[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 112 (Friday, June 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35569-35570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12573]



[[Page 35569]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCON05000.L71220000.EU0000 LVTFC1802900; COC-78815]


Notice of Realty Action: Non-Competitive/Modified Competitive 
Sale of Public Lands in Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties, 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 non-
competitive (direct) sale of two parcels of public land and a modified 
competitive sale of four parcels of public land. The sales will be 
subject to the applicable provisions of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, and BLM land sale 
regulations. The sale will be for no less than the appraised fair 
market value (FMV).

DATES: Interested parties must submit written comments no later than 
July 25, 2022.
    The land will not be offered for sale until after August 9, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Mail written comments to BLM White River Field Office, Field 
Manager, 220 East Market Street, Meeker, CO 81641. Written comments may 
also be submitted via email to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Sauls, Planning and 
Environmental Coordinator, BLM White River Field Office, telephone 
(970) 878-3855, email at [email protected]; or you may contact the BLM 
White River Field Office at the earlier-listed address. Individuals in 
the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a 
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United 
States should use the relay services offered within their country to 
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: White River Lodge, LLC nominated the parcels 
for the sale. Two of the parcels, which are surrounded by private land 
owned by White River Lodge, LLC would be offered through a direct sale 
to the lodge. The remaining four parcels would be offered through a 
modified competitive sale in which bidders are limited to adjacent 
landowners with legal access, which includes White River Lodge, LLC.
    All six parcels were segregated from all forms of appropriation 
under public laws, including the mining laws, with publication of a 
Notice of Realty Action in the Federal Register on January 21, 2020 (85 
FR 3412). The total segregation period may not exceed 2 years unless it 
is extended in accordance with 43 CFR 2711.1-2(d). The BLM Colorado 
State Director has determined that an extension of the segregation 
period is necessary for an additional 2 years to allow time to complete 
evaluation of the proposed sale. The extended segregation period will 
terminate on January 21, 2024.
    The following described public land in Rio Blanco and Garfield 
Counties has been examined and found suitable for sale under the 
authority of Section 203 of FLPMA, as amended (43 U.S. C. 1713):

Parcel 1

Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado

T. 2 N., R. 94 W.,
    Sec. 29, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\.

    The area described contains 40 acres.
    The FMV is $16,000 and the parcel is proposed for a direct sale 
to White River Lodge, LLC.

Parcel 2

Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado

T. 3 S., R. 94 W.,
    Sec. 22, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 23, S\1/2\NW\1/4\ and NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.

    The areas described aggregate 160 acres.
    The FMV is $64,000 and the parcel is proposed for a direct sale 
to White River Lodge, LLC.

Parcel A

Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado

T. 2 N., R. 94 W.,
    Sec. 20, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\ and NE\1/4\NW\1/4\.

    The area described contains 80 acres.
    The FMV is $32,000 and the parcel is proposed for a modified 
competitive sale offered to adjacent landowners.

Parcel B

Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado

T. 2 N., R. 94 W.,
    Sec. 16, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\.

    The area described contains 40 acres.
    The FMV is $16,000 and the parcel is proposed for a modified 
competitive sale offered to adjacent landowners.

Parcel C

Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado

T. 2 N., R. 94 W.,
    Sec. 15, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.

    The area described contains 40 acres.
    The FMV is $16,000 and the parcel is proposed for a modified 
competitive sale offered to adjacent landowners.

Parcel D

Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado

T. 3 S., R. 94 W.,
    Sec. 15, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\.

    The area described contains 40 acres.
    The FMV is $16,000 and the parcel is proposed for a modified 
competitive sale offered to adjacent landowners.

    The proposed sale is in conformance with the BLM White River 
Resource Management Plan (RMP), approved in July 1997. The lands are 
identified as available for disposal and listed by legal description in 
Table 2-15A through 2-15D, Appendix D.
    In accordance with 43 CFR 2711.3-3(a)(4), direct sales may be used 
``when in the opinion of the authorized officer, a competitive sale is 
not appropriate and the public interest would best be served by a 
direct sale[,]'' including when ``the adjoining ownership pattern and 
access indicate a direct sale is appropriate[.]'' Both Parcels 1 and 2 
are surrounded by private property owned by White River Lodge, LLC, and 
no other potential bidder currently has legal access to these parcels.
    Modified competitive bid procedures can be used when ``the 
authorized officer determines it is necessary in order to assure 
equitable distribution of land among purchasers'' and may include ``a 
limitation of persons permitted to bid on a specific tract of land 
offered for sale'' (43 CFR 2711.3-2). Parcels A, B, C, and D are 
bordered by private property owned by White River Lodge, LLC and one 
other landowner. These parcels would be offered via a modified 
competitive sale where the bidders are limited to adjacent landowners 
who currently have legal access to the parcels. The bidders would be 
offered an opportunity to agree upon a division of the lands among 
themselves. In the absence of a written agreement, the bidders would be 
allowed to continue bidding to determine the high bidder (43 CFR 
2711.3-2(b)).
    Parcels A, B, C, and D will be offered for sale at auction 
beginning at 10 a.m. Mountain Time (MT) on August 16, 2022, at 220 East 
Market Street, Meeker, Colorado 81641. Only owners of adjacent parcels 
of land will be qualified to bid. The purpose of the sale is to 
implement land tenure adjustment decisions in the RMP.
    Sealed bids for Parcels A, B, C, and D must be submitted to the BLM 
White River Field Office at 220 East Market Street, Meeker, Colorado 
81641, not later than 4 p.m. MT, August 15, 2022. Bid envelopes must be 
marked on the left front corner with the file and parcel numbers and 
the sale date. Bids must be for not less than the appraised FMV as 
stated in this notice. Each sealed bid shall be accompanied by a 
certified check, postal money order, bank draft,

[[Page 35570]]

or cashier's check made payable to the Department of the Interior, BLM, 
for not less than 10 percent of the bid amount. The remainder of the 
full bid price must be paid within 180 calendar days of the date of 
sale. Failure to pay the full price within 180 days will disqualify the 
apparent high bidder and cause the bid deposit to be forfeited to the 
BLM.
    If issued, the conveyance document will be subject to valid 
existing rights and encumbrances of record, including, but not limited 
to, reservations for ditches and canals and all mineral deposits.
    Adverse comments will be reviewed by the BLM Colorado State 
Director, who may sustain, vacate, or modify this realty action. In the 
absence of timely adverse comments, this proposal shall become the 
final determination of the Department of the Interior. The BLM may 
accept or reject any or all offers or withdraw any land or interest in 
land from sale.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that 
your entire comment--including your personal identifying information--
may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in 
your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying 
information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

(Authority: 43 CFR 2710.0-3(a)(3)).

Stephanie Connolly,
Acting Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2022-12573 Filed 6-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P