[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 245 (Friday, December 21, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65719-65721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27848]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCOS08000.L71220000.FR0000.LVTFC1300040-18X]


Notice of Realty Action: Proposed Conveyance of Public Lands for 
Airport Purposes in Mesa County, CO

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of realty action.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined certain 
public lands in Mesa County, Colorado totaling 188.04 acres, and found 
them suitable for conveyance to the Grand Junction Regional Airport 
Authority (Airport Sponsor) under the provisions of Sec. 516 of the 
Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982.

DATES: Written comments must be received no later than February 4, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: Mail written comments to Wayne Werkmeister, Acting Field 
Manager, BLM Grand Junction Field Office, 2815 H Road, Grand Junction, 
CO 81506. Written comments may also be submitted electronically at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robin Lacy, Realty Specialist, BLM 
Grand Junction Field Office, by email at [email protected] or by telephone 
at 970-244-3028. 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

[[Page 65720]]

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 Airport Sponsor has requested the 
conveyance for a runway improvement project at the Grand Junction 
Regional Airport (Airport). The subject lands are adjacent to the 
northern boundary of the Airport. The proposal aligns with the 
Administration's priority to restore trust and be a good neighbor by 
engaging with the Airport Sponsor to provide ongoing, safe operations 
at the Airport that helps to modernize America's infrastructure. The 
proposal also aligns with the Administration's priority to increase 
revenues to support the Department and national interests through 
creating over 1,700 jobs for the local community over seven to ten 
years.
    The BLM proposes to convey the following described lands:

Parcel A

Ute Principal Meridian

T. 1 N, R. 1 W,
    Sec. 23, S\1/2\NE\1/4\.

Parcel B

Ute Principal Meridian

T. 1 N, R. 1 E,
    Sec. 19, lot 6;
    Sec. 30, lots 6, 8, 9, and 11.
T. 1 N, R. 1 W,
    Sec. 24, lots 2 and 3.

    The area aggregates 188.04 acres.

    The proposed conveyance conforms to the BLM Grand Junction Resource 
Management Plan (RMP), approved August 2015. The parcels are identified 
as appropriate for land tenure for airport purposes in the RMP Record 
of Decision (L&R-AU-07). The BLM used the land tenure criteria found in 
Sec. 203(a)(3) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), 
which states ``disposal of such tract will serve important public 
objectives, including but not limited to, expansion of communities and 
economic development, which cannot be achieved prudently or feasibly on 
land other than public land and which outweigh other public objectives 
and values, including, but not limited to, recreation and scenic 
values, which would be served by maintaining such tract in Federal 
ownership.''
    The Airport Sponsor, through the U.S. Department of Transportation 
(DOT), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has requested 
conveyance of the parcels in connection with the Airport Runway 
Improvement Project. The FAA determined that the public lands are 
necessary for the runway improvement project. The project involves 
correcting several non-standard airfield components to meet FAA design 
standards and enhance public safety, which includes replacing and 
relocating the primary commercial service runway, to meet FAA design 
standards and enhance public safety. The existing runway will remain in 
use until the new runway is constructed. The FAA has determined that 
the identified public lands are necessary for airport purposes.
    The BLM proposes to convey title to the Airport Sponsor under Sec. 
516 of the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982 (49 U.S.C. 
47125), and processed in accordance with regulations at 43 CFR part 
2640. In accordance with the DOT Act Sec. 4(f) (49 U.S.C. 303), the 
Airport Sponsor will provide up to $250,000 to construct a parking/
staging area on public land for recreation users visiting the Grand 
Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Open Area. The Grand Valley Open Area is 
adjacent to the airport and the parking/staging will mitigate removing 
the proposed conveyance lands from public recreational use. In 
conformance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the BLM 
prepared a site-specific Environmental Assessment (EA) document (DOI-
BLM-CO-130-2013-0020-EA) for this Notice of Realty Action. A copy of 
the EA is available online at https://go.usa.gov/xPrMW. Based on the 
EA, the BLM approved a Finding of No Significant Impact and a Decision 
Record on March 15, 2018, to implement the conveyance of the lands.
    By publishing this notice in the Federal Register, the above-
described lands will segregate from all forms of appropriation under 
the public land laws, including the mining laws, except for conveyance 
under the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982. The segregation 
will terminate automatically upon issuance of a patent or on December 
21, 2019, whichever occurs first.
    The patent, if issued, will contain the following reservations to 
the United States:
    1. A right-of-way for ditches or canals constructed under the 
authority of the United States, pursuant to the Act of August 30, 1890 
(43 U.S.C. 945); and
    2. All minerals in the lands, together with the right to access, 
mine and remove the same under applicable laws and regulations. The 
Secretary of the Interior reserves the right to determine whether such 
mining and removal of minerals will interfere with the development, 
operation and maintenance of the airport.
    Conveyance of the lands will be subject to valid existing rights of 
record, including those rights for power transmission line purposes 
granted by right-of-way No. COC-061164, pursuant to the Act of February 
15, 1901 (43 U.S.C. 959).
    Conveyance of the public lands will contain the following 
covenants:
    1. The Airport Sponsor will use the conveyed property for airport 
purposes and will develop that property for airport purposes within 
five years or as set forth in the conveyance instrument, deed or 
quitclaim instrument. Any interim use will be subject to terms and 
conditions as set by the FAA.
    2. The Airport Sponsor will operate the Airport, together with its 
appurtenant areas, buildings, and facilities, regardless of whether 
they are on the land being conveyed, as a public use airport on fair 
and reasonable terms and without unjust discrimination.
    3. The Airport Sponsor will not grant or permit any exclusive right 
in the operation and use of the Airport, together with its appurtenant 
areas, buildings, and facilities, regardless of whether they are on the 
land being conveyed, as required by Sec. 303 of the Federal Aviation 
Act of 1938, as amended, and Sec. 308(a) of the Federal Aviation Act of 
1958, as amended.
    4. Any subsequent transfer of the conveyed property interest to 
another non-federal public entity will be subject to the terms, 
conditions and covenants set forth in the original instrument of 
conveyance. If the land conveyed is no longer needed for airport 
purposes, the land may revert to the U.S. Government.
    5. In the event of a breach of any term, condition or covenant 
contained in the conveyance instrument, the Airport Sponsor will, on 
demand, take such action as required to transfer ownership of the 
conveyed premises to the U.S. Government.
    6. The terms, conditions, covenants and other federally obligating 
provisions in conveyance instruments remain in force and effect as long 
as the land is held by the Airport Sponsor, its successors or 
assignees.
    The EA, maps, terms and conditions, and Environmental Site 
Assessment are available for review. Interested parties may submit, in 
writing, any comments concerning the conveyance, including 
notifications of any encumbrances or other claims relating to these 
parcels, to the address above (see ADDRESSES section).
    The BLM Colorado State Director or other authorized official of the 
Department of the Interior (DOI) will review adverse comments regarding 
the parcels and may sustain, vacate or

[[Page 65721]]

modify this realty action, in-whole or in-part. In the absence of 
timely objections, this realty action will become the DOI's final 
determination.
    In addition to publication in the Federal Register, the BLM will 
also publish this notice in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel newspaper 
once a week for three consecutive weeks.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comments, please be 
aware that the BLM may make your entire comment--including your 
personal identifying information--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.

(Authority: 43 CFR part 2640)

Jamie Connell,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2018-27848 Filed 12-20-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P