[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 145 (Monday, August 2, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41507-41508]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16386]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCO-923000.L1440000.ET0000; COC-25845]


Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and Opportunity for Public Meeting 
for the McPhee Dam and Reservoir, Dolores Project; Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of proposed withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of the Interior, as requested by the Bureau of 
Reclamation (BOR), proposes to withdraw 953.06 acres of public lands 
from settlement, sale, location, or entry, under all of the general 
land laws, including the mining laws, and 309.56 acres of National 
Forest System lands from location and entry under the mining laws, and 
reserve them for use by the BOR in connection with the McPhee Dam and 
Reservoir, for a period of 100 years. This notice advises the public of 
an opportunity to comment on the withdrawal and to request a public 
meeting.

DATES: Comments and requests for a public meeting must be received by 
November 1, 2021.

ADDRESSES: All comments and meeting requests should be sent to the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado State Director, 2850 
Youngfield Street, Lakewood, CO 80215.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Beck, Chief, Branch of Lands and 
Realty, BLM Colorado State Office, telephone: 303-239-3882, 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 Mr. Beck during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 
hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question. You will 
receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The McPhee Dam and Reservoir was previously 
withdrawn under Public Land Order (PLO) No. 5811 and extended by PLO 
No. 7473, which expired on January 21, 2021. The purpose of this 
withdrawal is to reserve the lands for and the protection for the 
McPhee Dam and Reservoir, Dolores Project, and capital investments.
    The BOR has filed a petition/application for a new withdrawal for a 
100-year term. Publication of this notice segregates the proposed 
withdrawal of 953.06 acres of public lands subject to valid existing 
rights, from settlement, sale, location, or entry under all of the 
general land laws, including the mining laws, and 309.56 acres of 
national forest system lands from location and entry under the mining 
laws, for up to 2 years.

Public Lands

New Mexico Principal Meridian, Colorado

T. 38 N., R. 15 W.,
    Sec. 18, lots 2 and 3, and NE\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 19, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\ and NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
T. 38 N., R. 16 W.,
    Sec. 2, lots 1 thru 4;
    Sec. 11, S\1/2\NE\1/4\ and S\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 12, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, SW\1/
4\SW\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, and SE\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 13, W\1/2\NW\1/4\.

    The areas aggregate 953.06 acres in Montezuma County.

San Juan National Forest

New Mexico Principal Meridian, Colorado

T. 38 N., R. 15 W.,
    Sec. 3, lot 2, E\1/2\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, and 
SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 7, S\1/2\NE\1/4\ and E\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 28, NW\1/4\SW\1/4\.

    The areas aggregate 309.56 acres in Montezuma County.
    The total area contains 1,262.62 acres.
    The use of a right-of-way, interagency, or cooperative agreement 
would not constrain nondiscretionary uses.
    There are no suitable alternative sites in the area for a reservoir 
and dam.
    No additional water rights are needed to fulfill the purpose of 
this withdrawal.
    Comments, including name and street address of respondents, will be 
available for public review at the BLM Colorado State Office, 2850 
Youngfield Street, Lakewood, CO 80215, during regular business hours 
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.
    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 personally identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you may 
ask the BLM in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, 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 on this withdrawal must submit a 
written request to the State Director, BLM Colorado State Office at the 
address in the ADDRESSES section earlier. If the authorized officer 
determines that a public meeting will be held, a notice of the date, 
time, and place will be published in the Federal Register and local 
newspapers having general circulation in the vicinity of the land and 
also posted on the BLM website at: www.blm.gov at least 30 days before 
the scheduled date of the meeting.
    For a period until August 2, 2023, subject to valid existing 
rights, the 953.06 acres of public lands are segregated from 
settlement, sale, location, or entry, under all of the general land 
laws, including the mining laws, and 309.56 acres of National Forest 
System lands are segregated from location and entry under the mining 
laws, unless the application is denied or canceled, or the withdrawal 
is approved

[[Page 41508]]

prior to that date. The temporary land uses which may be permitted 
during this segregative period include licenses, permits, rights-of-
way, and disposal of mineral and vegetative resources other than under 
the mining laws.

(Authority: 43 CFR 2310.3-1)

Jamie Connell,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2021-16386 Filed 7-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P