[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 202 (Thursday, October 18, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52933-52934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-26308]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Notice of Realty Action--Competitive Bulk Sale of Federal Land

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of realty action, competitive bulk sale of federal land.

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SUMMARY: The tracts of land described below have been identified for 
sale and transfer out of Federal ownership under the Public Law 105-277 
Title X-Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Montana Act of October 22, 1998, as 
amended November 29, 1999, and October 27, 2000. The purpose of this 
notice is to solicit letters of interest from parties wishing to bid on 
and to purchase 265 recreation home sites at Canyon Ferry Reservoir, 
Montana.

DATES: For a period of 90 days from the publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register, interested parties may request notification of 
future sale dates, and may request a copy of the bid package from the 
Montana Area Office, Bureau of Reclamation.

ADDRESSES: Address all requests concerning this notice to Montana Area 
Office, Bureau of Reclamation, Attention: Susan Stiles, Realty 
Specialist, P.O. Box 30137, Billings, MT 59107-0137.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Stiles at (406) 247-7316.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject property is located along the 
north half of the east and west shores of Canyon Ferry Reservoir, about 
20 miles east of Helena, Montana. The property is described as cabin 
site Lots 1 through 36, Lots 38 through 266, and drainfield and septic 
site lots D-1 through D-8, Sections 2, 11, 12, 13, 15, 22, 23, 26, 
Township 10 North, Range 1 West, P.M., Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Lewis 
and Clark County, Montana, comprising approximately 163.73 acres, more 
or less. The Bureau of Reclamation currently leases these lots out for 
seasonal cabin site use to private parties.
    On October 21, 1998, Title X of Public Law 105-277, The Canyon 
Ferry Reservoir, Montana Act, required that the Secretary of Interior 
sell, for the appraised fair market value, 265 cabin sites located at 
Canyon Ferry Reservoir to private parties. It is anticipated that the 
appraisal of the cabin sites will be completed by the end of 2001, and 
that the Bureau of Reclamation will offer the cabin sites for sale in 
Spring 2002. Interested parties will be informed of the exact sale 
dates once they have been established.
    As required by the Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Montana Act, the cabin 
sites will initially be offered as an entire block of land to the 
highest bidder, which requires a prospective buyer to purchase all 265 
cabin sites at not less than their appraised fair market value. In 
addition to the sale price, the purchaser will also be required to 
reimburse the Bureau of Reclamation for

[[Page 52934]]

all its administrative costs in connection with the sale process. 
Included in the bid package, interested parties will receive 
instructions in how to submit their sealed bids to the Bureau of 
Reclamation, the amount of the minimum bid required (appraised value), 
an estimate of the administrative costs to be paid, along with other 
pertinent sales information.
    Pursuant to the Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Montana Act, the Canyon 
Ferry Recreation Association (CFRA) shall have the right to match the 
highest bid and purchase the properties at a price equal to the amount 
of the highest bid. If CFRA does not match the highest bid, then the 
Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Montana Act requires that the cabin sites be 
sold to the high bidder. The purchaser is then required by the Canyon 
Ferry Reservoir, Montana Act to give each cabin site lessee an option 
either to purchase their cabin site at its appraised fair market value, 
or to continue leasing their cabin site from the purchaser up through 
August 2014. As a condition to the bulk sale, it will be the sole 
responsibility of the successful bidder to negotiate the sale or lease 
of the individual tracts to the current lessees.
    In the event there is not a qualified high bidder, then Reclamation 
will offer to sell the cabin sites to the current lessees at their fair 
market value, at a later date as determined by the Bureau of 
Reclamation. The Bureau of Reclamation may at any time during the 
course of the sale, accept or reject any and all offers, or remove any 
land or interest in land from the sale at its sole discretion.
    Resource clearances consistent with the National Environment Policy 
Act requirements have been completed. An Environmental Assessment 
pertaining to the proposed sale is available upon request from the 
Montana Area Office. The patent and quitclaim deed issued for the land 
sold will be subject to easement or rights-of-way existing or of record 
in favor of the public or third parties, as well as the condition set 
forth in the Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Montana Act, and mineral and other 
reservations by the United States.
    Easements granted--The purchaser(s) will be granted easements for: 
(A) Vehicular access to each lot, (B) access to and use of 1 dock per 
lot, and (C) access to and use of all boathouses, ramps, retaining 
walls, and other improvements for which access is provided in the 
leases as of the date of enactment of the Canyon Ferry Reservoir, 
Montana Act.
    Improvements--Each cabin site is encumbered with a cabin or home, 
and may include other structures such as sheds, garages, boathouses, 
fences, retaining walls, wells, and septic systems. These improvements 
are privately owned by the current lessees and therefore not included 
in the fair market value of the property and they are not included in 
this sale. The United States and the Bureau of Reclamation, hereby 
absolves itself of any responsibility or liability of any nature 
whatsoever in connection with said improvements which are owned by the 
current lessees.

    Dated: October 3, 2001.
Susan Kelly,
Area Manager, Montana Area Office, Bureau of Reclamation.
[FR Doc. 01-26308 Filed 10-17-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-M