[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 30, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 51364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17176]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-300-1330-EO]


Notice of a 30-Day Public Comment Period To Affirm the Policy for 
the Standards To Establish the Potash Enclave as Used To Administer the 
Secretarial Order of 1986 Entitled ``Oil and Gas and Potash Leasing and 
Development Within the Designated Potash Area of Eddy and Lea Counties, 
New Mexico''

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice solicits public comments on the report which 
affirms the existing policy on the criteria used to establish the 
potash enclave.

DATES: Comments should be submitted to the address below no later than 
September 29, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Group Manager, Solid 
Minerals, 1620 L. St. NW., Mail Stop 501 LS, Washington DC 20036.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stewart, Mining Engineer, 1620 
L. St. NW., Mail Stop 501 LS, Washington, DC 20036, telephone (202) 
452-0310.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Department of the Interior (DOI) has a long history of 
administering the concurrent development of the oil and gas and potash 
deposits owned by the United States in Eddy and Lea counties, New 
Mexico. The BLM is the agency within the DOI responsible for these 
activities. There is an interest in exploring for oil and gas in parts 
of the area containing the potash reserves (potash enclave). The 
Secretarial Order (SO), published in the Federal Register dated October 
28, 1986 entitled, ``Oil and Gas and Potash Development within the 
Designated Potash Area of Eddy and Lea Counties,'' was developed to 
administer the development of these resources.

    The order, in Yates Petroleum Corp., et al., IBLA No. 92-612, 
was issued pursuant to an appeal filed by Yates Petroleum Corp., et 
al. concerning decisions to deny the approval to drill certain oil 
and gas wells by the BLM pursuant to the SO. In her opinion, the 
Administrative Law Judge stated, ``The record does not support a 
conclusion that the standards of four (4) feet of 10 percent 
K2O as sylvite and four (4) feet of 4 percent 
K2O as langbeinite, or a combination of the two, as 
defined by Van Sickle in 1974, continue to identify the thickness 
and quality of potash which is mineable under existing technology 
and economics'' as required by the SO. The BLM has the same concerns 
and prepared the report referenced in this notice.

II. Report, Entitled ``Potash Enclave Mineral Report''

    The report may be viewed at the following site on the Internet, 
http://www.blm.gov/nhp/300/wo320/potash.pdf. A hard copy may be 
requested from the contact for further information above.

Thomas Lonnie,
Assistant Director, Minerals, Realty and Resource Protection.
[FR Doc. 05-17176 Filed 8-29-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-P