[Federal Register: October 22, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 204)] [Notices] [Page 57123] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr22oc99-81] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [CA-170-1610-DH; CACA 41112] Notice of Intent To Consider Amending the Bishop Resource Management Plan, Bishop Field Office, CA; Notice of R&PP Proposal: Bodie State Park, Mono County, CA AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Intent to consider amending the Bishop Resource Management Plan's list of public land disposal parcels, adding 364 acres; and a Notice of Proposed Disposal under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (R&PP) for the said 364 acres to the Bodie State Park in Mono County, CA. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The town of Bodie is arguably the largest and best preserved ghost town in the western US. In 1962, the California State Parks acquired 500 acres of the town to create the Bodie State Park. The historic Bodie Mining District (including the town and surrounding areas) has been a National Historic Landmark since 1964 and lies at the center of the BLM's Bodie Bowl Area of Environmental Concern (ACEC). Mineral exploration on BLM and private lands within the Bodie Bowl resumed in the 1980's. With passage of the Bodie Protection Act in 1994 and acquisition of over 500 acres of private lands by the Park, the ACEC was essentially closed to mineral development. Due to the history of cultural and industrial development within the Bodie Bowl ACEC, properties acquired by the Park do not form a cohesive whole. There are three outlying Park properties that are not connected to the main Park unit at all. There is a major wedge of federal land separating the newly acquired Park property from the main unit. There are also an unknown number of ``slivers'' of federal property scattered throughout the southern and eastern portion of the Park which were due to the nonconforming independent surveys submitted at the time of the mineral patent transfers from the public domain or which were bits of public domain that were never subject to patent. State Parks believes that management efforts and implementation of necessary limited improvements and safety measures could be streamlined if ownership patterns were adjusted and clarified through this proposed first phase of a Bodie property consolidation. The proposed R&PP involves the following lands located within the Bodie Bowl Area of Environmental Concern and adjacent to Bodie State Park in the County of Mono, California: Selected Federal Lands, to be Patented to Bodie State Park: Mount Diablo Meridian, California, T. 4 N., R. 26 E. A. All federal lands within the current boundary of Bodie SHP. B. Section 9 All federal land in SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, W\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, E\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\, and south of the Bodie Aurora Road in S\1/2\NE\1/4\NW\1/4\ and N\1/2\NE\1/4\, totaling about 208.5 ac (). C. Section 16 All federal land in NW\1/4\, WN\1/4\NE\1/4\, W\1/ 2\SW\1/4\, and NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, totaling about 89.6 ac (). D. Section 17 All federal land in SE\1/4\SE\1/4\, totaling about .023 ac (). E. Section 20 All federal land east of the Cottonwood Canyon Road in E\1/2\NE\1/4\ and NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, totaling about 38.7 ac (). F. Section 21 All federal land in W\1/2\NW\1/4\ and north of the cottonwood Canyon Road in NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, totaling about 27 ac (). Acreages are approximate due to the possibility of other unmapped federal lands within the boundaries of the existing State Historic Park and uncertain exterior boundaries. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Final determination on the R&PP proposal and the RMP amendment will be made using an environmental analysis following public comments. Public land within any Wilderness Study Area would not be involved in this proposal. Upon publication of this Notice in the Federal Register, the public lands described above are segregated from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining laws for a period of 270 days from the date of publication. The segregative effect shall terminate as provided by 43 CFR 2711.1-2(d). Detailed information concerning the RMP amendment and the proposed R&PP disposal is available at the BLM Bishop Field Office, 785 N. Main St. Suite E, Bishop, CA 93514 or by contacting Larry Primosch or Douglas Dodge at (760) 872-4881. Comments For a period of 45 days from the initial date of publication of this notice, interested parties may submit valid comments on the Bishop RMP amendment or the proposed R&PP disposal to the BLM Bishop Field Manager, 785 N. Main St. Suite E, Bishop, CA 93514. A public meeting will be held on Monday, November 8 at 6 pm in the town of Bridgeport to gather comments and help define the issues which must be addressed in the environmental analysis. Dated: October 15, 1999. Steve Addington, Field Manager, Bishop Field Office. [FR Doc. 99-27592 Filed 10-21-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-40-P