89 FR 86 pgs. 35855-35857 - Notice of Intent To Amend the Worland Resource Management Plan and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment; Notice of Realty Action: Proposed Non-Competitive Direct Sale of 1.0 Acre of Public Lands in Washakie County, Wyoming
Type: NOTICEVolume: 89Number: 86Pages: 35855 - 35857
Pages: 35855, 35856, 35857Docket number: [BLM_WY_FRN_MO4500169700.WYW106272479, WYW-165445]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2024-09540 Filed 5-1-24; 8:45 am]
Agency: Interior Department
Sub Agency: Land Management Bureau
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
[top]
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_WY_FRN_MO4500169700.WYW106272479, WYW-165445]
Notice of Intent To Amend the Worland Resource Management Plan and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment; Notice of Realty Action: Proposed Non-Competitive Direct Sale of 1.0 Acre of Public Lands in Washakie County, Wyoming
AGENCY:
Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION:
Notice of intent; notice of realty action.
SUMMARY:
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming State Director intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment with an associated Environmental Assessment (EA) for the non-competitive direct sale of public lands in Washakie County, Wyoming, and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping period to solicit public comments and identify issues; providing the planning criteria for public review; and announcing a comment period on the proposed realty action offering a one-acre parcel of public lands by direct sale to TAG Western Properties, LLC for not less than the fair market value of $1,020.00.
DATES:
The BLM requests that the public submit comments concerning the scope of the analysis, potential alternatives, identification of relevant information and studies, classification of the land for disposal, and the proposed direct sale by June 17, 2024. To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider issues raised by commenters in the Draft RMP/EA, please ensure your comments are received prior to the close of the 45-day scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later.
ADDRESSES:
You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria related to the proposed RMP amendment and non-competitive direct sale of public land in the Washakie County, Wyoming, by any of the following methods:
• Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2023383/510
• Email: BLM_WY_Worland_WYMail@blm.gov
• Mail: Field Manager, BLM, Worland Field Office, 101 South 23rd Street, Worland, WY 82401
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at the website above and at the Worland Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Connie Craft, Realty Specialist, telephone (307) 347-5233; address Worland Field Office, 101 South 23rd Street, Worland, WY 82401; email c75craft@blm.gov . Contact Ms. Craft to have your name added to our mailing list. 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:
[top] This document provides notice that the BLM Wyoming State Director intends to prepare an RMP amendment with an associated EA for the non-competitive direct sale of public land in Washakie County, Wyoming; announces the
The scope of this land use planning process does not include addressing the evaluation or designation of areas of critical environmental concern (ACECs), and the BLM is not considering ACEC nominations as part of this process.
Purpose and Need
The need of the proposed action is to resolve inadvertent, unauthorized development of public lands consisting of a metal shop and cabin constructed by a previous landowner, currently owned and operated by the proponent as an essential component of the adjoining ranch operations. The purpose for the proposed action is to convey lands from Federal ownership that are difficult and uneconomical to manage and are not suitable for management by another Federal department or agency (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1713(a)(1)). The BLM proposes to amend the 2015 Worland RMP in conformance with section 203 of FLPMA, which requires that land made available for disposal under the sale authority be clearly identified in the relevant land use plan.
Preliminary Alternatives
The RMP identifies tracts of public land suitable for disposal; however, the subject land is not currently listed as available for disposal. The BLM will analyze the suitability of the 1.0 acre for disposal per the criteria listed in FLPMA Section 203(a). The RMP amendment would allow for the land to be sold if it is found suitable for disposal.
The BLM is considering a direct sale of the following described land:
Sixth Principal Meridian, Wyoming
Township 45 North, Range 87 West,
Sec. 30, Parcel A.
The area described contains 1.0 acre, according to the official plat of survey of said land on file with the BLM.
The conveyance document, if issued, will contain the following terms, covenants, conditions, and reservations:
1. A right-of-way thereon for ditches or canals constructed by the authority of the United States pursuant to the Act of August 30, 1890, (43 U.S.C. 945);
2. All the mineral deposits in the land so patented pursuant to the Act of October 21, 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1719), including, without limitation, substances subject to disposition under the general mining laws, the general mineral leasing laws, the Materials Act, and the Geothermal Steam Act, and to it, its permittees, licensees, lessees, and mining claimants, the right to prospect for, mine, and remove the minerals owned by the United States under applicable law and such regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe. This reservation includes necessary access and exit rights and the right to conduct all necessary and incidental activities including, without limitation, all drilling, underground, open pit or surface mining operations, storage, and transportation facilities deemed reasonably necessary.
