[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 30 (Monday, February 14, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8285-8286]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03015]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCOS08000.L71220000.EU0000.LVTFCX5C6400.15X; COC-76543]


Notice of Realty Action: Direct Sale of Public Lands 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) is proposing a 
noncompetitive (direct) sale of 48.53 acres of public land in Mesa 
County, Colorado, to Merial I. Currier of Currier Gravel Pit Inc., to 
resolve an inadvertent and unauthorized use of public lands.

[[Page 8286]]

The sale would be subject to applicable provisions of Section 203 of 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), 
and BLM land sale regulations. The proponent would purchase the parcel 
for the appraised fair market value of the land, which is $80,000.

DATES: Submit written comments regarding this direct sale by March 31, 
2022.

ADDRESSES: Mail written comments to Greg Wolfgang, Field Manager, BLM, 
Grand Junction Field Office, 2815 H Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506 or 
by email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ashton Johnston, Realty Specialist, by 
email to [email protected] or by phone to (970) 244-3028. Persons who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Relay Services (FRS) at (800) 877-8339 during normal business hours to 
contact Ashton Johnston. 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: In accordance with 43 CFR 2720.0-6, only the 
surface estate of the lands would be conveyed in the sale, and the 
United States would retain the mineral estate, including sand and 
gravel resources. The BLM will consider a direct sale of the following 
described lands in accordance with Section 203 of FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 
1713):

Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado

T. 9 S., R. 93 W.,
    Sec. 12, lots 1 and 2.

    The area aggregates 48.53 acres.

    The sale conforms to the BLM Grand Junction Resource Management 
Plan (RMP), approved August 2015. The lands are identified as 
appropriate for disposal based on the following criterion stated on 
pages 174-175 of the RMP under Lands & Realty Allowable Use 7: 
``Isolated parcels that are small or so located as to make effective 
and efficient management impractical.''
    The BLM considered the criteria for disposal found in Sec. 
203(a)(1) of FLPMA, which states that ``such tract because of its 
location or other characteristics is difficult and uneconomic to manage 
as part of the public lands and is not suitable for management by 
another Federal department or agency.'' The lands were determined to be 
suitable for direct sale consistent with 43 CFR 2711.3-3(a)(4), which 
states that ``The adjoining ownership pattern and access indicate a 
direct sale is appropriate.''
    In conformance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the BLM 
prepared a site-specific Environmental Assessment (EA) (DOI-BLM-CO-
S080-2018-0001-EA) for this proposed action, available online at 
https://go.usa.gov/xw8yk. Based on the EA, the BLM issued a Finding of 
No Significant Impact and Decision Record on January 7, 2020, to 
conduct the sale of the lands. Publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register will segregate the earlier-described lands from all 
forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining 
laws, except for the sale under Section 203 of the FLPMA. The 
segregation will terminate automatically upon issuance of a patent or 
on February 14, 2024, whichever occurs first.
    If issued, the patent will include the following terms, covenants, 
conditions, and reservations:
    1. A mineral reservation to the United States for all minerals;
    2. A reservation to the United States for ditches and canals 
constructed by authority of the United States under the Act of August 
30, 1890 (43 U.S.C. 945);
    3. Valid existing rights of record;
    4. An appropriate indemnification clause protecting the United 
States from claims arising out of the patentee's use, occupancy, or 
operations on the patented lands; and
    5. Additional terms and conditions that the authorized officer 
deems appropriate.
    The EA, appraisal, maps, and Environmental Site Assessment are 
available for review during business hours Monday through Friday at the 
Grand Junction Field Office, except during federally recognized 
holidays. Interested parties may submit written comments concerning the 
sale, including notification of any encumbrances or other claims 
related to the parcels, by either of the methods identified in the 
ADDRESSES section earlier.
    The BLM Colorado State Director or other authorized official of the 
Department of the Interior (DOI) will review adverse comments regarding 
the sale of the parcels and may sustain, vacate, or modify this realty 
action in whole or in part. In the absence of timely objections, this 
realty action will become DOI's final determination.
    In addition to publication in the Federal Register, the BLM will 
publish this notice in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel newspaper once 
a week for 3 consecutive weeks.
    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.

(Authority: 43 CFR 2711.1-2.)

Stephanie Connolly,
Acting BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2022-03015 Filed 2-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P