Notice of Realty Action: Recreation and Public Purposes Act Classification; Rapides and LaSalle Parishes, Louisiana

[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 73 (Thursday, April 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20478-20479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07397]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[A2407-014-004-065516; #O2412-014-004-047181.1; LLESJ00000]


Notice of Realty Action: Recreation and Public Purposes Act 
Classification; Rapides and LaSalle Parishes, Louisiana

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of realty action.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Southeastern States 
District Office proposes to classify approximately 158.41 acres of 
public land for lease and/or subsequent conveyance in accordance with 
the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, as amended (R&PP) to the 
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). The LDWF has 
filed an application to develop and manage the lands for recreational 
activities such as hunting, trapping, boating, camping, and bird 
watching. The BLM is seeking public comments as to the suitability of 
the lands for lease or conveyance under the R&PP Act. This notice 
segregates the land from all other forms of appropriation under the 
public land laws, including the general mining laws, except for lease/
conveyance under the R&PP Act, and leasing under the mineral and 
geothermal leasing laws, and initiates a period for the public to 
comment on or protest the proposed classification of the parcel for 
lease or conveyance.

DATES: Interested parties may submit written statements with their 
comments regarding the proposal to classify the lands for lease or 
conveyance for development by the LDWF, on or before June 1, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Mail written statements to the BLM Southeastern States 
District Office, Will Harris, Realty Specialist, 273 Market Street, 
Flowood, Mississippi 39232.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Will Harris, Realty Specialist, by 
telephone at 601-919-4685, or by email at wgharris@blm.gov. Individuals 
in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have 
a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United 
States should use the relay services offered within their country to 
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed R&PP classification and lease/
sale is consistent with the BLM's Louisiana Approved Land Use Plan, 
dated September 2002. The subject tract is located within the Rapides 
and LaSalle Parishes and are legally described as:

Louisiana Meridian, Louisiana

T. 5 N., R. 3 E.,
    Sec. 26, NW\1/4\.

    The area described contains 158.41 acres.

    Publication of this notice segregates the lands described above 
from all other forms of appropriation under the public land laws, 
including the general mining laws, except for lease/conveyance under 
the R&PP Act, and leasing under the mineral and geothermal leasing 
laws.
    The LDWF proposes to develop and manage the lands for recreational 
activities such as hunting, trapping, boating, camping, and bird 
watching. The subject lands are located within the Dewey W. Wills 
Wildlife Management Area. The proposed realty action would increase 
oversight potential of the tract by state government personnel 
resulting in a reduction of unauthorized trespass issues, improved 
management of invasive plant species, regained soil stability, and 
expanded public recreation experiences. Plans for the R&PP project 
include construction of a parking lot and boat launch, property 
boundary identification, entrance gate painting and invasive species 
reduction and control.
    The lease, when issued, would be subject to specific terms and 
conditions identified as mitigation provisions, or otherwise as 
identified in the related EA. The conveyance document, if and when 
issued, would be subject to the provisions of the R&PP Act, to all 
applicable regulations of the Secretary of the Interior, and the 
following terms and conditions:
    1. Valid existing rights.
    2. Any other rights or reservations that the authorized officer 
deems appropriate to ensure public access and proper management of 
Federal land and interests.
    3. A reservation of all mineral deposits in the lands so patented, 
and the right of the United States, or persons authorized by the United 
States, to prospect for, mine and remove such deposits from the same 
under applicable laws and regulations as the Secretary of the Interior 
may prescribe.
    4. The following covenants:
    a. The lessee/patentee, its successors or assigns, by accepting a 
lease/patent, agrees to indemnify, defend, or hold the United States, 
its officers, agents, representatives, and employees (hereinafter 
``United States'') harmless from any costs, damages, claims, causes of 
action, penalties, fines, liabilities, and judgments of any kind or 
nature arising out of, or in connection with the lessee's/patentee's 
use, occupancy, or operations on the leased/patented real property.
    b. If any cultural resources are encountered during project ground-
disturbing activities, work would cease, and the applicant shall 
contact the BLM immediately. Work shall not resume until written 
authorization to proceed was issued by both regulatory agencies.
    c. A licensed archeologist shall be present during the initial 
ground disturbance activities. In addition, prior to the start of any 
excavation of the project site, the BLM shall be notified.

