[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 200 (Monday, October 17, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71529-71531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-24944]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLMT924000 L14400000.FR0000 16XL1109AF; MO#4500091180; MTM 108489]


Notice of Proposed Classification of Public Lands and Minerals 
for State Indemnity Selection, Montana

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation 
(State) has filed a petition for classification and application to 
obtain public lands and mineral estate in lieu of lands to which the 
State was entitled, but did not receive under its Statehood Act. The 
State did not receive title because the lands had previously been 
appropriated. Under Section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to classify sufficient acreage 
of public lands/minerals in Montana for title transfer to the State to 
satisfy this obligation to the State. Of the area proposed for State 
Indemnity Selection, 10,560 acres are designated as greater sage-grouse 
General Habitat Management area.

DATES: Comments must be received by December 16, 2016.
    The BLM will not consider or include comments received after the 
close of the comment period or comments delivered to an address other 
than the one listed below. Persons asserting a claim to or interest in 
the lands or mineral estate described in this notice will find the 
requirements for filing such claims in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section.

ADDRESSES: The public may submit written comments by mail or hand 
delivery to: State Director, Montana/Dakotas State Office, Bureau of 
Land Management, Department of the Interior, 5001 Southgate Drive, 
Billings, MT 59101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Ledger, Realty Specialist, Branch 
of Lands, Realty, and Renewable Energy; telephone (406) 329-3733; 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: Sections 2275 and 2276 of the Revised 
Statutes,

[[Page 71530]]

as amended (43 U.S.C. 851 and 852), provide authority for the State of 
Montana to receive title to public lands in lieu of lands to which it 
was entitled under the Enabling Act of 1889 (25 Stat. 676), where it 
did not receive title because those lands had otherwise been 
encumbered.
    Section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act of June 8, 1934, requires that 
such public lands and/or minerals identified for proposed transfer out 
of Federal ownership must first be classified. The BLM proposes to 
classify these lands/minerals under Section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act 
of June 8, 1934 (48 Stat. 1272, as amended), 43 U.S.C. 315(f). For a 
period until December 16, 2016 all persons who wish to submit comments, 
suggestions, or objections in connection with this classification may 
present their views by the means shown under the ADDRESSES section 
above.
    Any adverse comments will be evaluated by the BLM Montana/Dakotas 
State Director, who will issue a notice of determination to proceed 
with, modify, or cancel the proposed classification. In the absence of 
any action by the State Director, this classification action will be 
issued as the initial classification decision of the State Director.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents and 
records relating to this proposed classification, will be available for 
public review at the BLM Montana/Dakotas State Office at the address 
cited in the ADDRESSES section above during regular business hours. 
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 review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.
    The BLM intends to schedule public meetings during the 60-day 
comment period. The BLM will announce the public meetings 15 days prior 
to the meetings in newspapers of general circulation in the vicinity of 
the selected lands and via the Web site at www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/prog/lands_realty/indemnity.html.
    The lands/minerals included within this proposed classification are 
in Custer, Fallon, Prairie, Richland, and Yellowstone Counties, 
Montana, and are described as follows:

Principal Meridian, Montana

T. 3 N., R. 30 E.,
    sec. 1;
    sec. 2, S\1/2\;
    sec. 12, N\1/2\.
T. 4 N., R. 31 E.,
    secs. 6, 7, 8, and 17;
    sec. 18, lots 1 thru 4, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, and E\1/2\SW\1/
4\.
T. 5 N., R. 46 E.,
    sec. 24, E\1/2\.
T. 4 N., R. 47 E.,
    sec. 6;
    sec. 8, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, and NE\1/
4\SE\1/4\.
T. 7 N., R. 47 E.,
    sec. 4; portions of Tracts O and Z.
T. 12 N., R. 50 E.,
    sec. 14; lots 1 thru 4, S\1/2\SW\1/4\, and S\1/2\SE\1/4\.
T. 12 N., R. 52 E.,
    sec. 3, lots 1, 2, and 3;
    sec. 5;
    sec. 6, lots 2 thru 7, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, E\1/
2\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    sec. 7, lots 1 thru 7, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, and E\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    sec. 8, lots 1, 2, and 3.
T. 13 N., R. 52 E.,
    sec. 29, E\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, E\1/
2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    sec. 30, S\1/2\SW\1/4\ and S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    sec. 33, lots 5, 6, and 7.
T. 9 N., R. 55 E.,
    sec. 25, W\1/2\;
    sec. 26, E\1/2\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, and E\1/2\SW\1/4\.
T. 26 N., R. 55 E.,
    sec. 1, lot 4;
    sec. 2, lots 1 and 2, and SW\1/4\NE\1/4\.
T. 8 N., R. 56 E.,
    sec. 12, W\1/2\ and E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    sec. 13;
    sec. 14, N\1/2\, excepting a 1 acre tract in the NW\1/4\NW\1/4\ 
and SW\1/4\;
    sec. 24, S\1/2\.
T. 27 N., R. 56 E.,
    sec. 7, lots 7 thru 12, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    sec. 8, lot 12 and S\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    sec. 9, lots 3, 4, and 5, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    sec. 17, E\1/2\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, and SW\1/4\;
    sec. 18, lots 1 thru 4, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, 
and SE\1/4\;
    sec. 22, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, and W\1/2\SW\1/4\.
T. 8 N., R. 57 E.,
    sec. 18, E\1/2\NE\1/4\ and SE\1/4\;
    sec. 19.

