[Federal Register: March 25, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 57)]
[Notices]               
[Page 14463]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25mr99-95]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[NM-050-1110-00; NMNM 95104]

 
Public Land Order No. 7382; Withdrawal of Public Lands for the 
Devil's Backbone Desert Bighorn Sheep Habitat Area; New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Public land order.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This order withdraws 5,607.52 acres of public lands from 
surface entry and mining for a period of 20 years for the Bureau of 
Land Management to protect and preserve endangered desert bighorn sheep 
habitat within the Devil's Backbone Desert Bighorn Sheep Habitat Area. 
The lands have been and will remain open to mineral leasing.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 25, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lois Bell, BLM Socorro Field Office, 
198 Neel Avenue NW, Socorro, New Mexico 87801, 505-835-0412.
    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 (1994), it is ordered as follows:
    1. Subject to valid existing rights, the following described public 
lands are hereby withdrawn from settlement, sale, location, or entry 
under the general land laws, including the United States mining laws, 
(30 U.S.C. Ch. 2 (1994)), but not from leasing under the mineral 
leasing laws, to protect and preserve endangered desert bighorn sheep 
habitat within the Devil's Backbone Desert Bighorn Sheep Habitat Area:

New Mexico Principal Meridian

T. 5 S., R. 3 W.,
    sec. 16, lots 5 to 8, inclusive, N\1/2\, and N\1/2\S\1/2\
    secs. 21, 28, 29, and 32.
T. 6 S., R. 3 W.,
    sec. 4, lots 3 and 4, and SW\1/4\;
    sec. 9, W\1/2\;
    sec. 15, W\1/2\;
    sec. 16;
    sec. 22, NE\1/4\, N\1/2\NW\1/2\, SE\1/4\W E\1/2\SW\1/4\, and 
SE\1/4\.
T. 5 S., R. 4 W.,
    sec. 25, E\1/2\.

    The areas described aggregate 5,607.52 acres in Socorro County.

    2. The withdrawal made by this order does not alter the 
applicability of those public land laws governing the use of the lands 
under lease, license, or permit, or governing the disposal of their 
mineral or vegetative resources other than under the mining laws.
    3. 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) (1994), the Secretary 
determines that the withdrawal shall be extended.

    Dated: March 12, 1999.
John Berry,
Assistant Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 99-7300 Filed 3-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VC-U