19078 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 72 / Friday, April 14, 1995 / Notices

cave resource therein, but not including

any vug, mine, tunnel, aqueduct, or

other manmade excavation) and which

is large enough to permit an individual

to enter, whether or not the entrance is

naturally formed or manmade. Such

term shall include any natural pit,

sinkhole, or other feature which is an

extension of the entrance.

Recreational or other human activities

are allowed in caves when consistent

with protecting other cave resource

values. Foot access and exploration in

caves is permissible, unless otherwise

limited.

Until caves are determined significant

and management plans are prepared

which provide specific management

prescriptions, the following interim

restrictions will insure the protection of

significant and potentially significant

caves on federal lands administered by

the BLM in Oregon and Washington.

Interim Cave Management Restrictions

1. Where known or potential adverse

impacts from human use to threatened,

endangered, and/or sensitive plants or

animals, cultural resources, biological

deposits (i.e. middens, skeletal remains,

etc.), or geologic/paleontologic/mineral

features are present, the responsible

authorized officer shall act to protect

these resources. Such actions could

include information/education, closures

(seasonally or year-long), written

authorization for activities, or other

appropriate measures.

2. Written authorization will be

required from the responsible

authorized officer for any activity or

installation that could destroy, disturb,

deface, mar, alter, harm, remove cave

resources or alter the free movement of

life into or out of any significant or

potentially significant cave. This could

include recreational, scientific,

educational, commercial or competitive

uses. Written authorization can be in the

form of an approved management plan,

use permit or authorizing letter.

3. The BLM retains the authority to

limit or terminate uses and/or require

the restoration of cave resources if it is

determined that unacceptable resource

damage is occurring.

4. The BLM will consider proposals

for special activities, including placing

fixed anchors in a cave, establishing a

trail to a cave, research, etc. For existing

uses or activity proposals where it is

determined that a management plan is

required, priority will be given to caves

where extensive recreational uses are

occurring or significant resource

conflicts may be at issue.

5. Authorized activities or

installations are subject to the agency’s

National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) process and shall be consistent

with the intent of the Federal Cave

Resources Protection Act of 1988 and

any conditions of existing policy and/or

management decisions for the affected

cave(s). Written authorization would

require the applicant to provide the

time, scope, location and specific

purpose of the proposed activity and the

manner in which the activity is to be

performed.

6. Unless otherwise authorized, the

following acts are prohibited in all caves

on BLM-administered lands. The

responsible authorized officer will take

appropriate action needed to reduce or

eliminate the occurrence of the acts.

• Willfully defacing, removing or

destroying plants or their parts, soil,

rocks or minerals, or cave resources

• Building, maintaining, attending or

using any fire, campfire or stove

• Smoking

• Camping

• Possessing, discharging or using

any kind of fireworks or other

pyrotechnic device

• Discharging a firearm, air rifle, gas

gun or paint gun

• Possessing a domestic animal

• Depositing or disposing of human

waste

• Digging, excavation, or

displacement of natural and/or cultural

features

• Entering into a cave which requires

written authorization; or engaging in

any activities for which a written

authorization requirement has been

established, without having obtained in

advance and having in possession such

written authorization

• The use of hand drying agents for

climbing which are not natural

appearing

• New surface disturbing activities

within a 350 foot radius of a cave

opening or any known cave passages

which may adversely impact any

significant or potentially significant

cave resource value.

7. Existing installations (e.g. stairs,

ladders, fixed anchors, etc.) will be

evaluated for retention or removal.

Retained and future installations

designed and authorized to be left in

place should normally be camouflaged

to minimize visual impacts. Method of

removal or future placement will be preapproved by the authorized officer and

a condition of written authorization.

Any non-permanent apparatus or

equipment used must be removed

immediately after its use.

8. The use of hand drying agents for

climbing requires mitigation measures

(chalk balls, pigmented chalk, etc.) to

avoid creating a visual impact from

residue. If needed, periodic cleaning of

drying agents by cave users to the

satisfaction of the authorized officer can

be required.

