Intent To Prepare a Planning Amendment to the Lahontan Resource Management Plan/Notice of Recreation and Public Purposes Act Classification: Churchill County, NV

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[NV-930-1430-01; N-58667]

Intent To Prepare a Planning Amendment to the Lahontan Resource

Management Plan/Notice of Recreation and Public Purposes Act

Classification: Churchill County, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a plan amendment and environmental

document and notice of classification of land.

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SUMMARY: The following described public land in Churchill County,

Nevada has been examined and determined to be suitable for

classification pursuant to the Recreation and Public Purposes Act of

1926, as amended (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.):

Mount Diablo Meridian

T. 16 N., R. 29 E.,

Sec. 19, E\1/2\SE\1/4\.

Sec. 20, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, W\1/2\SE\1/4\.

This public land is within an area currently identified in the

Lahontan Resource Management Plan (RMP) for retention in federal

ownership for multiple uses. The Bureau of Land Management will

consider amending the RMP to change the land designation of up to 400

acres, from retention status to disposal status. The amendment and

associated environmental document will also analyze the suitability of

the land for conveyance to the City of Fallon for use as a landfill.

Conveyance may only occur if the plan amendment is approved.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: Interested persons may submit comments regarding

the proposed plan amendment to the District Manager, Carson City

District Office, 1535 Hot Springs Road, Suite 300, Carson City, Nevada

89706 until June 20, 1996. Additionally, for a period of 45 days from

the date of publication, interested persons may submit comments

regarding the land classification for public purposes appropriate under

the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. Comments on the classification

are restricted to whether the land is physically suited for development

for public purposes,

[[Page 25501]]

whether the use will maximize the future use or uses of the land,

whether the use is consistent with local planning and zoning, or if the

use is consistent with State and Federal programs. Any objections to

the classification will be evaluated by the State Director. In the

absence of any objections, the classification will become effective

July 22, 1996.

SEGREGATION: This land is hereby segregated from all forms of

appropriation under the public land laws, including the general mining

laws, except for conveyance under the Recreation and Public Purposes

Act and leasing under the mineral leasing laws. Pending a decision on

plan amendment and action on the City of Fallon's Recreation and Public

Purposes application, this segregation shall continue until an opening

order is published in the Federal Register or until issuance of a

conveyance document, whichever occurs first.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The public land is located approximately 16

miles south of Fallon, Nevada, just west of State Highway 95. The

following resources will be considered in preparation of the amendment:

lands, recreation, wildlife, range, minerals, cultural resources,

visual resources, soil, water, air, and threatened and endangered

species. Staff members representing each resource will be consulted

during preparation of the environmental document. The State of Nevada

Division of Environmental Protection has reviewed a site suitability

study and concurs that the site meets all Federal (Subtitle D) and

Nevada State (NAC 444.678 through 444.6795) siting criteria for a

landfill. The public is invited to participate in the identification of

issues related to the proposed transfer of the subject land to the City

of Fallon for development and operation of a landfill. Anticipated

issues include:

(1) Transfer of public land out of Federal ownership.

(2) Change in character and use of land from undeveloped open space

utilized mainly for recreation activities and livestock grazing to a

restricted-access facility.

(3) Potential impacts to recreationist and livestock grazing.

(4) Potential visual impacts.

(5) Potential impacts to adjacent landowner Planning documents and

other pertinent materials may be examined at the Carson City District

Office between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Dated this 8th day of May, 1996.

James M. Phillips,

Acting District Manager.

[FR Doc. 96-12660 Filed 5-20-96; 8:45 am]

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