Authority: 43 U.S.C. 1201; 43 U.S.C. 1740; E.O. 10355 (17 FR 4831, 4833).

Source: 46 FR 5796, Jan. 19, 1981, unless otherwise noted.

(a) These regulations set forth procedures implementing the Secretary of the Interior's authority to process Federal land withdrawal applications and, where appropriate, to make, modify or extend Federal land withdrawals. Procedures for making emergency withdrawals are also included.

(b) The regulations do not apply to withdrawals that are made by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to an act of Congress which directs the issuance of an order by the Secretary. Likewise, procedures applicable to withdrawals authorized under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1272(b); 1281), and procedures relating to the Secretary's authority to establish Indian reservations or to add lands to the reservations pursuant to special legislation or in accordance with section 7 of the Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 467), as supplemented by section 1 of the Act of May 1, 1936 (25 U.S.C. 473a), are not included in these regulations.

(c) General procedures relating to the processing of revocation of withdrawals and relating to the relinquishment of reserved Federal land areas are not included in this part.

(a)(1) Section 204 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1714) gives the Secretary of the Interior general authority to make, modify, extend or revoke withdrawals, but only in accordance with the provisions and limitations of that section. Among other limitations, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 provides that the Secretary of the Interior does not have authority to:

(i) Make, modify or revoke any withdrawal created by an Act of Congress;

(ii) Make a withdrawal which can be made only by an Act of Congress;

(iii) Modify or revoke any withdrawal creating national monuments under the Act of June 8, 1906 (16 U.S.C. 431-433), sometimes referred to as the Antiquities Act;

(iv) Modify or revoke any withdrawal which added lands to the National Wildlife Refuge System prior to October 21, 1976, the date of approval of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 or which thereafter adds lands to that System under the terms of that Act. In this connection, nothing in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 is intended to modify or change any provision of the Act of February 27, 1976 (16 U.S.C. 668 dd(a)).

(2) Executive Order 10355 of May 26, 1952 (17 FR 4831), confers on the Secretary of the Interior all of the delegable authority of the President to make, modify and revoke withdrawals and reservations with respect to lands of the public domain and other lands owned and controlled by the United States in the continental United States or Alaska.

(3) The Act of February 28, 1958 (43 U.S.C. 155-158), sometimes referred to as the Engle Act, places on the Secretary of the Interior the responsibility to process Department of Defense applications for national defense withdrawals, reservations or restrictions aggregating 5,000 acres or more for any one project or facility. These withdrawals, reservations or restrictions may only be made by an act of Congress, except in time of war or national emergency declared by the President or the Congress and except as otherwise expressly provided in the Act of February 28, 1958.

(4) Section 302(b) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1732(b)) authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to regulate the management of the public lands as defined in the Act through instruments, such as memorandum of understanding, which the Secretary deems appropriate.

(5) Section 1326(a) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (Pub. L. 96-487), authorizes the President and the Secretary to make withdrawals exceeding 5,000 acres, in the aggregate, in the State of Alaska subject to the provisions that such withdrawals shall not become effective until notice is provided in the Federal Register and to both Houses of the Congress and such withdrawals shall terminate unless Congress passes a Joint Resolution of approval within one year after the notice of withdrawal has been submitted to the Congress.

(b) The following references do not afford either withdrawal application processing or withdrawal authority but are provided as background information.

(1) Executive Order 6910 of November 26, 1934, and E.O. 6964 of February 5, 1935, as modified, withdrew sizable portions of the public lands for classification and conservation. These lands and the grazing districts estalished under the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934, as amended, are subject to the classification and opening procedures of section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act of June 28, 1934, as amended (43 U.S.C. 315f); however, they are not closed to the operation of the mining or mineral leasing laws unless separately withdrawn or reserved, classified for retention from disposal, or precluded from mineral leasing or mining location under other authority.

(2) The Classification and Multiple Use Act of September 19, 1964 (43 U.S.C. 1411-1418), authorized the Secretary of the Interior through the Bureau of Land Management for retention or disposal under Federal ownership and management. Numerous classification decisions based upon this statutory authority were made by the Secretary of the Interior. For the effect of these classification with regard to the disposal and leasing laws of the United States, see subparts 2440 and 2461 of this title.

(3) Section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712) provides for land use planning and resultant management decisions which may operate to totally eliminate a particular land use, including one or more principal or major uses, as defined in the Act. Withdrawals made pursuant to section 204 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 may be used in appropriate cases, to carry out management decisions, except that public lands, as defined in the Act, can be removed from or restored to the operation of the Mining Law of 1872, as amended, or transferred to another department, agency or office, only by withdrawal action pursuant to section 204 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 or other action pursuant to applicable law.

(4) The first proviso of section 302(b) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1732(b)) provides, in part, that unless otherwise provided for by law, the Secretary of the Interior may permit Federal departments and agencies to use, occupy and develop public lands only through rights-of-way under section 507 of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1767); withdrawals under section 204 of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714); and, where the proposed use and development are similar or closely related to the programs of the Secretary for the public lands involved, cooperative agreements under section 307(b) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1737(b)).

(5) Section 701(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 note) provides that all withdrawals, reservations, classifications and designations in effect on October 21, 1976, the effective date of the Act, shall remain in full force and effect until modified under the provisions of the Act or other applicable law.

As used in this part, the term:

(a) Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior or a secretarial officer subordinate to the Secretary who has been appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and to whom has been delegated the authority of the Secretary to perform the duties described in this part to be performed by the Secretary.