Penalties

Any person who violates this closure

and restriction notice may be subject to

a maximum fine not to exceed $1,000

and/or imprisonment not to exceed

twelve months under authority of 43

CFR 8360.0–7.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dave Harmon, BLM, Oregon/

Washington State Office, P.O. Box 2965,

Portland, Oregon 97208–2965, 503–952–

6062.

Dated: April 7, 1995.

Gretchen Lloyd,

Chief, Branch of Social Sciences and Resource

Data Management.

[FR Doc. 95–9193 Filed 4–13–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–33–P

Bureau of Land Management; Alaska

[AK–962–1410–00–P and AA–16670]

Alaska Native Claims Selection; Notice

In accordance with Departmental

regulation 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is

hereby given that a decision will be

issued to Cook Inlet Region, Inc.,

approving the subsurface estate of coal,

oil, and gas for conveyance under the

provisions of Sec. 14(f) of the Alaska

Native Claims Settlement Act of

December 18, 1971, 43 U.S.C. 1601,

1613(f), Sec. 12(b)(2) of the Act of

January 2, 1976, 43 U.S.C. 1611n, and

Par. I.B.(2)(a) of the Terms and

Conditions for Land Consolidation and

Management in the Cook Inlet Area, as

clarified August 31, 1976. The

subsurface estate approved for

conveyance contains 6,012.30 acres,

located in T. 9 N., R. 8 W., Seward

Meridian, Alaska, within the boundaries

of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

Notice of the decision will be

published once a week, for four (4)

consecutive weeks, in the Anchorage

Daily News. A copy of the decision may

be obtained by contacting the Alaska

State Office of the Bureau of Land

Management, 222 West Seventh

Avenue, #13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513–

7599 ((907) 271–5960).

Any party claiming a property interest

which is adversely affected by the

decision, an agency of the Federal

government, or a regional corporation,

shall have until May 15, 1995 to file an

appeal. However, parties receiving

service by certified mail shall have 30

days from the date of receipt to file an

appeal. Appeals must be filed in the

Bureau of Land Management at the
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 72 / Friday, April 14, 1995 / Notices 19079

address identified above, where the

requirements for filing an appeal may be

obtained. Parties who do not file an

appeal in accordance with the

requirements of 43 CFR Part 4, Subpart

E, shall be deemed to have waived their

rights.

Margaret J. McDaniel,

Acting Chief, Branch of Gulf Rim

Adjudication.

[FR Doc. 95–9134 Filed 4–13–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–JA–M

[CO–933–95–1320–01; COC 56447]

Notice of Coal Lease Offering By

Sealed Bid; COC 56447 Correction

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management.

ACTION: Correction.

SUMMARY: In the document, Notice of

Competitive Coal Lease Sale at 60 FR

18142 dated April 10, 1995, please make

the following correction: T. 13 S., R. 90

W., 6th P.M., sec. 11, lots 9 to 12,

inclusive, and SW1⁄4SE1⁄4; should read

sec. 11, lots 9 to 12, inclusive, and

SW1⁄4SW1⁄4.

Dated: April 10, 1995.

Karen A. Purvis,

Solid Minerals Team Resource Services.

[FR Doc. 95–9232 Filed 4–13–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–JA–M

[WY–040–05–1310–01]

Fontenelle Natural Gas Infill Drilling

Projects, Sweetwater and Lincoln

Counties, WY; Availability of Draft

Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior—Lead Agency; Bureau of

Reclamation, Interior—Cooperating

Agency.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Draft

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land

Management (BLM) announces the

availability of the Fontenelle Natural

Gas Infill Drilling Projects Draft EIS

which analyzes the environmental

consequences of a proposed natural gas

development and production operation

in the Fontenelle II Unit and Lincoln

Road Development Area. The project

areas are approximately 30 miles

northeast of Kemmerer, Wyoming, and

70 miles northwest of Rock Springs,

Wyoming. The project areas encompass

a 179,760-acre natural gas field, where

1,070 wells are presently active, within

portions of Townships 23, 24, 25, and

26 North, Ranges 109, 110, 111, and 112

West.

