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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 99271-99272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28938]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_AZ_FRN; AZAZ105869032]

Notice of Application for Withdrawal and Opportunity for Public 
Meeting; John R. Fox Range, Fort Huachuca, Arizona

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Army (Army) has filed an application with 
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requesting that the Secretary of 
the Interior (Secretary) withdraw 1,840 acres of Federal subsurface 
estate lands from location and entry under the United States mining 
laws, and from leasing under the mineral and geothermal leasing laws, 
but not from disposal under the Mineral Materials Act of 1947, subject 
to valid existing rights, for a 20-year period. Additionally, the Army 
requests that the Secretary withdraw 53.48 acres of non-Federal lands, 
upon Federal acquisition, from all forms of appropriation under the 
public land laws, including the United States mining laws and mineral 
leasing laws, and reserved for use by the Army for military purposes 
(except as indicated in Public Land Order No. 1471), subject to valid 
existing rights, for an indefinite period. The purpose of the 
withdrawal requested is to protect the John R. Fox Range, located on 
Fort Huachuca, Arizona, from potential adverse impacts from mining. 
Publication of this notice temporarily segregates the lands for up to 
two years, initiates a 90-day public comment period, and announces to 
the public an opportunity to request a public meeting on the Army's 
withdrawal application.

DATES: Comments must be received by March 10, 2025.

ADDRESSES: All comments or requests for a public meeting should be sent 
to the BLM Arizona State Office, 1 North Central Avenue, Suite 800, 
Phoenix, AZ 85004; or sent by email to 
[email protected]. The BLM will not consider comments 
via telephone calls.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Ouellett, Realty Specialist, 
BLM Arizona State Office, telephone (602) 417-9561, email at 
[email protected]; or you may contact the BLM office at the address 
noted above. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, 
hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) 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-of-contact in 
the United States. You will receive a reply during normal business 
hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Army requests this withdrawal to protect 
the military training and testing mission at Fort Huachuca's John R. 
Fox Range. This request is for a new 20-year withdrawal encompassing 
1,840 acres of Army lands previously withdrawn by Public Land Order 
(PLO) No. 6788 (expired August 8, 2010). The Army has also identified 
an additional 53.48 acres (both the surface and subsurface estate) of 
non-Federal lands within the John R. Fox Range that the Army is 
requesting be withdrawn, upon Federal acquisition, and reserved for use 
by the Department of the Army for military

[[Page 99272]]

purposes (except as indicated in PLO No. 1471), subject to valid 
existing rights, for an indefinite period or for such period as the 
Secretary of the Interior deems appropriate.
    The Secretary of the Interior has been authorized by Congress to 
acquire these 53.48 acres as part of a larger tract of State of Arizona 
owned lands under section 2872(a) of Public Law (Pub. L.) 106-65. The 
Secretary of the Interior is also authorized under section 2872(g) of 
Public Law 106-65 to withdraw and reserve these lands after acquisition 
for the use of the Army ``for military training and testing in the same 
manner as other Federal lands located in the Fort Huachuca East Range 
(now John R. Fox Range) that were withdrawn and reserved for Army use 
through Public Land Order 1471 of 1957.'' As PLO No. 1471 established 
an indefinite withdrawal, the Army is requesting these additional 53.48 
acres for indefinite withdrawal, as well.
    The following described Army lands are the subject of the Army's 
withdrawal application and are temporarily segregated for a period of 
up to two years from location and entry under the U.S. mining laws, 
from leasing under the mineral leasing laws or geothermal leasing laws 
but not from disposal under the Mineral Materials Act of 1947, subject 
to valid existing rights:
    (Federal Subsurface Estate)

Gila and Salt River Meridian, Arizona

    T. 20 S., R. 20 E.,
    sec. 33, S1/2SE1/4;
    sec. 34, S1/2NW1/4 and SE1/4.
    T. 21 S., R. 20 E.,
    sec. 10, SE1/4;
    sec. 11, NE1/4;
    sec. 13, SE1/4;
    sec. 15, NE1/4;
    sec. 24, NE1/4.
    T. 20 S., R. 21 E.,
    sec. 19, SE1/4;
    sec. 31, NE1/4, E1/2NW1/4, and S1/2.

    The areas described aggregate 1,840 acres.

    Additionally, the Army is requesting the following described lands 
be withdrawn, upon Federal acquisition, from all forms of appropriation 
under the public land laws, including the United States mining laws and 
mineral leasing laws, and reserved for use by the Army for military 
purposes (except as indicated in PLO No. 1471), subject to valid 
existing rights, for an indefinite period or for such period as the 
Secretary of the Interior deems appropriate:
    (Surface and Subsurface Estate--Lands Withdrawn Upon Federal 
Acquisition)

Gila and Salt River Meridian, Arizona

    T. 21 S., R. 20 E.,
    sec. 4, lot 1.

    The area described contains 53.48 acres.

    The use of a right-of-way, interagency agreement, or cooperative 
agreement would not provide adequate protection of the specified lands.
    No additional water rights are needed to fulfill the purpose of 
this requested withdrawal.
    There are no suitable alternative sites since the requested 
withdrawal area is within the John R. Fox Range.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment, including your personal identifying 
information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.
    For a period of two years from the date of publication in the 
Federal Register, the lands will be segregated as specified above 
unless the application is denied or canceled.
    This application will be processed in accordance with the 
regulations at 43 CFR 2300.
    Authority:
    43 U.S.C. 1714(b)(1) and 43 CFR 2310.3-1 and Public Law 106-65.

Gera Ashton,
Acting State Director, Arizona State Office.
[FR Doc. 2024-28938 Filed 12-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3711-02-P
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