(b) Authorized officer means any employee of the Bureau of Land Management to whom has been delegated the authority to perform the duties described in this part to be performed by the authorized officer.

(c) Act means the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), unless otherwise specified.

(d) Lands includes both upland and submerged land areas and any right or interest in such areas. To the extent provided in section 1 of the Act of February 28, 1958 (43 U.S.C. 155), the term also includes offshore waters.

(e) Cultural resources means those fragile and nonrenewable physical remains of human activity found in districts, sites, structures, burial mounds, petroglyphs, artifacts, objects, ruins, works of art, architecture or natural settings or features which were important to prehistoric, historic or other land and resource use events.

(f) Archeological areas/resources means sites or areas containing important evidence or the physical remains of former but now extinct cultural groups, their skeletons, settlements, implements, artifacts, monuments and inscriptions.

(g) Resource use means a land use having as its primary objective the preservation, conservation, enhancement or development of:

(1) Any renewable or nonrenewable natural resource indigenous to a particular land area, including, but not limited to, mineral, timber, forage, water, fish or wildlife resources, or

(2) Any resource value associated with a particular land area, including, but not limited to, watershed, power, scenic, wilderness, clean air or recreational values. The term does not include military or other governmental activities requiring land sites only as an incidental means to achieving an end not related primarily to the preservation, conservation, enhancement or development of natural resources or resource values indigenous to or associated with a particular land area.

(h) Withdrawal means withholding an area of Federal land from settlement, sale, location, or entry under some or all of the general land laws, for the purpose of limiting activities under those laws in order to maintain other public values in the area or reserving the area for a particular public purpose or program; or transferring jurisdiction over an area of Federal land, other than property governed by the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act (40 U.S.C. 472), from one department, bureau or agency to another department, bureau or agency.

(i) Department means a unit of the Executive branch of the Federal Government which is headed by a member of the President's Cabinet.

(j) Agency means a unit of the Executive branch of the Federal Government which is not within a Department.

(k) Office means an office or bureau of the Department of the Interior.

(l) Applicant means any Federal department, agency or office.

(m) Segregation means the removal for a limited period, subject to valid existing rights, of a specified area of the public lands from the operation of the public land laws, including the mining laws, pursuant to the exercise by the Secretary of regulatory authority to allow for the orderly administration of the public lands.

(n) Legal description means a written land description based upon either an approved and filed Federal land survey executed as a part of the United States Public Land Survey System or, where specifically authorized under Federal law, upon a protraction diagram. In the absence of the foregoing, the term means a written description, approved by the authorized officer, which defines the exterior boundaries of a tract of land by reference to a metes and bounds survey or natural or other monuments.

(o) Modify or modification does not include, for the purposes of section 204 of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714), the addition of lands to an existing withdrawal or the partial revocation of a withdrawal.

(p) Withdrawal petition means a request, originated within the Department of the Interior and submitted to the Secretary, to file an application for withdrawal.

(q) Withdrawal proposal means a withdrawal petition approved by the Secretary.

(a) The basic steps leading up to the making, modification or extension of a withdrawal, except emergency withdrawals, are:

(1) Preapplication consultation;

(2) Obtaining Secretarial approval of a withdrawal petition in appropriate cases;

(3) Submission for filing of an application for a requested withdrawal action;

(4) Publication in the Federal Register of a notice stating that a withdrawal proposal has been made or that an application has been submitted for filing.

(5) Negotiations between the applicant and the authorized officer as well as the accomplishment of investigations, studies and analyses which may be required to process an application.

(6) Preparation of the case file to be considered by the Secretary, including the authorized officer's findings and recommendations;

(7) Transmittal of the case file to the Director, Bureau of Land Management, for the Director's review and decision regarding the findings and recommendations of the authorized officer;

(8) Transmittal of the case file to the Secretary.

(9) Publication of a public land order or a notice of denial signed by the Secretary. If the application seeks a national defense withdrawal that may only be made by an Act of Congress, the Secretary will transmit to the Congress proposed legislation along with the Secretary's recommendations, and documentation relating thereto.

A potential applicant should contact the appropriate State office of the Bureau of Land Management well in advance of the anticipated submission date of an application. Early consultation can familiarize the potential applicant with the responsibilities of an applicant, the authorized officer and the Secretary. Early consultation also will assist in determining the need for a withdrawal, taking possible alternatives into account, increase the likelihood that the applicant's needs will be considered in ongoing land use planning, assist in determining the extent to which any public lands that may be involved would have to be segregated if an application is submitted; and result in preliminary determinations regarding the scheduling of various investigations, studies, analyses, public meetings and negotiations that may be required for a withdrawal. Studies and analyses should be programmed to ensure their completion in sufficient time to allow the Secretary or the Congress adequate time to act on the application before the expiration of the segregation period.

(a) Applications for the making, modification or extension of a withdrawal shall be submitted for filing, in duplicate, in the proper Bureau of Land Management office, as set forth in §1821.2-1 of this title, except for emergency withdrawal requests and applications that are classified for national security reasons. Requests for emergency withdrawals and applications that are classified for national security reasons shall be submitted, in duplicate, in the Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240.

(b) Before the authorized officer can take action on a withdrawal proposal, a withdrawal application in support thereof shall be submitted. The application may be submitted simultaneously with the making of a withdrawal proposal, in which case only the notice required by §2310.3-1(a) of this title, referencing both the application and the withdrawal proposal, shall be published.

