[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 87 (Friday, May 4, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19806-19808]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09665]



[[Page 19806]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVC01000.L19200000.ET0000; LRORF1709600; MO# 4500119564]


Notice of Amended Application for Withdrawal Expansion and 
Opportunity for Public Meeting; Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Amended Withdrawal Application for Expansion.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Engle Act of 1958 and the Federal Land 
Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, (FLPMA), the Department 
of the Navy (DON) has amended its 2016 Engle Act application for 
withdrawal to add 92,482.45 acres of public lands and 1,001 acres of 
non-federally owned lands to its original application for the 
withdrawal and reservation by Congress of 678,670.69 acres of public 
lands. These lands are located near Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, 
Nevada, for the Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC).

DATES: Comments on the amended withdrawal application including the 
environmental consequences of a withdrawal for military purposes of 
92,482.45 acres of public land should be received on or before August 
2, 2018. In addition, a public meeting will be held to help the public 
understand the withdrawal and the associated decision-making process. 
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, from 5 p.m. to 7 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: Comments pertaining to this Notice should be submitted by 
any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]
     Fax: 775-885-6147
     Mail: BLM Carson City District, Attn: NAS Fallon FRTC, 
5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV 89701
     The public meeting will be held at the Fallon Convention 
Center, 100 Campus Way, Fallon, NV 89406.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colleen Dingman, BLM, Carson City 
District Office, 775-885-6168; address: 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson 
City, NV 89701; email: [email protected]. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay 
Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during 
normal business hours. The FRS 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 DON filed an amended application 
requesting the withdrawal and reservation of additional public lands 
for military training exercises involving NAS Fallon, Churchill County, 
Nevada. The DON proposed withdrawal amendment adds 92,482.45 acres of 
public lands and 1,001 acres of non-federally owned lands (i.e., lands 
that would be subject to such action should they enter Federal 
ownership) to the original land withdrawal expansion application for 
the withdrawal of the public lands from appropriation under the public 
land laws, including the mining laws, the mineral leasing laws, and the 
geothermal leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights, and 
reservation of the public lands located near FRTC for military use. The 
original and amended applications requested that Congress expand the 
area withdrawn and reserved for military purposes at FRTC. Currently, 
the FRTC occupies 223,557 acres of public lands withdrawn and reserved 
for its use, and the DON has requested renewal of the existing 
withdrawal and reservation. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
notified the public of the original land withdrawal expansion 
application consisting of 678,670.69 additional acres on September 2, 
2016, with a Notice published in the Federal Register (81 FR 60736). 
The DON also requests partial cancellation and removal of 2,429.80 
acres of public lands from the original land withdrawal expansion 
application for the withdrawal and reservation of public lands located 
near the FRTC. The entire FRTC expansion area--beyond the existing 
withdrawal--consists of 769,724.34 acres that are requested to be 
withdrawn from appropriation under the public land laws, including the 
mining laws, the mineral leasing laws, and the geothermal leasing laws, 
subject to valid existing rights, and reserved for military purposes. 
As required by section 204(b)(1) of FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1714(b)(1), and 
the BLM regulations at 43 CFR part 2300, the BLM is publishing this 
Notice of the DON amended application. While the BLM and the Department 
of the Interior (DOI) assist the DON with the processing of this 
application, Congress, not the Secretary, will make the decision on 
expansion of the existing NAS Fallon withdrawal.
    Upon publication of this Notice in the Federal Register, the public 
lands described will be segregated from all forms of appropriation 
under the public land laws, including the mining laws, the mineral 
leasing laws, and the geothermal leasing laws, subject to valid 
existing rights for two years. The acres of public land segregated upon 
publication of this Notice totals 92,482.45 acres.
    The DON, in accordance with the Engle Act, (43 U.S.C. 155-158), has 
filed an application requesting withdrawal and reservation of 
additional Federal lands for military training exercises involving NAS 
Fallon, Churchill County, Nevada (the ``expansion area''). The DON 
requests that the land be withdrawn from all forms of appropriation 
under the public land laws, including the mining laws, the mineral 
leasing laws, and the geothermal leasing laws, subject to valid 
existing rights and reserved for use of the DON for testing and 
training involving air-to-ground weapons delivery, tactical 
maneuvering, use of electromagnetic spectrum, land warfare maneuver, 
and air support, as well as other defense-related purposes consistent 
with these purposes. The amended expansion area consists of the lands 
and interests in lands described below and adjacent to the exterior 
boundaries of NAS Fallon FRTC Dixie Valley Training Area, located in 
Churchill County, Nevada and NAS Fallon FRTC B-17 area, located in 
Churchill, Mineral, and Nye Counties, Nevada.
    The area within the Dixie Valley Training Area aggregate 16,370.50 
acres. Portions of these lands are unsurveyed and the acres obtained 
from protraction diagram information or calculated using Geographic 
Information System.

