[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28704-28705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7400]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AK-930-5420-FR-L030; AA-85443, AA-85444, AA-85445, AA-85447]


Notice of Applications for Recordable Disclaimers of Interest for 
Lands Underlying Chilkat Lake, Chilkat River, Tsirku River, and Klehini 
River in Southeast Alaska

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The State of Alaska has filed applications for recordable 
disclaimers of interest in certain lands underlying Chilkat Lake, 
Chilkat River, Tsirku River, and Klehini River in Southeast Alaska by 
the United States.

DATES: Comments on the State of Alaska's applications should be 
submitted on or before August 15, 2006. Comments on the BLM Draft 
Navigability Report should be submitted on or before July 17, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent 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: Callie Webber at 907-271-3167 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 (State) 
filed applications for recordable disclaimers of interest pursuant to 
Section 315 of the Federal Land Policy and

[[Page 28705]]

Management Act and the regulations contained in 43 CFR Subpart 1864 for 
lands underlying Chilkat Lake (AA-85433), Chilkat River (AA-85444), 
Klehini River (AA-85445), and Tsirku River (AA-85447), all located in 
southeast Alaska. 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 applications 
and the State's grounds for supporting it. The State asserts that these 
water bodies are navigable and under the Equal Footing Doctrine, 
Submerged Lands Act of 1953, Alaska Statehood Act, and the Submerged 
Lands Act of 1988, ownership of these submerged lands automatically 
passed from the United States to the State at the time of statehood in 
1959.
    On June 23, 2005, the State amended its Chilkat Lake application to 
include Clear Creek. The State's application for Chilkat Lake (AA-
85443) is for ``all submerged lands lying within the bed of Clear Creek 
between the ordinary high water line of the left and right banks in 
Sections 11 and 14, Township 29 South, Range 56 East, and all submerged 
lands encompassed by the ordinary high water line of Chilkat Lake, in 
Township 30 South, Range 57 East, Copper River Meridian, Alaska.'' The 
State's application for Chilkat River (AA-85444) is for ``all submerged 
lands lying within the bed of the Chilkat River between the ordinary 
high water lines of the left and right banks, and all interconnecting 
sloughs of the Chilkat River, beginning at the Alaska/Canada 
International border within Township 25 South, Range 56 East, Copper 
River Meridian, Alaska downstream to all points of confluence with 
Chilkat Inlet within Townships 30 and 31 South, Range 59 East, Copper 
River Meridian, Alaska.'' The State's application for Klehini River 
(AA-85445) is for ``all submerged lands within the bed of the Klehini 
River between the ordinary high water lines of the left and right 
banks, and all interconnecting sloughs of the Klehini River, beginning 
at the Alaska/Canada border within Township 28 South, Range 53 East, 
Copper River Meridian, Alaska downstream to its confluence with Chilkat 
River within Township 28 South, Range 56 East, Copper River Meridian, 
Alaska.'' The State's application for Tsirku River (AA-85447) is for 
``all submerged lands lying within the bed of the Tsirku River between 
the ordinary high water lines of the left and right banks, and all 
interconnecting sloughs of the Tsirku River, beginning in Section 1, 
Township 30 South, Range 53 East, Copper River Meridian, Alaska 
downstream to its confluence with Chilkat River within Townships 28 and 
29 South, Ranges 56 and 57 East, Copper River Meridian, Alaska.'' The 
State did not identify any known adverse claimant or occupant of the 
affected lands.
    A final decision on the merits of the applications will not be made 
before August 15, 2006. During the 90-day period, interested parties 
may comment upon the State's applications, AA-85443, AA-85444, AA-
85445, and AA-85447, and supporting evidence. Interested parties may 
comment on the evidentiary evidence presented in the BLM's Draft 
Navigability Report on or before July 17, 2006.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of commenters, will 
be available for public review at the Alaska State Office (see address 
above), during regular business hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 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: February 28, 2006.
Russell D. Blome,
Acting Chief, Branch of Lands and Realty.
 [FR Doc. E6-7400 Filed 5-16-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JA-P