(c) No specific form is required, but, except as otherwise provided in §2310.3-6(b) of this title, the application shall contain at least the following information:

(1) The name and address of the applicant. Where the organization intending to use the lands is different from the applicant, the name and address of such using agency shall also be included.

(2) If the applicant is a department or agency other than the Department of the Interior or an office thereof, a statement of the delegation or delegations of authority of the official acting on behalf of the department or agency submitting the application, substantiating that the official is empowered to act on behalf of the head of the department or agency in connection with all matters pertaining to the application.

(3) If the lands which are subject to an application are wholly or partially under the administration of any department or agency other than the Department of the Interior, the Secretary shall make or modify a withdrawal only with the consent of the head of the department or agency concerned, except in the case of an emergency withdrawal. In such case, a copy of the written consent shall accompany the application. The requirements of section (e) of E.O. 10355 (17 FR 4831), shall be complied with in those instances where the Order applies.

(4) The type of withdrawal action that is being requested (See §2300.0-5(h) of this title) and whether the application pertains to the making, extension or modification of a withdrawal.

(5) A description of the lands involved in the application, which shall consist of the following:

(i) A legal description of the entire land area that falls within the exterior boundaries of the affected area and the total acreage of such lands;

(ii) A legal description of the lands, Federal or otherwise, within the exterior boundaries that are to be excepted from the requested action, and after deducting the total acreage of all the excepted lands, the net remaining acreage of all Federal lands (as well as all non-Federal lands which, if they should be returned to or should pass to Federal ownership, would become subject to the withdrawal) within the exterior boundaries of the affected land areas;

(iii) In the case of a national defense withdrawal which can only be made by an Act of Congress, sections 3(2) and 3(3) of the Act of February 28, 1958 (43 U.S.C. 157 (2), (3)) shall be complied with in lieu of paragraphs (c)(5) (i) and (ii) of this section.

(6) If the application is for a withdrawal that would overlap, or that would add lands to one or more existing withdrawals, the application shall also contain:

(i) An identification of each of the existing withdrawals, including the project name, if any, the date of the withdrawal order, the number and type of order, if known, or, in lieu of the foregoing, a copy of the order;

(ii) As to each existing withdrawal that would be overlapped by the requested withdrawal, the total area and a legal description of the area that would be overlapped; and

(iii) The total acreage, Federal or otherwise, that would be added to the existing withdrawal, if the new application is allowed.

(7) The public purpose or statutory program for which the lands would be withdrawn. If the purpose or program for which the lands would be withdrawn is classified for national security reasons, a statement to that effect shall be included; but, if at all possible, a general description of the use to which the lands would be devoted, if the requested withdrawal is allowed, should be included. In the case of applications that are not classified for national security reasons, an analysis of the manner in which the lands as well as their natural resources and resource values would be used to implement the purpose or program shall be provided.

(8) The extent to which the lands embraced in the application are requested to be withheld from settlement, sale, location or entry under the public land laws, including the mining laws, together with the extent to which, and the time during which, the lands involved in the application would be temporarily segregated in accordance with §2310.2 of this subpart.

(9) The type of temporary land use that, at the discretion of the authorized officer, may be permitted or allowed during the segregation period, in accordance with §2310.2 of this subpart.

(10) An analysis and explanation of why neither a right-of-way under section 507 of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1767), nor a cooperative agreement under sections 302(b) (43 U.S.C. 1732(b)) and 307(b) (43 U.S.C. 1737(b)) of the act would adequately provide for the proposed use.

(11) The duration of the withdrawal, with a statement in justification thereof (see §2310.3-4 of this title). Where an extension of an existing withdrawal is requested, its duration may not exceed the duration of the existing withdrawal.

(12) A statement as to whether any suitable alternative sites are available for the proposed use or for uses which the requested withdrawal action would displace. The statement shall include a study comparing the projected costs of obtaining each alternative site in suitable condition for the intended use, as well as the projected costs of obtaining and developing each alternative site for uses that the requested withdrawal action would displace.

(13) A statement as to whether water will or will not be needed to fulfill the purpose of the requested withdrawal action.

(14) The place where records relating to the application can be examined by interested persons.

(d) Except in the case of an emergency withdrawal, if the preceding application requirements have not been met, or if an application seeks an action that is not within the scope of the Secretary's authority, the application may be rejected by the authorized officer as a defective application.

(a) Withdrawal petitions shall be submitted to the Director, Bureau of Land Management, for transmittal to the Secretary.

(b) No specific form is required, but the petition shall contain at least the following information:

(1) The office originating the petition;

(2) The type and purpose of the proposed withdrawal action (See §2300.0-5(h) of this title) and whether the petition pertains to the making, extension or modification of a withdrawal;

(3) A legal description of the entire land area that falls within the exterior boundaries affected by the petition, together with the total acreage of such lands, and a map of the area;

(4) The extent to which and the time during which any public lands that may be involved in the petition would be temporarily segregated and the temporary land uses that may be permitted during the segregation period, in accordance with §2310.2 of this title; and

(5) A preliminary identification of the mineral resources in the area.

(c) Except in the case of petitions seeking emergency withdrawals, if a petition is submitted simultaneously with a withdrawal application, the information requirements pertaining to withdrawal applications (See §2310.1-2 of this title), shall supersede the requirements of this section.

(d) If a petition seeks an emergency withdrawal under the provisions of section 204(e) of the act, the petition shall be filed simultaneously with an application for withdrawal. In such instances, the petition/application shall provide as much of the information required by §§2310.1-2(c) and 2310.3-2(b) of this title as is available to the petitioner when the petition is submitted.

