[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 84 (Thursday, May 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23790-23793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11327]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[CA-930-1430-01; CACA 37718]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service
[CACA 37717]


Notice of Land Exchange Proposal and Notice of Intent To Prepare 
BLM RMP Amendment; California

AGENCIES: Bureau of Land Management, Interior, and Forest Service, 
Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 23791]]

SUMMARY: This document contains information regarding a proposed land 
exchange between the United States, the State of California, MAXXAM, 
Inc. and Pacific Lumber Company, under which the governments would 
acquire two of the most ecologically significant tracts of privately 
owned old growth redwood trees. The tracts are commonly known as the 
Headwaters Forest and Elk Head Springs. It also contains a notice of 
intent to prepare an amendment to BLM's Caliente Resource Area's 
Resource Management Plan.

DATES: Comments regarding either the proposed land exchange or the plan 
amendment must be submitted on or before June 16, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments 
concerning the proposed exchange, including advising as to any liens, 
encumbrances, or other claims relating to the lands being considered 
for exchange; and the proposed plan amendment. Comments must be 
submitted in writing and must be sent to the following addresses: For 
the Forest Service portions of the proposed land exchange, Forest 
Service (ATTN: Headwaters), 630 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 
94111, and for the Bureau of Land Management portions of the proposed 
land exchange and the proposed plan amendment, Bureau of Land 
Management (ATTN: Headwaters), 2135 Butano Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825-
0451.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: More detailed information for the 
Forest Service portions may be obtained from the Forest Service at the 
above address or telephone 415-705-2772; or for the Bureau of Land 
Management portions, from the Bureau of Land Management (ATTN: 
Headwaters), 2135 Butano Drive, Sacramento CA 95825-0451; telephone 
916-979-2800.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 28, 1996, the United States, 
the State of California, MAXXAM, Inc. and Pacific Lumber Company signed 
an agreement to complete a land exchange under which the governments 
would acquire two of the most ecologically significant tracts of 
privately owned old growth redwood trees. The tracts are commonly known 
as the Headwaters Forest and Elk Head Springs. The agreement also 
contemplated that the governments would acquire the timberlands to the 
north of the Headwaters Forest from another landowner, the Elk River 
Timber Company. It is intended that part of the Elk River property 
would remain in government ownership as a northern buffer to the 
Headwaters tract, and part would be transferred to Pacific Lumber in 
partial compensation for its property.
    Additionally, in exchange the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) would 
convey to the Pacific Lumber Company Federal lands or interests in 
lands for private lands of equal value. Federal assets to be exchanged 
by BLM will include producing oil and gas interests in the public 
lands. The exchange will also involve the State of California inasmuch 
as they are part of the overall agreement and will be involved in the 
transfer of state owned assets for a portion of the value of the 
Headwaters Forest. As envisioned in the agreement the exchange will 
require several federal actions:
    (1) An exchange of Forest Service (FS) administered federal lands 
for lands owned by Elk River Timber Company near the Headwaters Forest;
    (2) From lands acquired from the Elk River Timber Company, the 
United States will retain a habitat corridor along the South Fork of 
Elk River and a buffer of timbered properties around the Headwaters 
Forest;
    (3) The remaining acquired Elk River Timber Company lands will be 
exchanged to Pacific Lumber Company for an equal value of land in the 
Headwaters Forest area;
    (4) Producing federal oil and gas assets will be exchanged to 
Pacific Lumber Company for an equal value of the Headwaters Forest and 
Elk Head Springs property. The value of the oil and gas assets will be 
determined by appraisal and competitive auction. The auction will be 
conducted by the General Services Administration and a marketing plan 
will be developed and advertised by them.
    (5) BLM will amend the Caliente Resource Area's Resource Management 
Plan (RMP), modifying the land tenure decisions of the approved RMP to 
the extent necessary to ensure conformity of the proposed land exchange 
with the RMP. An amendment is being proposed in order to allow for 
appropriate public involvement.

