[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5839-5840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3020]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[NV-930-1430-00; Nev-043278]
Proposed Continuation of Withdrawal; Nevada
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, proposes that
113,260 acres of the Hawthorne Army Depot (HWAD) withdrawal at
Hawthorne, Nevada, be continued for 75 years. The Bureau of Land
Management proposes that 69,037 acres of the HWAD withdrawal be
continued for 20 years.
DATE: Comments should be received by May 8, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments and meeting requests should be sent to the Nevada
State Director, BLM, 850 Harvard Way, P.O. Box 12000, Reno, Nevada
89520.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis J. Samuelson, BLM Nevada State
Office, 702-785-6532.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers, proposes that a portion (113,260 acres) of the existing
withdrawal made by Executive Order No(s). 4531 of October 27, 1926;
5664 of July 2, 1931; 5828 of March 30, 1932, and 6958 of February 4,
1935, be continued for a period of 75 years. The Bureau of Land
Management proposes that 69,037 acres of the same withdrawal be
continued for a period of 20 years. The continuation will be made
pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 43
U.S.C. 1714 (1988).
The area the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers proposes
for continuation is described as follows (excluding any non-Federal
land):
Mount Diablo Meridian
T. 7 N., R. 28 E.,
Sec. 1.
T. 8 N., R. 28 E.,
Secs. 1 to 3;
Sec. 10, E\1/2\;
Secs. 11 to 14;
Sec. 15, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
Secs. 23 to 25;
Sec. 36.
T. 9 N., R. 28 E.,
Sec. 10, S\1/2\;
Secs. 11 to 15;
Secs. 22 to 27;
Secs. 34 to 36, inclusive.
T. 7 N., R. 29 E.,
Secs. 5 and 6.
T. 8 N., R. 29 E.,
Secs. 1 to 33.
T. 9 N., R. 29 E.,
Secs. 1 to 4;
Secs. 7 to 36, inclusive.
T. 7 N., R. 30 E.,
Secs. 1 to 3;
Sec. 4, lot 1, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\ east of
Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 9, E\1/2\, SW\1/4\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Secs. 10 to 15;
Sec. 16, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 21, E\1/2\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Secs. 22 to 26;
Sec. 27, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 34, NE\1/4\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 35, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 36.
T. 8 N., R. 30 E.,
Sec. 1;
Sec. 2;
Sec. 3, lots 4 to 18, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
Secs. 4 to 7;
Sec. 8, lots 1, 2, 5, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
Sec. 9, lots 4 to 10, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\;
Sec. 10, lots 6 to 12;
Secs. 11 to 14;
Sec. 15, lots 1 to 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, subdivisions undescribed;
Sec. 16, lots 4 to 6, subdivisions undescribed;
Sec. 17, lots 6 to 14, NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
Sec. 18;
Sec. 19, lots 5 to 7, NE\1/4\E\1/4\, W\1/2\E\1/2\, W\1/2\;
Sec. 20, lots 3 to 11, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
[[Page 5840]]
Sec. 21, lots 4-8, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\,
NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, subdivisions undescribed;
Sec. 22, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, subdivision undescribed;
Secs. 23 to 25;
Sec. 26, lot 2, E\1/2\E\1/2\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\,
S\1/2\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
Sec. 33, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\ west of
Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 34, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\ and W\1/2\SW\1/4\ west of Hwy 359 right-
of-way;
Sec. 35;
Sec. 36.
T. 9 N., R. 30 E.,
Secs. 25 to 36.
T. 7 N., R. 31 E.,
Secs. 2 to 11;
Secs. 14 to 23;
Secs. 26 to 35.
T. 8 N., R. 31 E.,
Secs. 1 to 23;
Secs. 26 to 35.
T. 9 N., R. 31 E.,
Sec. 31.
The area described contains approximately 113,260 acres in
Mineral County. The area the Bureau of Land Management proposes for
continuation is described as follows (excluding any non-Federal
land):
Mount Diablo Meridian
T. 8 N., R. 29 E.,
Sec. 1;
Sec. 12;
Sec. 13, N\1/2\.
T. 9 N., R. 29 E.,
Sec. 25;
Sec. 36.