(e) Upon the approval by the Secretary of a petition for withdrawal, the petition shall be considered as a Secretarial proposal for withdrawal, and notice of the withdrawal proposal shall be published immediately in the Federal Register in accordance with §2310.3-1(a) of this title. If a petition which seeks an emergency withdrawal is approved by the Secretary, the publication and notice provisions pertaining to emergency withdrawals shall be applicable. (See §2310.5 of this title.)

(a) Withdrawal or extension applications and proposals shall be amended promptly to cancel the application or proposal, in whole or in part, with respect to any lands which the applicant, in the case of applications, or the office, in the case of proposals, determines are no longer needed in connection with a requested or proposed action. The filing of a cancellation notice in each such case shall result in the termination of the segregation of the public lands that are to be eliminated from the withdrawal application or withdrawal proposal. (See §2310.2-1 of this title)

(b) The Secretary may deny an application if the costs (as defined in section 304(b) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1734(b)) estimated to be incurred by the Department of the Interior would, in the judgment of the Secretary, be excessive in relation to available funds appropriated for processing applications requesting a discretionary withdrawal, or a modification or extension of a withdrawal.

The following provisions apply only to applications or proposals to withdraw lands and not to applications or proposals seeking to modify or extend withdrawals.

(a) Withdrawal applications or withdrawal proposals submitted on or after October 21, 1976. Within 30 days of the submission for filing of a withdrawal application, or whenever a withdrawal proposal is made, a notice stating that the application has been submitted or that the proposal has been made, shall be published in the Federal Register by the authorized officer. Publication of the notice in the Federal Register shall segregate the lands described in the application or proposal from settlement, sale, location or entry under the public land laws, including the mining laws, to the extent specified in the notice, for 2 years from the date of publication of the notice unless the segregative effect is terminated sooner in accordance with the provisions of this part. The notices published pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be the same notices required by §2310.3-1 of this title. Publication of a notice of a withdrawal application that is based on a prior withdrawal proposal, notice of which was published in the Federal Register, shall not operate to extend the segregation period which commenced upon the publication of the prior withdrawal proposal.

(b) Withdrawal applications submitted before October 21, 1976. The public lands described in a withdrawal application filed before October 21, 1976, shall remain segregated through October 20, 1991, from settlement, sale, location or entry under the public land laws, including the mining laws, to the extent specified in the Federal Register notice or notices that pertain to the application, unless the segregative effect of the application is terminated sooner in accordance with other provisions of this part. Any amendment made on or after October 21, 1976, of a withdrawal application submitted before October 21, 1976, for the purpose of adding Federal lands to the lands described in a previous application, shall require the publication in the Federal Register, within 30 days of receipt of the amended application, of a notice of the amendment of the withdrawal application. All of the lands described in the amended application which includes those lands described in the original application shall be segregated for 2 years from the date of publication of the notice of the amended application in the Federal Register.

(c) Applications for licenses, permits, cooperative agreements or other discretionary land use authorizations of a temporary nature that are filed on or after October 21, 1976, regarding lands involved in a withdrawal application or a withdrawal proposal and that are listed in the notices required by §2310.3-2 of this title as permissible during the segregation period, may be approved by the authorized officer while the lands remain segregated.

(d) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, applications for the use of lands involved in a withdrawal application or a withdrawal proposal, the allowance of which is discretionary, shall be denied.

(e) The temporary segregation of lands in connection with a withdrawal application or a withdrawal proposal shall not affect in any respect Federal agency administrative jurisdiction of the lands, and the segregation shall not have the effect of authorizing or permitting any use of the lands by the applicant or using agency.

(a) The publication in the Federal Register of an order allowing a withdrawal application, in whole or in part, shall terminate the segregative effect of the application as to those lands withdrawn by the order.

(b) The denial of a withdrawal application, in whole or in part, shall result in the termination of the segregative effect of the application or proposal as to those lands where the withdrawal is disallowed. Within 30 days following the decision to disallow the application or proposal, in whole or in part, the authorized officer shall publish a notice in the Federal Register specifying the reasons for the denial and the date that the segregative period terminated. The termination date of the segregation period shall be noted promptly on the public land status records on or before the termination date.

(c) The cancellation, in whole or in part, of a withdrawal application or a withdrawal proposal shall result in the termination of the segregative effect of the application or proposal, as to those lands deleted from the application or proposal. The authorized officer shall publish a notice in the Federal Register, within 30 days following the date of receipt of the cancellation, specifying the date that the segregation terminated. The termination date of the segregation shall be noted promptly on the public land status records. If the cancellation applies to only a portion of the public lands that are described in the withdrawal application or withdrawal proposal, then the lands that are not affected by the cancellation shall remain segregated.

(d) The segregative effect resulting from the publication on or after October 21, 1976, of a Federal Register notice of the submission of a withdrawal application or the making of a withdrawal proposal shall terminate 2 years after the publication date of the Federal Register notice unless the segregation is terminated sooner by other provisions of this section. A notice specifying the date and time of termination shall be published in the Federal Register by the authorized officer 30 days in advance of the termination date. The public land status records shall be noted as to the termination date of the segregation period on or before the termination date. Such a termination shall not affect the processing of the withdrawal application.

(e) The segregative effect resulting from the submission of a withdrawal application or withdrawal proposal before October 21, 1976, shall terminate on October 20, 1991, unless the segregation is terminated sooner by other provisions of this part. A notice specifying the date and time of termination shall be published in the Federal Register by the authorized officer 30 days in advance of October 20, 1991. The public land status records shall be noted as to the termination date of the segregation period on or before October 20, 1991.

