[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 46 (Friday, March 8, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15044-15045]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-05461]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLAZ931000. L71220000.EU0000. LVTFA1158520 241A; AZA-35598]


Notice of Realty Action: Direct Sale of Public Land in Pinal 
County, AZ

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of realty action.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Lower Sonoran Field 
Office (LSFO), proposes a noncompetitive direct sale of one land parcel 
totaling approximately 160 acres in Pinal County, Arizona. The public 
land would be sold to the Ak-Chin Indian Community (Community) at not 
less than the appraised fair market value (FMV). The sale will be 
subject to the applicable provisions of Sections 203 and 209 of the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA) and 
sales and mineral conveyance regulations.

DATES: Comments regarding the proposed direct sale must be received by 
the BLM within 45 days of the date this notice is published in the 
Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the proposed direct sale should 
be sent to Penny Foreman, Acting Field Manager, LSFO, Phoenix

[[Page 15045]]

District Office, 21605 North 7th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85027.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: JoAnn Goodlow, Realty Specialist, at 
the above address or phone 623-580-5548. 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: The following parcel of public land is 
proposed for direct sale to the Community and is legally described as 
follows:

Gila and Salt River Meridian

T. 5 S., R. 4 E.,
    Sec. 13, NW\1/4\.

    The area described contains 160 acres, more or less, in Pinal 
County, Arizona. Consistent with Section 203 of FLPMA, a tract of 
public land may be sold where, as a result of approved land use 
planning, sale of the tract meets the disposal criteria of that 
section. The land was identified as suitable for disposal in the 
BLM--Lower Sonoran Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan 
(RMP) approved on September 14, 2012. The parcel is difficult and 
uneconomical to manage as part of the public land and is not 
suitable for management by another Federal department or agency. It 
is not needed for any other Federal purpose. No potentially 
significant resource conflicts, legal issues, land, or resource 
management issues have been identified. The property is a relatively 
isolated tract, and there are no known uses currently occurring on 
the property. Regulations contained in 43 CFR 2710.0-6(c)(3)(iii) 
and 43 CFR 2711.3-3(a)(1) make allowances for direct sales when a 
competitive sale is not appropriate, and other conditions are met. 
The Community, who is considered a local government, wishes to 
purchase the parcel to better serve the public interest by using the 
land for development purposes to enhance the use and viability of 
the Community's Phoenix Regional Airport (PRA), which is immediately 
west of the public land parcel. As such, the BLM has concluded the 
public interest would be best served by a direct sale. The BLM has 
prepared a mineral potential report, dated March 19, 2012, which 
concluded that there are no known mineral values in the land 
proposed for direct sale. Therefore, the BLM proposes that the 
conveyance of the Federal mineral interest occur simultaneously with 
the sale.
    The segregation will commence on the date of publication in the 
Federal Register, and the above described land will be segregated 
from all appropriation under the public land laws, including the 
mining laws, except for the sale provisions of FLPMA. Until 
completion of the sale, the BLM will no longer accept land use 
applications affecting the identified public land, except 
application 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. The segregation will 
terminate upon issuance of a patent, publication in the Federal 
Register of a termination of the segregation, or two years from the 
date of publication in the Federal Register, unless extended by the 
BLM Arizona State Director in accordance with 43 CFR 2711.1-2(d) 
prior to the termination date. In addition to the appraised FMV, the 
Community would be required to pay a $50 nonrefundable filing fee 
for conveyance of the available mineral interests and the associated 
administrative costs. The following terms and conditions would 
appear as reservations to the United States on the conveyance 
document for this parcel:
    1. A right-of-way thereon for ditches or canals constructed by 
the authority of the United States, Act of August 30, 1890 (43 
U.S.C. 945).
    2. The conveyance is subject to all valid existing rights of 
record.
    3. Right-of-way AZA-21392 for road purposes granted to Pinal 
County Highway Department, its successors or assigns, pursuant to 
the Act of July 26, 1866 (43 U.S.C. 932) is reserved.
    4. Additional terms and conditions that the authorized officer 
deems appropriate. A map delineating the proposed direct sale parcel 
and Mineral Potential Report are available for public review at the 
LSFO, which is located at the address above. The FMV for the sale 
parcel will be available for review 60 days prior to the sale date. 
Preliminary inspections have revealed no indication of hazardous 
materials. A biological evaluation, a cultural resources survey, and 
an environmental assessment (EA) are being prepared for the proposed 
direct sale. When completed, the EA will also be available for 
review at the BLM LSFO. The map and EA will also be viewable at the 
following Web site: http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/info/nepa/log.html.
    Public comments concerning the proposed direct sale may be 
submitted in writing to the attention of the BLM Lower Sonoran Field 
Manager (see ADDRESSES above) on or before 45 days from publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register. Any adverse comments 
regarding the proposed direct sale will be reviewed by the BLM Lower 
Sonoran Field Manager or other authorized official of the Department 
of the Interior, who may sustain, vacate, or modify this realty 
action in whole or in part. In the absence of timely filed 
objections, this realty action will become the final determination 
of the Department of the Interior.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised 
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, we cannot guarantee that we will 
be able to do so.
Authority: 43 CFR 2711.1-2)

Penny Foreman,
Acting Field Manager, Lower Sonoran Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2013-05461 Filed 3-7-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-32-P