[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 94 (Monday, May 15, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31013-31014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12088]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AZA--31116 (supercedes AZA 28350)]


Notice of Availability for the Ray Land Exchange/Plan Amendment 
Record of Decision

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Ray Plan Amendment Record of Decision and Notice of Decision 
for the Ray Land Exchange.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is amending the Phoenix 
and Safford District Resource Management Plans (RMPs) to allow the 
transfer of certain federal lands and mineral estate in Pinal and Gila 
counties (Arizona) for privately owned lands in Mohave and Pinal 
counties. BLM examined the lands and interests described below under 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (43 
U.S.C. 1716) (FLPMA) and through the planning process described in BLM 
regulations (43 CFR 1600). BLM determined the lands and interests 
therein as suitable for disposal by land exchange pursuant to Section 
206 of FLPMA, as amended. The Record of Decision approving the plan 
amendment is now available.
    Notice is hereby given that on April 27, 2000, Jesse Juen, Tucson 
Field Office Manager, Bureau of Land Management, issued a decision to 
approve a proposed land exchange with ASARCO, Incorporated, a New York 
Corporation. This Notice of Decision initiates a 45-day comment period 
on the decision to approve the land exchange.
    Federal lands and mineral estate determined suitable for land 
exchange (total approximately 10, 976 acres) are described as:

Mineral Estate Only

Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian, Pinal County, Arizona

T.2 S., R.13 E., Section 35 (80 acres)
T.2 S., R.14 E., Section 31 (71 acres)
T.3 S., R.12 E., Section 24 (160 acres)
T.3 S., R.13 E., Sections 9, 10, 11, 12, 30 (1337 acres)
T.3 S., R.14 E., Sections 6, 7, 17, 18 (495 acres)
T.6 S., R.4 E., Sections 12, 23, 24 ( 637acres)

    Comprising approximately 2,780 acres.

Full Fee Estate

Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian, Pinal and Gila Counties, Arizona

T.2 S., R.13 E., Section 34 (428 acres)
T.3 S., R.12 E., Sections 25, 26 (1,120 acres)
T.3 S., R.13 E., Sections 1, 2, 8, 10, 11, 13, 17, 19,20, 22, 23, 
26, 27, 34, 35 (3,121 acres)
T.3 S., R.14 E., Sections 7, 18, 19, 20, 33, 34 (1,253 acres)
T.4 S., R.14 E., Sections 3, 4, 5, 8 (1,442 acres)
T.4 S., R.15 E., Sections 22, 27 (272 acres)
T.5 S., R.15 E., Sections 11, 28 (560 acres)

    Comprising approximately 8,196 acres.

    Non-federal lands (private land now owned by Asarco Incorporated) 
to be acquired (total approximately 7,300 acres) described as:

Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian, Mohave County, Arizona

Knisely Ranch, T.25 N., R.18 W., Sections 4, 17, 20 (160 acres)
McCracken Mtn.
    T.14 N., R.14 W., Sections 19, 31 (1,266 acres)
    T.14 N., R.15 W., Sections 3, 9, 11, 15, 23, 25, 27, 35 (5,118 
acres)
Sacramento Valley, T.19 N., R.19 W., Section 23 (120 acres)
Tomlin Parcels, T.15 N., R.13 W., Sections 19, 35 (313 acres)

    Comprising approximately 6,980 acres.

Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian, Pinal County, Arizona

Gila River/Cochran, T.4 S., R.12 E., Sections 6, 7 (320 acres)

    Comprising approximately 320 acres.

    The purpose of the Ray Land Exchange is to acquire the non-federal 
land parcels which have high public values for: wilderness inholdings 
in the Mt. Tipton Wilderness and parcels

[[Page 31014]]

adjacent to the Warm Springs Wilderness; checkerboard inholdings in the 
McCracken Mountains Area of Critical Environmental Concern; riparian 
zones along the Big Sandy and Gila Rivers; other habitat supporting 
threatened and endangered or special species; and cultural and 
recreation values. The public interest will be served by making the 
exchange.
    The values of the lands to be exchanged are equal. Lands 
transferred from the United States to ASARCO will be subject to the 
following reservations, terms and conditions:

A right-of-way thereon for ditches or canals.
Three rights-of-way for the Arizona Highway Department, AZAR 04524, 
AZAR 04525, AZAR 024241.
Two rights-of-way for the Salt River Project, AZA 2146, AZPHX 086749.
A right-of-way for Southwest Gas Corporation, AZAR 02148.
Two rights-of-way for Arizona Public Service Company, AZA 8778, AZAR 
033336.
Two rights-of-way for US West Communications Inc., AZA 6541, AZA 24678.
And a right-of-way for Pinal County Board of Supervisors, AZA 21389.

DATES: The publication of this Notice of Decision initiates a 45-day 
protest period on the Ray land exchange. Interested parties may submit 
comments or objections regarding the land exchange to the Tucson Field 
Office Manager, BLM, 12661 East Broadway, Tucson, AZ 85748-7208. 
Objections will be reviewed by the Arizona State Director who may 
sustain, vacate or modify this Notice of Decision. A copy of the Record 
of Decision may be obtained from the person/address that follows.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shela McFarlin, Project Manager, BLM, 
Arizona State Office, 222 N. Central, Phoenix, AZ 85004, or by 
telephone (602) 417-9568.

    Dated: April 27, 2000.
Jesse Juen,
Field Manager, Tucson.
[FR Doc. 00-12088 Filed 5-12-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-P