(a) When a withdrawal proposal is made, a notice to that effect shall be published immediately in the Federal Register. The notice shall contain the information required by §2310.1-3 of this title. In the event a withdrawal petition, which subsequently becomes a withdrawal proposal, is submitted simultaneously with a withdrawal application, the information requirements for notices pertaining to withdrawal applications (See paragraph (b) of this section) shall supersede the information requirements of this paragraph. However, in such instances, the notice required by paragraph (b) of this section shall be published immediately without regard to the 30-day period allowed for the filing for publication in the Federal Register of withdrawal application notices.

(b)(1) Except for emergency withdrawals and except as otherwise provided in paragraph (a) of this section, within 30 days of the submission for filing of a withdrawal, extension or modification application, the authorized officer shall publish in the Federal Register a notice to that effect. The authorized officer also shall publish the same notice in at least one newspaper having a general circulation in the vicinity of the lands involved and, with the cooperation and assistance of the applicant, when appropriate, shall provide sufficient publicity to inform the interested public of the requested action.

(2) The notice shall contain, in summary form, the information required by §2310.1-2 of this title, except that the authorized officer may exclude the information required by §2310.1-2(c)(2) of this title, and as much of the descriptive information required by §2310.1-2(c) (5) and (6) of this title as the authorized officer considers appropriate. The notice shall:

(i) Provide a legal description of the lands affected by the application, together with the total acreage of such lands;

(ii) Specify the extent to which and the time during which any lands that may be involved may be segregated in accordance with §2310.2 of this title;

(iii) Identify the temporary land uses that may be permitted or allowed during the segregation period as provided for in §2310.2(c) of this title;

(iv) Provide for a suitable period of at least 90 days after publication of the notice, for public comment on the requested action;

(v) Solicit written comments from the public as to the requested action and provide for one or more public meetings in relation to requested actions involving 5,000 or more acres in the aggregate and, as to requested actions involving less than 5,000 acres, solicit and evaluate the written comments of the public as to the requested action and as to the need for public meetings;

(vi) State, in the case of a national defense withdrawal which can only be made by an Act of Congress, that if the withdrawal is to be made, it will be made by an Act of Congress;

(vii) Provide the address of the Bureau of Land Management office in which the application and the case file pertaining to it are available for public inspection and to which the written comments of the public should be sent;

(viii) State that the application will be processed in accordance with the regulations set forth in part 2300 of this title;

(ix) Reference, if appropriate, the Federal Register in which the notice of a withdrawal proposal, if any, pertaining to the application was published previously;

(x) Provide such additional information as the authorized officer deems necessary or appropriate.

(c)(1) In determining whether a public meeting will be held on applications involving less than 5,000 acres of land, the authorized officer shall consider whether or not:

(i) A large number of persons have expressed objections to or suggestions regarding the requested action;

(ii) The objections or suggestions expressed appear to have merit without regard to the number of persons responding;

(iii) A public meeting can effectively develop information which would otherwise be difficult or costly to accumulate;

(iv) The requested action, because of the amount of acreage involved, the location of the affected lands or other relevant factors, would have an important effect on the public, as for example, the national or regional economy;

(v) There is an appreciable public interest in the lands or their use, as indicated by the records of the Bureau of Land Management;

(vi) There is prevailing public opinion in the area that favors public meetings or shows particular concern over withdrawal actions; and

(vii) The applicant has requested a public meeting.

(2) A public meeting, whether required or determined by the authorized officer to be necessary, shall be held at a time and place convenient to the interested public, the applicant and the authorized officer. A notice stating the time and place of the meeting, shall be published in the Federal Register and in at least one newspaper having a general circulation in the vicinity of lands involved in the requested action, at least 30 days before the scheduled date of the meeting.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in §2310.3-6(b) of this title, the information, studies, analyses and reports identified in this paragraph that are required by applicable statutes, or which the authorized officer determines to be required for the Secretary or the Congress to make a decision or recommendation on a requested withdrawal, shall be provided by the applicant. The authorized officer shall assist the applicant to the extent the authorized officer considers it necessary or appropriate to do so. The qualifications of all specialists utilized by either the authorized officer or the applicant to prepare the information, studies, analyses and reports shall be provided.

(b) The information, studies, analyses and reports which, as appropriate, shall be provided by the applicant shall include:

(1) A report identifying the present users of the lands involved, explaining how the users will be affected by the proposed use and analyzing the manner in which existing and potential resource uses are incompatible with or conflict with the proposed use of the lands and resources that would be affected by the requested action. The report shall also specify the provisions that are to be made for, and an economic analysis of, the continuation, alteration or termination of existing uses. If the provisions of §2310.3-5 of this title are applicable to the proposed withdrawal, the applicant shall also furnish a certification that the requirements of that section shall be satisfied promptly if the withdrawal is allowed or authorized.

