[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 35247]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15901]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Exchange of Air Force Real Property for Non-Air Force Real 
Property

AGENCY: Air Force Civil Engineer Center, United States Air Force, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Air Force is publishing this Notice to identify Federal 
real property that it intends to exchange for property that is needed 
by the Air Force to limit encroachment and other constraints on 
military operations at Melrose Air Force Range (MAFR), NM.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Joe Weathersby, Air Force Civil 
Engineer Center (AFCEC/CIUB), 2261 Hughes Avenue, Suite 155, Joint Base 
San Antonio (JBSA) Lackland, TX 78236-9853; telephone (210) 395-9516.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: MAFR is a long established training range, 
consisting of some 70,000 acres, 25 miles west of Cannon Air Force 
Base, New Mexico. Operations on Melrose Range also cover an area of 
2,500 square miles of airspace. Melrose is used for training such as 
air to ground, small arms, and electronic combat.
    Description of the Air Force Property: Approximately 1,240 acres of 
undeveloped rangeland located on the southern perimeter of MAFR in 
Township 1S, Ranges 29E and 30E, in Roosevelt County, New Mexico. This 
undeveloped land is adjacent to private ranchlands owned by Davis Mesa 
Ranch, LLC, Davis Arch Ranch, LLC, and Davis Spear Ranch, LLC. The 
ranchland properties represent ideal conditions for the commercial 
development of wind energy generation. For the exchange of 1,240 acres 
of Air Force real property the owner of these properties has agreed to 
convey 160 acres of ranchland on the eastern perimeter of the range 
utilizing 10 U.S.C. 2869 authority.
    In conjunction with the exchange, the same landowner has agreed to 
convey a perpetual restrictive use easement on 29,319 acres to protect 
those acres adjoining MAFR from incompatible land uses. 10 U.S.C. 2869 
authorizes the Air Force to convey real property at an installation in 
exchange for property interests to be acquired under the terms of an 
encroachment protection agreement executed in accordance with Title 10 
U.S.C. 2684a. The Air Force executed an encroachment management 
agreement with The Conservation Fund on July 21, 2017.
    The Air Force has notified the appropriate Congressional committees 
of the terms and conditions of the proposed exchange pursuant to 10 
U.S.C. 2869(d)(2).

    Authority:  10 U.S.C. 2869(d)(1) and 10 U.S.C. 2684a(d)(4)(B).

    Dated: July 19, 2018.
Henry Williams,
Acting Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-15901 Filed 7-24-18; 8:45 am]
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