[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 230 (Wednesday, November 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 71119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30443]



[[Page 71119]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-600-00-1430-ET-241A]


Notice of Intent To Amend the White River, Glenwood Springs, and 
Grand Junction Resource Management Plans To Revoke Oil Shale 
Withdrawals on Public Lands

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM) is proposing to prepare an Environmental Assessment and amend 
three Resource Management Plans (RMPs) to revoke withdrawals placed on 
BLM administered lands for the purpose of protecting the oil shale 
resource. The three RMPs are the White River RMP, Glenwood Springs RMP, 
and Grand Junction RMP; all in Colorado. Section 204 of the Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), requires that BLM 
continually review existing withdrawals to determine if they are still 
needed for their original purpose. This proposed revocation only 
pertains to oil shale lands withdrawn under Executive Order 5327 dated 
April 15, 1930, as amended, and Public Land Order 4522 dated September 
13, 1968, as amended, and involves approximately 600,000 acres in 
Colorado.
    These oil shale withdrawals are no longer needed because existing 
regulations, policies and land use decisions provide adequate 
protection and conservation of oil shale resources.
    The oil shale withdrawals proposed for revocation are within the 
jurisdictional boundaries of the White River BLM Field Office, Glenwood 
Springs BLM Field Office, and Grand Junction BLM Field Office, and are 
located in the following townships.

T2N, R98W; T2N, R99W; T2N, R100W; T1N, R95W; T1N, R96W; T1N, R97W; 
T1N, R98W; T1N, R99W; T1N, R100W; T1S, R94W; T1S, R95W; T1S, R96W; 
T1S, R97W; T1S, R98W; T1S, R99W; T1S, R100W; T2S, R94W; T2S, R95W; 
T2S, R96W; T2S, R97W; T2S, R98W; T2S, R99W; T2S, R100W; T3S, R94W; 
T3S, R95W; T3S, R96W; T3S, R97W; T3S, R98W, T3S, R99W; T3S, R100W; 
T4S, R94W; T4S, R95W; T4S, R96W; T4S, R97W; T4S, R98W; T4S, R99W; 
T4S, R100W; T4S, R101W; T5S, R93W; T5S, R94W; T5S, R95W; T5S, R96W; 
T5S, R97W; T5S, R98W; T5S, R99W; T5S, R100W; T5S, R101W; T6S, R94W; 
T6S, R95W; T6S, R96W; T6S, R97W; T6S, R98W; T6S, R99W; T6S, R100W; 
T6S, R101W; T7S, R96W; T7S, R97W; T7S, R98W; T7S, R99W; T7S, R100W; 
T7S, R101W; T8S, R99W; T8S, R100W.

    The public is invited to comment on this proposal and to contact 
the BLM should they desire further information. A 30 day period for 
receiving comments begins with publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register. Comments received by the public as a result of this 
notice and news releases in local media will be considered in 
developing the Environmental Assessment.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Larry Porter, 
Bureau of Land Management, 2815 H. Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506. 
Electronic mail can be sent to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Porter at (970) 244-3012.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This withdrawal revocation proposal does not 
apply to the Naval Oil Shale Reserve #1 and #3 lands that were recently 
transferred from the U.S. Department of Energy to the BLM. Management 
decisions for these lands will be made through a separate planning 
process.
    There are several public land orders and executive orders which 
relate to the withdrawal of oil shale land. Some of the orders identify 
how the withdrawals will be administered and their relationship to 
development of other minerals. This proposed revocation only pertains 
to oil shale values in lands withdrawn under Executive Order 5327 dated 
April 15, 1930, as amended, and Public Land Order 4522 dated September 
13, 1968, as amended. Oil Shale and associated minerals have been 
classified as leasable, and as such they are managed with well defined 
procedures. The oil shale values in these withdrawn lands are 
adequately protected and administered through existing BLM regulations, 
planning decisions, and policy. The withdrawals are no longer needed 
for their original purpose and intent, and should be revoked in their 
entirety.

    Dated: November 22, 2000.
Richard M. Arcand,
Assistant Manager, Northwest Center Office.
[FR Doc. 00-30443 Filed 11-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P