[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 38979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13292]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AK-930-5420-EU-L029; AA-85442]


Notice of Application for Recordable Disclaimer of Interest for 
Lands Underlying Chilkoot River and Chilkoot Lake in Alaska

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The State of Alaska has filed an application for a recordable 
disclaimer of interest from the United States in certain lands 
underlying the Chilkoot River and Chilkoot Lake.

DATES: Comments on the State of Alaska's application will be accepted 
until October 4, 2005. Interested parties may submit comments on the 
BLM Draft Navigability Report on or before September 6, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Chief, Branch of Lands and Realty, BLM 
Alaska State Office, 222 West 7th Avenue, 13, Anchorage, 
Alaska 99513-7599.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack Frost at (907) 271-5531, or the 
Public Information Center, (907) 271-5960, Alaska State Office, 222 
West 7th Avenue, 13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513-7599, for copies 
of the draft report, or you may visit the BLM recordable disclaimer of 
interest Web site at http://www.ak.blm.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 12, 2004, the State of Alaska filed 
an application for a recordable disclaimer of interest pursuant to 
Section 315 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the 
regulations contained in 43 CFR subpart 1864 for lands underlying 
Chilkoot River and Chilkoot Lake (AA-85442). A recordable disclaimer of 
interest, if issued, will confirm the United States has no valid 
interest in the subject lands. The notice is intended to notify the 
public of the pending application and the State's grounds for 
supporting it. The State asserts that this river and lake is navigable; 
therefore, under the Equal Footing Doctrine and Submerged Lands Act of 
1953, ownership of these lands underlying the river and lake 
automatically passed from the United States to the State of Alaska (the 
State) at the time of statehood in 1959. The State also asserts, in 
those instances where it is the upland owner, and the water body is 
non-navigable, the State received title to the submerged lands under 
state law.
    The State's application (AA-85442) is for the bed of the Chilkoot 
River and all interconnecting sloughs between the ordinary high water 
lines of the left and right banks from its origin at the Ferebee 
Glacier terminus within Section 8, T. 27 S., R. 57 E., Copper River 
Meridian (CRM), Alaska, through and including Chilkoot Lake, to all 
points of confluence with Lutak Inlet within T. 29 S., R. 59 E., CRM. 
The State did not identify any known adverse claimant or occupant of 
the affected lands.
    A final decision on the merits of the application will not be made 
before October 4, 2005. During the 90-day period, interested parties 
may comment on the State's application (AA-85442) and supporting 
evidence. Interested parties may comment on the evidentiary evidence 
presented in the BLM's Draft Navigability Report on or before September 
6, 2005.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of commenters, will 
be available for public review at the BLM's Alaska State Office (see 
address above), during regular business hours 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except holidays. Individual respondents may 
request confidentiality. If you wish to hold your name or address from 
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comments. Such requests will be 
honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from 
organizations or businesses will be made available for public 
inspection in their entirety.

    Dated: June 3, 2005.
Carolyn Spoon,
Chief, Branch of Lands and Realty.
[FR Doc. 05-13292 Filed 7-5-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JA-P