81 FR 96481 - Notice of Application for Withdrawal and Opportunity for Public Meeting; Washington

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 251 (December 30, 2016)

The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS) has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requesting that the Secretary of the Interior withdraw, for a period of 20 years, approximately 340,079 acres of National Forest System lands located in the Methow Valley, Okanagan National Forest. The purpose of the withdrawal is to protect the area while Congress considers legislation to permanently withdraw the lands, and to protect the value of ecological and recreational resources of the Methow Valley. Publication of this notice segregates the lands, subject to valid existing rights, for up to 2 years 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. This notice also gives the public an opportunity to comment on the application for withdrawal.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 251 (Friday, December 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 96481-96483]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31746]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLOR936000.L14400000.ET0000 FUND. 17XL1109AF. WAOR068905 HAG17-0040]


Notice of Application for Withdrawal and Opportunity for Public 
Meeting; Washington

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service 
(USFS) has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM) requesting that the Secretary of the Interior withdraw, for a 
period of 20 years, approximately 340,079 acres of National Forest 
System lands located in the Methow Valley, Okanagan National Forest. 
The purpose of the withdrawal is to protect the area while Congress 
considers legislation to permanently withdraw the lands, and to protect 
the value of ecological and recreational resources of the Methow 
Valley. Publication of this notice segregates the lands, subject to 
valid existing rights, for up to 2 years 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. This notice also gives the public an 
opportunity to comment on the application for withdrawal.

DATES: Comments must be received by March 30, 2017. The date(s) and 
location(s) of meetings related to the application for withdrawal will 
be announced at least 30 days in advance of the meetings through local 
media, newspapers and the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the BLM Oregon/Washington State 
Director, P.O. Box 2965, Portland, OR 97208-2965.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacob Childers, BLM Oregon/Washington 
State Office, P.O. Box 2965, Portland, OR 97208-2965 or by phone at 
503-808-6225. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 to contact 
the above individual. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a 
week. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant is the USFS. The application 
requests the Secretary of the Interior withdraw for a period of 20 
years, subject to valid existing rights, the following described 
National Forest System 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 
to protect the value of ecological and recreational resources of the 
Methow Valley and to protect the area while legislation to permanently 
withdraw the lands is being considered. Recreation accounts for a 
substantial share of the Methow Valley community's economy while the 
watershed provides habitat for several threatened and endangered 
species. Legislation is currently pending in the 114th Congress as 
S.2991 and identified as the ``Methow Headwaters Protection Act of 
2016.''

Okanogan National Forest

Willamette Meridian

T. 34 N., R. 20 E.,
    Sec. 10, except that portion within the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth 
Wilderness and south of the ridge dividing Little Bridge Creek and 
Wolf Creek;
    Sec. 11;
    Secs. 14 and 15, those portions lying northerly of the ridge 
dividing Little Bridge Creek and Wolf Creek;
    Tract 37;
    Protraction block 37;
    Protraction blocks 38 and 39, except those portions lying within 
the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness;
    Protraction block 43, that portion lying westerly of the ridge 
beginning in the SW\1/4\ and termination in the NE\1/4\ dividing 
Wolf Creek and Rader Creek;

[[Page 96482]]

