .................................... 002 20N 4W 26 0.50 Island in Long Lake.

Genesee .............................. 006 9N 5E 21 8.00 Island in Flint River

Iron ...................................... 022 41N 23W 5 0.10 Island in Stager Lake.

055 42N 33W 15 0.60 Island in Buck Lake.

Kent ..................................... 015 8N 11W 7 3.20 Island in Little Pine Island Lake.

Keweena .............................. 023 58N 31W 1 0.50 Island In Lake Superior.

Marquette ............................ 018 50N 26W 21 0.60 Island In Lake Superior.

019 50N 26W 21 0.30 Island In Lake Superior.

020 50N 26W 27 4.00 Garlic Island in Lake Superior.

021 47N 27W 13 0.80 Island in Lake Miller.

022 46N 28W 15 0.20 Island in Island Lake

Montcalm ............................. 003 10N 5W 17 0.30 Island in Crystal Lake.

Oakland ............................... 001 2N 9E 4 0.30 Island in Cass Lake.

Ogemaw .............................. 004 23N 1E 2 0.20 Island In Clear Lake.

005 23N 1E 2 0.90 Island in Clear Lake.

006 23N 1E 11 1.20 Island in Clear Lake.

010 23N 4E 8 1.80 Island in George Lake.

Presquew ............................. 002 34N 4E 31 0.10 Island in Lake Nettie.

Isle ....................................... 004 33N 7E 25 0.10 Island in Long Lake.

005 33N 7E 25 0.20 Island in Long Lake.

Roscommon ........................ 001 22N 1W 31 1.00 Island in West Twin Lake.

003 21N 2W 12 0.20 Island in Clear Lake.

Washtenaw .......................... 014 2S 6E 21 1.30 Island in Huron River.

015 2S 6E 21 0.10 Island in Huron River.

SURVEYED ISLANDS SUBJECT TO WHEELER

[All are in Michigan Meridian]

County Serial/No. TWP RNG SEC Subdiv AC Location/name

Chippewa ....................... 041337 47N 1E 11 Tr. 41 ................ 1.05 Black Point.

.................... .................... ........................... .................... Sugar Island.

Chippewa ....................... 041338 46N 2E 14 Tr. 38 ................ 0.60 Rock Island.

.................... .................... Tr. 37 ................ 1.68 Advance Island.

Chippewa ....................... 041339 42N 4E 16 Lot 2 ................. 1.24 Sweets Island.

Chippewa ....................... 041340 41N 5E 14 Tr. 39 ................ 0.28 Huron Bay.

.................... 23 Tr. 38 ................ 1.27 Huron Bay.

Chippewa ....................... 035667 43N 6E 30 Tr. 39 ................ 0.06 Potaganissing Bay.

.................... 31 Tr. 37 & 38 ....... 0.47 Potaganissing Bay.

.................... 31 Tr. 40 & 41 ....... 0.36 Potaganissing Bay.

Grand Traverse ............. 041343 26N 10W 1 Tr. 37 ................ 0.10 Rennie Lake.

Mackinac ....................... 041349 41N 1E 3 Tr. 37 ................ 1.10 Little Island.

Mackinac ....................... 041350 42N 1W 28 Tr. 39 ................ 0.19 Lake Huron.

.................... .................... Tr. 40 ................ 0.02 Lake Huron.

Mackinac ....................... 035172 42N 1W 28 Tr. 37 ................ 0.45 Lake Huron.

Mackinac ....................... 036455 42N 1W 29 Tr. 41 ................ 0.45 Burnam Island.

Otsego ........................... 041360 30N 4W 32 Tr. 37 ................ 1.02 Buhl Lake.

Otsego ........................... 041361 30N 4W 32 Tr. 38 ................ 0.91 Buhl Lake.

Ron Montagna,

Acting Associate State Director, Eastern

States.

[FR Doc. 98–20001 Filed 7–29–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–CJ–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[OR–050–1220; GP8–0256]

Amendment to Prohibited Acts Within

the Boundaries of the Deschutes Wild

and Scenic River Area, Located in the

Prineville District; Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Prineville District Office.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land

Management (BLM) is proposing

amendments to existing special rules

which apply to public use of land and

water surfaces administered by the BLM

within the boundaries of the Deschutes

National Wild and Scenic River Area.

The existing special rules were

published in theFederal Register on

April 15, 1994 (Vol. 59, No. 73) and

June 20, 1997 (Vol. 62, No. 119). The