[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 28, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46157-46158]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11595]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_HQ_FRN_MO4500177674]


Land Acquisition Nomination and Ranking Process for Funds Made 
Available Through the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act 
Reauthorization of 2018

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of nomination and ranking process.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act and the Federal 
Land Transaction Facilitation Act Reauthorization of 2018 (FLTFA) 
require the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture 
to provide public notice of new procedures to identify, by State, 
inholdings of land or interests therein for which the landowner has 
indicated a desire to sell to the United States and to prioritize the 
acquisition of inholdings in accordance with the FLTFA. The FLTFA land 
acquisition program is managed through an Interagency Implementation 
Agreement among the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (FWS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and National Park 
Service (NPS) (collectively referred to as the Agencies).

DATES: The processes identified in this notice will take effect 
immediately upon publication of this notice. They will remain in effect 
until changed by the Agencies and announced through a notice published 
in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erica Pionke, BLM Headquarters Office, 
(202) 570-2624 or by email at [email protected]. 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: The FLTFA was reauthorized on March 23, 
2018, under title III of Public Law 115-141 (43 U.S.C. 2301 through 
2306). The FLTFA allows the Agencies to use proceeds from the sale or 
exchange of public land to purchase lands or interests therein in 
Alaska and the 11 contiguous Western States of Arizona, California, 
Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, 
and Wyoming. The FLTFA requires public notification of the procedures 
used to identify, by State, inholdings of land or interests therein for 
which the landowner has indicated a desire to sell to the United States 
and to prioritize the acquisition of inholdings. The FLTFA does not 
require the Agencies to acquire any land or interest in land that has 
been nominated by a willing landowner.

Definitions in the FLTFA Which Are Used in This Notice

    (a) Exceptional resource means a resource of scientific, natural, 
historic, cultural, recreational access and use, or other recreational 
value that has been documented by a Federal, State, or local 
governmental authority, and for which there is a compelling need for 
conservation and protection under the jurisdiction of a Federal agency 
in order to maintain the resource for the benefit of the public.
    (b) Federally designated area means land in Alaska and the 11 
contiguous Western States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, 
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming that 
is within the boundary of:
    (1) A national monument, area of critical environmental concern, 
national conservation area, national riparian conservation area, 
national scenic area, research natural area, national outstanding 
natural area, priority species and habitats designated in a land use 
plan in accordance with subpart E (entitled ``Fish and Wildlife'') of 
part I of appendix C of BLM Land Use Planning Handbook H-1601-1 (Rel 1-
1693), a special recreation management area, or a national natural 
landmark managed by the BLM;
    (2) A unit of the National Park System;
    (3) A unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System;
    (4) A National Forest or National Grassland in the National Forest 
System; or
    (5) An area within which the Secretary of the Interior or the 
Secretary of Agriculture is otherwise authorized by law to acquire 
lands or interests therein that is designated as:
    (i) Wilderness under the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.);
    (ii) A wilderness study area;
    (iii) A component of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System under the 
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.); or
    (iv) A component of the National Trails System under the National 
Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.).
    (c) Inaccessible lands that are open to public hunting, fishing, 
recreational shooting, or other recreational purposes means public 
lands (as defined in section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702)) in Alaska and the 11 
contiguous Western States consisting of at least 640 contiguous acres 
on which the public is allowed under Federal or State law to hunt, 
fish, target shoot or use the land for other recreational purposes, 
but:
    (1) To which there is no public access or egress; or
    (2) To which public access or egress to the land is significantly 
restricted, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior.
    (d) Inholding means any right, title, or interest, held by a non-
Federal entity, in or to a tract of land that lies within the boundary 
of a federally designated area.
    (e) Public land means public lands as defined in section 103 of the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).

Nomination of Land or Interest on Land for Acquisition by the Agencies

    Effective upon publication of this notice, at any time, a landowner 
or their authorized representative may nominate their land for 
acquisition by the Agencies if their land meets the following criteria:
    (a) The landowner must be a citizen of the United States or an 
entity that is lawfully authorized to conduct business in the relevant 
State and who voluntarily indicated a desire to sell land or interest 
in land to the United States;
    (b) The nominated parcel must be located in Alaska or any of the 11 
contiguous Western States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, 
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming; and
    (c) The nominated parcel must either:
    (1) Meet the criteria to be identified as an inholding, which is 
located within a federally designated area;
    (2) Be located adjacent to a federally designated area and contain 
exceptional resources; or
    (3) Be adjacent to inaccessible lands open to public hunting, 
fishing, recreational shooting, or other recreational purposes.
    Nominations may be presented to a local BLM Field Office; FWS 
Refuge

[[Page 46158]]

Office; USFS Supervisor's Office; or NPS Park Office having 
jurisdiction over the federally designated area in proximity to the 
nominated parcel. The acquisition of land or interest in land nominated 
by a landowner is a discretionary action by the Agencies and not 
required by the FLTFA.

Procedures Used To Prioritize Land or Interest in Land Nominated for 
Acquisition by the Agencies

    Nominations to sell land or interest in land to the United States 
is subject to available funding and will be prioritized and reviewed by 
the following groups:
    (a) Regional Interagency FLTFA Team (Regional Team) consisting of 
at least one member from each of the Agencies having jurisdiction over 
the nominated parcel. Each State listed in this notice shall have a 
Regional Team;
    (b) State and regional leadership consisting of the BLM State 
Director; Regional Directors of the FWS and NPS; and Regional Forester 
for the USFS;
    (c) A National Interagency FLTFA Team consisting of one or more 
representatives from each of the Agencies (FLTFA Team); and an 
Executive Committee consisting of the BLM Director; the FWS Director; 
the FS Chief; and the NPS Director, or their designated representative.
    Funds made available under the FLTFA shall be supplemental to any 
funds appropriated under the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) 
Act (16 U.S.C. 4601-4 et seq.).
    Upon receipt from its local office of a nomination to sell land or 
interest in land to the United States, the nominating Agency will make 
a discretionary determination if the parcel fits within the priorities 
of the Agency; if the parcel provides a benefit to the federally 
designated area; and other criteria as determined by the Agency. If the 
Agency determines to move forward with the acquisition, it will submit 
a request for funding to the Regional Team having jurisdiction over the 
nominated parcel. The Regional Team will first determine if there are 
sufficient funds available within the State having jurisdiction over 
the nominated parcel to complete the acquisition. Contributions from 
the LWCF will be identified by the submitting Agency at the time of 
submission. If sufficient funds are available, the Regional Team will 
review and rank the nomination based on the public benefits of a 
potential acquisition and availability of funds. The Regional Team will 
then forward the proposal to the State and Regional Leadership for 
review and concurrence of the recommendation. Nominations approved by 
the State and Regional Leadership will then be forwarded to the FLTFA 
Team, whose duties are to consolidate nominations from multiple regions 
and develop a ranking recommendation to present to the Executive 
Committee for final funding approval. The proposed acquisition may be 
re-submitted in the future if sufficient funds are not available within 
the State having jurisdiction over the nominated parcel to complete the 
acquisition. There is no process for appeal if a nominated parcel is 
not selected or approved for funding.

(Authority: 43 U.S.C. 2301 through 2306)

Lonny R. Bagley,
Acting Assistant Director, Energy, Minerals and Realty Management, 
Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-11595 Filed 5-24-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-29-P