[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 47 (Monday, March 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11050-11052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4420]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-910-5850-EU-CACA-48476]


Notice of Realty Action: Competitive Sale of Public Lands in 
Riverside County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of realty action.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to sell 51 
parcels of public land in the Riverside County, California, aggregating 
approximately 274.37 acres. The sale will be conducted as a competitive 
sealed bid auction, in which interested bidders must submit written 
sealed bids equal to or greater than the appraised fair market value of 
the land. The sale will be completed under the authority of Sections 
203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
U.S.C. 1713 and 1719) and the implementing regulations at 43 CFR 2710 
and 2720. The purpose of the sale is to dispose of lands which are 
difficult and uneconomic to manage as part of the public lands.

DATES: Comments regarding the proposed sale must be received by BLM on 
or before April 26, 2007. Sealed bids must be received no later than 3 
p.m., Pacific Standard Time (PST), June 18, 2007, at the address 
specified below. Other deadline dates for payments, arranging payments, 
and payment by electronic transfers, are specified in the terms and 
condition of sale described herein.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the proposed sale should be submitted to 
BLM, to the attention of the Palm Springs--South Coast Field Manager, 
at the following address: California Desert District, Bureau of Land 
Management, 22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, 
California 92553. Sealed bids must be submitted to this address. More 
detailed information regarding the proposed sale and the lands 
involved, including maps and current appraisal for each parcel may be 
reviewed during normal business hours between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the 
California Desert District Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Eubanks, Realty Specialist or 
Tom Gey, Realty Specialist (951) 697-5200 or via e-mail at [email protected] or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following public lands in the Coachella 
Valley, in Riverside County, California have been identified as 
available for sale

[[Page 11051]]

under the 1980 BLM California Desert Conservation Area Plan, as 
amended, and are proposed for sale. The public lands proposed for sale 
consist of 51 separate parcels, with a total acreage of approximately 
274.37 acres. Parcel 1, described below, contains approximately 21.12 
acres, which includes the area encumbered by a right of way for a road 
and flood control channel which bisects the parcel. Parcels 2 through 
51, described below, are each approximately 5 acres in size.

San Bernardino Meridian, California

Parcel 1 T. 3 S., R.5 E., sec. 12, lots 33, 34, 35 and S\1/2\ of 
lots 29 to 31, inclusive.
Parcel 2 T. 3 S., R.5 E., sec. 12, W\1/2\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 3 T. 3 S., R.6 E., sec. 6, S\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 4 T. 3 S., R.6 E., sec. 6, N\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 5 T. 3 S., R.6 E., Sec. 8, E\1/2\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\NW\1/4\
Parcel 6 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 5.
Parcel 7 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 7.
Parcel 8 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 8.
Parcel 9 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 11.
Parcel 10 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 15.
Parcel 11 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 13.
Parcel 12 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 17.
Parcel 13 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 21.
Parcel 14 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 22.
Parcel 15 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 27.
Parcel 16 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 31.
Parcel 17 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 29.
Parcel 18 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 30.
Parcel 19 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 35.
Parcel 20 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 43.
Parcel 21 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 42.
Parcel 22 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 45.
Parcel 23 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 56.
Parcel 24 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 57.
Parcel 25 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 60.
Parcel 26 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 61.
Parcel 27 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, lot 62.
Parcel 28 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, N\1/2\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 29 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, N\1/2\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 30 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, N\1/2\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 31 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, S\1/2\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 32 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, N\1/2\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 33 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, S\1/2\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 34 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, N\1/2\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 35 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, S\1/2\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 36 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, N\1/2\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 37 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, N\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 38 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 39 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, N\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 40 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, S\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 41 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, N\1/2\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 42 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, S\1/2\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 43 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, S\1/2\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 44 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, N\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 45 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, S\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 46 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 4, S\1/2\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 47 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 14, N\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\.
Parcel 48 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 14, N\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 49 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 14, N\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 50 T. 4 S., R.7 E., sec. 14, S\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Parcel 51 T. 3 S., R. 4 E., sec. 4, E\1/2\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\.

