[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64924-64925]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20122]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_NM_FRN_MO#4500172157; NMNM-145757]


Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and Public Meeting, New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: At the request of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and 
subject to valid existing rights, the Secretary of the Interior 
proposes to withdraw 4,212.98 acres of public lands from location and 
entry under the United States mining laws, from leasing under the 
mineral leasing laws, and from disposal of minerals under the Materials 
Act of 1947, for up to a 50-year term. This notice segregates the lands 
for up to two years from location and entry under the United States 
mining laws, from leasing under the mineral leasing laws, and from 
disposal of mineral materials, subject to valid existing rights; 
initiates a 90-day public comment period on the proposed withdrawal; 
and notifies the public that one public meeting will be held regarding 
the application.

DATES: Comments and requests for additional public meetings must be 
received by December 19, 2023. In-person public meeting regarding the 
withdrawal application will be held on November 14, 2023, from 5:30-
7:30 p.m. at the Placitas Library, 453 Highway 65, Placitas, New Mexico 
87043.

ADDRESSES: All comments should be mailed to: Bureau of Land Management 
Rio Puerco Field Office, Attn: Placitas Withdrawal, 100 Sun Avenue, 
Suite 330, Albuquerque, NM 87109.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Gray, BLM Rio Puerco Field 
Office, (505) 761-8918 or [email protected] during regular business hours, 
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time, Monday through Friday, except 
holidays. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, 
hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
Tele Braille) 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. A map and other information related to the 
withdrawal application are available at the Bureau of Land Management 
Rio Puerco Field Office, 100 Sun Avenue, Suite 330, Albuquerque, NM 
87109. Details regarding this project are also available for review on 
the BLM e-Planning website https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2026585/510.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM has filed a petition/application 
requesting the Secretary of the Interior withdraw public lands situated 
within the boundaries of the area described below, known as the 
Placitas area.
    The purpose of the proposed withdrawal is to protect, preserve, and 
promote the scenic integrity, cultural importance, recreational values, 
and wildlife habitat connectivity within the Placitas area. The 
proposed withdrawal area's landscape character and scenic intergrity 
are characterized by intact conifer woodland, pinyon-juniper woodland, 
and savanna with minimal visual disruption. One tract is remote and 
characterized by moderately steep slopes with pinon and juniper trees 
intermixed with shrubs and sparse grasses, offering panoramic views of 
the Sandia Mountains and middle Rio Grande Valley.
    The land is considered ancestral and sacred to the Pueblos of San 
Felipe and Santa Ana and is rich in archaeological resources that span 
thousands of years of human history. The four parcels are in a natural, 
scenic setting with easy proximity to a major metropolitan area, which 
makes the location popular for dispersed recreational activities such 
as hiking, horseback riding, dispersed camping, hunting, shooting, 
sightseeing, mountain biking, and off-road driving.
    Additionally, the area has been identified as a priority wildlife 
linkage between the Sandia Mountains and mountain ranges to the north 
for big game species including deer, elk, bear, and cougar. Withdrawal 
of this area is desirable for the promotion of habitat connectivity.
    Existing uses of the public lands may continue in accordance with 
their terms and conditions. Temporary uses that may be permitted during 
the segregation period are leases, licenses, permits, rights-of-way, 
and other uses consistent with the October 1992 Rio Puerco Resource 
Management Plan, as amended.
    The legal description is as follows:

New Mexico Principal Meridian, New Mexico

San Antonio de las Huertas Grant,
    Parcel C.
Town of Tejon Grant,
    Tract 40.
T. 13 N., R. 4 E.,
    Sec. 13, Lots 6 thru 9 and S\1/2\;
    Sec. 14, Lots 12 thru 15, and E\1/2\SE\1/4\, and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 15, Lot 10;
    Sec. 22, Lots 6 and 7, and SE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 23, N\1/2\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 24, N\1/2\.
T. 12 N, R. 5 E.,
    Tract 39.
T. 13 N., R. 5 E.,
    Sec. 10, Lots 14 and 15;
    Sec.11, Lot 9;
    Sec. 17, Lots 1 thru 4, S\1/2\SW\1/4\, and S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 18, Lots 1 thru 7, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, and S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 19, Lots 1 thru 3, NE\1/4\, and E\1/2\NW\1/4\;
    Sec. 20, E\1/2\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\, and NE\1/4\SW\1/
4\;
    Sec. 29, Lots 1 thru 4;
    Sec. 30, SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 31, NE\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Tract 38.

    The area aggregates 4,212.98 acres.
    The Secretary approved the BLM's petition. Therefore, it 
constitutes a withdrawal proposal of the Secretary of the Interior (43 
CFR 2310.1-3(e)).
    The use of a right-of-way, interagency agreement, or cooperative 
agreement would not adequately constrain mineral location and surface 
entry, which could adversely affect ongoing management activities, 
resulting in land use conflicts as well as irretrievable loss of 
natural resources.
    Licenses, permits, cooperative agreements, or discretionary land 
use authorizations of a temporary nature that would not significantly 
impact the values to be protected by the requested withdrawal may be 
allowed with the approval of the authorized officer of the BLM during 
the temporary segregation period.
    For a period until December 19, 2023, persons who wish to submit 
comments, suggestions, or objections related to the withdrawal 
application may present their views in writing to the ADDRESS listed 
above.

[[Page 64925]]

    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 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.
    For a period until September 22, 2025, subject to valid existing 
rights, the BLM lands described in this notice will be temporarily 
segregated from location and entry under the United States mining laws, 
from leasing under the mineral leasing laws, and from disposal under 
the Materials Act of 1947, unless the application is denied or canceled 
or the withdrawal is approved prior to that date. All activities 
currently consistent with the October 1992 Rio Puerco Resource 
Management Plan, as amended, are authorized to continue, including 
public recreation and other activities compatible with preservation of 
the character of the area, subject to BLM discretionary approval, 
during the segregation period.
    This withdrawal application will be processed in accordance with 
the regulations set forth at 43 CFR part 2300.

(Authority: 43 U.S.C. 1714.)

Melanie G. Barnes,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2023-20122 Filed 9-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-23-P