[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 46 (Friday, March 8, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15043-15044]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-05485]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNML00000 L14300000.ET0000; NMNM126505]


Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and Opportunity for a Public 
Meeting; New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, Management 
and Budget proposes to withdraw 5,670.71 acres of public lands to 
protect special status plant and animal species, cultural resources, 
and scenic values contained within the areas designated as the Wind 
Mountain, Cornudas Mountain, and Alamo Mountain Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern (ACEC). This notice segregates the lands for up 
to 2 years from settlement, sale, location,

[[Page 15044]]

and entry under the general land laws, including the United States 
mining laws.

DATES: Comments must be received by June 6, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the BLM Las Cruces District 
Office, 1800 Marquess Street, Las Cruces, NM 88005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward Seum, Lands and Minerals 
Supervisor at the address above or by telephone at 575-525-4300. 
Persons who use a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD) may call 
the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to 
contact the above individual. 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 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) filed an 
application requesting the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management 
and Budget to withdraw, subject to valid existing rights, the following 
described lands from settlement, sale, location, and entry under the 
general land laws, including the United States mining laws, for a 
period of 20 years:

New Mexico Principal Meridian

Wind Mountain ACEC

T. 26 S., R. 14 E.,
    Sec. 17, E\1/2\SE\1/4\
    Sec. 20, E\1/2\NE\1/4\
    Sec. 21;
    Sec. 22, W\1/2\
    Sec. 27, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\S\1/2\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\SW\1/4\NW\1/
4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\SW\1/
4\, S\1/2\N\1/2\SW\1/4\, and S\1/2\SW\1/4\
    Sec. 28, N\1/2\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\
    Sec. 29, E\1/2\NE\1/4\
    Sec. 33, lots 3 and 4, and N\1/2\NE\1/4\
    Sec. 34, lots 1 and 2, and N\1/2\NW\1/4\.

    The area described contains 2,360.71 acres, more or less, in 
Otero County.

Cornudas Mountain ACEC

T. 25 S., R. 14 E.,
    Sec. 27, SW\1/4\
    Sec. 28, S\1/2\
    Sec. 33, NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, and 
N\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\
    Sec. 34, W\1/2\NE\1/4\NW\1/4\, W\1/2\NW\1/4\, and NW\1/4\SW\1/
4\.

    The area described contains 850 acres, more or less, in Otero 
County.

Alamo Mountain ACEC

T. 26 S., R. 13 E.,
    Sec. 17, S\1/2\N\1/2\ and S\1/2\
    Sec. 18, SE\1/4\
    Sec. 19, NE\1/4\ and E\1/2\E\1/2\SE\1/4\
    Secs. 20 and 21;
    Sec. 28, N\1/2\N\1/2\
    Sec. 29, N\1/2\N\1/2\
    Sec. 30, E\1/2\NE\1/4\NE\1/4\.

    The area described contains 2,460 acres, more or less, in Otero 
County.
    The total areas described aggregate 5,670.71 acres, more or 
less, in Otero County.

    The BLM's petition has been approved by the Assistant Secretary for 
Policy, Management and Budget. Therefore, the petition constitutes a 
withdrawal proposal of the Secretary of the Interior (43 CFR 2310.1-
3(e)).
    The purpose of the withdrawal is to protect special status plant 
and animal species, cultural resources, and scenic values contained 
within the areas designated as the Wind Mountain, Cornudas Mountain, 
and Alamo Mountain ACECs.
    The use of a right-of-way, interagency agreement, or cooperative 
agreement would not adequately constrain non-discretionary uses that 
could irrevocably destroy the area's cultural resources, scenic values, 
and special status plant and animal species habitat.
    There are no suitable alternative sites for the requested 
withdrawal.
    No water rights would be needed to fulfill the purpose of the 
requested withdrawal.
    Records relating to the application may be examined by contacting 
Edward Seum or Bill Childress of the BLM Las Cruces District Office at 
the above address or phone number.
    On or before June 6, 2013, all persons who wish to submit comments, 
suggestions, or objections in connection with the proposed withdrawal 
may present their views in writing to the BLM Las Cruces District 
Office at the address noted above. Comments, including names and street 
addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the 
BLM Las Cruces District Office, 1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, New Mexico, 
during regular business hours, which are 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except holidays.
    Individual respondents may request confidentiality. Before 
including your address, phone number, email 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 
view, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Notice is hereby given that a public meeting will be held in 
connection with the proposed withdrawal. A notice of the time and place 
of the public meeting will be announced at least 30 days in advance in 
the Federal Register and through local media, newspapers, and the BLM 
Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/fo/Las_Cruces_District_Office.html.
    The application will be processed in accordance with the 
regulations set forth in 43 CFR part 2300.
    For a period until March 9, 2015, the lands described in this 
notice will be segregated from settlement, sale, location and entry 
under the general land laws, including the United States mining laws, 
unless the application is denied or cancelled or the withdrawal is 
approved prior to that date.
    Licenses, permits, cooperative agreement, or discretionary land use 
authorizations of a temporary nature which will not significantly 
impact the values to be protected by the withdrawal may be allowed with 
the approval of the authorized officer of the BLM during the 
segregative period.

Bill Childress,
District Manager.
[FR Doc. 2013-05485 Filed 3-7-13; 8:45 am]
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