[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 99 (Friday, May 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29323-29324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-11569]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-040-1430-ET-007F; 4-08807]


Notice of Public Meetings; Notice of Intent to Amend the Caliente 
Management Framework Plan, Schell Management Framework Plan, Tonopah 
Resource Management Plan, and the Las Vegas Resource Management Plan; 
Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has received an 
application from the Department of Energy (DOE) to withdraw certain 
public lands from surface entry and mining for a period of 20 years. 
The purpose of the withdrawal is to evaluate the lands for the 
potential construction, operation, and maintenance of a branch rail 
line (Caliente Rail Corridor) for transportation of spent nuclear fuel 
and high-level radioactive waste to a geologic repository at Yucca 
Mountain. Because the proposed withdrawal exceeds 5,000 acres, at least 
one public meeting is required. The BLM may need to amend four land use 
plans in order to address the proposed construction, operation, and 
maintenance of a branch rail line to support the DOE project.
    As an alternative to the issuance of a withdrawal under Section 204 
of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the BLM could 
potentially issue a linear right-of-way under Title V of the Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act.
    This notice announces that the BLM will hold two scoping meetings 
on the

[[Page 29324]]

proposed withdrawal and possible land use plan amendments in addition 
to the five meetings identified by DOE in its Notice of Intent (69 FR 
18565-18569 and 69 FR 22496). The locations of all seven meetings are 
referenced in this notice.

DATES: Those who have comments on the proposed withdrawal and possible 
amendments to the land use plans must respond in writing no later than 
June 30, 2004. Comments received after June 30, 2004, will be 
considered to the extent practicable. The BLM will hold public scoping 
meetings on the proposed withdrawal and possible land use plan 
amendments at the dates and locations listed below in the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments on issues regarding the proposed 
withdrawal and possible land use plan amendments and planning criteria 
to Dan Netcher, Ely Field Office, BLM, HC33 Box 33500, Ely, Nevada 
89301-9408.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Netcher, Ely Field Office, BLM, 
HC33 Box 33500, Ely, Nevada 89301-9408, 775-289-1872.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public scoping meetings for the DOE Rail 
Alignment EIS, proposed withdrawal, and BLM Land Use Plan amendments in 
June are shown below.

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          Meeting date                 Location              Time
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June 22, 2004...................  Tonopah Convention  1 p.m. to 3 p.m.,
                                   Center, 301 W.      6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
                                   Brougher,
                                   Tonopah, NV.
June 23, 2004...................  Lincoln County      1 p.m. to 3 p.m.,
                                   Court House, 1      6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
                                   North Main,
                                   Pioche, NV.
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    The DOE sponsored five public meetings in Nevada at which BLM 
representatives were present. Those meetings were in Armagosa Valley on 
May 3, in Goldfield on May 4, in Caliente on May 5, in Reno on May 12, 
and in Las Vegas on May 17. All comments received at the DOE meetings 
will be considered along with those provided at the BLM scoping 
meetings. If you have already attended one of these meetings, there is 
no need to attend a subsequent meeting, unless you desire to provide 
additional comments. Persons attending the meetings in Tonopah or 
Pioche may choose to attend either the afternoon or evening sessions.
    The DOE has filed an application (NVN 77880) to withdraw a one-mile 
wide corridor which contains 308,600 acres in Esmeralda, Nye, and 
Lincoln Counties. A notice of proposed withdrawal was published in the 
Federal Register (68 FR 74965-74968, December 29, 2003). This 
withdrawal approximates the land encompassed by the Caliente rail 
corridor as described in the DOE's Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel 
and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada, 
February 2002. The purpose of the withdrawal is to evaluate the land 
for the potential construction and operation of a branch rail line for 
the transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive 
waste.
    The DOE issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS for the 
Alignment, Construction, and Operation of a Rail Line to a Geologic 
Repository at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada (69 FR 18565-18569, 
April 8, 2004) announcing public scoping meetings at the times and 
locations referenced in this notice. The BLM is a cooperating agency in 
the EIS.
    The BLM may need to amend the Caliente Management Framework Plan, 
Schell Management Framework Plan, Tonopah Resource Management Plan, and 
the Las Vegas Resource Management Plan to address the proposed 
construction, operation, and maintenance of a branch rail line. All 
land use decisions associated with the potential construction, 
operation, and maintenance of a rail line will be developed through the 
land use planning amendment process. In addition to the proposed 
withdrawal, this notice adds land use planning as an issue to the 
scoping being conducted by the DOE and the BLM.
    Additional options for the rail corridor could include the issuance 
of a Title V right-of-way for the operation of the rail line. Under 
this alternative the BLM would issue a right-of-way for the development 
and operation of the rail line.

Public Involvement

    Release of the draft amendments to the Caliente Management 
Framework Plan, Schell Management Framework Plan, Tonopah Resource 
Management Plan and the Las Vegas Resource Management Plan will be 
announced in the local news media, as well as the Federal Register, as 
these dates are established.

(Authority: 43 CFR 1610.2(c); 43 CFR 2310.3-1(c)(2))

    Dated: May 4, 2004.
Amy L. Lueders,
Associate State Director, Nevada.
[FR Doc. 04-11569 Filed 5-20-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P