T. 7 N., R. 30 E.,
Secs. 1 to 3;
Sec. 4, lot 1, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\ east of
Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 9, E\1/2\, SW\1/4\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Secs. 10 to 15;
Sec. 16, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 21, E\1/2\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Secs. 22 to 26;
Sec. 27, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 34, NE\1/4\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 35, east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 36.
T. 8 N., R. 30 E.,
Sec. 1;
Sec. 2;
Sec. 3, lots 4 to 18, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
Secs. 4 to 7, inclusive;
Sec. 8, lots 1, 2, 5, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
Sec. 9, lots 4 to 10, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\;
Sec. 10, lots 6 to 12;
Secs. 11 to 14;
Sec. 15, lots 1 to 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, subdivisions undescribed;
Sec. 16, lots 4 to 6, subdivisions undescribed;
Sec. 17, lots 6 to 14, NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
Sec. 18;
Sec. 19, lots 5 to 7, NE\1/4\E\1/4\, W\1/2\E\1/2\, W\1/2\;
Sec. 20, lots 3 to 11, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
Sec. 21, lots 4 to 8, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/
4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, subdivisions undescribed;
Sec. 22, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, subdivision undescribed;
Secs. 23 to 25, inclusive;
Sec. 26, lot 2, E\1/2\E\1/2\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\,
S\1/2\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
Sec. 33, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\ east of Hwy 359 right-of-way;
Sec. 34, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\,
SW\1/4\ east of Hwy 359;
Sec. 35;
Sec. 36.
T. 9 N., R. 30 E.,
Secs. 25 to 36.
7 N., R. 31 E.,
Secs. 2 to 11;
Secs. 14 to 23;
Secs. 26 to 35.
T. 8 N., R. 31 E.,
Secs. 1 to 23;
Secs. 26 to 35.
T. 9 N., R. 31 E.,
Sec. 31.
The area described contains approximately 60,037 acres in
Mineral County.
The HWAD was originally established as a naval ammunition depot.
The facility was subsequently transferred from the Department of the
Navy to the Department of the Army. The HWAD serves as the primary
ammunition depot and plant on the west coast, with service provided to
the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
The difference between the portion of the withdrawal proposed for
continuation by the Army and the portion proposed for continuation by
the Bureau of Land Management is the Mt. Grant area.
The Army states that the Mt. Grant watershed is the source of water
required to support the missions at the HWAD. The Mt. Grant area is
undeveloped except for a water delivery system maintained by the Army.
The Army states that full control of the area is needed to monitor and
control access by the public. The Army is concerned that uncontrolled
access could lead to degradation of the watershed. The Army has
acquired non-Federal land in the Mt. Grant area in order to protect the
watershed. Degradation of the watershed would require the Army to
install an expensive water filtration system. The Army contends that
Mt. Grant is being used for the purpose for which it was withdrawn,
which is to provide water in support of the depot. At one time, a small
portion of the Mt. Grant area was used as a live fire area and is
contaminated by munitions. The Army has been making periodic sweeps of
this area for clean up purposes.
The Bureau of Land Management's finding is that the Mt. Grant area
is not being used for the purpose for which it was withdrawn, which is
``development and use as an ammunition depot.'' Although there is a
water delivery system that supports the depot, that system can be
authorized by a right-of-way reservation to the Army. The BLM has
mechanisms, such land use planning decisions, to protect the watershed.
Mt. Grant is generally undeveloped and pristine and the area has
outstanding scenic, natural, and recreation values. Currently, access
by the public is allowed, but controlled by the Army. The Bureau of
Land Management can manage the Mt. Grant area for recreation while
protecting the watershed values for the Army.
For a period of 90 days from the date of publication of this
notice, all persons who wish to submit comments in connection with the
proposed continuation of the withdrawals may present their views in
writing to the Lands Team Lead in the Nevada State Office. The
authorized officer of the Bureau of Land Management will undertake such
investigations as are necessary to determine the existing and potential
demand for the land and its resources. A report will also be prepared
for consideration by the Secretary of the Interior, the President, and
Congress, who will determine whether or not the withdrawals will be
continued and if so, for how long. The final determination on the
continuation of the withdrawals will be published in the Federal
Register. The existing withdrawals will continue until such final
determination is made. The withdrawals segregate the land from
operation of the public land laws generally, including the mining laws,
but not the mineral leasing laws.
Dated: January 28, 1997.
William K. Stowers,
Lands Team Lead.
[FR Doc. 97-3020 Filed 2-6-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P