[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 144 (Thursday, July 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42663-42664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12008]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AZ-931-06-5870-HN]


Request for Public Nomination of Qualified Properties for 
Potential Purchase by the Federal Government in the State of Arizona

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of request for public nomination of qualified properties 
for potential purchase by the Federal Government in the State of 
Arizona.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation 
Act of 2000 (43 U.S.C. 2303) (FLTFA), this notice provides the public 
the opportunity to nominate lands within the State of Arizona for 
possible acquisition by the Federal agencies identified below. Such 
lands must be (1) inholdings within a federally designated area or (2) 
lands that are adjacent to federally designated areas and contain 
exceptional resources.

DATES: Nominations may be submitted at any time following the 
publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Nominations should be mailed to the attention of the FLTFA 
Program Manager for the agency listed below having jurisdiction over 
the adjacent federally designated area:
     Bureau of Land Management, Arizona State Office (AZ-931), 
One North Central Avenue, Suite 800, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-4427.
     National Park Service (IMSF-LR), P.O. Box 728, Santa Fe, 
New Mexico 87504-0728.
     National Park Service (PWR-LP), 1111 Jackson Street, Suite 
700, Oakland, California 94607-4807.
     U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 333 
Broadway, Southeast, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102.
     U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 500 Gold Avenue, 
Southwest, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Decker, Bureau of Land 
Management, Arizona State Office (AZ-931), One North Central Avenue, 
Suite 800, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-4427, (602) 417-9234 or e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATON: In accordance with the FLTFA, the four 
agencies noted above are offering to the public at large the 
opportunity to nominate lands in the State of Arizona that meet FLTFA 
eligibility requirements for possible Federal acquisition. Under the 
provisions of FLTFA, only the following lands are eligible for 
nomination: (1) Inholdings within a federally designated area; or (2) 
lands that are adjacent to federally designated areas and contain 
exceptional resources.
    An inholding is any right, title, or interest held by a non-Federal 
entity, in or to a tract of land that lies within the boundary of a 
federally designated area.
    A federally designated area is land that on July 25, 2000, was 
within the boundary of: A unit of the National Park System; a unit of 
the National Wildlife Refuge System; an area of the National Forest 
System designated for special management; a national monument, national 
conservation area, national riparian conservation area, national 
recreation area, national scenic area, research natural area, national 
outstanding natural area, national natural landmark, or an area of 
critical environmental concern managed by the BLM; a wilderness or 
wilderness study area; or a component of the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
System or National Trails System. If you are not sure of whether a 
particular area meets the statutory definition of a federally 
designated area in FLTFA, you should consult the statute or contact the 
BLM at the above address.
    An exceptional resource refers to a resource of scientific, 
natural, historic, cultural, or recreational value that has been 
documented by a Federal, State, or local government authority, and for

[[Page 42664]]

which there is a compelling need for conservation and protection under 
the jurisdiction of a Federal agency in order to maintain the resource 
for the benefit of the public.
    Nominations meeting the above criteria may be submitted by any 
individual, group, or governmental body. If submitted by a party other 
than the landowner, the landowner must also sign the nomination to 
confirm their willingness to sell. Pursuant to FLTFA, nominations will 
only be considered eligible by the agencies if: (1) The nomination 
package is complete; (2) acquisition of the nominated land or interest 
in land would be consistent with an agency approved land use plan; (3) 
the land does not contain a hazardous substance and is not otherwise 
contaminated and would not be difficult or uneconomic to manage as 
Federal lands; and (4) acceptable title can be conveyed in accordance 
with Federal title standards. Priority will be placed on nominations 
for areas where there is no local or tribal government objection to 
Federal acquisition.
    Nominations may be made at any time following publication of this 
notice and will continue to be accepted for consideration during the 
life of the FLTFA, which ends on July 24, 2010, unless extended by an 
Act of Congress.
    Nominations may be made on forms available from the BLM at the 
above address. Request for the forms may also be made by telephone, e-
mail, or U.S. Postal Service mail.
    The agencies will assess the nominations for public benefits and 
rank the nominations in accordance with a jointly prepared State-level 
Interagency Implementation Agreement for FLTFA and a national-level 
Interagency Memorandum of Understanding among the agencies. The 
nomination and identification of an inholding does not obligate the 
landowner to convey the property nor does it obligate the United States 
to acquire the property.
    All Federal land acquisitions must be made at fair market value 
established by applicable provisions of the Uniform Appraisal Standards 
for Federal Land Acquisitions.
    Further information, including the required contents for a 
nomination package and details of the State-level Interagency 
Implementation Agreement, may be obtained by contacting Julie Decker at 
the aforementioned address and phone number.

Elaine Y. Zielinski,
State Director.
 [FR Doc. E6-12008 Filed 7-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-P