80 FR 8338 - Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and Opportunity for Public Meeting; Oregon

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 31 (February 17, 2015)

On behalf of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management proposes to withdraw, subject to valid existing rights, 3680.29 acres of public lands, including 3,600.29 acres of revested Oregon and California Railroad Grant lands in Josephine County, Oregon, from location and entry under the United States mining laws, but not from leasing under the mineral or geothermal leasing laws, or disposal under the Materials Act of 1947 for a period of 20 years. The proposed withdrawal is needed to protect the geological, fisheries, and wildlife resources within the Crooks Creek Fisheries and Limestone Caves area. This notice temporarily segregates the lands for up to 2 years from location and entry under the United States mining laws and gives the public an opportunity to comment on the proposed withdrawal application and to request a public meeting.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8338-8339]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03101]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLOR-936000-L14300000-ET0000-14XL1109AF; HAG-14-0137; OR-67907]


Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and Opportunity for Public Meeting; 
Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On behalf of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the 
Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management proposes to 
withdraw, subject to valid existing rights, 3680.29 acres of public 
lands, including 3,600.29 acres of revested Oregon and California 
Railroad Grant lands in Josephine County, Oregon, from location and 
entry under the United States mining laws, but not from leasing under 
the mineral or geothermal leasing laws, or disposal under the Materials 
Act of 1947 for a period of 20 years. The proposed withdrawal is needed 
to protect the geological, fisheries, and wildlife resources within the 
Crooks Creek Fisheries and Limestone Caves area. This notice 
temporarily segregates the lands for up to 2 years from location and 
entry under the United States mining laws and gives the public an 
opportunity to comment on the proposed withdrawal application and to 
request a public meeting.

DATES: The BLM must receive comments and requests for a public meeting 
by May 18, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Comments and meeting requests should be sent to the BLM 
Oregon/Washington State Office, P.O. Box 2965, Portland, Oregon 97208-
2965 or 1220 SW., 3rd Avenue Portland, Oregon 97204-3264.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Barnes, BLM Oregon/Washington 
State Office, 503-808-6155, or Anthony Kerwin, Medford District Office, 
BLM, 541-618-2402.
    Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to 
contact the above individual. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. 
You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM filed an application requesting the 
Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management to withdraw, 
subject to valid existing rights, the following described public lands 
located in Josephine County, Oregon, from location and entry under the 
United States mining laws, but not from leasing under the mineral or 
geothermal leasing laws, or disposal under the Materials Act of 1947, 
to protect geological, fisheries, and wildlife resources within the 
Crooks Creek Fisheries and Limestone Caves area:

Willamette Meridian

Revested Oregon and California Railroad Lands

T. 37 S., R. 6 W.,
    sec. 31, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, and E\1/2\SW\1/4\.
T. 37 S., R. 7 W.,
    sec. 35, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, and N\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    sec. 36.
T. 38 S., R. 6 W.,
    sec. 4, lots 3 to 6, inclusive, lots 11 and 12, and SW\1/4\;
    sec. 5;
    sec. 6, lots 1 to 4 and 7 to 10, inclusive, and SE\1/4\;
    sec. 7, NE\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, and N\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    sec. 8;
    sec. 9, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\.
T. 39 S., R. 8 W.,
    sec. 11, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\.

Other Public Lands

T. 39 S., R. 8 W.,
    sec. 14, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\ and SE\1/4\NW\1/4\.

    The areas described aggregate approximately 3,680.29 acres in 
Josephine County.

    The Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management approved 
the BLM's petition/application. Therefore,

[[Page 8339]]

the petition/application constitutes a withdrawal proposal of the 
Secretary of the Interior (43 CFR 2310.1-3(e)).
    The use of a right-of-way, interagency agreement, or cooperative 
agreement would not adequately constrain mineral location and surface 
entry which could adversely affect ongoing management activities, and 
existing and planned capital improvements resulting in land use 
conflicts as well as irretrievable loss of natural resources.
    No water is necessary to fulfill the purpose of the requested 
withdrawal.
    Records relating to this withdrawal application may be examined by 
contacting the BLM at the above address and phone number.
    For a period until May 18, 2015, all persons who wish to submit 
comments, suggestions, or objections in connection with the proposed 
withdrawal may present their views in writing to the BLM State Director 
at the address indicated above.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 
be available for public review at the address indicated above during 
regular business hours. Before including your address, phone number, 
email address, or other personal identifying information in your 
comment, be advised 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 from public review 
your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will 
be able to do so.
    Notice is hereby given that an opportunity for a public meeting is 
afforded in connection with the proposed withdrawal. All interested 
parties who desire a public meeting for the purpose of being heard on 
the proposed withdrawal must submit a written request to the BLM State 
Director at the address indicated above by May 18, 2015. 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 a local newspaper at least 30 days before the scheduled 
date of the meeting.
    For a period until February 17, 2017, the public lands described in 
this notice will be segregated from location and entry under the United 
States mining laws, but not from leasing under the mineral or 
geothermal leasing laws, or disposal under the Materials Act of 1947, 
unless the application is denied or canceled or the withdrawal is 
approved prior to that date.
    Licenses, permits, cooperative agreements, or discretionary land 
use authorizations of a temporary nature that will not significantly 
impact the values to be protected by the withdrawal may be allowed with 
the approval of the authorized officer of the BLM during the temporary 
segregation period.
    The application will be processed in accordance with the 
regulations set forth in 43 CFR part 2300.

Christopher DeWitt,
Acting Chief, Branch of Land, Mineral, and Energy Resources.
[FR Doc. 2015-03101 Filed 2-13-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-33-P