DATES: Comments on the draft EIS will

be accepted for 45 days following the

date that the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) publishes their Notice of

Availability in the Federal Register. The

EPA notice is expected to be published

on April 21, 1995. There are presently

no plans to hold a public hearing on the

Fontenelle Natural Gas Infill Drilling

Projects Draft EIS because of apparent

lack of unresolved substantial

environmental controversy concerning

the proposed project. Reviewers are

encouraged to visit the local BLM

offices in Cheyenne and Rock Springs,

Wyoming, and talk with the managers

about any concerns. If enough people

indicate a desire to testify by returning

the tear-out sheet provided in the draft

EIS, a public hearing(s) will be

scheduled. Information on the

hearing(s) will be published in State and

local newspapers and other media

sources, and direct mailing to the

recipients of the draft EIS to give the

public enough notice.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the draft EIS

should be sent to Bureau of Land

Management, Bill McMahan (Project

Coordinator), P.O. Box 1869, Rock

Springs, WY 82902–1869.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The draft

EIS analyzes a proposed action for each

of two project areas, one development

alternative for each of two project areas,

and the no action alternative. DALEN

Resources Oil & Gas Co., (DALEN)

proposes to continue to infill drill their

company’s existing Fontenelle II Unit

and adjacent leased acreage

(approximately 25,323 acres); and Cabot

Oil & Gas Corporation Presidio Oil Co.,

and several other companies

(collectively the Lincoln Road

Operators) propose to infill drill their

leased acreage within the Lincoln Road

Development Area (approximately

154,437 acres). The Fontenelle II Unit

and the Lincoln Road Development

Area are immediately adjacent to each

other. Both proposed actions would be

implemented in northeastern Lincoln

and northwestern Sweetwater Counties,

Wyoming, in the vicinity of Fontenelle

Reservoir and the Green River. Access to

the project areas is from U.S. Highways

189 and 191, State Highways 372 and

28, and numerous County, BLM, and

operator-maintained roads.

Collectively, the companies’ proposal

would continue to infill drill a 179,760-

acre natural gas field, where 1,070 wells

are presently active, by drilling up to

1,317 additional wells over the next 10

years. Because of the tight-gas

formation, the wells would be drilled on

160- and 80-acre spacing. A portion of

the project area is presently developed

on a 160-acre spacing (four wells per

640 acres). In selected areas, drilling on

80-acre spacing would increase the well

density up to eight wells per 640 acres.

The companies’ plans and drilling

schedules would be contingent upon

both an increased demand for natural

gas supplies in response to the Clean

Air Act amendments of 1990 and an

adequate price for the gas at the

wellhead. The draft EIS describes the

physical, biological, cultural, historic,

and socioeconomic resources in and

surrounding the project area. The focus

for impact analysis was based upon

resource issues and concerns identified

during public scoping. Potential impacts

of concern from development were to

recreation associated with the Green

River and Fontenelle Reservoir;

antelope migrations and crucial big

game winter range; sage grouse and

raptor breeding and nesting; special

status plaint and wildlife species; soil

erosion and sediment increases to the

Green River; groundwater

contamination; Oregon, Mormon

Pioneer, Pony Express, and California

Historic Trails condition and viewshed;

changes in livestock and wild horse

management; and cumulative effects.

The draft EIS, in compliance with

Section 7(c) of the Endangered Species

Act (as amended), includes the

Biological Assessment for the purpose

of identifying any endangered or

threatened species which are likely to

be affected by the proposed action.

Dated: April 6, 1995.

Alan R. Pierson,

State Director.

[FR Doc. 95–9132 Filed 4–13–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–JA–M

[NV–930–1430–01; N–59476]

Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and

Opportunity for Public Meeting;

Washoe County, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice temporarily

segregates 26,313.25 acres of public land

in Washoe County from settlement, sale,

location, or entry under the general land

laws, including the mining laws, for up

to 2 years, while various studies and

analyses are made to support a final

decision to withdraw the land for

protection of resources for a 5-year

period. This segregation does not affect

valid existing rights.

DATES: Comments should be received on

or before July 13, 1995.