[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 178 (Thursday, September 14, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 54308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15244]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM-923-06-5870-HN]


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

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 New 
Mexico.

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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 New Mexico 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 resource values.

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, New Mexico State Office (NM-
923), P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502-0115.
     National Park Service, Intermountain Region, P.O. Box 728, 
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504-0728.
     U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 2, P.O. Box 1306, 
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102.
     USDA Forest Service, Southwest Region 3, 333 Broadway SE., 
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Debby Lucero, FLTFA Program Manager, 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM), New Mexico State Office (NM-932), P.O. 
Box 27115, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502-0115, or e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 New Mexico 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 resource values.
    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 Systems. If you are not sure 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 
which there is a compelling need for conservation and protection under 
the jurisdiction of a Federal agency 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 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 benefit and 
rank the nominations in accordance with the jointly prepared State-
level New Mexico Interagency Implementation Agreement and the National-
level 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 of a 
nomination package and details of the New Mexico Interagency 
Implementation Agreement, may be obtained by contacting Debby Lucero at 
the aforementioned address and phone number.

    Dated: September 8, 2006.
Jesse J. Juen,
Acting State Director.
 [FR Doc. E6-15244 Filed 9-13-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-P