[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 242 (Monday, December 16, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 66059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31758]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bodie Bowl Area Legislative Withdrawal and Routine Maintenance to 
Bishop Resource Management Plan, Public Notification; California

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of legislative withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: On October 31, 1994, the Bodie Protection Act of 1994 (Title 
X, Pub. L. 103-433; 108 Stat. 4509) withdrew approximately 7,560 acres 
of Federal lands from location and entry under the United States mining 
laws (30 U.S.C. Ch. 2 (1988)), the operation of the Mineral Leasing Act 
(30 U.S.C. 181 (1988)) or the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 
100 (1988)), and disposal of mineral materials under the Act of July 
31, 1947, commonly known as the Materials Act of 1947 (30 U.S.C. 601 
(1988)) for the protection of the Bodie Bowl area. This legislative 
withdrawal will remain in effect until terminated or modified by 
another Act of Congress. Additional non-Federal lands may be withdrawn 
under this legislative withdrawal, but only after they have been 
acquired by BLM and title has been accepted on behalf of the United 
States. Up to approximately 9,000 acres of land may be withdrawn under 
this legislative withdrawal. This is also notice of routine maintenance 
to the Bishop Resource Management Plan (RMP) to make minor adjustments 
to the boundary of the Bodie Bowl Area of Critical Environmental 
Concern (ACEC) so that the ACEC encompasses the same area as the Bodie 
Bowl area Legislative Withdrawal.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This legislative withdrawal was effective October 31, 
1994, the date of enactment of the Bodie Protection Act of 1994. The 
routine maintenance to the Bishop RMP is effective on December 16, 
1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Duane Marti, BLM California State 
Office (CA-931.4), 2135 Butano Drive, Sacramento, California 95825-
0451; 916-979-2858.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Bodie Protection Act of 1994 (Title 
X, Pub. L. 103-433; 108 Stat. 4509), Congress found that: (1) the 
historic Bodie gold mining district was the site of the largest and 
best preserved authentic ghost town in the western United States, (2) 
the Bodie Bowl area contained important natural, historical, and 
aesthetic resources, (3) Bodie was designated as a National Historic 
Landmark in 1961 and a California State Historic Park in 1962, is 
listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is included in 
the Federal Historic American Building Survey, (4) the town of Bodie 
and the Bodie Bowl area are threatened by proposals to explore and 
extract minerals, which could threaten the resources described above, 
and (5) the California State Legislature, in 1990, requested the 
President and Congress to direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
protect the ghost town character, ambience, historic buildings, and 
scenic attributes of the town of Bodie and nearby areas. Pursuant to 
section 1004 of the Bodie Protection Act of 1994, Congress directed the 
Secretary of the Interior to publish a legal description of the Bodie 
Bowl area in the Federal Register.
    1. Therefore, pursuant to the Bodie Protection Act of 1994 (Title 
X, Pub. L. 103-433, 108 Stat. 4509), on October 31, 1994, subject to 
valid existing rights, on October 31, 1994, the following described 
Federal lands were withdrawn from location and entry under the United 
States mining laws (30 U.S.C. Ch. 2 (1988)), the operation of the 
Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 (1988)) or the Geothermal Steam Act 
of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 100 (1988)), and disposal of mineral materials under 
the Act of July 31, 1947, commonly known as the Materials Act of 1947 
(30 U.S.C. 601(1988)) for the protection of the Bodie Bowl area:

Mount Diablo Meridian

T. 4 N., R. 26 E.,
    Sec. 1, SE1\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 11. NE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 12, N\1/2\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 13, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
T. 4 N., R. 27 E.,
    Sec. 3, lot 11;
    Sec. 4, S\1/2\N\1/2\ and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 5, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 6, lots 5 to 7, inclusive, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 7, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, E\1/2\, and E\1/2\W\1/2\;
    Sec. 8, N\1/2\, SW\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 9, all Federal land in section;
    Sec. 10, lots 2, 3, 7, and 8, and W\1/2\;
    Sec. 11, W\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 14, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, W\1/2\NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, 
and NW\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 15, lots 1 to 8, inclusive, and W\1/2\;
    Sec. 16, all Federal land in section;
    Sec. 17, W\1/2\NE\1/4\, W\1/2\, and all Federal land in SE\1/
4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 18, lot 1, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, and NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 20, lots 1, 2, 3, and 8, and all Federal land in N\1/2\;
    Sec. 21, lots 1, 3, 4, and 5, and all Federal land in N\1/2\;
    Sec. 22, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, lots 7 and 8, and NW\1/4\; and
    Sec. 23, N\1/2\NW\1/4\ and SW\1/4\NW\1/4\.

    The areas described aggregate approximately 7,560 acres in Mono 
County.

    2. As identified in the Bishop Resource Management Plan Record of 
Decision (ROD), approved on March 25, 1993, the following described 
non- Federal lands, except for those lands owned by the State of 
California, are desirable for acquisition to facilitate protection of 
the Bodie Bowl area. In the event, any of these non-Federal lands, 
except for those lands owned by the State of California, return to 
public ownership by donation, purchase, or exchange, they would also 
become subject to this legislative withdrawal, only upon acceptance of 
title by BLM on behalf of the United States, pursuant to standards and 
regulations promulgated by the U. S. Department of Justice.
    The following described non-Federal lands are located within the 
boundary of the Bodie Bowl area:

Mount Diablo Meridian

T. 4 N., R. 27 E.,
    Sec. 9, all non-Federal lands;
    Sec. 10, all non-Federal lands;
    Sec. 11, W\1/2\SW\1/4\ and SE\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 14, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\ and NE\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 16, all non-Federal lands;
    Sec. 17, all non-Federal lands;
    Sec. 20, all non-Federal lands; and
    Sec. 21, all non-Federal lands.

    The areas described aggregate approximately 1,440 acres in Mono 
County.

    3. This legislative withdrawal will remain in effect until 
terminated or modified by another Act of Congress.
    4. The legal description of the Bodie Bowl ACEC, as described in 
the ROD, is corrected to conform to the legal descriptions in 
paragraphs 1 and 2 above.

    Dated: December 3, 1996.
David McIlnay,
Chief, Branch of Lands.
[FR Doc. 96-31758 Filed 12-13-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P