[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 185 (Thursday, September 24, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 51093-51094] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-25481] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [CA-180-1430-00; CACA 37328] Notice of Plan Amendment and Notice of Decision for Land Exchange AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management, Folsom Field Office, is amending the 1988 Sierra Planning Area Management Framework Plan Amendment (MFPA) to allow for a boundary adjustment of the Ione Tertiary Oxisol Soils Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), located in Amador County, CA. The boundary adjustment is necessary to allow for exchange of public land currently within the ACEC in order to acquire adjacent private land of higher resource value to be added to the ACEC. The plan amendment and exchange are made pursuant to Sections 202 and 206 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1712 and 1716). The lands are described as follows: Public land to be disposed of and excluded from the ACEC T. 5 N., R.10 E., Sec. 17, N\1/2\NE\1/4\NW\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, N\1/2\S\1/2\NE\1/ 4\NW\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, and W\1/2\NW\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\. The area described contains 6.875 acres in Amador County. Private land to be acquired and added to the ACEC T. 5 N., R. 10 E. Sec. 17, S\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\NE\1/4\ and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/ 4\NE\1/4\. The area described contains 7.5 acres in Amador County. In addition, an easement will also be acquired in order to secure access to the remaining public lands. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ACEC was established to protect unique soil profiles. Intensely weathered soils were formed during the Eocene epoch when the area had a tropical climate. This soil has been exposed due to natural erosion of overlying strata revealing a soil with properties of oxisols, a soil order of the tropics. Adjustment of the ACEC boundary allows for the inclusion of 7.5 acres of land to be acquired that is currently adjacent to the existing boundary. This land to be acquired contains exceptional examples of Oxisol soils. In exchange, BLM will also adjust the ACEC boundary to exclude the above described public land which will allow for disposal of this parcel because it possesses inferior soil examples than [[Page 51094]] the land to be acquired. The exchange will be with TNH/Glenmoor ltd., an adjacent landowner to the ACEC. Disposal of the public land will also allow access by TNH/Glenmoor to their land in the same area. This exchange meets the objectives of the MFPA and the Ione Tertiary Oxisol Soils Area Management Plan (1992), by protecting the area and preserving its intrinsic scientific and educational importance. The public land parcel would be transferred subject to a reservation to the United States for a right-of-way for ditches and canals and for a road to access the remaining public land. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Beck, Realty Specialist, Bureau of Land Management, Folsom Field Office, 63 Natoma Street, Folsom, CA 95630 or by phone at (916) 985-4474. DATES: Planning Protest--Any party that participated in the plan amendment and is adversely affected by the amendment may protest this action only as it affects issues submitted for the record during the planning process. The protest must be in writing and filed with the Director, Bureau of Land Management, 1800 ``C'' Street, N.W., Washington D.C. 20240, on or before October 26, 1998. Land Exchange Protests: On or before November 9, 1998, interested parties may submit comments or protests regarding the land exchange to the Field Manager, Folsom Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 63 Natoma Street, Folsom, CA 95630. This notice will also serve to satisfy the requirement contained in 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b) regarding designation of areas of critical environmental concern. In the absence of any planning protest or objections regarding the land exchange, the decision will become the final determination of the Department of the Interior and the Planning amendment will be in effect. Dated: September 16, 1998. James M. Eicher, Acting Field Manager. [FR Doc. 98-25481 Filed 9-23-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-40-P