    The areas described aggregate 13,495.74 acres.

    The State expressed interest in the selection of lands withdrawn to 
the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). The BOR has filed with the BLM a 
Notice of Intent to Relinquish, dated January 26, 2016, requesting 
partial revocation of an Order dated, October 15, 1904, and full 
revocation of an Order dated March 30, 1950. Should the revocations be 
approved, the following lands in Chouteau and Hill Counties are 
proposed for classification by this notice as available for State 
indemnity selection:

Principal Meridian, Montana

T. 29 N., R. 11 E.,
    sec. 21, N\1/2\NE\1/4\ and N\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    sec. 22, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\.
T. 29 N., R. 12 E.,
    sec. 9, W\1/2\ and SE\1/4\;
    sec. 21, N\1/2\, SW\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    sec. 22;
    sec. 28, W\1/2\;
    sec. 29, E\1/2\NE\1/4\ and E\1/2\SE\1/4\.
T. 30 N., R. 12 E.,
    sec. 35, SE\1/4\.

    The areas described aggregate 2,560 acres.

    The BLM will examine all lands described above for evidence of 
valid existing rights and any constraints that would prevent transfer. 
Right-of-way (ROW) holders will be afforded the opportunity to modify 
their existing authorization per 43 CFR 2807.15. Oil and gas, 
geothermal, or other leases issued under the authority of the Mineral 
Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) will remain in effect under 
the terms and conditions of the leases. Agricultural leases issued 
under the authority of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1732) will remain in effect under the terms and 
conditions of the leases.
    Current holders of BLM grazing use authorizations were sent the 
required 2-year notice in January 2016 as outlined in 43 CFR 4110.4-
2(b). Upon expiration of the 2-year period or receipt of a waiver from 
the current holder, such authorizations will be terminated upon 
transfer of any of the land described above to the State of Montana. 
State of Montana procedures provide that upon Land Board Approval, the 
State will offer 10-year grazing leases to the current holders of BLM 
permits/leases on any transferred lands.
    For a period until December 1, 2016 persons asserting a claim to, 
or interest in, the above-described lands or mineral estate, other than 
holders of leases, permits, or ROWs, may file such claim with the BLM 
Montana/Dakotas State Director at the address cited in the ADDRESSES 
section above. You must provide evidence that a copy thereof has been 
served on the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, 
1625 11th Avenue, P.O. Box 201601, Helena, MT 59620.
    Under 43 CFR 2091.3-1(b) the lands described above were segregated 
from entry upon application by the State from all forms of disposal 
under the public land laws, including the mining laws, except for the 
form of land disposal specified in this notice of classification.

[[Page 71531]]

However, this publication does not alter the applicability of the 
public land laws governing the use of the lands under lease, license, 
or permit, or governing the disposal of their mineral and vegetative 
resources, other than under the mining laws.
    The segregative effect of this classification will terminate in one 
of the following ways:
    (1) Classification of the lands on or before the expiration of the 
2-year period from the date of application;
    (2) Publication of a notice of termination of the classification in 
the Federal Register;
    (3) An Act of Congress; or
    (4) Expiration of the 2-year period from the date of application 
unless notice of extension for the proposed classification for an 
additional period, not exceeding 2 years, is given.

    Authority:  43 CFR parts 2091, 2400, and 2621.

Jamie Connell,
BLM Montana/Dakotas State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-24944 Filed 10-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P