[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 25, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12890-12891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-6583]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLIDT03000-L14300000.EU0000; IDI-36320]


Notice of Realty Action--Proposed Disposal of Public Land; and 
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Management Framework Plan Amendment and 
Associated Environmental Impact Statement for the Shoshone Field 
Office, Idaho

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Realty Action and Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: A parcel of public land totaling 2480 acres in Blaine County, 
Idaho, is being considered for disposal out of Federal ownership, 
either through sale at no less than the appraised fair market value or 
through a land exchange proposal, to include the State of Idaho, under 
the provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 
(FLPMA). Disposal of this parcel out of Federal ownership would require 
amendment of the 1980 Bennett Hills/Timmerman Hills Management 
Framework Plan (MFP) prior to the disposal action.

DATES: The scoping period will commence on March 25, 2009. In order to 
ensure consideration in the environmental analysis of the proposed 
disposal, comments must be received by May 11, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Since the FAA is the lead agency for the EIS process, 
comments regarding the notice of realty action and proposed plan 
amendment should be addressed to Ms. Cayla Morgan, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Seattle Airports District Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, 
SW., Suite 250, Renton, Washington 98057-3356 with a copy sent to Ms. 
Lori A. Armstrong, Field Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 400 West F 
Street, Shoshone, Idaho 83352.

FOR FUTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the potential 
disposal action please contact Ms. Tara Hagen, Realty Specialist, 
Bureau of Land Management, 400 West F Street, Shoshone, Idaho 83352. 
For information regarding the environmental analysis and replacement 
airport project please contact Ms. Cayla Morgan, Federal Aviation 
Administration, at the above address or telephone (425) 227-2653.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 
1701), as amended; the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) 
(42 U.S.C. 4321), as amended; and the Council on Environmental Quality 
(CEQ) regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); the Department of the 
Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in cooperation with the 
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) intends to prepare a MFP 
amendment and associated environmental impact statement (EIS), to 
consider the location and construction of a replacement airport for the 
Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) and potential disposal of public land 
in Blaine County, Idaho. The FAA has been identified as the lead agency 
with the BLM as a cooperating agency; one of the alternative sites 
occurs wholly on public land administered by the BLM. The EIS will 
analyze the potential environmental impacts of the construction and 
operation of an airport facility, associated utility and access rights-
of-way, protection of easement interests, as well as the consideration 
of the potential disposal of a parcel of public land totaling 2480 
acres either by sale or land exchange. This notice initiates the public 
scoping process regarding the notice of realty action and the proposed 
MFP amendment.
    The sponsor of the project, Friedman Memorial Airport Authority 
(Airport Authority), has requested funding and approval from the FAA to 
construct and operate a replacement airport for the Friedman Memorial 
Airport in Blaine County, Idaho. The FAA published a Notice of Intent 
to Prepare an EIS for a Replacement Airport near Hailey, Idaho, in the 
Federal Register on November 1, 2007 (Vol. 72, No. 211, page 61945) in 
response to the Airport Authority's application. As a result of initial 
studies by the FAA the Airport Authority has now submitted a proposal 
to the BLM to acquire approximately 2480 acres of public land by either 
sale or inclusion of the public land within a land exchange, which 
would include the State of Idaho as a party, if the alternative site 
located wholly of public land in conjunction with the aforementioned 
project is determined by the EIS to be the preferred location for the 
replacement airport.
    The following described public land in Blaine County, Idaho, is 
being considered for disposal out of Federal ownership in conjunction 
with the FAA's replacement airport project under the authority of the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (90 Stat. 2750, 43 
U.S.C. 1713):

Boise Meridian

T. 2 S., R. 18 E.,
    Sec. 25: Entire Section;
    Sec. 26: Entire Section;
    Sec. 27: Entire Section;
    Sec. 34: N2N2; and
    Sec. 35: N2NW, E2.

    The area described contains 2480 acres in Blaine County.

    Pursuant to the MFP (as amended), sites associated with disposal of 
public land for airport facilities not currently identified for 
disposal out of Federal ownership in the MFP will be considered through 
the MFP amendment process.
    Subject to limitations prescribed by law and regulation, prior to 
patent issuance, a Holder of any right-of-way within the public land 
may be given the opportunity to amend the right-of-way for conversion 
to a new term, including perpetuity, if applicable, or to an easement. 
Conveyance of any mineral interests pursuant to either Section 206 or 
Section 209 of the FLPMA will be analyzed during processing of the 
proposed disposal action.
    On March 25, 2009, the above-described land will be segregated from 
appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining laws, 
except the sale and exchange provisions of the

[[Page 12891]]

FLPMA. Until completion of the disposal action, the BLM is no longer 
accepting land use applications affecting the identified public land, 
except applications for the amendment of previously filed right-of-way 
applications or existing authorizations to increase the term of the 
grants in accordance with 43 CFR 2807.15 and 2886.15. The segregative 
effect will terminate upon issuance of a patent, publication in the 
Federal Register of a termination of the segregation, or on March 25, 
2011 unless extended by the BLM State Director in accordance with 43 
CFR 2711.1-2(d) prior to the termination date.
    Public Comments: During the initial stages of project development 
the FAA and the Airport Authority conducted several public meetings. 
The results of those meetings will be incorporated into the BLM MFP 
amendment process and additional public involvement will occur through 
the submission of written comments. While additional public meetings 
are not identified at this point, if additional meetings are scheduled, 
a notice in the local newspapers will announce the date and time at 
least 15 days prior to any public meeting. For a period extending until 
May 11, 2009, interested parties and the general public may submit in 
writing any comments concerning the BLM's MFP amendment or the public 
land being considered for disposal including notification of any 
encumbrances or other claims relating to the identified land. Please 
submit comments to Ms. Morgan, with a copy sent to Ms. Armstrong at the 
addresses listed above. In order to ensure consideration in the 
environmental analysis of the proposed project, comments must be in 
writing and postmarked or delivered no later than May 11, 2009. 
Comments transmitted via e-mail will not be accepted. Comments, 
including names and street addresses of respondents, will be available 
for public review at the BLM Shoshone Field Office during regular 
business hours, except holidays. Individual respondents may request 
confidentiality. 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. If you wish to have your name or address 
withheld from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, 
you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comments. Any 
determination by the FAA or the BLM to release or withhold the names 
and/or addresses of those who comment will be made on a case-by-case 
basis. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. The 
FAA and the BLM will make available for public review, in their 
entirety, all comments submitted by businesses or organizations, 
including comments by individuals in their capacity as an official or 
representative of a business or organization.
Authority: 43 CFR 2711.1-2; 43 CFR 1610.5-2)

    Further information about the EIS will be posted when available at 
the following Web site: http://www.airportsites.net/SUN-EIS.

Lori A. Armstrong,
Shoshone Field Manager.
[FR Doc. E9-6583 Filed 3-24-09; 8:45 am]
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