[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 36 (Thursday, February 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9106-9107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3500]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Land Exchange at Petersburg National Battlefield

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    I. The following described federally owned land administered by the 
National Park Service has been determined to be suitable for exchange. 
The authority for this exchange is the Act of July 15, 1968 (16 U.S.C. 
460l-22b) and Executive Order No. 7329, dated March 30, 1936.
    Petersburg National Battlefield (Battlefield) Tract 04-107 is a 
0.14-acre parcel of federally owned land needed by the Commonwealth of 
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to improve Route 613 by 
widening and paving the existing roadway. The tract is located within 
the boundary of the Battlefield in the Commonwealth of Virginia and 
will remain so after consummation of the exchange. There are no 
threatened or endangered species or other species of management concern 
present on the tract. No cultural or archeological resources are known 
to exist on the tract.
    The exchange will protect park resources and facilitate the 
administration of the park. The United States of America will retain 
mineral rights. A reverter clause will be included in the deed to VDOT 
whereby the property will revert at the option of the United States of 
America in the event that the Commonwealth of Virginia was to abandon 
said road.
    Title will be conveyed subject to reservations and exceptions as 
contained in the original deeds as well as existing easements for 
public roads and highways, public utilities and pipelines. VDOT is 
responsible for the provision and maintenance of the respective roads.
    II. In exchange for the land identified in Paragraph I, the United 
States will acquire Tract 01-150, a 0.85-acre parcel situated outside 
the boundary of the Battlefield near The Crater, an historic site 
within the boundary of the Battlefield. Federal acquisition of this 
tract will allow for protection of the visual integrity of the 
landscape from The Crater and the Crater Battlefield, a significant and 
threatened park resource. Executive Order No. 7329, dated March 30, 
1936, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire this tract 
because of its proximity to The Crater property. The value of the 
properties to be exchanged shall be determined by a current fair market 
value appraisal and if they are not appropriately equal, the values 
shall be equalized by payment of cash as circumstances require.
    For a period of 45 calendar days from the date this notice is first 
published, interested parties may submit comments to the Superintendent 
listed below. Adverse comments will be evaluated, and this action may 
be modified or vacated accordingly. In the absence of any action to 
modify or vacate, this realty action will become the final 
determination of the Department of the Interior.
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the National Park Service proposes 
to convey to VDOT 0.14-acre of federally owned land at Petersburg 
National Battlefield in exchange for 0.85-acre of land owned by the 
Commonwealth of Virginia as authorized by the Act of July 15, 1968 (16 
U.S.C. 460l-22b), and Executive Order No. 7329, dated March 30, 1936.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Detailed information concerning this 
exchange, including precise legal descriptions, Land Protection Plan, 
environmental assessments, cultural reports and Finding of No 
Significant Impact are available at the following address: 
Superintendent, Petersburg National Battlefield Park, 1539 Hickory Hill 
Road, Petersburg, VA 23803.

[[Page 9107]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Act of July 15, 1968 (16 U.S.C. 460l-
22b) authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to accept title to any 
non-Federal property within an area under his/her administration, and 
in exchange may convey to the grantor of such property any Federally 
owned property under the jurisdiction which he/she determines is 
suitable for exchange or other disposal and which is located in the 
same State as the property to be acquired. Executive Order No. 7329, 
dated March 30, 1936, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to 
acquire lands located within a distance of one-half mile from the 
boundary of a parcel of land known as The Crater property at Petersburg 
National Battlefield in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

    Dated: November 23, 2004.
Nadine Leisz,
Regional Director, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 05-3500 Filed 2-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P