[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 145 (Friday, July 28, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38852-38853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-18509]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[MT-930-1430-01; MTM 82330]


Proposed Withdrawal; Montana

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management proposes to withdraw 19,764.74 
acres of public lands in aid of legislation and for protection of the 
unique resources within the Sweet Grass Hills Area of Critical 
Environmental Concern and other adjoining land areas. This notice 
segregates the land for up to 2 years from location and entry under the 
mining laws. The lands will remain open to mineral leasing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Binando, BLM Montana State 
Office, P.O. Box 36800, Billings, Montana 59107, 406-255-2935.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In aid of legislation, I have approved a 
petition allowing the Bureau of Land Management to file an application 
to withdraw for a period of 2 years the following described public 
lands from location and entry under the mining laws, but not from the 
public land laws or mineral leasing laws, subject to valid existing 
rights:

Principal Meridian

T. 37 N., R. 1 E.,
    Sec. 1, lots 5 to 8, inclusive;
    Sec. 2, lots 5 and 6, and S\1/2\ SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 11, E\1/2\E\1/2\;
    Sec. 12, lots 1 to 8, inclusive, and S\1/2\N\1/2\;
    Sec. 13, lots 1 to 5, inclusive, W\1/2\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\, N\1/
2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and W\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 14, lots 1 to 3, inclusive, N\1/2\, SW\1/4\, and N\1/
2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 15, E\1/2\E\1/2\;
    Sec. 22, E\1/2\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 23, lot 1, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\, S\1/
2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 24, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, W\1/2\E\1/2\, and W\1/2\;
    Sec. 25, lots 1 to 10, inclusive, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, 
N\1/2\SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 26, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 27, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and 
NW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 34, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 35, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, and SW\1/4\NW\1/4\.

T. 36 N., R. 2 E.,
    Sec. 5, lot 4;
    Sec. 6, lots 1 and 2, and SW\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 23, E\1/2\NE\1/4\ and N\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 24, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\ and W\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 25, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\ and E\1/2\SE\1/4\.

T. 37 N., R. 2 E.,
    Sec. 5, lot 8;
    Sec. 6, lots 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10;
    Sec. 7, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, and E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 17, W\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 18, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SE\1/4\, and NW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 19, lots 2, 3, and 4, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, and 
NE\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 20 NW\1/4\NE\1/4\ and N\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 30, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, 
E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 31, lots 1, 2, and 3, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/
4\, and N\1/2\SE\1/4\.

T. 35 N., R. 3 E.,
    Sec. 3, lot 4 and SW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 4, lots 1 and 2, S\1/2\NE\1/4\.

T. 36 N., R. 3 E.,
    Sec. 7, lot 2, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, 
and NW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 9, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\ and SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 10, S\1/2\SW\1/4\ and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 11, NW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 15, NW\1/4\, W\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 17, lots 1 and 2, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 18, lots 5, 6, 11, and 12, and NW\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 19, lots 3 and 4, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 20 E\1/2\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\NW\1/4\, W\1/
2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 21, NE\1/4\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, and S\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 22, NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 28, W\1/2\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\, and SW\1/
4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 29, W\1/2\NE\1/4\, W\1/2\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 30, lots 1 and 2, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/
2\NW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 31, lots 2 and 3, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 32, N\1/2\N\1/2\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\, W\1/2\SE\1/4\, 
and SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 33, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 34, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, and SW\1/4\SW\1/4\.

T. 35 N., R. 4 E.,
    Sec. 2, lot 2, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and NW\1/4\SE\1/
4\.

T. 36 N., R. 4 E.,
    Sec. 1, lots 1, 2, and 3, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, and NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 9, SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 10, lots 3 and 4, and E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 24, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, 
and NW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 25, lots 1 to 6, inclusive, NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, and 
N\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 26, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SE\1/4\, and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 34, E\1/2\NE\1/4\ and SW\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 35, E\1/2\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 36, lots 1, 2, 3, and 5.
T. 37 N., R. 4 E.,
    Sec. 34, N\1/2\N\1/2\ and SW\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 35, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\.
T. 35 N., R. 5 E.,
    Sec. 5, lot 4, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, and NE\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 6, lots 1, 2 and 5, and SW\1/4\NE\1/4\.
T. 36 N., R. 5 E.,
    Sec. 3, lot 1 and NE\1/4\SE\1/4\; 

[[Page 38853]]

    Sec. 4, W\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 5, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 6, lot 6, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 7, lot 1, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, and NE\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 8, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, and W\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 9, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 14, S\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 18, N\1/2\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 19, lots 1 to 9, inclusive, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\NW\1/4\, 
SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 20 lots 1 to 5, inclusive, N\1/2\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 21, N\1/2\N\1/2\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/
4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 22, W\1/2\NW\1/4\, and E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 23, W\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\NW\1/4\, S\1/
2\SW\1/4\, and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 26, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 27, W\1/2\W\1/2\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 28, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\ and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 29, lots 1 to 5, inclusive, lots 7 to 10, inclusive, SW\1/
4\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 30, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, E\1/2\, and E\1/2\W\1/2\;
    Sec. 31, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, MS 3418, E\1/2\, NE\1/4\NW\1/
4\, and SE\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 32, lots 1 to 5, inclusive, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 34, N\1/2\NE\1/4\.
T. 37 N., R. 5 E.,
    Sec. 29, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 30, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.

    The areas described aggregate approximately 19,764.74 acres in 
Toole and Liberty Counties, Montana.

    The purpose of the proposed withdrawal is to preserve the status 
quo for the above described public lands, which are either located 
within or border the Sweet Grass Hills Area of Critical Environmental 
Concern. The specific objective of this proposal is to protect high 
value potential habitat for reintroduction of endangered peregrine 
falcons, areas of traditional religious importance to Native Americans, 
aquifers that currently provide the only potable water in the area, and 
seasonally important elk and deer habitat, pending consideration of 
proposed withdrawal legislation introduced into the 104th Congress, 1st 
Session. This legislation would, among other things, protect the above 
described lands and associated resource values from the location of new 
mining claims.
    A withdrawal application, when filed, will be processed in 
accordance with the regulations set forth in 43 CFR part 2300.
    For a period of 2 years from the date of publication of this notice 
in the Federal Register, the above described public lands will be 
segregated temporarily from location and entry under the United States 
mining laws, subject to valid existing rights, unless the application 
is denied or canceled or the withdrawal is approved prior to the end of 
the segregation period.
    The temporary uses which may be permitted during this segregative 
period are those that are currently permitted, including but not 
limited to the collection of mineral data necessary to determine the 
validity of existing mining claims, maintenance of existing 
communication sites, acceptance of applications for new communication 
sites on East Butte, and activities which will not disturb the surface 
(such as hunting, hiking, camping, Native American religious practices, 
water sampling, and vegetation inventories). The existing road closure 
that is in effect for the Sweet Grass Hills will not be continued. 
Limited motorized use is available by permit only to livestock ranchers 
with leases and selected State and Federal government activities. 
Exploration and development on existing oil and gas leases, minor 
forest product sales, such as post and pole sales, livestock grazing on 
existing leases, and maintenance and repair of livestock facilities are 
allowed. Applications will also be accepted for supporting rights-of-
way for local ranching and domestic needs.

    Dated: July 24, 1995.
Bob Armstrong,
Assistant Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 95-18509 Filed 7-27-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P