Unless otherwise provided by separate agreement with the surface owner, mining claimants, permittees, licensees, and lessees of the United States shall reclaim disturbed areas to the extent prescribed by regulations issued by the Secretary of the Interior.
All causes of action brought to enforce the rights of the surface owner under the regulations above referred to shall be instituted against mining claimants, permittees, licensees, and lessees of the United States; and the United States shall not be liable for the acts or omissions of its mining claimants, permittees, licensees, and lessees.
3. An appropriate indemnification clause protecting the United States from claims arising out of the patentee's use, occupancy, or operations on the patented land.
The conveyance document, if issued, will be subject to all valid existing rights.
The No Action Alternative would not amend the 2015 Worland RMP to allow for the disposal of the tract if found to be suitable per the criteria listed in the FLPMA section 203(a). The tract would be retained in federal ownership and the BLM would proceed with a formal trespass action. Revenues to local taxing districts would not change. Additional actions would be considered by the BLM on a case-by-case basis.
The BLM welcomes comments on all preliminary alternatives as well as suggestions for additional alternatives.
Planning Criteria
The planning criteria guide the planning effort and lay the groundwork for effects analysis by identifying the preliminary issues and their analytical frameworks. Preliminary issues for the planning area have been identified by BLM personnel and from early engagement conducted for this planning effort with Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribes; and stakeholders. The BLM has identified wildlife as a preliminary issue for this planning effort's analysis. The planning criteria are available for public review and comment at the ePlanning website (see ADDRESSES ).
Public Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping period and public review of the planning criteria, which guide the development and analysis of the RMP Amendment and EA.
The BLM does not intend to hold any public meetings, in-person or virtual, during the public scoping period. Should the BLM later determine to hold public meetings, the specific date(s) and location(s) of any meeting will be announced at least 15 days in advance through announcements in the Northern Wyoming News .
Sale Notifications
The segregation will terminate upon issuance of a conveyance document or on May 2, 2026, whichever occurs first. The BLM is no longer accepting land-use applications affecting the subject public land, except applications to amend previously filed right-of-way applications or existing authorizations to increase grant terms in accordance with 43 CFR 2807.15 and 43 CFR 2886.15.
The notification of the proposed RMP amendment and EA and, if applicable, unsigned Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) will begin a 30-day protest period subject to BLM Manual Section 2711.1 step 4(d) on the land-sale decision. The BLM Wyoming State Director will review all protests and may sustain, vacate, or modify the RMP amendment and land sale, in whole or in part. In the absence of any protests and upon reaching a FONSI, the BLM will select the approved RMP amendment alternative and prepare a decision record which will document the final determination of the Department of the Interior for the land sale.
[top] In addition to publication of this notice in the Federal Register , the BLM will publish this notice in the Northern Wyoming News once a week for three consecutive weeks.
Interdisciplinary Team
The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns identified. Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines will be involved in this planning effort: outdoor recreation, archaeology, wildlife, lands and realty, minerals and geology, soils, vegetation, sociology, and economics.
Additional Information
The BLM will identify, analyze, and consider mitigation to address the reasonably foreseeable impacts to resources from the proposed plan amendment and all analyzed reasonable alternatives and, in accordance with 40 CFR 1502.14(e), include appropriate mitigation measures not already included in the proposed plan amendment or alternatives. Mitigation may include avoidance, minimization, rectification, reduction or elimination over time, and compensation, and may be considered at multiple scales, including the landscape scale.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA and land use planning processes for this planning effort to help support compliance with applicable procedural requirements under the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1536) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), including public involvement requirements of Section 106. The information about historic and cultural resources and threatened and endangered species within the area potentially affected by the proposed plan will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources.
The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM Manual Section 1780, and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with Indian Tribal Nations and other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the proposed RMP amendment and non-competitive direct sale of public land in Washakie County, Wyoming, that the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis as a cooperating agency.
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. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9, 43 CFR 1610.2, and 43 CFR part 2710)
Andrew Archuleta,
State Director, BLM Wyoming.
[FR Doc. 2024-09540 Filed 5-1-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-26-P