[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 188 (Friday, September 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79305-79306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22130]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_NM_FRN_MO4500180051; NMNM-035829]
Notice of Application for Withdrawal Extension, Public Meeting,
and Availability of a Legislative Environmental Assessment; McGregor
Range, New Mexico
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of proposed extension.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of the Army (Army) filed an application with
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for extension of the withdrawal of
public lands for the Army's use for the McGregor Range, located in
Otero County, New Mexico. The McGregor Range encompasses 608,385 acres
that Congress withdrew from all forms of appropriation under the public
land laws, including the mining, mineral leasing, and geothermal
leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights, for a 25-year period
and reserved for the Army's use. The current withdrawal will expire on
November 6, 2026, unless Congress approves the extension. This notice
advises the public of an opportunity to comment on the application,
attend a public meeting, and review the legislative environmental
assessment (EA).
DATES: Comments regarding this withdrawal application must be received
by December 26, 2024. In addition, the BLM and the Army will host
public meetings addressing the withdrawal application.
The BLM and the Army will hold a virtual public meeting in
connection with the proposed withdrawal extension on November 20, 2024,
via Zoom at 6 p.m. (Mountain Time). To register for the meeting, visit
https://blm.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_0NWB3vqpSUuJzi955PHQpw.
ADDRESSES: All comments should be sent to State Director, Bureau of
Land Management, New Mexico State Office, 301 Dinosaur Trail, Santa Fe,
New Mexico 87508.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jillian Aragon, Project Manager,
Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office, telephone: 505-564-
7722 or email: [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
[[Page 79306]]
should use the relay services offered within their country to make
international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3011(d) of the Military Lands
Withdrawal Act (MLWA) of 1999 (Pub. L. 106-65) withdrew approximately
608,385 acres of public land for the McGregor Range from all forms of
appropriation under public land laws and reserved them for use by the
Army. The withdrawal will expire on November 6, 2026, unless extended
by Congress. The Army has filed an application for extension of the
current withdrawal for 25 years. Extension of the withdrawal is
warranted by the purpose of the withdrawal established by Congress: to
allow for continued military use of the McGregor Range, which is used
to train military personnel and test equipment to meet nationally
directed missions and requirements.
The public land withdrawn under Public Law 106-65 encompasses
approximately 608,385 acres in Otero County, New Mexico. As noted in a
previous Federal Register notice (66 FR 26881, May 15, 2001), this land
is accurately described under a previous Federal Register notice (52 FR
18960, May 20, 1987) and two Federal Register correction notices (52 FR
22577, June 12, 1987; 52 FR 26188, July 13, 1987).
The Engle Act (Pub. L. 85-337, 43 U.S.C. 155-157) requires
withdrawals for defense purposes of more than 5,000 acres in the
aggregate for any one defense project or facility to be authorized by
an Act of Congress. Section 3016 of the MLWA requires the Army to
notify the Secretary of the Interior and Congress whether there is a
continuing military need for the withdrawn land. The Army and the
Department of the Interior (DOI) intend to submit a legislative
proposal for extension of the withdrawal and reservation to Congress
not later than May 1, 2025.
As required by section 204(b)(1) of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C. 1714(b)(1), and BLM regulations at 43
CFR part 2300, the BLM is publishing notice of the Army's application.
While the BLM and the DOI assist the Army with the processing of
withdrawal applications, and the Secretary of the Interior makes a
recommendation to Congress on applications for withdrawals of this size
for defense purposes, Congress will decide whether to extend the
existing withdrawal for the McGregor Range.
The Army is preparing a legislative EA in support of the
legislative proposal and is conducting public scoping under NEPA. The
Army will host a joint virtual public scoping meeting and will accept
comments on potential alternatives, potential environment impacts,
information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action. The BLM is
participating as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the
legislative EA. Information on the environmental review process can be
viewed using the link in the ADDRESSES section. This notice invites the
public to comment on the application for withdrawal extension, notifies
the public that a public meeting will occur, and provides the
opportunity for the public to review the legislative EA.
For a period until December 26, 2024, all persons who wish to
submit comments in connection with the withdrawal application and the
legislative EA may present their comments in writing to the address
listed in the ADDRESSES section. All comments received will be
considered before the Secretary of the Interior makes any
recommendation to Congress.
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.
The withdrawal extension application will be processed in
accordance with MLWA, and to the extent consistent with MWLA, the
regulations set forth in 43 CFR 2310.4.
(Authority: 43 CFR 2310.4)
Melanie G. Barnes,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-22130 Filed 9-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-23-P