    The proceeds from the sale of the parcels will be deposited into 
the Federal Land Disposal Account, pursuant to the Federal Land 
Transaction Facilitation Act. With the exception of parcel 1, the lands 
identified for sale have no known mineral value and the proposed sale 
would include the conveyance of both the surface and mineral interests 
of the United States. The United States would reserve geothermal 
resources under parcel 1. A bid to purchase a parcel will constitute an 
application for conveyance of the mineral interest and in conjunction 
with the final payment, the applicant will be required to pay a $50.00 
non-refundable filing fee for processing the conveyance of the mineral 
interest. The terms and conditions applicable to this sale are as 
follows:
    1. All parcels will be conveyed with a reservation of a right-of-
way to the United States for ditches and canals constructed by 
authority of the United States under the Act of August 30, 1890 (43 
U.S.C. 945).
    2. All parcels will be conveyed subject to valid existing rights. 
Parcels may be subject to applications for rights of way received prior 
to publication of this Notice if processing the application would not 
adversely affect the marketability or appraised value of a parcel. 
Encumbrances of record, appearing in the BLM public files for the 
parcels proposed for sale, are available for review during the hours 
stated above Monday through Friday at the California Desert District 
Office.
    3. All parcels will be conveyed subject to 33-foot easements along 
all sides of the parcel, in favor of Riverside County, for roads, 
public utilities and flood control purposes.
    4. All parcels will also be conveyed subject to such additional 
easements as may be necessary to authorize existing and proposed roads, 
public utilities and flood control facilities based on Riverside 
County's transportation and land management plans.
    5. No warranty of any kind, express or implied, is given by the 
United States as to the title, physical condition or potential uses of 
the lands proposed for sale; and the conveyance of any parcel will not 
be on a contingency basis. To the extent required by law, all such 
parcels are subject to the requirements of Section 120(h) of the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, as 
amended (CERCLA) (42 U.S.C. 9620(h)).
    6. All purchasers/patentees, by accepting a patent, covenant and 
agree to indemnify, defend and hold the United States harmless from any 
costs, damages, claims, causes of action, penalties, fines, 
liabilities, and judgments of any kind or nature arising from the past, 
present, and future acts or omissions of the patentees or their 
employees, agents, contractors, or lessees, or any third-party, arising 
out of or in connection with the patentees use, occupancy, or 
operations on the patented real property. This indemnification and hold 
harmless agreement includes, but is not limited to, acts and omissions 
of the patentees and their employees, agents, contractors, or lessees, 
or any third party, arising out of or in connection with the use and/or 
occupancy of the patented real property which has already resulted or 
does hereafter result in: (1) Violations of Federal, state, and local 
laws and regulations that are now or may in the future become 
applicable to the real property; (2) Judgments, claims or demands of 
any kind assessed against the United States; (3) Costs, expenses, or 
damages of any kind incurred by the United States; (4) Releases or 
threatened releases of solid or hazardous waste(s) and/or hazardous 
substances(s), as defined by Federal or state environmental laws, off, 
on, into or under land, property and other interest of the United 
States; (5) Activities by which solids or hazardous substances or 
waste, as defined by Federal and state environmental laws are 
generated, released, stored, used or otherwise disposed of on the 
patented real property, and any cleanup response, remedial action or 
other actions related in any manner to said solid or hazardous 
substances or wastes; or (6) Natural resource damages as defined by 
Federal and state law. This covenant shall be construed as running with 
the parcel of land patented or otherwise conveyed by the United States, 
and may be enforced by the United States in a court of competent 
jurisdiction.