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada

Dixie Valley Training Area, Additional Lands

Bureau of Land Management

T. 18 N., R. 33 E., unsurveyed,
    Sec. 3.
T. 19 N., R. 32 E., unsurveyed,
    Sec. 13.
T. 19 N., R. 33 E., unsurveyed,
    Sec. 20, SE\1/4\ and N\1/2\;
    Secs. 21 thru 27;
    Sec. 28, E\1/2\;
    Secs. 34 and 35.
T. 19 N., R. 35 E.,
    Sec. 12, S\1/2\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 13.
T. 19 N., R. 36 E.,
    Sec. 19, E\1/2\.
T. 20 N., R. 33 E., unsurveyed,
    Sec. 1, SE\1/4\;
    Secs. 7 and 8;
    Sec. 9, NW\1/4\ and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 10, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 11, NE\1/4\ and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 12.
T. 20 N., R. 33 \1/2\ E., unsurveyed,
    Sec. 1, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 12.

[[Page 19807]]

T. 20 N., R. 34 E., unsurveyed,
    Sec. 6, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 7.
T. 20 N., R. 35 E.,
    Sec. 2;
    Sec. 11;
    Sec. 14;
    Sec. 23.
    The additional lands area described for Dixie Valley Training 
Area contains 16,370.50 acres in Churchill County.

Department of Defense Fee Owned Lands

None

Non-federally Owned Lands

None

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada

Dixie Valley Training Area, Partial Cancellation and Removal Lands

Bureau of Land Management

    T. 21 N., R. 35 E.,
    Sec. 13, lot 16 south of the southerly line of the dirt road;
    Sec. 24, lots 1 and 2 south of the southerly line of the dirt 
road, lots 7 thru 10, 15 and 16.
T. 21 N., R. 36 E.,
    Sec. 16, south of the southerly line of the dirt road;
    Sec. 17, south of the southerly line of the dirt road;
    Sec. 18, lots 3 and 4 south of the southerly line of the dirt 
road, E\1/2\W\1/2\ south of the southerly line of the dirt road and 
E1/2 south of the southerly line of the dirt road;
    Sec. 19, lots 1 thru 4, E\1/2\W\1/2\, E\1/2\;
    Sec. 20.
    The partial cancellation and removal lands area described for 
Dixie Valley Training Area contains 2,429.80 acres in Churchill 
County.

