81 FR 67377 - Notice of Amended Proposed Withdrawal and Notice of Public Meetings; Oregon

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 190 (September 30, 2016)

The Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management has approved an amendment to a previously filed application to withdraw public domain and Revested Oregon California Railroad lands (O&C) managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and National Forest System (NFS) lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) while Congress considers legislation to permanently withdraw those lands. Such legislation is currently pending in the 114th Congress as S. 346 and H.R. 682 and identified as the ``Southwestern Oregon Watershed and Salmon Protection Act of 2015.'' This Notice amends the prior proposal notice of which was published in the Federal Register on June 29, 2015, to increase the proposed withdrawal term from 5 years to 20 years, and to add that the withdrawal is also being proposed at the request of the BLM and the Forest Service, to protect the Southwestern Oregon watershed from possible adverse effects of mineral development. This notice gives the public an opportunity to comment on the amended application and announces the dates, times, and locations of public meetings.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 190 (Friday, September 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67377-67378]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23797]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLOR936000.L1440000.ET0000.16XL1109AF; HAG 16-0207]


Notice of Amended Proposed Withdrawal and Notice of Public 
Meetings; Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals 
Management has approved an amendment to a previously filed application 
to withdraw public domain and Revested Oregon California Railroad lands 
(O&C) managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and National 
Forest System (NFS) lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service (Forest 
Service) while Congress considers legislation to permanently withdraw 
those lands. Such legislation is currently pending in the 114th 
Congress as S. 346 and H.R. 682 and identified as the ``Southwestern 
Oregon Watershed and Salmon Protection Act of 2015.'' This Notice 
amends the prior proposal notice of which was published in the Federal 
Register on June 29, 2015, to increase the proposed withdrawal term 
from 5 years to 20 years, and to add that the withdrawal is also being 
proposed at the request of the BLM and the Forest Service, to protect 
the Southwestern Oregon watershed from possible adverse effects of 
mineral development. This notice gives the public an opportunity to 
comment on the amended application and announces the dates, times, and 
locations of public meetings.

DATES: Comments must be received by December 29, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacob Childers, Oregon State Office, 
Bureau of Land Management, at 503-808-6225 or by email 
[email protected], or Candice Polisky, USFS Pacific Northwest Region, 
at 503-808-2479. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the 
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8339 to reach either of the above individuals. The FIRS is 
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question 
with the above individuals. You will receive a reply during normal 
business hours.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the Bureau of Land 
Management, Oregon State Office (OR936), P.O. Box 2965, Portland, 
Oregon 97208-2965.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM and Forest Service amended petition/
application requests the Secretary to withdraw, subject to valid 
existing rights, approximately 5,216.18 acres of BLM-managed public 
domain and O&C lands and 95,805.53 acres of Forest Service-managed NFS 
lands from settlement, sale, location, and entry under the public land 
laws; location and entry under the United States mining laws, and 
operation of the mineral and geothermal leasing laws, for a period of 
20 years while Congress considers legislation to permanently withdraw 
those areas and, at the request of the BLM and the Forest Service, to 
protect the Southwestern Oregon watershed from possible adverse effects 
of mineral development. The lands identified by notice in the Federal 
Register on June 29, 2015 (80 FR 37015), are incorporated by reference. 
The areas described aggregate 101,021.71 acres in Josephine and Curry 
Counties.
    The approved petition/application constitutes a withdrawal proposal 
of the Secretary of the Interior (43 CFR 2310.1-3(e)).
    Records relating to the application may be examined by contacting 
the BLM at the above address and phone number.
    For a period until December 29, 2016, all persons who wish to 
submit comments, suggestions, or objections in connection with the 
amended withdrawal application may present their views in writing to 
the Oregon State Director, BLM, at the above address or by email at 
[email protected]. Information regarding the amended 
withdrawal application will be available for public review at the BLM 
Oregon State Office during regular business hours, 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. 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. Individuals who submit written 
comments may request confidentiality by asking us in your comment to 
withhold your personal identifying information from public review; 
however, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Notice is hereby given that public meetings will be held in 
connection with the amended proposed withdrawal. A notice of the times 
and places of the public meetings will be announced at least 30 days in 
advance in the Federal Register and through

[[Page 67378]]

local media, newspapers, and the BLM and the USFS Web sites.
    The amended application does not affect the current segregation, 
which expires June 28, 2017, unless the application is denied or 
canceled or the withdrawal is approved prior to that date.
    The application will be processed in accordance with the 
regulations set forth in 43 CFR part 2300.

Leslie A. Frewing,
Chief, Branch of Land, Minerals, and Energy Resources, Acting.
[FR Doc. 2016-23797 Filed 9-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P