[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 112 (Wednesday, June 11, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31839-31840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15231]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[AZ-020-97-2200]


Notice of Intent To Prepare An Environmental Impact Statement For 
A Proposed Land Exchange Near Kingman, Arizona, and Notice of Scoping 
Meetings

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent, notice of scoping period, and notice of 
scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management is considering a proposal to 
exchange land pursuant to Section 206 of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716), as amended. An environmental 
impact statement will be prepared in accordance with Section 102(2)(C) 
of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to analyze the impacts 
associated with the proposed exchange. The exchange proponent is Santa 
Fe Railroad Company being represented by Ben Brooks and Associates. It 
is proposed to exchange approximately 70,000 acres of public land for 
approximately 70,000 acres of private land. The final acreage may 
change as the exchange will be on an equal value basis. There are 
70,000 acres of offered lands (lands currently in private ownership) 
and 60,000 acres of selected lands (lands currently in public 
ownership) 20 to 40 miles southwest of Kingman, Arizona. The remaining 
10,000 acres of selected lands are located approximately 15 miles 
northeast of Kingman, Arizona. The exchange includes portions of Dutch 
Flat and the Hualapai and McCracken mountains. The BLM would acquire 
lands mostly within the Hualapai and McCracken mountains or foothills 
while

[[Page 31840]]

Santa Fe would acquire land in the Dutch Flat and Hualapai Valley 
areas.
    This notice is intended to invite the public to participate in 
identification of issues and development of alternatives for the 
proposal.

DATES: Public scoping meetings to identify public concerns will be held 
on the following dates:

Monday, June 30, in Wikieup, Arizona, at the Owens School, 14109 East 
Chicken Springs Road, Wikieup, Arizona 85360.
Tuesday, July 1, in Kingman, Arizona, at the BLM office located at 2475 
Beverly Avenue, Kingman, Arizona 86401.
Wednesday, July 2, in Yucca, Arizona, at the Brooks Realty Office, 
12470 South Yucca Frontage Road, Yucca, Arizona 86348.

    Comments relating to the identification of issues and alternatives 
will be accepted for up to 45 days following the publication of this 
notice.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to: Bureau of Land Management, Kingman Field 
Office, 2475 Beverly Avenue, Kingman, Arizona 86401.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Don McClure, Project Manager, (520) 757-3161.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed exchange area is located in 
northwestern Arizona. The land exchange will block federal ownership to 
facilitate management of natural resources in the Hualapai and 
McCracken mountains and associated foothills. This exchange will help 
alleviate problems associated with private land sales and development 
in the checker boarded lands in Dutch Flat and the Hualapai and 
McCracken mountains. Consolidation of lands into public ownership in 
the Hualapai Mountains area was begun in the early 1980s. To date, BLM 
has exchanged lands with the State of Arizona and private entities to 
consolidate public ownership throughout the Hualapai Mountains. This 
proposed exchange will consolidate the last large checker boarded area 
within the Hualapai Mountains into public ownership.

Anticipated Issues

    Management concerns that will be addressed include, but are not 
limited to, wildlife management, impacts on visual quality, unique 
vegetation, Native American religious concerns, and access concerns. 
Baseline studies will be conducted to gather information about cultural 
resources, hazardous materials, minerals, water rights, and the general 
habitat.

Other Relevant Information

    The EIS will be prepared by an interdisciplinary team of resource 
specialists. The team will include a project manager, a wildlife 
specialist, a realty specialist, a botanist, a soil scientist, a range 
management specialist, a visual resources specialist, a biological 
resources specialist, and a cultural resource specialist.
    Complete records of all phases of the EIS process will be available 
for public review at the Kingman Field Office, 2475 Beverly Avenue, 
Kingman, Arizona 86401.
Denise P. Meridith,
State Director, Arizona.
[FR Doc. 97-15231 Filed 6-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-M