Department of Defense Fee Owned Lands

None

Non-federally Owned Lands

None

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada

B-17, Additional Lands

Bureau of Land Management

T. 11 N., R. 34 E.,
    Secs. 1 thru 3;
    Sec. 4, lot 4, S\1/2\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SW\1/4\ and 
S\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 5;
    Sec. 6, lots 1 and 2, S\1/2\NE\1/4\ and SE\1/4\;
    Secs. 9 thru 12;
    Sec. 13, N\1/2\;
    Sec. 14, N\1/2\;
    Sec. 15, N\1/2\;
    Sec. 16, N\1/2\;
T. 12 N., R. 34 E.,
    Sec. 1;
    Secs. 11 thru 15;
    Secs. 19 thru 27;
    Sec. 28, NE\1/4\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SE\1/4\ 
and S\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 29, N\1/2\, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\, W\1/2\SE\1/4\ and SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 30;
    Sec. 31, E\1/2\;
    Sec. 32;
    Sec. 33, E\1/2\NE\1/4\ and NW\1/4\;
    Secs. 34 thru 36;
T. 11 N., R. 35 E.,
    Sec. 4, lots 3 and 4, SW\1/4\ and S\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    Secs. 5 thru 7;
    Sec. 8, W\1/2\;
T. 12 N., R. 35 E.,
    Sec. 1 thru 12;
    Sec. 13, W\1/2\;
    Secs. 14 thru 23;
    Sec. 26, N\1/2\;
    Secs. 27 thru 33;
    Sec. 34, N\1/2\;
T. 13 N., R. 35 E., unsurveyed,
    Secs. 1 thru 3;
    Sec. 4, E\1/2\;
    Sec. 9, NE\1/4\ and S\1/2\;
    Secs. 10 thru 16;
    Secs. 21 thru 29;
    Secs. 31 thru 36;
T. 14 N., R. 35 E., unsurveyed,
    Sec. 2, W\1/2\;
    Sec. 3;
    Sec. 4, E\1/2\;
    Sec. 9, that portion lying east of the westerly right-of-way 
line of State Route 361;
    Secs. 10 and 11;
    Sec. 13, W\1/2\;
    Secs. 14 and 15;
    Sec. 16, that portion lying east of the westerly right-of-way 
line of State Route 361;
    Sec. 21, that portion lying east of the westerly right-of-way 
line of State Route 361;
    Sec. 22 thru 27;
    Sec. 28, E\1/2\NE\1/4\ and E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 33, E\1/2\NE\1/4\ and E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Secs. 34 thru 36;
T. 15 N., R. 35 E., unsurveyed,
    Sec. 28, SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 33, E\1/2\;
    Sec. 34;
T. 12 N., R. 36 E.,
    Sec. 6, lots 3 thru 7, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\ and E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
T. 13 N., R. 36 E., unsurveyed,
    Sec. 6, W\1/2\;
    Sec. 7;
    Sec. 18 and 19;
    Sec. 30;
    Sec. 31, W\1/2\;
T. 14 N., R. 36 E., unsurveyed,
    Sec. 31, W\1/2\;
    The additional lands area described for B-17 contains 76,111.95 
acres in Churchill, Mineral, and Nye Counties.

Department of Defense Fee Owned Lands

None

Non-federally Owned Lands

T. 11 N., R. 34 E.,
    Sec. 4, lots 1 thru 3, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, N\1/
2\SE\1/4\ and NE\1/4\SW\1/4\;
T. 12 N., R. 34 E.,
    Sec. 28, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, W\1/2\SE\1/4\ and N\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 29, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 33, W\1/2\NE\1/4\ and S\1/2\;
    The additional lands area described for B-17 contains 1,001.00 
acres in Mineral and Nye Counties.