(2) If the application states that the use of water in any State will be necessary to fulfill the purposes of the requested withdrawal, extension or modification, a report specifying that the applicant or using agency has acquired, or proposes to acquire, rights to the use of the water in conformity with applicable State laws and procedures relating to the control, appropriation, use and distribution of water, or whether the withdrawal is intended to reserve, pursuant to Federal law, sufficient unappropriated water to fulfill the purposes of the withdrawal. Water shall be reserved pursuant to Federal law for use in carrying out the purposes of the withdrawal only if specifically so stated in the relevant withdrawal order, as provided in §2310.3-3(b) of this title and only to the extent needed for the purpose or purposes of the withdrawal as expressed in the withdrawal order. The applicant shall also provide proof of notification of the involved State's department of water resources when a land use needed to carry out the purposes of the requested withdrawal will involve utilization of the water resources in a State. As a condition to the allowance of an order reserving water, the applicant shall certify to the Secretary that it shall quantify the amount of water to be reserved by the order.

(3) An environmental assessment, an environmental impact statement or any other documents as are needed to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), and the regulations applicable thereto. The authorized officer shall participate in the development of environmental assessments or impact statements. The applicant shall designate the Bureau of Land Management as a cooperating agency and shall comply with the requirements of the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality. The Bureau of Land Management shall, at a minimum, independently evaluate and review the final product. The following items shall either be included in the assessment or impact statement, or they may be submitted separately, with appropriate cross references.

(i) A report on the identification of cultural resources prepared in accordance with the requirements of 36 CFR part 800, and other applicable regulations.

(ii) An identification of the roadless areas or roadless islands having wilderness characteristics, as described in the Wilderness Act of 1964 (16 U.S.C. 1131, et seq.), which exist within the area covered by the requested withdrawal action.

(iii) A mineral resource analysis prepared by a qualified mining engineer, engineering geologist or geologist which shall include, but shall not be limited to, information on: General geology, known mineral deposits, past and present mineral production, mining claims, mineral leases, evaluation of future mineral potential and present and potential market demands.

(iv) A biological assessment of any listed or proposed endangered or threatened species, and their critical habitat, which may occur on or in the vicinity of the involved lands, prepared in accordance with the provisions of section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1536), and regulations applicable thereto, if the Secretary determines that assessment is required by law.

(v) An analysis of the economic impact of the proposed uses and changes in use associated with the requested action on individuals, local communities, State and local government interests, the regional economy and the Nation as a whole.

(vi) A statement as to the extent and manner in which the public participated in the environmental review process.

(4) A statement with specific supporting data, as to:

(i) Whether the lands involved are floodplains or are considered wetlands; and

(ii) Whether the existing and proposed uses would affect or be affected by such floodplains or wetlands and, if so, to what degree and in what manner. The statement shall indicate whether, if the requested action is allowed, it will comply with the provisions of Executive Orders 11988 and 11990 of May 24, 1977 (42 FR 26951; 26961).

(5) A statement of the consultation which has been or will be conducted with other Federal departments or agencies; with regional, State and local Government bodies; and with individuals and nongovernmental groups regarding the requested action.

(c) Prior to final action being taken in connection with an application, the applicant shall prepare, with the guidance and participation of the authorized officer, and subject to the approval of the authorized officer, the Secretary and other affected departments, agencies or offices, a resource management plan and implementation program regarding the use and management of any public lands with their related resources uses. Consideration shall be given to the impact of the proposed reservation on access to and the use of the land areas that are located in the vicinity of the lands proposed to be withdrawn. Where appropriate, the plan and program will be implemented by means of a memorandum of understanding between the affected agencies. Any allocation of jurisdiction between the agencies shall be effected in the public land order or legislation. In those cases where the Secretary, acting through the Bureau of Land Management, would continue to exercise partial jurisdiction, resource management of withdrawn areas may be governed by the issuance of management decisions by the Bureau of Land Management to implement land use plans developed or revised under the land use planning requirements of section 202 of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1712).

(d) In regard to national defense withdrawals that can only be made by an Act of Congress, and to the extent that they are not otherwise satisfied by the information, studies, analyses and reports provided in accordance with the provisions of this section, the provisions of section 3(7) of the Act of February 28, 1958 (43 U.S.C. 157(7)), shall be complied with.

(e) The authorized officer shall develop preliminary findings and recommendations to be submitted to the Secretary, advise the applicant of the findings and recommendations, and provide the applicant an opportunity to discuss any objections thereto which the applicant may have.

(f) Following the discussion process, or in the absence thereof, the authorized officer shall prepare the findings, keyed specifically to the relevant portions of the case file, and the recommendations to the Secretary in connection with the application. The authorized officer also shall prepare, for consideration by the Secretary, a proposed order or notice of denial. In the case of a national defense withdrawal which can only be made by an Act of Congress, the authorized officer shall prepare, with the cooperation of the applicant, a draft legislative proposal to implement the applicant's withdrawal request, together with proposed recommendations for submission by the Secretary to the Congress. The findings and recommendations of the authorized officer, and the other documents previously specified in this section to be prepared by the authorized officer shall be made a part of the case file. The case file shall then be sent to the Director, Bureau of Land Management. At the same time, a copy of the findings and recommendations of the authorized officer shall be sent to the applicant.

(1) If the applicant objects to the authorized officer's findings and recommendations to the Secretary, the applicant may, within 30 days of the receipt by the applicant of notification thereof, state its objections in writing and request the Director to review the authorized officer's findings and recommendations. The applicant shall be advised of the Director's decision within 30 days of receipt of the applicant's statement of objections in the Bureau of Land Management's Washington office. The applicant's statement of objections and the Director's decision shall be made a part of the case file and thereafter the case file shall be submitted to the Secretary.

(2) If the applicant disagrees with the decision of the Director, Bureau of Land Management, the applicant may, within 30 days of receipt by the applicant of the Director's decision, submit to the Secretary a statement of reasons for disagreement. The statement shall be considered by the Secretary together with the findings and recommendations of the authorized officer, the applicant's statement of objections, the decision of the Director, the balance of the case file and such additional information as the Secretary may request.

