[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 29 (Monday, February 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7600-7601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-3241]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLAZ910000.L14300000.DB0000.LXSS058A0000]


Notice of Segregation of Public Lands in the State of Arizona for 
the Restoration Design Energy Project--Agua Caliente Solar Energy Zone 
in Yuma County, AZ

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is segregating public 
lands located in the State of Arizona from all forms of appropriation 
under the public land laws, including the mining law, but excluding the 
mineral leasing or materials sale laws, for a period of up to 2 years. 
This is for the purpose of protecting potential sites for future solar 
energy development while they are being analyzed in the Restoration 
Design Energy Project (RDEP). The public lands contained in this 
segregation total approximately 20,776 acres in Yuma County.

DATES: This segregation is effective on February 13, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lane Cowger, BLM Deputy Project 
Manager; telephone: 602-417-9612; address: One North Central Avenue, 
Suite 800, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-4427; or email: [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-
877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. 
The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message 
or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during 
normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This segregation of public lands corresponds 
with the analysis of these same public lands as a proposed Solar Energy 
Zone (SEZ) in the RDEP. The analysis will establish whether some or all 
of these lands are suitable for utility-scale solar energy development. 
Decisions about the suitability of the lands as a SEZ will be included 
in the RDEP record of decision, which is scheduled to be completed in 
late 2012. More information on the RDEP is available on the project Web 
site at: http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/energy/arra_solar.html.
    The following described lands to be segregated are located in Yuma 
County, Arizona:

Gila and Salt River Meridian

Agua Caliente SEZ

T. 4 S., R. 11 W.,
    Sec. 19;
    Sec. 29, N\1/2\ and SW\1/4\;
    Secs. 30 and 31.

T. 4 S., R. 12 W.,
    Sec. 14, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 15, S\1/2\S\1/2\;
    Sec. 16, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\ and S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 19, E\1/2\SE\1/4\ and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 20, E\1/2\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, and SW\1/4\;
    Secs. 21 and 22;
    Sec. 23, W\1/2\W\1/2\;
    Secs. 24 and 25;
    Sec. 26, W\1/2\;
    Secs. 27, 28, and 29;
    Sec. 30, E\1/2\ and NE\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 31, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, 
and E\1/2\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Secs. 32, 33, and 34;
    sec. 35, lot 1, W\1/2\NW\1/4\ and NW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 36.

T. 5 S., R. 11 W.,
    Sec. 5, lots 3 and 4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, and SW\1/4\;
    Secs. 6 and 7;
    Sec. 18, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, NE\1/4\, and E\1/2\W\1/2\;
    Sec. 19, lot 1, and N\1/2\NE\1/4\NW\1/4\.

T. 5 S., R. 12 W.,
    Sec. 2, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S\1/2\N\1/2\, SW\1/4\, W\1/
2\SE\1/2\, and NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 3;
    Sec. 4, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, 
NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 5, lot 4, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and 
SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 8, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, 
SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 9, E\1/2\NE\1/4\ and NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 10;
    Sec. 15, E\1/2\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 17;
    Sec. 18, lot 4, E\1/2\E\1/2\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and 
W\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 19, lots 1 and 2, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, and N\1/2\SE\1/
4\;
    Sec. 20;
    Sec. 22, E\1/2\E\1/2\;
    Sec. 23, W\1/2\;
    Sec. 26, N\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 28, W\1/2\E\1/2\ and W\1/2\;
    Sec. 29;
    Sec. 33, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, and NW\1/4\SW\1/
4\NW\1/4\.

T. 5 S., R. 13 W.,
    Sec. 24, lots 1 and 2, and E\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\.

    The areas described aggregate 20,776 acres, more or less, in 
Yuma County.

    In order to protect potential sites for future solar energy 
development, the BLM is segregating the lands under the authority 
contained in 43 CFR 2091.3-1(e) and 43 CFR 2804.25(e) for a period of 
up to 2 years, subject to valid existing rights. This segregation 
period will commence on February 13, 2012. The public lands involved in 
this notice will be segregated from all forms of appropriation under 
the public land and mining laws, but not the Mineral Leasing Act of 
1920 or the Materials Act of 1947. It has been determined that this 
segregation is necessary for the orderly administration of the public 
lands that have been identified by the BLM as having potential for 
solar energy generation.
    The temporary segregation period will terminate and the lands will 
automatically reopen to all forms of appropriation under the public 
land laws, including the mining laws, on February 13, 2014 unless, 
prior to the end of the 2-year period, the BLM publishes a Federal 
Register notice terminating the segregation.


[[Page 7601]]


     Authority:  43 CFR 2091.3-1(e), 43 CFR 2804.25(e).

Raymond Suazo,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-3241 Filed 2-10-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-P