    Protraction block 44, that portion lying westerly of the ridge 
in the NW\1/4\.
T. 34 N., R. 21 E.,
    Sec. 6, W\1/2\, that portion lying north of the ridge in the 
SW\1/4\, except lots 4, 7, 8, and HES 218A.
T. 35 N., R. 18 E.,
    Secs. 10 thru 12, those portions lying southerly of ridge 
dividing Cedar Creek from Silver Star, Varden, and Early Winters 
Creeks;
    Secs. 13 and 14;
    Secs. 15, 16, and 21, those portions lying southerly and 
easterly of ridge dividing Cedar Creek from Early Winters Creek;
    Secs. 22 thru 24;
    Secs. 25 thru 27, except those portions within the Lake Chelan-
Sawtooth Wilderness;
    Sec. 28, except that portion within the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth 
Wilderness and including that portion lying easterly of ridge 
dividing Cedar Creek and Early Winters Creek;
    Secs. 33, 34, and 36, except those portions within the Lake 
Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness.
T. 35 N., R. 19 E.,
    Secs. 2 and 3;
    Sec. 4, that portion lying easterly of Cedar Creek and 
southwesterly of ridge in SW\1/4\;
    Secs. 5, 6 and 7, those portions lying southerly of ridge 
dividing Cedar Creek from Pekin and Varden Creeks;
    Secs. 8 thru 11;
    Sec. 14, except that portion within the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth 
Wilderness;
    Secs. 15 thru 21;
    Secs. 22 and 23 and 26 thru 31, except those portions within the 
Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness;
    Protraction blocks 37 and 38;
    Protraction blocks 39 and 40, except those portions within the 
Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness.
    T. 35 N., R. 20 E.,
    Secs. 1 and 2;
    Sec. 3, lots 1 through 4, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/
4\;
    Sec. 4, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 6, except HES 202;
    Sec. 7 and 8;
    Sec. 9, W\1/2\, except N\1/2\NW\1/4\ and HES 182; Sec. 10, lot 
1, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Secs. 11 and 12;
    Sec. 13, N\1/2\;
    Sec. 14, N\1/2\, except HES 180;
    Sec. 16, lots 3 thru 11, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\ and S\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 17, except Mineral Survey No. 1005, Tip Top Lode;
    Sec. 18;
    Sec. 19 and 20, except those portions within the Lake Chelan-
Sawtooth Wilderness;
    Sec. 21 and 22;
    Sec. 23, SW\1/4\;
    Secs. 26 thru 29 and 35, except those portions within the Lake 
Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness.
T. 35 N., R. 22 E.,
    Secs. 1 thru 5;
    Secs. 8 thru 12;
    Secs. 13 and 14, those portions lying northerly of ridge 
dividing Perarrygin Creek from Bear and Blue Buck Creek;
    Secs. 15 thru 17;
    Secs. 21 and 22, those portions lying northerly of ridge 
dividing Perarrygin Creek from Bear Creek; protraction block 37;
    Protraction blocks 38 and 39, except HES 211;
    Protraction block 40;
    Protraction blocks 41 and 43, those portions lying northerly of 
ridge dividing Perarrygin Creek from Bear Creek.
T. 35 N., R. 23 E.,
    Sec. 4, that portion lying northwesterly of the ridge that 
divides North Fork Boulder Creek and Granite Creek;
    Secs. 5 and 6;
    Secs. 7 thru 9;
    Sec. 18, those portions lying northerly of the ridge that 
divides Boulder Creek and Blue Buck Creek.
T. 36 N., R. 17 E.,
    Secs. 1 thru 3;
    Secs. 4, 5, 7 and 8, those portions lying in Okanogan County;
    Secs. 9 thru 17;
    Secs. 18 and 19, those portions lying in Okanogan County;
    Secs. 20 thru 24;
    Sec. 25, that portion lying northerly of ridge that divides 
Cataract Creek and Pine Creek;
    Sec. 26, that portion lying in Okanogan County and northerly of 
ridge that divides Cataract Creek and Pine Creek;
