[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 146 (Thursday, July 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40729-40730]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20001]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[ES-930-08-1430-00 Michigan]
Notice of Disclaimer of Interest
SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to inform claimants, the State
of Michigan, and the general public of a decision by the United States
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affecting the processing of claims to
certain islands under the Michigan Public Lands Improvement Act (MPLIA)
of October 28, 1998, Pub. L. No. 100-537, 102 Stat. 2711. The court's
decision in the case of Barbara W. Wolff and Janice Wheeler Tinker v.
United States (Wheeler), 967 F. 2nd 222 (1992), held that, under
Michigan law, title to islands which had been omitted from the original
Federal survey passed to the littoral land owner when the littoral
lands were patented. This is because the government did not survey the
islands prior to the original conveyance, nor did the United States
make any reservations of the islands in the patents for the littoral
lands. Upon advice from the Department of the Interior's Office of the
Solicitor, in accordance with the above Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
decision, it has been determined that the United States has no claim or
interest in the islands listed below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Deputy State Director, Walter Rewinski, at (703) 440-1727, Eastern
States, Division of Resources Planning, Use and Protection, 7450 Boston
Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Federal land policy has long held that lands, including islands,
that were omitted from the original Federal survey remain the property
of the United States until the United States officially patents the
lands out of Federal ownership. In 1988, the MPLIA was enacted to
transfer unsurveyed islands in Michigan to the State of Michigan unless
a valid claim by a private party to an island exists. Section 3 of the
MPLIA allows islands to be sold by the Secretary of the Interior to
parties who could demonstrate valid claims. The rights, title, and
interest of the United States to any islands not purchased by claimants
within 10 years after the date of enactment of the MPLIA would be
transferred by the Secretary of the Interior to the State of Michigan
under and subject to this Act. Following the passage of the MPLIA, the
BLM received claims for a number of unsurveyed islands. In the early
1990's, the BLM transferred ownership of all unsurveyed islands that
did not receive claims to the State of Michigan in accordance to the
MPLIA. The BLM then began adjudicating the claims filed under the
MPLIA. Before adjudication could be completed, however, the Sixth
Circuit decided Wheeler. The court held that under Michigan law, the
unsurveyed islands had passed to the owners of the adjacent littoral
land because the Government did not survey the island prior to the
conveyance of the adjacent littoral lands, nor had the United States
made any reservation of the islands in the patents for the littoral
lands. According to Wheeler, the United States no longer has
jurisdiction to sell islands to qualified claimants or to transfer
islands to the State of Michigan. Therefore, the United States
disclaims any interest in the islands listed below subject to Wheeler.
Seventeen islands were surveyed by the United States after the MPLIA
was enacted but before the Wheeler decision was made. These islands are
subject to Wheeler and the United States disclaims interest in these
islands also.
Unsurveyed Islands Subject to Wheeler
[All are in Michigan Meridian]
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County CCN TNP RNG SEC Acres Location
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Alpena....................... 001 31N 6E 3 0.80 Island in Thunder Bay River.
002 31N 6E 3 1.50 Island in Thunder Bay River.
003 31N 6E 11 0.30 Island in Thunder Bay River.
004 31N 6E 3 0.20 Island in Thunder Bay River.
005 32N 6E 36 0.20 Island in Thunder Bay River.
006 31N 8E 7 1.50 Island in Thunder Bay River.
007 31N 8E 7 0.20 Island in Thunder Bay River.
008 31N 8E 7 0.30 Island in Thunder Bay River.
009 31N 8E 7 0.40 Island in Thunder Bay River.
009 31N 8E 7 0.40 Island in Thunder Bay River.
010 31N 8E 18 0.30 Island in Thunder Bay River.
Barry........................ 004 1N 10W 7 1.30 Island In Pine Lake.
005 1N 10W 15 2.80 Island In Crooked Lake.
Berrien...................... 005 6S 18W 1 0.80 Island in St. Joseph River.
Branch....................... 002 7S 5W 5 1.50 Island in Marble Lake.
[[Page 40730]]
Calhoun...................... 011 3S 6W 15 1.50 Island in Cedar Lake.
