[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 178 (Friday, September 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53041-53042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21338]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV040-1920-PN-4138; NVN-50250; 8-08807; TAS: 14X1109]


Notice of Proposed Withdrawal Extension and Opportunity for 
Public Meeting, Yucca Mountain, Nye County, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 53042]]

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to extend the duration 
of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6802, issued in 1990, and extended by 
PLO No. 7534 for an additional 12 year period. PLO No. 6802 withdrew 
4,255.50 acres of public land in Nye County from location and entry 
under the United States mining laws (30 U.S.C. 2), and from leasing 
under the mineral leasing laws, to maintain the physical integrity of 
the subsurface environment at Yucca Mountain.

DATES: Comments and requests for a meeting should be received on or 
before December 11, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Comments and meeting requests may be mailed to the Nevada 
State Director, Attn: NV 930 Yucca Mountain Withdrawal, Bureau of Land 
Management, 1340 Financial Blvd., P.O. Box 12000, Reno, NV 89520.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacqueline M. Gratton, 775-861-6532.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The withdrawal created by PLO No. 6802 (55 
FR 39152 (1990)) as extended by PLO No. 7534 (67 FR 53359 (2002)) will 
expire on January 31, 2010, unless extended. The DOE filed an 
application to extend their withdrawal of public land at Yucca Mountain 
in Nye County. The proposed twelve (12) year extension would continue 
the withdrawal of public land from location under the United States 
mining laws and from leasing under the mineral leasing laws for the 
lands described in PLO No. 6802.
    The DOE proposes to extend the withdrawal through January 31, 2022. 
The extension of the withdrawal would maintain the physical integrity 
of the subsurface environment to ensure that scientific studies for 
site characterization at Yucca Mountain are not invalidated or 
otherwise adversely impacted. Site characterization activities will be 
used to determine the suitability of Yucca Mountain for a permanent 
nuclear waste repository.
    The use of a right-of-way, interagency, or cooperative agreement 
would not adequately constrain nondiscretionary uses which could result 
in permanent loss of significant values and threaten public health and 
safety and Federal investment.
    There are no suitable alternative sites since the lands described 
herein contain the specific resource value and Federal improvements 
described in the application.
    No water rights would be needed to fulfill the purpose of the 
requested withdrawal extension.
    Records relating to the application may be examined by contacting 
Jacqueline M. Gratton at the address or phone number above.
    For a period of 90 days from the date of publication of this 
notice, all persons who wish to submit comments, suggestions, or 
objections in connection with the proposed withdrawal extension may 
present their views in writing to the Nevada State Director of the 
Bureau of Land Management.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 
be available for public review at the BLM Nevada State Office at the 
address stated above, during regular business hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. 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 your personal identifying information from public review, we 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Individual respondents 
may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or 
address from public review or 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, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses, will be made available for public 
inspection in their entirety.
    Notice is hereby given that an opportunity for a public meeting is 
afforded in connection with the proposed withdrawal extension. All 
interested persons who desire a public meeting for the purpose of being 
heard on the proposed extension must submit a written request to the 
Nevada State Director within 90 days from the date of publication of 
this notice. Upon determination by the authorized officer that a public 
meeting will be held, a notice of the time and place will be published 
in the Federal Register and at least one local newspaper 30 days before 
the scheduled date of the meeting.
    This withdrawal extension proposal will be processed in accordance 
with the applicable regulations set forth in accordance with 43 CFR 
2310.4

    Authority: 43 CFR 2310.3-1.

    Dated: September 4, 2008.
Michael R. Holbert,
Deputy State Director, Resources, Lands and Planning.
[FR Doc. E8-21338 Filed 9-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P