    Sec. 27, that portion lying in Okanogan County; Sec. 28;
    Sec. 29, 32 thru 34, that portion lying in Okanogan County.
T. 36 N., R. 18 E.,
    Secs. 1 thru 12;
    Secs. 13 thru 16, those portions lying northerly of ridge 
dividing Methow River and Early Winters Creek;
    Secs. 17 and 18;
    Secs. 19 thru 21 and 29 and 30, those portions lying northerly 
of ridge dividing Methow River and Early Winters Creek.
T. 36 N., R. 19 E.,
    Secs. 1 thru 3;
    Secs. 7, 11 and 12;
    Secs. 17, 18, 20 and 21, those portions lying northerly of ridge 
dividing Methow River and Early Winters Creek;
    Sec. 28, that portion of the E\1/2\, lying easterly of ridge and 
Cedar Creek;
    Sec. 33, that portion lying easterly of Cedar Creek;
    Secs. 34 and 35;
    HES 84, that portion purchased from Robert Wise, Jan. 1973, 
Forest Service case number OKA68, bk. 243 pg. 129;
    HES 89, that portion purchased from R.D. Merrill Company, Sept. 
1994, Forest Service case number OKA060806, bk. 125 pg. 2403;
    HES 237;
    Purchase-Marco Inc., Dec. 1994, bk. 128 pg. 1334;
    HES 198, that portion purchased from Trust for Public Land, Aug. 
2003, Forest Service case number OKA75TPL, AFN 3065255;
    Tracts 37, 39, 40, 42 and 43;
    Protraction blocks 37 thru 58.
T. 36 N., R. 20 E.,
    Secs. 5 thru 8, Secs. 10 thru 14, Secs. 17 thru 28;
    Sec. 29, except HES199 and Mineral Survey 618;
    Sec. 30, except E\1/2\SW\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\, lot 5, HES 82, 
113, 114 and 229 and Mineral Survey 618;
    Sec. 31, except N\1/2\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, HES 81, HES 82, HES 199, 
HES 200, HES 202, HES 203;
    Sec. 32, except HES 199, HES 201, HES 203;
    Secs. 33 thru 36.
T. 36 N., R. 21 E.,
    Secs. 1 thru 11;
    Sec. 12, except HES 74;
    Sec. 13, except HES 74 and 75;
    Sec. 14, except HES 75;
    Secs. 15 thru 22;
    Secs. 23 and 24, except HES 75;
    Secs. 25 and 26, except HES 77
    Sec. 27;
    Secs. 28 and 29, except HES 80;
    Secs. 30 and 31;
    Sec. 32, except lots 9 thru 11 and HES 79, HES 80 and HES 210;
    Sec. 33, except HES 78, HES 79 and HES 210;
    Sec. 34, except N\1/2\NE\1/4\, lots 2 and 3;
    Sec. 35, except HES 76 and HES 77;
    Sec. 36.
T. 36 N., R. 22 E.,
    All.
T. 36 N., R. 23 E.,
    Secs. 7 thru 10;
    Secs. 11 and 14, those portions lying westerly of ridge dividing 
Boulder Creek from Clark, Pelican and McCay Creeks;
    Secs. 15 thru 21;
    Secs. 22 and 23, those portions lying westerly of ridge dividing 
Boulder Creek from McCay and Wilder Creeks;
    Secs. 27 and 28, those portions lying westerly of ridge dividing 
Boulder Creek from Wilder and Jim Creeks;
    Secs. 29 thru 32;
    Sec. 33, that portion lying westerly of ridge dividing Boulder 
Creek from Jim and West Fork Salmon Creeks;
Protraction block 38, that portion lying westerly of ridge dividing 
Boulder Creek from Peak and Clark Creeks, except Mineral Survey 
1242;
Protraction block 39, except Mineral Survey 1242;
Protraction blocks 40 thru 42.
T. 37 N., R. 17 E.,
    Secs. 12, 13, Secs. 22 thru 24, those portions lying in Okanogan 
County;
    Secs. 25 and 26;
    Sec. 27, 33 and 34 those portions lying in Okanogan County;
    Secs. 35 and 36.
T. 37 N., R. 18 E.,
    Sec. 7, that portion lying in Okanogan County and except that 
portion within the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness;
    Sec. 8 and 17, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Secs. 18 thru 20;
    Secs. 21, 25 thru 28, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Secs. 29 thru 36.
T. 37 N., R. 19 E.,
    Secs. 19 thru 24, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Secs. 25 thru 29;
    Secs. 30, except that portion within the Pasayten Wilderness;