Cass......................... 005 7S 13W 19 0.80 Island in Shavehead Lake.
012 7S 15W 30 1.50 Island in Pine Lake.
Clare........................ 002 20N 4W 26 0.50 Island in Long Lake.
Genesee...................... 006 9N 5E 21 8.00 Island in Flint River
Iron......................... 022 41N 23W 5 0.10 Island in Stager Lake.
055 42N 33W 15 0.60 Island in Buck Lake.
Kent......................... 015 8N 11W 7 3.20 Island in Little Pine Island Lake.
Keweena...................... 023 58N 31W 1 0.50 Island In Lake Superior.
Marquette.................... 018 50N 26W 21 0.60 Island In Lake Superior.
019 50N 26W 21 0.30 Island In Lake Superior.
020 50N 26W 27 4.00 Garlic Island in Lake Superior.
021 47N 27W 13 0.80 Island in Lake Miller.
022 46N 28W 15 0.20 Island in Island Lake
Montcalm..................... 003 10N 5W 17 0.30 Island in Crystal Lake.
Oakland...................... 001 2N 9E 4 0.30 Island in Cass Lake.
Ogemaw....................... 004 23N 1E 2 0.20 Island In Clear Lake.
005 23N 1E 2 0.90 Island in Clear Lake.
006 23N 1E 11 1.20 Island in Clear Lake.
010 23N 4E 8 1.80 Island in George Lake.
Presquew..................... 002 34N 4E 31 0.10 Island in Lake Nettie.
Isle......................... 004 33N 7E 25 0.10 Island in Long Lake.
005 33N 7E 25 0.20 Island in Long Lake.
Roscommon.................... 001 22N 1W 31 1.00 Island in West Twin Lake.
003 21N 2W 12 0.20 Island in Clear Lake.
Washtenaw.................... 014 2S 6E 21 1.30 Island in Huron River.
015 2S 6E 21 0.10 Island in Huron River.
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Surveyed Islands Subject to Wheeler
[All are in Michigan Meridian]
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County Serial/No. TWP RNG SEC Subdiv AC Location/name
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Chippewa............................ 041337 47N 1E 11 Tr. 41...................... 1.05 Black Point.
........... ........................ ........................ ........... ............................ ........... Sugar Island.
Chippewa............................ 041338 46N 2E 14 Tr. 38...................... 0.60 Rock Island.
........... ........................ ........................ ........... Tr. 37...................... 1.68 Advance Island.
Chippewa............................ 041339 42N 4E 16 Lot 2....................... 1.24 Sweets Island.
Chippewa............................ 041340 41N 5E 14 Tr. 39...................... 0.28 Huron Bay.
........... ........................ ........................ 23 Tr. 38...................... 1.27 Huron Bay.
Chippewa............................ 035667 43N 6E 30 Tr. 39...................... 0.06 Potaganissing Bay.
........... ........................ ........................ 31 Tr. 37 & 38................. 0.47 Potaganissing Bay.
........... ........................ ........................ 31 Tr. 40 & 41................. 0.36 Potaganissing Bay.
Grand Traverse...................... 041343 26N 10W 1 Tr. 37...................... 0.10 Rennie Lake.
Mackinac............................ 041349 41N 1E 3 Tr. 37...................... 1.10 Little Island.
Mackinac............................ 041350 42N 1W 28 Tr. 39...................... 0.19 Lake Huron.
........... ........................ ........................ ........... Tr. 40...................... 0.02 Lake Huron.
Mackinac............................ 035172 42N 1W 28 Tr. 37...................... 0.45 Lake Huron.
Mackinac............................ 036455 42N 1W 29 Tr. 41...................... 0.45 Burnam Island.
Otsego.............................. 041360 30N 4W 32 Tr. 37...................... 1.02 Buhl Lake.
Otsego.............................. 041361 30N 4W 32 Tr. 38...................... 0.91 Buhl Lake.
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Ron Montagna,
Acting Associate State Director, Eastern States.
[FR Doc. 98-20001 Filed 7-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-CJ-M