[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46803-46804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23653]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[CO-017-98-1430-00; COC-60216]


Notice of Intent To Amend the White River Resource Management 
Plan, Colorado

Notice of Exchange Proposal (COC-61936)
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent To Amend the White River Resource Management 
Plan; Notice of Exchange Proposal.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976, the Bureau of Land Management, White River Resource Area, 
Colorado, will be preparing an Environmental Assessment-level plan 
amendment to the White River Resource Management Plan. The plan 
amendment will assess impacts of complete revocation of the Oil Shale 
Withdrawal (PLO 4522) as it affects lands within the jurisdictional 
boundaries of the White River Resource Area. The applicable decision in 
the Resource Management Plan, approved July 1, 1997, was to modify the 
withdrawal to allow discretionary actions.
    Notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is 
considering an exchange of public lands in Garfield County for private 
lands owned by Union Oil Company of California, also in Garfield 
County, pursuant to Section 206 of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716), as amended. The following 
public lands are being considered for exchange by the United States:

Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado

T. 4 S., R. 95 W., 6th P.M.,
    Sec. 22, W\1/2\;
    Sec. 23, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 34, SW\1/4\.
T. 5 S., R. 95 W.,
    Sec. 4, lots 5 and 7.
T. 5 S., R. 96 W.,
    Sec. 15, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\.
T. 6 S., R. 96 W.,
    Sec. 21, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.

    Containing 753.38 acres.

    The following private lands are being considered for exchange to 
the United States:

Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado

T. 4 S., R. 95 W.,
    Sec. 35, S\1/2\S\1/2\N\1/2\, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 36, S\1/2\S\1/2\N\1/2\, S\1/2\.

    Containing 800 acres.

    The actual acreage transferred may be adjusted, based on values as 
determined by an appraisal.
    The above-noted environmental assessment will also address the 
exchange proposal. The described public lands are identified in the 
Resource Management Plan as Category II lands for the purposes of land 
tenure adjustment. They are suitable for disposal by exchange, but not 
by direct sale under Section 203 of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act. Since the Oil Shale Withdrawal precludes disposal by 
any method, it must be modified or revoked to complete the proposed 
exchange. Based on an initial determination that the potential for non-
discretionary actions within the withdrawn area is low, review of 
revoking the withdrawal is now deemed reasonable.
    If a patent to the above described public lands is issued pursuant 
to an exchange, it will be subject to valid existing rights, and the 
United States will reserve the oil, gas, and coal. Any water rights 
appurtenant to and used on the respective parcels would be conveyed, 
provided that water rights used elsewhere, or not appurtenant to the 
specified parcels would be reserved. Union will convey only the surface 
estate in the offered parcels.
    As a part of this exchange, Union would also convey to the United 
States a non-exclusive easement over segments of the Cow Creek Road 
crossing private parcels not subject to the exchange proposal. They 
would also reserve a non-exclusive easement for roads crossing the 
offered parcels.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted for a period of 30 days 
following the publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the Area Manager, Bureau of Land 
Management, White River Resource Area, 73544 Highway 64, Meeker, CO 
81641.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Vern Rholl, BLM White River Resource Area, 970-878-3601.


[[Page 46804]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Approximately 491,734 acres of public land 
within the White River Resource Area are withdrawn ``from lease or 
disposal'' and closed to the mining laws, to protect federal oil shale 
resources. Executive Order 5327, dated April 15, 1930, withdrew all 
those lands owned by the United States within the lands described in 
Appendix I, Table I-7, of the Draft White River Resource Management 
Plan. In order to perform discretionary actions, and in particular, the 
exchange of lands, the Resource Management Plan stated that the 
withdrawal would be modified. The oil shale values would still be 
protected from non-discretionary actions. However, in reviewing the 
potential for the occurrence of such actions, it is now questionable 
whether protection via a withdrawal is necessary. Under the actions 
contemplated in this notice, the Resource Management Plan would be 
amended to allow revocation of the withdrawal, the withdrawal would be 
revoked, and certain of those lands formerly protected would be 
exchanged for other lands, or interests in land.

    Dated: August 21, 1998.
John J. Mehlhoff,
Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 98-23653 Filed 9-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-M