2010-31209. Public Land Order No. 7755; Withdrawal of Public Lands and Reserved Federal Minerals for the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada

AGENCY:

Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION:

Public Land Order.

SUMMARY:

This order withdraws approximately 9,460.66 acres of public lands from settlement, sale, location, and entry under the general land laws, including the mining laws, and 5,570.02 acres of reserved Federal minerals from location under the mining laws, subject to valid existing rights, for a period of 20 years to protect the habitat of 12 endangered species. This order also transfers jurisdiction of the public lands within the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge boundary to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

DATES:

Effective Date: December 13, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jacqueline Gratton, Bureau of Land Management, Nevada State Office, P.O. Box 12000, Reno, NV 89520, 775-861-6532.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The public lands and the reserved Federal minerals described in this order are within the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge boundary. Non-Federal lands within the Refuge boundary are not affected by this withdrawal. This action would protect Federal lands and minerals from surface disturbance, mining and other uses that could interfere with efforts to protect and implement recovery efforts for 12 Federally-listed threatened or endangered plant and animal species found only at Ash Meadows. The lands and Federal minerals would remain open to the mineral leasing and mineral material laws.

Order

By virtue of the authority vested in the Secretary of the Interior by Section 204 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C. 1714, it is ordered as follows:

1. Subject to valid existing rights, the public lands described in (a) below are hereby withdrawn from settlement, sale, location, and entry under the general land laws, including the mining laws (30 U.S.C. Ch. 2), and jurisdiction is transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for administration under the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee). The reserved Federal minerals underlying the lands described in (b) below are hereby withdrawn from location and entry under the mining laws (30 U.S.C. Ch. 2).

Mount Diablo Meridian

(a) Public Lands

T. 17 S., R. 50 E.,

Sec. 9, lots 7 and 8;

Sec. 10, lot 12;

Sec. 14, lot 11;

Sec. 15, lots 1 to 4, inclusive;

Sec. 17, E1/2NE1/4;

Sec. 19, lot 14;

Sec. 21, lots 5 and 6;

Sec. 22, lots 1 to 5, inclusive, W1/2SE1/4, and SE1/4SE1/4;

Sec. 23, lots 3 and 4;

Sec. 26, S1/2;

Sec. 27;

Sec. 28, E1/2NE1/4;

Sec. 29, NE1/4NW1/4;

Sec. 32, NE1/4NE1/4, S1/2NE1/4, and N1/2SE1/4;

Sec. 34, NE1/4;

Sec. 35, NE1/4, N1/2NW1/4, SW1/4NW1/4, W1/2SW1/4, E1/2SE1/4, and NW1/4SE1/4;

Sec. 36, W1/2 and SE1/4SE1/4.

T. 17 S., R. 51 E.,

Sec. 31, lot 4, SE1/4SW1/4, and SW1/4SE1/4;

Sec. 32, S1/2NW1/4.

T. 18 S., R. 50 E.,

Sec. 1, lots 1 to 4, inclusive;

Sec. 2, lots 1 and 2, S1/2NE1/4, and SE1/4;

Sec. 3, SW1/4SW1/4;

Sec. 9, W1/2NW1/4;

Sec. 10, E1/2;

Sec. 11, N1/2NW1/4 and W1/2SW1/4;

Sec. 12, W1/2NE1/4 and NW1/4;

Sec. 13, SW1/4NE1/4, SE1/4SW1/4, NW1/4SE1/4, E1/2W1/2SW1/4SE1/4, and E1/2SW1/4SE1/4;

Sec. 14, NE1/4, NW1/4SE1/4, and SE1/4SE1/4;

Sec. 15, E1/2 and E1/2SW1/4;

Sec. 23;

Sec. 24, E1/2NE1/4, NW1/4NE1/4, N1/2NW1/4, and W1/2SW1/4;

Sec. 25, S1/2N1/2 and NW1/4NW1/4;

Sec. 26, NE1/4.

T. 18 S., R. 51 E.,

Sec. 5, lot 1;

Sec. 6, lots 2 to 6, inclusive, SW1/4NE1/4, SE1/4NW1/4, NE1/4SW1/4, and SE1/4;

Sec. 7, NE1/4 and E1/2NW1/4;

Sec. 8, NW1/4;

Sec. 18, lots 2 to 4, inclusive, SW1/4NE1/4, SE1/4NW1/4, and E1/2SW1/4;

Sec. 19, lots 1 and 2, E1/2NE1/4, NW1/4NE1/4, SW1/4NE1/4, E1/2NW1/4, E1/2SW1/4, and SE1/4;

Sec. 20, W1/2E1/2 and W1/2;

Sec. 29, W1/2NE1/4 and NW1/4;

Sec. 30, lot 2, NE1/4 (excluding Patent #27-70-0091), and E1/2NW1/4.

The areas described aggregate 9,460.66 acres, more or less, in Nye County.

(b) Reserved Federal Minerals

T. 17 S., R. 50 E.,

Sec. 10, lots 9, 10, 11, 13, and 14;

Sec. 16, NW1/4NW1/4;

Sec. 20, NE1/4;

Sec. 21, lots 1 to 4, inclusive;

Sec. 28, SW1/4SW1/4, E1/2SW1/4, and SE1/4;

Sec. 29, NW1/4NE1/4, SW1/4SW1/4, and E1/2SE1/4;

Sec. 33, W1/2NW1/4, N1/2NE1/4, and SW1/4NE1/4;

Sec. 34, W1/2 and SE1/4.

T. 18 S., R. 50 E.,

Sec. 2, lots 3 and 4, S1/2NW1/4, and SW1/4;

Sec. 3, lots 1, 2, 3, and SE1/4;

Sec. 4, lot 3, S1/2NW1/4, SW1/4, and W1/2SE1/4;

Sec. 9, E1/2NW1/4 and W1/2E1/2;

Sec. 10, NW1/4 and NE1/4SW1/4;

Sec. 11, N1/2NE1/4, SE1/4SW1/4, and SW1/4SE1/4;

Sec. 12, E1/2NE1/4.

T. 17 S., R. 51 E.,

Sec. 31, SE1/4NE1/4 and E1/2SE1/4;

Sec. 32, SW1/4.

T. 18 S., R. 51 E.,

Sec. 5, lots 2, 3, 4, S1/2N1/2, and S1/2;

Sec. 6, lots 1 and 7, SE1/4NE1/4, and SE1/4SW1/4;

Sec. 7, lots 1 and 2;

Sec. 8, E1/2 and SW1/4;

Sec. 17, W1/2E1/2 and W1/2;

Sec. 18, SE1/4NE1/4 and SE1/4;

Sec. 30, Patent #27-70-0091(within NE1/4).

The areas described aggregate 5,570.02 acres, more or less, in Nye County.

2. This withdrawal will expire 20 years from the effective date of this order unless, as a result of a review conducted before the expiration date pursuant to Section 204(f) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C. 1714(f), the Secretary determines that the withdrawal shall be extended.

Dated: November 24, 2010.

Wilma A. Lewis,

Assistant Secretary—Land and Minerals Management.