(a) Except for national defense withdrawals which can only be made by an Act of Congress, and except as may be otherwise provided in section 1(d) of Executive Order 10355 (17 FR 4833), for applications that are subject to that order, the allowance or denial, in whole or in part, of a withdrawal, modification or extension application, may only be made by the Secretary.

(b)(1) Before the allowance of an application, in whole or in part, the Secretary shall first approve all applicable memoranda of understanding and the applicant shall make all certifications required in this part. When an application has been finally allowed, in whole or in part, by the Secretary, an order to that effect shall be published promptly in the Federal Register. Each order shall be designated as, and shall be signed by the Secretary and issued in the form of, a public land order. Water shall be reserved pursuant to Federal law for use in carrying out the purposes of the withdrawal only if specifically so stated in the relevant public land order. In appropriate cases, the public land order also shall refer to the memorandum of understanding discussed in §2310.3-2(c) of this title and shall be drawn to comply with §2310.3-6 of this title.

(2) On the same day an order withdrawing 5,000 or more acres in the aggregate is signed, the Secretary shall advise, in writing, each House of the Congress, or in the case of an emergency withdrawal, the appropriate Committee of each House, of the withdrawal action taken. Pursuant to the Secretary's authority under the act, the notices that are sent to the Congress shall be accompanied by the information required by section 204(c)(2) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(c)(2)), except in the case of an emergency withdrawal, transmittal of the required information may be delayed as provided in §2310.5(c) of this title.

(c) When the action sought in an application involves the exercise by the Secretary of authority delegated by Executive Order 10355 (17 FR 4831) and the Secretary denies the application in whole or in part, the applicant shall be notified of the reasons for the Secretary's decision. The decision shall be subject to further consideration only if the applicant informs the Secretary, in writing, within 15 days of the receipt by the applicant of the Secretary's decision, that the applicant has submitted the matter to the Office of Management and Budget for consideration and adjustment, as provided for in section 1(d) of the Executive Order.

(d) A withdrawal application shall be denied, if, in the opinion of the Secretary, the applicant is attempting to circumvent the Congressional review provisions of section 204(c)(1) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(c)(1)) concerning withdrawals of 5,000 or more acres in the aggregate.

(e) When an application is denied in its entirety by the Secretary, a notice to that effect, signed by the Secretary, shall be published promptly in the Federal Register.

(f) In the case of a national defense withdrawal that may only be made by an Act of Congress, the Secretary shall transmit to the Congress proposed legislation effecting the withdrawal requested, together with the recommendations of the Secretary which may or may not support the proposed legislation in whole or in part. The proposed legislation shall contain such provisions for continued operation of the public land laws as to the public land areas included in the requested withdrawal as shall be determined by the Secretary to be compatible with the intended military use.

(a) An order initially withdrawing 5,000 or more acres of land in the aggregate, on the basis of the Secretary's authority under section 204 of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714), may be made for a period not to exceed 20 years from the date the order is signed, except that withdrawals exceeding 5,000 acres in the State of Alaska shall not become effective until notice is provided in the Federal Register and to both Houses of Congress. All orders withdrawing 5,000 or more acres in the aggregate shall be subject to the Congressional review provision of section 204(c) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(c)), except as follows:

(1) A National Wildlife Refuge System withdrawal may not be terminated as provided in section 204(c)(1) of the Act (43 U.S.C 1714(c)(1)) other than by an Act of Congress; or

(2) A withdrawal exceeding 5,000 acres in the State of Alaska shall terminate unless Congress passes a Joint Resolution of approval within 1 year after the notice of such withdrawal has been submitted to the Congress.

(b) An order initially withdrawing less than 5,000 acres of land, in the aggregate, on the basis of the Secretary's authority under section 204 of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714), may be made:

(1) For such time as the Secretary determines desirable for a resource use;

(2) For not more than 20 years for any other use, including, but not limited to, the use of lands for non-resource uses, related administrative sites and facilities or for other proprietary purposes; or

(3) For not more than 5 years to preserve the lands for a specific use then under consideration by either House of Congress.

(c) An order withdrawing lands on the basis of an emergency as provided for in section 204(e) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(e)) may be made for not more than 3 years.

(d) Except for emergency withdrawals, withdrawals of specific duration may be extended, as provided for in §2310.4 of this title.

(a) When an application is allowed, the applicant shall compensate the holder of record of each permit, license or lease lawfully terminated or revoked after the allowance of an application, for all authorized improvements placed on the lands under the terms and conditions of the permit, license or lease, before the lands were segregated or withdrawn. The amount of such compensation shall be determined by an appraisal as of the date of revocation or termination of the permit, license or lease, but shall not exceed fair market value. To the extent such improvements were constructed with Federal funds, they shall not be compensable unless the United States has been reimbursed for such funds prior to the allowance of the application and then only to the extent of the sum that the United States has received.

(b) When an application is allowed that affects public lands which are subject to permits or leases for the grazing of domestic livestock and that is required to be terminated, the applicant shall comply with the cancellation notice and compensation requirements of section 402(g) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1752(g)), to the extent applicable.

A public land order that reserves lands for a department, agency or office, shall specify the extent to which jurisdiction over the lands and their related resource uses will be exercised by that department, agency or office. (See §2310.3-2(c) of this title).

