04-3102. Public Land Order No. 7596; Withdrawal of Public Lands for Mekoryuk Village Selection; Alaska

AGENCY:

Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION:

Public land order.

SUMMARY:

This order withdraws approximately 12,155 acres of public land located within the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining and mineral leasing laws, pursuant to Section 22(j)(2) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. This action also reserves the land for selection by the NIMA Corporation, the village corporation for Mekoryuk. This withdrawal is for a period of 120 days; however, any land selected shall remain withdrawn by this order until it is conveyed. Any land described herein that is not selected by the corporation will remain withdrawn as part of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, pursuant to the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, or will be subject to the terms and conditions of any other withdrawal or segregation of record.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

February 12, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robbie J. Havens, Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State Office, 222 W. 7th Avenue, No. 13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513-7599, 907-271-5477.

Order

By virtue of the authority vested in the Secretary of the Interior by Section 22(j)(2) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 43 U.S.C. 1621(j)(2) (2000), it is ordered as follows:

1. Subject to valid existing rights, the following described public land, located within the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, is hereby withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining and mineral leasing laws, and is hereby reserved for selection under Section 12 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 43 U.S.C. 1611 (2000), by the NIMA Corporation, the village corporation for Mekoryuk:

Seward Meridian

T. 1 N., R. 81 W., (unsurveyed)

Secs. 5 to 8, inclusive;

Secs. 17 to 36, inclusive, excepting therefrom Native Allotment Certificate 50-95-0444.

The area described contains approximately 12,155 acres.

2. Prior to conveyance of any of the land withdrawn by this order, the land shall be subject to administration by the Secretary of the Interior under applicable laws and regulations, and her authority to make contracts and to grant leases, permits, rights-of-way, or easements shall not be impaired by this withdrawal.

3. This order constitutes final withdrawal action by the Secretary of the Interior under Section 22(j)(2) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 43 U.S.C. 1621(j)(2) (2000), to make lands available for selection by the NIMA Corporation, to fulfill the entitlement for the village of Mekoryuk, under Section 12 and Section 14(a) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 43 U.S.C. 1611 and 1613 (2000).

4. This withdrawal will terminate 120 days from the effective date of this order; provided, any land selected shall remain withdrawn pursuant to this order until conveyed. Any land described in this order not selected by the corporation shall remain withdrawn as part of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, pursuant to Section 303(7) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 668(dd) (2000); or will be subject to the terms and conditions of any other withdrawal or segregation of record.

5. It has been determined that this action is not expected to have any significant effect on subsistence uses and needs pursuant to Section 810(c) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 3120(c)(2000) and this action is exempted from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321 note (2000), by Section 910 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, 43 U.S.C. 1638 (2000).

Dated: January 15, 2004.

Rebecca W. Watson,

Assistant Secretary—Land and Minerals Management.