[[Page 20479]]

All vehicles and construction equipment shall be properly maintained to 
minimize exhaust emissions and shall be properly muffled to minimize 
noise.
    d. Any equipment or materials transported onto BLM managed lands 
for maintenance or repair of the proposed facilities to be constructed 
on the site shall be promptly removed upon completion of the project.
    e. Project construction shall not entail negative impacts to native 
vegetations components or potential habitat for any Endangered Species 
Act listed species.
    f. Any vehicles that are brought in from outside of the area shall 
be power washed, including the undercarriage, to prevent introduction 
and spread of noxious weeds and/or invasive species.
    5. The patentee, by acceptance of this patent, agrees for itself 
and its successors in interest that a declaration of termination is 
whole or in part of this grant shall, at the option of the Secretary or 
his delegate, operate to revest in the United States full title to the 
land involved in the declaration.
    6. Provided, the above-described property, along with the rights, 
title and interest, shall immediately revert to the United States, 
after notice and opportunity for a hearing, upon a finding that:
    a. The patentee, or its successor in interest, attempts to transfer 
title to or control over the property to another.
    b. The property is devoted to a use other than that for which it 
was conveyed without the consent of the BLM.
    c. The property has not been used for the purpose for which it was 
conveyed for a 5-year period.
    d. The patentee, or its successor in interest, has failed to follow 
the approved development plan or management plan.
    e. The property ceases to be maintained in a manner consistent with 
the provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
    f. The patentee, or its successor in interest, shall not undertake, 
nor be permitted to undertake any construction alteration, or 
remodeling activity or any other thing on the property which would 
affect the structural integrity or appearance of the property without 
the express prior written permission of the State Historic Preservation 
Officer.
    g. The patentee, or its successor in interest, has failed to 
preserve and maintain the property in accordance with the recommended 
approaches in the most recent version of the Secretary of the 
Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for 
Rehabilitating Historic Buildings (National Park Service, 1990) in 
order to preserve and enhance those qualities that make the property 
eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
    Pursuant to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as amended, 
the BLM completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) that evaluated the 
proposed action and alternatives. The EA and Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) were made available for public review, and comments were 
received March 1 through March 16, 2024. Notifications were also sent 
to holders of rights-of-ways in the Big Saline Bayou tract and other 
interested parties, including adjacent landowners and local government 
officials. The EA and FONSI can be found at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2025738/510.
    Interested parties may submit comments to this Notice of Realty 
Action (NORA) regarding the classification of lands as being suitable 
for development and management for recreational activities such as 
hunting, trapping, boating, camping, and bird watching, whether the 
land is physically suited for the proposal, whether the use will 
maximize the future use or uses of the land, whether the use is 
consistent with local planning and zoning, or if the use is consistent 
with State and Federal programs, and whether the BLM followed proper 
administrative procedures regarding this realty action. Comments on 
this NORA must be submitted in writing and sent to the BLM Southeastern 
States District Office (see ADDRESSES section above) on or before the 
date listed under the DATES section above.
    Any adverse comments received will be considered protests and will 
be reviewed by the BLM Eastern State Director, who may sustain, vacate, 
or modify this realty action decision. In the absence of any adverse 
comments to the NORA, the classification of lands will become effective 
60 days from the date of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register.
    Before including your address, phone number, email, address, or 
other personal identifying information, 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 
statement to withhold your personal identifying information from public 
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Authority: 43 CFR 2741.5.

Shayne Banks,
Acting District Manager, BLM Southeastern States District Office.
[FR Doc. 2026-07397 Filed 4-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-18-P