[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 24 (Monday, February 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7755-7756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02464]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLOR936000-L14400000-ET0000-HAG23-0002; OROR-16756]


Notice of Application for Withdrawal Extension and Opportunity 
for Public Meeting for the Wheeler Creek Research Natural Area, Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of withdrawal application.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture, United States 
Forest Service (USFS), has filed an application with the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) requesting that the Secretary of the Interior extend 
Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6476, as extended by PLO No. 7572, for an 
additional 20 years. PLO No. 6476 as extended withdrew 334 acres of 
National Forest System land from location and entry under the United 
States mining laws for 20 years, subject to valid existing rights, for 
protection of the Wheeler Creek Research Natural Area. This notice 
advises the public of a 90-day opportunity to comment on this 
application for a withdrawal extension and to request a public meeting.

DATES: Comments and requests for a public meeting must be received by 
May 8, 2023.

ADDRESSES: All comments and meeting requests should be sent to the BLM 
Oregon/Washington State Director, P.O. Box 2965, Portland, Oregon 
97208. The application and case file are available for public 
examination by interested persons by appointment at the BLM Public 
Room, 1220 SW 3rd Ave., 11th Floor, Portland, Oregon 97208 during 
regular business hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday 
except holidays. Please call 503-808-6001 to make an appointment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Luke Poff, Realty Specialist, BLM 
Oregon/Washington State Office, (503) 808-6249, by email at 
[email protected], or at the address noted earlier. The USFS can be reached 
at the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Supervisor's Office, 3040 
Biddle Road, Medford, Oregon 97504, (541) 618-2200.
    Individuals in the United States who are deaf, blind, 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: The withdrawal established by PLO No. 6476 
(48 FR 45395), as extended by PLO No. 7572 (68 FR 42127), is 
incorporated by reference. PLO No. 6476 withdrew 334 acres of National 
Forest System land in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest from 
location and entry under the United States mining laws to protect the 
Wheeler Creek Research Natural Area, which was established to represent 
undisturbed examples of redwood (Eucalyptus transcontinentalis) at the 
northern limits of its range. The legal land description for PLO No. 
6476 is on file with the BLM. Unless further extended, the withdrawal 
will expire on October 4, 2023. The USFS has requested that this 
withdrawal be extended for an additional 20 years.
    The use of a right-of-way, interagency agreement, or cooperative 
agreement would not adequately preserve the unique resources located at 
this site. There are no suitable alternative sites since preserving the 
unique resource within the lands described in PLO No. 6476 is the 
reason for the application for withdrawal extension.
    No water rights will be needed to fulfill the purpose of this 
requested withdrawal extension.
    Mining would be inconsistent with preservation of the area.
    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 may 
be afforded in connection with the application for withdrawal 
extension. All interested persons who desire a public meeting for the 
purpose of being

[[Page 7756]]

heard on the application for this withdrawal extension must submit a 
written request to the State Director, BLM Oregon/Washington State 
Office at the address in the ADDRESSES section, within 90 days from the 
date of publication of this notice. 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 and posted on the BLM website at: www.blm.gov at least 30 
days before the scheduled date of the meeting. This withdrawal 
extension application will be processed in accordance with the 
regulations set forth in 43 CFR 2310.4.

(Authority: 43 CFR 2310.3-1.)

Dustin Webster-Wharton,
Branch Chief, Lands, Minerals, Energy Resources--Acting.
[FR Doc. 2023-02464 Filed 2-3-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P