[[Page 11052]]

    7. Interested bidders may submit sealed bids for one or more 
parcels but a separate sealed bid must be submitted for each parcel. 
Sealed bids must be for not less than the federally approved fair 
market value. Sealed bids must be received at the California Desert 
District Office no later than 3 p.m. PST, June 18, 2007. Sealed bid 
envelopes must be marked on the lower front left corner with the BLM 
Serial Number for the parcel, the parcel number and the date. For 
example: CACA 48476-parcel 1, May 31, 2007.
    8. Each sealed bid must include a certified check, money order, 
bank draft, or cashiers check made payable in U.S. dollars to the order 
of the Bureau of Land Management, for 10 percent of the amount of the 
bid.
    9. The highest qualifying bid for any parcel will be declared the 
high bid and the high bidder will receive written notice. Bid results 
will also be posted on the Internet at http://www.ca.blm.gov/ca/cdd/landsale.
    10. Bidders submitting matching high bid amounts for the same 
parcel will be provided an opportunity to submit supplemental bids. The 
Palm Springs South Coast Field Manager will determine the method of 
supplemental bidding, which may be by oral auction or additional sealed 
bids.
    11. The remainder of the full bid price for each parcel must be 
paid within 180 calendar days of the competitive sale date of June 19, 
2007, in the form of a certified check, money order, bank draft, or 
cashier's check made payable in U.S. dollars to the Bureau of Land 
Management. Personal checks will not be accepted. Failure to pay the 
full price within the 180 days will disqualify the apparent high bidder 
and cause the entire bid deposit to be forfeited to the BLM.
    12. The BLM will return checks submitted by unsuccessful bidders by 
U.S. mail.
    13. The BLM may accept or reject any or all offers, or withdraw any 
parcel of land or interest therein from sale, if, in the opinion of the 
BLM authorized officer, consummation of the sale would not be fully 
consistent with FLPMA or other applicable law or is determined to not 
be in the public interest.
    14. Under Federal law, the public lands may only be conveyed to 
U.S. citizens 18 years of age or older; a corporation subject to the 
laws of any State or of the United States; a State, State 
instrumentality, or political subdivision authorized to hold properly, 
or an entity legally capable of conveying and holding lands under the 
laws of the State of California. Certification of qualifications, 
including citizenship or corporation or partnership, must accompany the 
sealed bid.
    Additional Information: If not sold, any parcel described in this 
Notice may be identified for sale later without further legal notice. 
Unsold parcels may be offered for sale by sealed bid, internet auction, 
or oral auction. Upon publication of this notice and until the 
completion of the sale, the BLM is no longer accepting land use 
applications affecting the parcels identified for sale. However, land 
use applications may be considered after completion of the sale for 
parcels that are not sold provided the authorization will not adversely 
affect the marketability or value of the parcel. In order to determine 
the value, through appraisal, of the parcels of land proposed to be 
sold, certain extraordinary assumptions may have been made of the 
attributes and limitations of the lands and potential effects of local 
regulations and policies on potential future land uses. Through 
publication of this Notice, the Bureau of Land Management gives notice 
that these assumptions may not be endorsed or approved by units of 
local government. It is the buyer's responsibility to be aware of all 
applicable local government policies laws, and regulations that would 
affect the subject lands, including any required dedication of lands 
for public uses. It is also the buyer's responsibility to be aware of 
existing or projected uses of nearby properties. When conveyed out of 
Federal ownership, the lands will be subject to any applicable reviews 
and approvals by the respective unit of local government for proposed 
future uses, and any such reviews and approvals will be the 
responsibility of the buyer. Any land lacking access from a public road 
or highway will be conveyed as such, and future access acquisition will 
be the responsibility of the buyer.
    Information concerning the sale, including the reservations, sale 
procedures and conditions, CERCLA and other environmental documents 
will be available for review at the California Desert District Office. 
Most of this information will be available on the Internet at http://www.ca.blm.gov/ca/cdd/landsale.
    Public Comments: The general public and interested parties may 
submit comments regarding the proposed sale to the attention of the 
Palm Spring-South Coast Field Manager at the California Desert District 
Office address on or before April 26, 2007. Any adverse comments 
regarding the proposed sale will be reviewed by the California BLM 
State Director or other authorized official of the Department, who may 
sustain, vacate, or modify this realty action in whole or in part. 
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other 
personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your 
entire comment-including your personal identifying information-may be 
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your 
comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying 
information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

(Authority: 43 CFR 2711.1-2(a) and (c))

    Dated: January 12, 2007.
J. Anthony Danna,
Deputy State Director, Natural Resources (CA-930).
 [FR Doc. E7-4420 Filed 3-9-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P