Forest Service Exchange

    Notice is hereby given that FS, United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), is considering an exchange of land with Elk River 
Timber Company under the authority of the General Exchange Act of March 
20, 1922; the Weeks Law of March 1, 1911; the Act of August 3, 1956; 
and the Act of October 21, 1976, as amended.
    (1) The following described federal lands are being considered for 
disposal by exchange by FS, USDA:

Mount Diablo Meridian

T. 22 N., R. 4 E.,
    Sec. 12, lots 1-5, 8, 9, 11-14, and 16.
T. 23 N., R. 4 E.,
    Sec. 2, lots 3 and 4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\ and SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 26, S\1/2\S\1/2\;
    Sec. 36, all.
T. 23 N., R. 11 E.,
    Sec. 1, all.
T. 24 N., R. 11. E.,
    Sec. 36, W\1/2\.
T. 19 N., R. 8 E.,
    Sec. 21, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, and part 
of the SE\1/4\.
T. 16 N., R. 10 E.,
    Sec. 14, lot 4, NW\1/4\, W\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
T. 19 N., R. 11 E.,
    Sec. 15, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
T. 20 N., R. 12 E.,
    Sec. 25, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\ and NW\1/4\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
T. 15 N., R. 12 E.,
    Sec. 20, N\1/2\.
T. 4 N., R. 15 E.,
    Sec. 11, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\.
T. 4 N., R. 16 E.,
    Sec. 1, lots 3 and 4, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, and NE\1/
4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 2, lots 1 and 2;
    Sec. 4, lot 4;
    Sec. 10, NE\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 12, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, and E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 13, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, W\1/2\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\NW\1/4\, SW\1/
4\NW\1/4\, and W\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 15, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 17, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\.
T. 4 N., R. 17 E.,
    Sec. 4, lot 1, S\1/2\NE\1/4\ and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 5, lots 1-4, S\1/2\N\1/2\, and N\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 6, lot 1, 2, 6, and 7, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, and N\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 7, lot 1;
    Sec. 8, S\1/2\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 9, NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 18, SE\1/4\.
T. 5 N., R. 17 E.,
    Sec. 17, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, and 
E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 18, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 19, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\ and NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 20, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\N\1/2\, and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 21, all;
    Sec. 28, all;
    Sec. 29, all;
    Sec. 30, all;
    Sec. 31, all;
    Sec. 32, all;
    Sec. 33, all.
T. 5 N., R. 16 E.,
    Sec. 4, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
T. 12 N., R. 12 E.,
    Sec. 6, lots 1-3, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 13, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, and E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 18, lots 1-3;
    Sec. 23, E\1/2\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 24, N\1/2\N\1/2\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, and W\1/
2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 28, S\1/2\NW\1/4\ and SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 29, E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 30, Lots 1-4, E\1/2\W\1/2\, and W\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 32, NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, and SW\1/
4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 33, NW\1/4\ and NW\1/4\SW\1/4\;

[[Page 23792]]

    Sec. 34, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 35, E\1/2\NE\1/4\ and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 36, SW\1/4\, W\1/2\SE\1/4\, and E\1/2\SE\1/4\.
T. 12 N., R. 13 E.,
    Sec. 2, W\1/2\ lot 1, W\1/2\ lot 7, E\1/2\ lot 8, and N\1/
2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 8, S\1/2\N\1/2\ and NW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 18, Lot 2:
    Sec. 28, NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, and S\1/2\S\1/2\;
    Sec. 29, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, and S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 31, lots 3 and 4, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\.
    Sec. 32, E\1/2\ and SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 33, all;
    Sec. 34, all;
    Sec. 35, all.
T. 12 N., R. 14 E.,
    Sec. 6, lots 1 and 2, and S\1/2\NE\1/4\.
T. 13 N., R. 14 E.,
    Sec. 31, S\1/2\NE\1/4\ and SE\1/4\.

