[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 2, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10159-10160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5084]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[NM-030-1220-00]


Land Ownership and Boundary Adjustment, Organ/Franklin Mountains 
Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability and 60-day Public Comment Period.

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SUMMARY: The BLM, Las Cruces Field Office, announces the availability 
of a draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment/preliminary Finding 
of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and supporting Environmental 
Assessment (EA). The document discusses the adjustment of the boundary 
of the

[[Page 10160]]

Organ/Franklin Mountains ACEC to exclude 320 acres of BLM-administered 
public land and making that parcel available for possible disposal by 
direct sale at fair market value. The document discusses impacts of 
removal of the land from ACEC designation and management and impacts 
from future use under private ownership.

DATES: Written comments related to removal of the land from ACEC 
designation and management and the preliminary FONSI will be accepted 
on or before May 5, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Tim Sanders, Acting Assistant 
Field Manager, Multi-Resources, BLM Las Cruces Field Office, 1800 
Marquess, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Sanders, Acting Assistant Field 
Manager, at (505) 525-4393.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ACECs are land designations unique to BLM. 
The purpose of ACECs is to recognize, protect, and manage unique or 
sensitive resources or potential hazards. Each area is managed 
according to its unique resources and needs, in consultation and 
coordination with the public. The Organ/Franklin Mountains ACEC was 
designated in the Mimbres RMP in 1993. The 320 acres in the S\1/2\, 
Section 13, T. 25 S., R. 3 E., was included within the boundary of the 
ACEC. Specific resources to be protected by the designation include 
significant scenic values, endangered wildlife and plant species, 
National register eligible prehistoric and historic resources, and 
natural hazards such as cliffs and mine shafts. One of the numerous 
planned actions identified in the RMP to protect these resources is to 
retain all public land within the ACEC.
    In 1975, Our Lady's Youth Center of El Paso, Texas received a 
Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) lease with option to purchase for 
the 320 acres. The lease was issued for a period of 25 years and was to 
be used as part of the Youth Center's Lord's Ranch, which is 
headquartered on adjacent land owned by Our Lady's Youth Center. The 
Lord's Ranch is a youth camp and retreat primarily for underprivileged 
children from El Paso, Texas.
    In June 1997, the lease was cancelled for lack of development and 
maintenance. The Youth Center is seeking to acquire the property to 
continue to use it as part of the Lord's Ranch. The Youth Center 
contends that this land is an integral part of the ranch and is 
necessary for its continued operation.
    This RMP Amendment would adjust the boundary to remove the 320 
acres from the Organ/Franklin Mountains ACEC and make it available for 
disposal if that is the alternative chosen. None of the values for 
which the ACEC was designated to protect would be affected by the 
removal of the parcel from the ACEC.
    Public participation has occurred throughout the RMP Amendment 
process. A Notice of Intent was filed in the Federal Register on 
December 8,1998 inviting public comments on the proposal. Comments 
received during this 60-day comment period will be considered in 
preparing the Proposed Mimbres RMP Amendment and supporting EA. Single 
copies of the draft Mimbres RMP Amendment/preliminary FONSI and 
supporting EA for the Land Ownership and Boundary Adjustment in the 
Organ/Franklin Mountains ACEC may be obtained from the BLM Las Cruces 
Field Office, 1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, NM 88005.

    Dated: February 24, 1999.
Linda S.C. Rundell,
Field Manager, Las Cruces.
[FR Doc. 99-5084 Filed 3-1-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VC-P