[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 89 (Monday, May 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25882-25883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-10989]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AZA22647]


Notice of Proposed Withdrawal Extension and Opportunity for 
Public Meeting; Arizona

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest 
Service has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM) that proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) 
No. 6812 for an additional 20-year period. PLO No. 6812 withdrew 
approximately 40 acres of National Forest System land from the mining 
laws for use as a base camp site for the Smithsonian Institution's Fred 
Lawrence Whipple Observatory. The withdrawal created by PLO No. 6812 
will expire on October 30, 2010, unless extended. This notice gives an 
opportunity to comment on the proposed action and to request a public 
meeting.

DATES: Comments and requests for a public meeting must be received by 
August 9, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Comments and meeting request should be sent to the Coronado 
National Forest Office, Federal Building, 300 West Congress Street, 
Tucson, Arizona 85701, (520) 388-8348.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karl Sandwell-Weiss, Minerals Resource 
Geologist, at the Forest Service address listed above, or Vivian Titus, 
Bureau of Land Management, Arizona State Office, One North Central, 
Suite 800, Phoenix, Arizona 85004, (602) 417-9598.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USDA Forest Service has filed an 
application requesting that the Secretary of the Interior extend PLO 
No. 6812 (55 FR 45805, (1990)), which withdrew 40 acres of National 
Forest System land located in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, from location 
and entry under the United States mining laws (30 U.S.C. ch. 2) for an 
additional 20-year term. PLO No. 6812 is incorporated herein by 
reference.
    The purpose of the proposed extension is to continue to protect 
valuable facilities and improvements associated with the Smithsonian 
Institution's Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory Base Camp Site. The 
facilities include a visitor center, administrative offices, and a 
motor pool. The Federal investment and utility of the observatory may 
be lost if the site is open to mineral location.
    As extended, the withdrawal would not alter the applicability of 
those public land laws governing the use of land under lease, license, 
or permit, or governing the disposal of the mineral or vegetative 
resources other than under the mining laws.
    The use of a right-of-way or interagency or cooperative agreement 
would not provide adequate protection from prospecting disturbance, 
mining operations, or mineral patent, under the 36 CFR part 228, 
surface protection regulations.
    There is no alternative site to ensure protection of the existing 
facilities on the above described public lands.
    No water rights would be needed to fulfill the purpose of the 
requested withdrawal extension.
    For a period of 90 days from the date of publication of this 
notice, all persons who wish to submit comments, suggestions, or 
objections in connection with the proposed withdrawal extension may 
present their views in writing to the Coronado National Forest Office 
at the address stated above.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 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. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and 
from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials 
of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public 
inspection in their entirety.
    Notice is hereby given that an opportunity for a public meeting is 
afforded in connection with the proposed withdrawal extension. All 
interested parties who desire a public meeting for the purpose of being 
heard on the proposed withdrawal extension

[[Page 25883]]

must submit a written request to Karl Sandwell-Weiss, Coronado National 
Forest Office at the address stated above by August 9, 2010. Upon 
determination by the authorized officer that a public meeting will be 
held, a notice of the time and place will be published in the Federal 
Register and in at least one local newspaper no less than 30 days 
before the scheduled date of the meeting.
    The withdrawal extension application will be processed in 
accordance with the regulations set forth in 43 CFR 2310.4.

    Authority: 43 CFR 2310.3-1(b).

Deborah E. Stevens,
Acting, Deputy State Director, Office of Communications.
[FR Doc. 2010-10989 Filed 5-7-10; 8:45 am]
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