    Subject to valid existing rights, the federal lands identified 
above have been segregated from appropriation under the public land 
laws and mineral laws for a period of 5 years beginning February 10, 
1997.
    In exchange, FS, USDA, would acquire the following described lands 
from Elk River Timber Company.

Humboldt Meridian

T. 3 N., R. 1 E.,
    Sec. 3, SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, and S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 4, a portion;
    Sec. 5, all;
    Sec. 6, N\1/2\;
    Sec. 8, N\1/2\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SE\1/
4\;
    Sec. 9, all;
    Sec. 10, N\1/2\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, 
and SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 11, W\1/2\W\1/2\;
    Sec. 15, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\.
T. 3 N., R. 1 W.,
    Sec. 1, a portion;
    Sec. 2, E\1/2\ and NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 3, fractional NW\1/4\.
T. 4 N., R. 1 W.,
    Sec. 25, a portion;
    Sec. 26, a portion;
    Sec. 27, a portion;
    Sec. 34, all;
    Sec. 35, a portion of the E\1/2\, and W\1/2\;
    Sec. 36, all.
T. 4 N., R. 1 E.,
    Sec. 31, all;
    Sec. 32, all;
    Sec. 33, S\1/2\NW\1/4\ and SW\1/4\.
    (2) The United States will retain a wildlife habitat corridor along 
the South Fork Elk River and the Little South Fork drainage from 
Section 35, T. 4 N., R. 1 W., MDM, south easterly toward SW corner of 
Section 11, T. 3 N., R. 1 E., MDM, and a buffer of timbered properties 
around the Headwaters Forest parcel. The exact land description of 
these lands will be developed as a result of further study.
    (3) The remaining lands, that are not retained, will be exchanged 
immediately to MAXXAM, Inc. for an equal value of MAXXAM, Inc. 
controlled lands known as the Headwaters Forest parcel and described 
below.

Humboldt Meridian

T. 3 N., R. 1 E.,
    Sec. 8, W\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 14, all;
    Sec. 15, SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 16, all;
    Sec. 17, all;
    Sec. 18, SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 19, NE\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 20, all;
    Sec. 21, all;
    Sec. 22, all;
    Sec. 23, all;
    Sec. 24, W\1/2\;
    Sec. 26, NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 27, N\1/2\, N\1/2\S\1/2\; S\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 28, E\1/2\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 29, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\.

BLM Exchange

    In order to acquire the balance of the Headwaters Forest, BLM will 
exchange the federal oil and gas mineral estate located under the 
following legal descriptions, but the surface estate will remain with 
the United States. The conveyance documents will be issued subject to 
the existing oil and gas leases issued under the authority of the 
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended. Additional reservations will 
be made to the United States for all other minerals and non-producing 
oil and gas zones within the leases. In exchange for the value of the 
above described lands and proposed exchanges, BLM will acquire those 
certain properties by exchange, generally described locally as the 
Headwaters Forest and the Elk Head Springs parcels, and described 
specially under paragraph number 3 above.

