[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 107 (Wednesday, June 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30613-30614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14486]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[CA-930-1430-01; CACA 7021 et al.]


Public Land Order No. 7262; Modification and Revocation of 19 
Secretarial Orders, 3 Public Land Orders, and 2 Bureau of Land 
Management Orders, which withdrew lands for the Bureau of Reclamation; 
California

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Public Land Order.

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SUMMARY: This order modifies 10 Secretarial orders, 2 Public Land 
Orders, and 1 Bureau of Land Management Order to establish a 25-year 
term as to 133,310.80 acres of lands withdrawn for the Bureau of 
Reclamation. These lands have been and will remain closed to surface 
entry and mining, but have been and will remain open to mineral 
leasing. This order also revokes 18 Secretarial Orders, 1 Public Land 
Order, and 1 Bureau of Land Management Order insofar as they affect 
482,797.32 acres of lands withdrawn for the Bureau of Reclamation. All 
of the lands are located in the California Desert Conservation Area as 
defined by Section 601 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, 43 U.S.C. 1781(c) (1988). Of the 482,797.32 acres being revoked, 
468,051.40 acres will be opened to surface entry and mining unless 
closed by overlapping withdrawals or temporary segregations of record. 
The remaining 14,745.92 acres have been and will remain closed to 
surface entry and mining because those lands are included in necessary, 
overlapping withdrawals for the Bureau of Reclamation that are being 
modified by this order. The lands being opened to mining by this order 
are located in the California Desert Conservation Area and will be 
administered in accordance with the Guidelines for Mineral Exploration 
and Development contained in the Bureau of Land Management's California 
Desert Conservation Area Plan, as amended, and 43 CFR 3802 and 3809.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 7, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Duane Marti, BLM California State 
Office (CA-931.4), 2135 Butano Drive, Sacramento, California 95825; 
916-979-2858.
    By virtue of the authority vested in the Secretary of the Interior 
by Section 204 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 
43 U.S.C. 1714 (1988), it is ordered as follows:
    1. The following 10 Secretarial orders, 2 Public Land Orders, and 1 
Bureau of Land Management Order are hereby modified to expire 25 years 
from the effective date of this order, unless, as a result of a review 
conducted before the expiration date pursuant to Section 204(f) of the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C. 1714(f) 
(1988), the Secretary determines that the withdrawals shall be extended 
insofar as they affect the lands described in a public notice published 
in the Federal Register on March 3, 1992 (57 FR 7599), as corrected by 
three correction notices published on May 4, 1992 (57 FR 19135 and 57 
FR 19163) and May 26, 1993 (58 FR 30181):
    (a) Secretarial Order dated October 24, 1944 (CACA 7074);
    (b) Secretarial Order dated October 16, 1931 (CACA 7101);
    (c) Secretarial Order dated February 19, 1929 (CACA 7103);
    (d) Secretarial Order dated January 31, 1903 (CACA 7231);
    (e) Secretarial Order dated April 2, 1909 (CACA 7232);
    (f) Secretarial Order dated February 28, 1918 (CACA 7234);
    (g) Secretarial Order dated March 15, 1919 (CACA 7235);
    (h) Secretarial Order dated October 19, 1920 (CACA 7236);
    (i) Secretarial Order dated July 26, 1929 (CACA 7238);
    (j) Secretarial Order dated June 4, 1930 (CACA 7239);
    (k) Public Land Order 3262 dated October 29, 1963 (CARI 01051);
    (l) Public Land Order 4690 dated September 15, 1969 (CARI 07752);
    (m) Bureau of Land Management Order dated July 23, 1947 (CACA 
7073).
    The areas described within the above Secretarial orders, public 
land orders, and the Bureau of Land Management order aggregate 
133,310.80 acres in Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, 
California.
    The lands referenced above continue to be withdrawn from 
settlement, sale, location, or entry under the general land laws, 
including the mining laws, to protect the Bureau of Reclamation's 
Colorado River Storage Project, All American Canal Project, Senator 
Wash Pump Storage Project, and Yuma Reclamation Project. These lands 
have been and will remain open to leasing under the mineral leasing 
laws.
    2. The following 18 Secretarial Orders, 1 Public Land Order, and 1 
Bureau of Land Management Order are hereby revoked insofar as they 
affect the lands located in the California Desert Conservation Area, as 
defined by Section 601 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, 43 U.S.C.

[[Page 30614]]

1781(c) (1988), but not described in the Federal Register public notice 
or correction notices described in paragraph 1 above:
    (a) Secretarial Order dated June 4, 1931 (CACA 7021);
    (b) Secretarial Order dated March 26, 1931 (CACA 7056);
    (c) Secretarial Order dated September 8, 1903 (CACA 7060);
    (d) Secretarial Order dated July 1, 1904 (CACA 7063);
    (e) Secretarial Order dated August 19, 1932 (CACA 7069);
    (f) Secretarial Order dated October 16, 1931 (CACA 7101);
    (g) Secretarial Order dated July 2, 1902 (CACA 7102);
    (h) Secretarial Order dated February 19, 1929 (CACA 7103);
    (i) Secretarial Order dated January 31, 1903 (CACA 7231);
    (j) Secretarial Order dated April 2, 1909 (CACA 7232);
    (k) Secretarial Order dated February 16, 1918 (CACA 7233);
    (l) Secretarial Order dated February 28, 1918 (CACA 7234);
    (m) Secretarial Order dated March 15, 1919 (CACA 7235);
    (n) Secretarial Order dated October 19, 1920 (CACA 7236);
    (o) Secretarial Order dated December 13, 1920 (CACA 7237);
    (p) Secretarial Order dated July 26, 1929 (CACA 7238);
    (q) Secretarial Order dated June 4, 1930 (CACA 7239);
    (r) Secretarial Order dated September 10, 1940 (CACA 7240);
    (s) Public Land Order 3330 dated February 10, 1964 (CARI 02052);
    (t) Bureau of Land Management Order dated April 5, 1956 (CACA 
7241).
    The areas described within the above Secretarial orders, public 
land order, and Bureau of Land Management order aggregate 482,797.32 
acres in Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, California.
    3. At 10 a.m. on July 7, 1997, the lands referenced in paragraph 2 
will be opened to the operation of the public land laws generally, 
subject to valid existing rights, the provisions of existing 
withdrawals, other segregations of record, and the requirements of 
applicable law. All valid applications received at or prior to 10 a.m. 
on July 7, 1997, shall be considered as simultaneously filed at that 
time. Those received thereafter shall be considered in the order of 
filing.
    4. At 10 a.m. on July 7, 1997, the lands referenced in paragraph 2 
will be opened to location and entry under the United States mining 
laws, subject to valid existing rights, the provisions of existing 
withdrawals, other segregations of record, and the requirements of 
applicable law. Appropriation of any of the lands referenced in 
paragraph 2 of this order under the general mining laws prior to the 
date and time of restoration is unauthorized. Any such attempted 
appropriation, including attempted adverse possession under 30 U.S.C. 
38 (1988), shall vest no rights against the United States. Acts 
required to establish a location and to initiate a right of possession 
are governed by State law where not in conflict with Federal law. The 
Bureau of Land Management will not intervene in disputes between rival 
locators over possessory rights since Congress has provided for such 
determinations in local courts.

    Dated: May 28, 1997.
Bob Armstrong,
Assistant Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 97-14486 Filed 6-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P