[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 5 (Thursday, January 8, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-101]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-320-1310-PP-OSHL]


Public Land Order No. 7725; Revocation of Oil Shale Withdrawal; 
Utah

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Public Land Order.

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SUMMARY: This order revokes a withdrawal established by an Executive 
Order insofar as it affects public lands and federally owned mineral 
deposits in the State of Utah withdrawn for investigation, examination 
and classification of oil shale. This order also restores those 
withdrawn oil shale deposits and public lands containing such deposits 
to oil shale leasing and opens all lands to the operation of the public 
land laws, excepting the operation of the 1872 Mining Law.

DATES: Effective Date: February 9, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rhonda Flynn, BLM Utah State Office, 
440 West 200 South, Suite 500, P.O. Box 45155, Salt Lake City, Utah, 
801-539-4132.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Executive Order No. 5327 temporarily 
withdrew public lands from lease or other disposal for investigation, 
examination and classification of oil shale. The Energy Policy Act of 
2005, Public Law No. 109-58, dated August 8, 2005, authorizes the 
Secretary of the Interior to make public lands containing federally 
owned oil shale deposits available for leasing. Approximately 1,652,000 
acres in the State of Utah are affected by this revocation. The lands 
will not be opened to the operation of the 1872 Mining Law until 
completion of an analysis to determine if any of the lands need special 
designation and protection. There is also a complementary withdrawal of 
these lands that disallows the location of mining claims for 
metalliferous minerals under the 1872 Mining Law.

Order

    By virtue of the authority vested in the Secretary of the Interior 
by section 204 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 
43 U.S.C. 1714 (2000), it is ordered as follows:
    1. The withdrawal established by Executive Order No. 5327, dated 
April 15, 1930, as amended, which withdrew oil shale deposits and lands 
containing such deposits, is hereby revoked insofar as it affects 
public lands and federally owned mineral deposits in the State of Utah.
    2. At 9 a.m. on February 9, 2009, all federally owned oil shale 
deposits and public lands containing oil shale deposits in the State of 
Utah withdrawn by Executive Order No. 5327 referenced in Paragraph 1, 
will be opened to the operation of the public land laws and to 
development activities pursuant to section 21 of the Mineral Leasing 
Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 241), as amended by section 369 of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (Pub. L. No. 109-58) and regulations promulgated 
thereunder, but will not be opened to the operation of the 1872 Mining 
Law, subject to valid existing rights, the provisions of existing 
withdrawals, other segregations of record, and the requirements of 
applicable law. All valid applications received at or prior to 9 a.m. 
on February 9, 2009, will be considered as simultaneously filed at that 
time. Those received thereafter will be considered in the order of 
filing.

    Dated: December 26, 2008.
C. Stephen Allred,
Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. E9-101 Filed 1-7-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P