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                 Lease                                 Town                              Range                             Sec.                  Acres  
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                                                                  Mount Diablo Meridian                                                                 
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CAS-019382............................  T. 31 S.                           R. 22 E.                          Sec. 22, 23, 25.................        850
                                        T. 32 S.                           R. 23 E.                          Sec. 9..........................  .........
                                                                                                             Sec. 10.........................  .........
CAS-019392............................  T. 31 S.                           R. 22 E.                          Sec. 27.........................        160
CAS-019381A...........................  T. 31 S.                           R. 22 E.                          Sec. 27.........................        280
CAS-021592............................  T. 31 S.                           R. 22 E.                          Sec. 21.........................        210
                                                                                                             Sec. 29.........................  .........
CAS-019357............................  T. 32 S.                           R. 23 E.                          Sec. 35.........................        230
CAS-023382B...........................  T. 20 S.                           R. 16 E.                          Sec. 8..........................  .........
                                                                                                             Sec. 18.........................  .........
                                                                                                             Sec. 28.........................  .........
                                                                                                             Sec. 30.........................  .........
                                                                                                             Sec. 34.........................       1047
CAS-021130............................  T. 32 S.                           R. 23 E.                          Sec. 35.........................        115
CACA-028423...........................  T. 26 S.                           R. 21 E.                          Sec. 18.........................        318
CAS-019389A...........................  T. 31 S.                           R. 22 E.                          Sec. 23.........................         30
CAS-021593............................  T. 31 S.                           R. 22 E.                          Sec. 21.........................         30
CAS-023382A...........................  T. 20 S.                           R. 16 E.                          Sec.18..........................        501
CAS-019349............................  T. 31 S.                           R. 22 E.                          Sec. 35.........................        160
CAS-019266A...........................  T. 20 S.                           R. 16 E.                          Sec. 6..........................        168
CAS-019266B...........................  T. 20 S.                           R. 16 E.                          Sec. 6..........................        360
CAS-019376............................  T. 26 S.                           R. 21 E.                          Sec. 30.........................  .........
                                                                                                             Sec. 32.........................        801
CAS-020995............................  T. 30 S.                           R. 22 E.                          Sec. 6..........................         67
CAS-019636............................  T. 31 S.                           R. 22 E.                          Sec. 2..........................        200
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                                                                 San Bernardino Meridian                                                                
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CALA-076208...........................  T. 11 N.                           R. 23 W.                          Sec. 24.........................        640

[[Page 23793]]

                                                                                                                                                        
CALA-0149681..........................  T. 5 N.                            R. 9 W.                           Sec. 16.........................        880
                                                                                                             Sec. 21.........................  .........
                                                                                                             Sec. 28.........................  .........
                                                                                                             Sec. 33.........................  .........
                                                                                                             Sec. 34.........................  .........
CALA-033569...........................  T. 11 N.                           R. 20 W.                          Sec. 28.........................        160
CALA-033068...........................  T. 11 N.                           R. 23 W.                          Sec. 18.........................        200
                                        T. 12 N.                           R. 23 W.                          Sec. 32.........................  .........
CALA-0055052..........................  T. 3 N.                            R. 20 W.                          Sec. 19.........................        160
CACA-4969.............................  T. 3 N.                            R. 16 W.                          Sec. 1..........................         33
CACA-12855A...........................  T. 11 N.                           R. 23 W.                          Sec. 10.........................         40
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    Subject to valid existing rights, the federal lands identified 
above have been segregated from appropriation under the public land 
laws and mineral laws for a period of 5 years beginning March 24, 1997.

Caliente RMP Amendment

    In the plan amendment, the federal oil and gas estate within the 
Caliente Resource Area will be identified for conveyance by means of 
exchange and the exchange value determined by appraisal and subsequent 
auction. The environmental effects of the proposed exchange, as well as 
the amendment to the Caliente RMP, will be addressed within the joint 
Headwaters EIS/EIR. This additional scoping opportunity is presented 
for the public to address the proposed amendment to the Caliente RMP. 
Any additional scoping comments relating to the plan amendment must be 
submitted on or before June 16, 1997 to BLM's office in Sacramento at 
the address listed above.
    A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS/EIR for the Headwaters 
exchange was published in the Federal Register on December 27, 1996 at 
page 68285 (61 FR 68285) by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A series 
of six public meetings to solicit public comments were held in January 
of 1997. The subsequent public scoping period was completed on February 
18, 1997.

    Dated: April 21, 1997.
David McIlnay,
Chief, Branch of Lands (CA-931), Bureau of Land Management.
    Dated: April 21, 1997.
G. Lynn Sprague,
Regional Forester, Pacific Southwest Region (R-5), Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 97-11327 Filed 4-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P