[[Page 96483]]

    Sec. 31, 33 thru 36;
    Protraction block 37.
T. 37 N., R. 20 E.,
    Secs. 1 thru 3;
    Secs. 4, 5, and 8, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Secs. 9 thru 16;
    Secs. 17 thru 19, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Secs. 20 thru 35;
    Protraction block 37.
T. 37 N., R. 21 E.,
    All.
T. 37 N., R. 22 E.,
    All.
T. 37 N., R. 23 E.,
    Secs. 2, that portion lying westerly of ridge that divides 
Twenty Mile Creek from Sinlahekin Creek;
    Secs. 3 thru 10;
    Sec. 11, that portion lying westerly of ridge that divides 
Twenty Mile Creek from Sinlahekin Creek;
    Sec. 14, that portion lying westerly of ridge that divides 
Twenty Mile Creek from Lone Frank Creek;
    Secs. 15 thru 22;
    Secs. 23, 26, and 27, those portions lying westerly of ridge 
that divides Twenty Mile Creek from Lone Frank and Salmon Creeks;
    Secs. 28 thru 33;
    Secs. 34 and 35, those portions lying westerly of ridge that 
divides Boulder Creek from Salmon and Peak Creeks.
T. 38 N., R. 20 E.,
    Secs. 9 thru 14, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Sec. 15;
    Secs. 16 and 21, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Secs. 22 thru 27;
    Secs. 28 and 33, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Secs. 34 thru 36.
T. 38 N., R. 21 E.,
    Secs. 7, 13, and Secs. 18 thru 24, except those portions within 
the Pasayten Wilderness;
    Secs. 25 thru 36.
T. 38 N., R. 22 E.,
    Secs. 9 thru 11, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Secs. 14 and 15;
    Secs. 16 thru 18, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Secs. 19 thru 23, and Secs. 26 thru 35;
    Protraction block 37, except that portion within the Pasayten 
Wilderness; protraction block 38;
    Protraction block 39, except that portion within the Pasayten 
Wilderness; protraction blocks 40 thru 43.
T. 38 N., R. 23 E.,
    Secs. 3, that portion lying westerly of ridge dividing Wildhorse 
and Dog Creeks from Hilltop Creek;
    Secs. 4 thru 9;
    Secs. 10, 14 and 15, those portions lying westerly of ridge 
dividing Do and Thirty Mile Creeks from Hilltop and Crosby Creeks;
    Secs. 16 thru 21;
    Secs. 22, 23, and 26, those portions lying westerly of ridge 
dividing Twenty Mile Creek from Crosby and Toasts Coulee Creeks;
    Secs. 27 thru 33;
    Secs. 34 and 35, those portions lying westerly of ridge dividing 
Twenty Mile Creek from Toasts Coulee Creek.
T. 39 N., R. 22 E.,
    Sec. 35, except that portion within the Pasayten Wilderness;
    Protraction block 42, except that portion within the Pasayten 
Wilderness.
T. 39 N., R. 23 E.,
    Secs. 8 and 9, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Sec. 15, that portion lying westerly of ridge dividing Queer 
Creek and Middle Fork Toats Coulee Creek and except that portion 
within the Pasayten Wilderness;
    Secs. 16 thru19, except those portions within the Pasayten 
Wilderness;
    Secs. 20 and 21;
    Sec. 22 and 27, that portion lying westerly of ridge dividing 
Queer Creek and Middle Fork Toats Coulee Creek;
    Secs. 28 and 29;
    Sec. 30, except that portion within the Pasayten Wilderness;
    Secs. 31 thru 33;
    Sec. 34, that portion lying westerly of ridge dividing Wildhorse 
Creek from Hilltop and Middle Fork Toats Coulee Creeks.

    The areas described aggregate 340,079 acres of National Forest 
System lands in Okanogan County, Washington.

    Non-Federal mineral lands located within the boundaries of the 
proposed withdrawal areas will not be affected.
    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 FS officer during the temporary 
segregation period. FS surface occupancy regulations will not 
adequately constrain land uses allowed under the General Mining Law (as 
amended) and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (as amended).
    There are no suitable alternative sites for the withdrawal.
    No water rights would be needed to fulfill the purpose of the 
requested withdrawal.
    Records related to the application may be examined by contacting 
Jacob Childers, BLM Oregon/Washington State Office at the address or 
phone number listed above.
    For a period until March 30, 2017, 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 Oregon/
Washington State Office, State Director at the address indicated above. 
Information regarding the withdrawal application will be available for 
public review at the BLM Oregon State Office, 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, 
Portland, OR 97204 and at the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, 215 
Melody Lane, Wenatchee, WA 98801 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 a minimum of at least one public 
meeting will be held in conjunction with the withdrawal application. 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 any 
meetings.
    For a period until December 31, 2018, subject to valid existing 
rights, the lands described in this notice will be segregated 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, unless the application is 
denied or canceled or the withdrawal is approved prior to that date.
    This application will be processed in accordance with the 
regulations set forth in 43 CFR part 2300.

Lenore Heppler,
Branch Chief, Land, Mineral and Energy Resources.
[FR Doc. 2016-31746 Filed 12-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P