(a) Discretionary withdrawals of specific duration, whether made prior to or after October 21, 1976, shall be reviewed by the Secretary commencing at least 2 years before the expiration date of the withdrawal. When requested, the department, agency or office benefitting from the withdrawal shall promptly provide the Secretary with the information required by §2310.1-2(c) of this title, and the information required by §2310.3-2(b) of this title, in the form of a withdrawal extension application with supplemental information. If the concerned department, agency or office is delinquent in responding to such request, the deliquency shall constitute a ground for not extending the withdrawal. Such withdrawals may be extended or further extended only upon compliance with these regulations, and only if the Secretary determines that the purpose for which the withdrawal was first made requires the extension, and then only for a period that shall not exceed the duration of the original withdrawal period. In allowing an extension, the Secretary shall comply with the provisions of section 204(c) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(c)), or section 204(d) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(d)), whichever is applicable; and, whether or not an extension is allowed, the Secretary shall report promptly on the decision for each pending extension to the Congressional Committees that are specified in section 204(f) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(f)).

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, if the Secretary determines that a National Wildlife Refuge System withdrawal of specific duration shall not be extended, the Secretary shall nevertheless extend or reextend the withdrawal until such time as the withdrawal is terminated by an Act of Congress.

(a) When the Secretary makes an emergency withdrawal under Section 204(e) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(e)), the withdrawal will be made immediately and will be limited in scope and duration to the emergency. An emergency withdrawal will be effective when signed, will not exceed 3 years in duration, and may not be extended by the Secretary. If it is determined that the lands involved in an emergency withdrawal should continue to be withdrawn, a withdrawal application should be submitted to the Bureau of Land Management in keeping with the normal procedures for processing a withdrawal as provided for in this subpart. Such applications will be subject to the provisions of Section 204(c) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(c)), or Section 204(d) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(d)), whichever is applicable, as well as Section 204(b)(1) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(b)(1)).

(b) When an emergency withdrawal is signed, the Secretary must, on the same day, send a notice of the withdrawal to the two Committees of the Congress that are specified for that purpose in Section 204(e) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(e)).

(c) The Secretary must forward a report to each of the aforementioned committees within 90 days after filing with them the notice of Secretarial emergency withdrawal. Reports for all such withdrawals, regardless of the amount of acreage withdrawn, will contain the information specified in Section 204(c)(2) of the Act (43 U.S.C. 1714(c)(2)).

[73 FR 74047, Dec. 5, 2008]

(a) Section 24 of the Federal Power Act of June 10, 1920, as amended (16 U.S.C. 818), provides that any lands of the United States included in an application for power development under that Act shall, from the date of filing of an application therefor, be reserved from entry, location or other disposal under the laws of the United States until otherwise directed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or by Congress. This statute also provides that whenever the Commission shall determine that the value of any lands of the United States withdrawn or classified for power purposes shall not be injured or destroyed for such purposes by location, entry or selection under the public land laws, the Secretary of the Interior shall declare such lands open to location, entry or selection for such purposes under such restrictions as the Commission may determine are necessary, and subject to and with a reservation of the right of the United States or its permittees or licensees to enter upon, occupy and use any and all of the lands for power purposes. Before any lands are declared open to location, entry or selection, the Secretary shall give notice of his intention to make this declaration to the Governor of the State within which such lands are located, and the State shall have a preference for a period of 90 days from the date of this notice to file under any applicable law or regulation an application of the State, or any political subdivision thereof, for any lands required as a right-of-way for a public highway or as a source of materials for the construction and maintenance of such highways. The 90-day preference does not apply to lands which remain withdrawn for national forest or other purposes.

(b) The Mining Claims Rights Restoration Act of 1955 (30 U.S.C. 621 et seq.), opened public lands which were then, or thereafter, withdrawn or classified for power purposes, with specified exceptions, to mineral location and development under certain circumstances.

The following classes of lands of the United States are considered as withdrawn or classified for the purposes of section 24 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 818): Lands withdrawn for powersite reserves under sections 1 and 2 of the Act of June 25, 1910, as amended (43 U.S.C. 141-148); lands included in an application for power development under the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 818); lands classified for powersite purposes under the Act of March 3, 1879 (43 U.S.C. 31); lands designated as valuable for power purposes under the Act of June 25, 1910, as amended (43 U.S.C. 148); the Act of June 9, 1916 (39 Stat. 218, 219), and the Act of February 26, 1919 (40 Stat. 1178, 1180); lands within final hydroelectric power permits under the Act of February 15, 1901 (43 U.S.C. 959); and lands within transmission line permits or approved rights-of-way under the aforementioned Act of February 15, 1901, or the Act of March 4, 1911 (43 U.S.C. 961).

(a) On April 22, 1922, the Federal Power Commission (as predecessor to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) made a general determination “that where lands of the United States have heretofore been or hereafter may be reserved or classified as powersites, such reservation or classification being made solely because such lands are either occupied by power transmission lines or their occupancy and use for such purposes have been applied for or authorized under appropriate laws of the United States, and such lands have otherwise no value for power purposes, and are not occupied in trespass, the Commission determines that the value of such lands so reserved or classified or so applied for or authorized, shall not be injured or destroyed for the purposes of power development by location, entry or selection under the public land laws, subject to the reservation of section 24 of the Federal Power Act.”

(b) The regulations governing mining locations on lands withdrawn or classified for power purposes, including lands that have been restored and opened to mining locations under section 24 of the Federal Power Act, are contained in subpart 3730 and in Group 3800 of this title.