    In the event any non-federally owned lands within the requested 
withdrawal area return or pass to Federal ownership in the future, they 
would be subject to the terms and conditions described above.
    The DON has amended its application to request additional lands at 
NAS Fallon FRTC to be used by the DON for testing and training 
involving air-to-ground weapons delivery, tactical maneuvering, use of 
electromagnetic spectrum, land warfare maneuver, and air support, as 
well as other defense-related purposes consistent with these purposes. 
National defense requirements are rapidly evolving in response to new 
and emerging worldwide threat conditions. The Department of Defense has 
responded to these new and emerging threats with advances in combat 
platform and weapon technologies, in an effort to maintain a 
competitive edge in combat operations abroad. The evolution of modern 
combat systems has placed an increased demand on tactical training 
ranges to meet combat pre-deployment training requirements. For the 
DON, 100 percent of deploying naval strike aviation units train at the 
FRTC prior to deployment. A significant percentage of deploying Naval 
Special Warfare units also trains at FRTC. The introduction of modern 
and advanced weapons systems already exceeds the DON's ability to train 
realistically at the FRTC while maintaining public safety. Training 
protocol of exercising Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures are severely 
limited due to a lack of adequate training space at the FRTC. These 
limitations diminish the Navy's ability to train to realistic 
employment methods of existing weapons systems. Extension and expansion 
of the withdrawn and reserved Federal lands at NAS Fallon are essential 
to the DON to provide a realistic tactical training at the FRTC while 
continuing to provide for public safety.
    A copy of the legal descriptions and the maps depicting the lands 
that are the subject of the DON's application, as amended, are 
available for public inspection at the following offices:
    State Director, BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., 
Reno, Nevada 89502, and District Manager, BLM Carson City District 
Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, Nevada 89701.
    For a period until August 2, 2018 all persons who wish to submit 
comments, suggestions, or objections in connection with the withdrawal 
applications may present their comments in writing to the persons and 
offices listed in the ADDRESSES section above. All comments received 
will be considered before any

[[Page 19808]]

recommendation for withdrawal is presented to Congress.
    In addition, a public meeting addressing the amended withdrawal 
application will be held to help the public understand the amended 
withdrawal application and the associated process for decision-making; 
please see the DATES and ADDRESSES sections for details.
    The DON is the lead agency for evaluation of the proposed 
withdrawal expansion as pursuant to the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1970, as amended (NEPA) 42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq., and other 
applicable environmental and cultural resources authorities.
    Comments including names and street addresses of respondents will 
be available for public review at the BLM addresses noted above, during 
regular business hours Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. 
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other 
personally identifiable information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personally identifiable 
information--may be publicly available at any time. While you can ask 
the BLM in your comment to withhold your personally identifiable 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.
    For a period until May 4, 2020, subject to valid existing rights, 
the Federal lands that are described in this Notice as added to the 
DON's withdrawal application will be segregated, for two years, from 
all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the 
mining laws, the mineral leasing laws, and the geothermal leasing laws, 
unless the applications/proposal are denied or canceled or the 
withdrawal is approved prior to that date. The acres of public land 
segregated upon publication of this Notice totals 92,482.45 acres. 
Licenses, permits, cooperative agreements, or discretionary land use 
authorizations may be allowed during the period of segregation, but 
only with the approval of the authorized officer and, as appropriate, 
with the concurrence of the DON.
    Pursuant to 43 CFR 2310.1-4, the segregative effect for the 
2,429.80 acres described above is terminated, and the lands opened as 
follows: At 9 a.m. on June 4, 2018 the 2,429.80 acres of public lands 
in Churchill County, identified by the DON as no longer needed for 
their application for legislative withdrawal, and legally described 
above, will be opened to the operation of the general land laws and to 
location and entry under the United States mining laws, subject to 
valid existing right, the provision of existing withdrawals, and other 
segregations of record, and other applicable law, including the 
provisions of 43 U.S.C. 1782. Appropriation of any of the land 
described in this order under the general mining laws prior to the date 
and time of restoration is unauthorized. Any such attempted 
appropriation, including attempted adverse possession under 30 U.S.C. 
38 (1988), shall vest no rights against the United States. Acts 
required to establish a location and to initiate a right of possession 
are governed by State law where not in conflict with Federal law. The 
BLM will not intervene in disputes between rival locators over 
possessory rights, because Congress has provided for such 
determinations in local courts. All valid applications under any other 
general land laws received at or prior to 9 a.m. on June 4, 2018 shall 
be considered as simultaneously filed at that time. Those received 
thereafter shall be considered in the order of filing.

    Authority: 43 CFR 2300.

Michael C. Courtney,
Acting State Director, Nevada.
[FR Doc. 2018-09665 Filed 5-3-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P