[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 151 (Tuesday, August 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44174-44175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15366]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[MT-072-1430-ET; MTM-95280]


Notice of Proposed Legislative Withdrawal and Opportunity for 
Public Meeting; Montana

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, has filed 
an application requesting the Secretary of the Interior to process, in 
accordance with the Engle Act (43 U.S.C. 155-158), a proposed 
legislative withdrawal from surface entry and mining of approximately 
18,760 acres of public land located in Broadwater County, Montana. The 
withdrawal would also reserve the use of the land for military training 
exercises and public safety. This notice temporarily segregates the 
land from surface entry and mining for up to two years while the 
legislative withdrawal application is being processed. The land will 
remain open to mineral leasing.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 5, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the State Director, Montana State 
Office, Bureau of Land Management, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, 
Montana 59101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Hotaling, BLM Butte Field 
Office, 406-533-7600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Acting on behalf of the Department of the 
Army and the Montana Army National Guard Bureau, the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, has filed an application requesting the Secretary of the 
Interior to process a legislative withdrawal pursuant to the Engle Act 
(43 U.S.C. 155-158). The withdrawal would withdraw and reserve the 
following-described public land located in Broadwater County, Montana, 
from settlement, sale, location or entry under the general land laws, 
including the mining laws, subject to valid existing rights, for use as 
a military training range:

Principal Meridian, Montana

T. 6 N., R. 1 E.,
    Sec. 2, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S\1/2\N\1/2\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, 
SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 3, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S\1/2\N\1/4\, and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 4, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S\1/2\N\1/4\, and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 5, lots 1 and 2, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 8, E\1/2\ and E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Secs. 9 and 10;
    Sec. 11, E\1/2\, E\1/2\W\1/2\, and SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 12, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, W\1/2\E\1/2\ and W\1/2\;
    Sec. 13, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, W\1/2\E\1/2\ and W\1/2\;
    Secs. 14 and 15;
    Sec. 17, E\1/2\ and E\1/2\W\1/2\;
    Sec. 20, E\1/2\ and E\1/2\W\1/2\;
    Sec. 21;
    Sec. 22, lots 3 and 4, W\1/2\NW\1/4\, and S\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 23;
    Sec. 24, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, W\1/2\E\1/2\ and W\1/2\;
    Sec. 25, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, W\1/2\E\1/2\ and W\1/2\;
    Sec. 26;
    Sec. 27, lots 1 to 9, inclusive, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, 
and SE\1/4\;

[[Page 44175]]

    Sec. 28, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, W\1/2\, and W\1/
2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 29, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, 
and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 33, E\1/2\;
    Sec. 34, lots 1 to 8, inclusive, NE\1/4\, N\1/2\NW \1/4\, and 
N\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 35, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, N\1/2\ and N\1/2\S\1/2\.
T. 6 N., R. 2 E.,
    Sec. 17, S\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 18, lot 4, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 19, lots 1, 2, and 3;
    Sec. 20, W\1/2\;
    Sec. 30, lots 2, 3, and 4, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/
4\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\.
T. 7 N., R. 1 E.,
    Sec. 26, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 27, lots 5 to 8, inclusive, and S\1/2\S\1/2\;
    Sec. 28, S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 32, E\1/2\ except patented lands;
    Secs. 33, 34 and 35.

    The area described contains 18,760.63 acres in Broadwater 
County.

    The purpose of the proposed legislative withdrawal is to withdraw 
and reserve the land for use as a military training range, involving 
live-fire exercises, necessary for national security. Public safety 
will be taken into account. The withdrawal would be established by an 
act of Congress, approved by the President. The duration of the 
withdrawal would be determined by Congress.
    The use of a right-of-way or cooperative agreement would not 
provide adequate authorization for the use of this area due to the 
broad scope of military training exercises as well as the non-
discretionary nature of the general mining laws.
    There are no suitable alternative sites. The land hereinabove 
described is unique in having been used previously as a military 
training range. The use of a different site would needlessly degrade a 
Second site.
    Potable water from two wells would be used during day-use training 
exercises.
    The application and the records relating to the application can be 
examined by interested persons at the BLM Butte Field Office, 106 North 
Parkmont, Butte, Montana 59701, or Montana Army National Guard Fort 
Harrison, 900 Williams Street, Helena, Montana 59604.
    On or before November 5, 2007 all persons who wish to submit 
comments, suggestions, or objections in connection with the proposed 
legislative withdrawal may present their views in writing to the BLM, 
Montana State Director at the address indicated above.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 
be available for public review at the BLM Montana State Office at the 
address above during regular business hours.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware 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 from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.
    The proposed legislative withdrawal was discussed at five public 
meetings, as part of the scoping process for the legislative withdrawal 
environmental impact statement. Additional public meetings will be 
scheduled following the release of the draft legislative withdrawal 
environmental impact statement.
    This withdrawal proposal will be processed in accordance with the 
regulations set forth in 43 CFR part 2300.
    For a period of two years from the date of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register, the land will be segregated as 
specified above unless the application is denied or canceled or the 
withdrawal is approved prior to that date. Land uses currently 
permitted under the existing right-of-way agreement may continue during 
the segregative period. If the proposed legislative withdrawal has been 
submitted to Congress but not enacted into law by the end of the two-
year segregation period, consideration will be given to entertaining an 
application for a temporary withdrawal in aid of pending legislation.

(Authority: 43 CFR 2310.3-1(b)(1))

 Howard A. Lemm,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. E7-15366 Filed 8-6-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-$$-P