[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 154 (Friday, August 9, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48714-48715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19345]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNMP02000 L14300000 ET0000 NMNM-127501/NMNM-83404]


Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and Opportunity for 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 on behalf of the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM), 2,924.65 acres of public lands and 440 acres of 
federally reserved mineral interests underlying non-Federal lands in 
Eddy County, New Mexico, to protect highly significant caves and their 
associated resources. This notice segregates the public lands and 
reserved mineral interests for up to 2 years from location and entry 
under the United States mining laws and gives the public an opportunity 
to comment on the application and to request a public meeting.

DATES: Comments and public meeting requests must be received on or 
before November 7, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Comments and meeting requests should be sent to the BLM 
Carlsbad Field Office, 620 E. Greene Street, Carlsbad, New Mexico 
88220.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Goodbar, Cave/Karst Resource 
Specialist, at the address above, by telephone at (575) 234-5972 or by 
email at [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunication device 
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Rely 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 BLM filed an application requesting the 
Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget to withdraw, 
subject to valid existing rights, the following described public lands 
and federally reserved minerals underlying non-Federal lands from 
location and entry under the United States mining laws, for a period of 
20 years, to protect highly significant caves and their associated 
resources:

New Mexico Principal Meridian

McKittrick Hill Caves

T. 22 S., R. 24 E.,

[[Page 48715]]

    Sec.14, S\1/2\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, and W\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 22, S\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\SE\1/
4\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 23, W\1/2\E\1/2\E\1/2\, W\1/2\E\1/2\, and W\1/2\;
    Sec. 26, W\1/2\NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, and N\1/2\NW\1/
4\;
    Sec. 27, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, and E\1/2\NE\1/4\NW\1/4\.

Mudgetts/Little Mudgetts Caves

T. 24 S., R. 24 E.,
    Sec. 21, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, N\1/
2\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and NE\1/4\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\.

Big Manhole/Little Manhole Caves

T. 24 S., R. 24 E.,
    Sec. 22, W\1/2\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SE\1/
4\SW\1/4\, and W\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\.

Honest Injun Cave

T. 22 S., R. 25 E.,
    Sec. 28, lot 6.

Yellow Jacket and Lair Caves

T. 23 S., R. 25 E.,
    Sec. 14, S\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\ and S\1/2\S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 23, NE\1/4\ and NE\1/4\NW\1/4\.

KFF (Elliott's) Cave

T. 24 S., R. 25 E.,
    Sec. 23, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\ and E\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 24, W\1/2\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/
4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, and NW\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.

Chosa Draw Caves

T. 25 S., R. 25 E.,
    Sec. 20, E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 21, S\1/2\SE\1/4\NE\1/4\ and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 22, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\ and W\1/2\W\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 27, W\1/2\NW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 28, E\1/2\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 29, E\1/2\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\W\1/2\NE\1/4\, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, and 
E\1/2\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\.

Lost Cave

T. 22 S., R.26 E.,
    Sec. 22, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\NE\1/4\ and N\1/2\SE\1/4\NE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 23, W\1/2\NW\1/4\NW\1/4\NW\1/4\ and NW\1/4\SW\1/4\NW\1/
4\NW\1/4\.

Fence Canyon Cave Area

T. 24 S., R. 26 E.,
    Sec. 17, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 18, lot 3, E\1/2\NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/
4\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and N\1/2\SE\1/4\.
    The following describe non-Federal surface and Federal minerals:

New Mexico Principal Meridian

Chosa Draw Caves

T. 25 S., R. 25 E.,
    Sec. 28, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, W\1/2\, and W\1/2\SE\1/4\.

The total areas described aggregate 2,924.64 acres of public lands 
and 440 acres of Federal minerals underlying non-Federal lands in 
Eddy County.

    The Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget approved 
the BLM's petition/application; therefore, the petition constitutes a 
withdrawal proposal of the Secretary of the Interior (43 CFR 2310.1-
3(e)).
    The purpose of the proposed withdrawal is to protect highly 
significant caves and their associated resources.
    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 cave resources.
    There are no suitable alternative sites as the described lands 
contain the significant caves and their associated natural resource 
values.
    No water rights would be needed to fulfill the purpose of the 
requested withdrawal.
    Records relating to the application including maps may be examined 
by contacting Jim Goodbar of the BLM Carlsbad Field Office at the above 
address and phone number. Cave locations are confidential information, 
therefore not subject to the Freedom of Information Act in accordance 
with the Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988.
    For the period until November 7, 2013, all persons who wish to 
submit comments, suggestions, or objections in connection with the 
proposed withdrawal application may present their views in writing to 
the BLM Carlsbad Field Office at the address noted above. Comments, 
including names and street addresses of respondents, will be available 
for public review at the BLM Carlsbad Field Office, at the address 
above, during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Before including address, phone number, email address, or any other 
personal identifying information in your comments, you should be aware 
that your entire comment--including 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 an opportunity for a public meeting is 
afforded in connection with the proposed withdrawal. All interested 
persons who desire a public meeting for the purpose of being heard on 
the proposed withdrawal must submit a written request to the BLM 
Carlsbad Field Office no later than November 7, 2013. If the authorized 
officer determines that a public meeting will be held, a notice of the 
time and place will be published in the Federal Register and through 
local media, newspapers, and the BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/fo/Carlsbad_Field_Office.html, at least 30 days before the 
scheduled date of the meeting.
    For a period until August 10, 2015 the public lands and federally 
reserved minerals described in this notice will be segregated from 
location and entry under the United States mining laws unless the 
application is denied or cancelled or the withdrawal is approved prior 
to that date. Licenses, permits, cooperative agreements, 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.
    This application will be processed in accordance with the 
regulations set forth in 43 CFR 2310.3.

William Merhege,
Deputy State Director, Division of Lands and Resources.
[FR Doc. 2013-19345 Filed 8-8-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-P