Notices. Notice
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BILLING CODE 9111-14-P DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-4971-N-64] Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Underwriting Program Section 203(K) AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB)for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. This information collection covers application, qualification, and certification processes for participants in HUD-FHA's 203(K) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program. DATES: *Comments Due Date:* January 12, 2006. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB Approval Number (2502-0527) and should be sent to: HUD Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; fax: 202-395-6974. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne Eddins, Reports Management Officer, AYO, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410; e-mail Wayne_Eddins@HUD.gov; or Lillian Deitzer at Lillian_L_Deitzer@HUD.gov or telephone
(202)708-2374. This is not a toll-free number. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Mr. Eddins or Ms Deitzer. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that the Department of Housing and Urban Development has submitted to OMB a request for approval of the information collection described below. This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affecting agencies concerning the proposed collection of information to:
(1)Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;
(2)Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;
(3)Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
(4)Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology, *e.g.* , permitting electronic submission of responses. This notice also lists the following information: *Title of Proposal:* Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Underwriting Program. Section 203(K). *OMB Approval Number:* 2502-0527. *Form Numbers:* HUD-92700, HUD-92700-A, HUD-9746-A, HUD-92577. *Description of the Need for the Information and its Proposed Use:* This information collection covers application, qualification, and certification processes for participants in HUD-FHA's 203(K) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program. *Frequency of Submission:* On occasion, annually. Number of respondents Annual responses × Hours per response = Burden hours Reporting Burden 8,225 17.56 23.66 341,910 Total Estimated Burden Hours: 341,910. *Status:* Revision of currently approved collection. Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 35, as amended. Dated: December 7, 2005. Wayne Eddins, Departmental Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E5-7244 Filed 12-12-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210-72-P DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-4950-FA-18] Announcement of Funding Awards for Fiscal Year 2005 Fair Housing Initiatives Program AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, HUD. ACTION: Announcement of funding awards. SUMMARY: In accordance with section 102(a)(4)(C) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, this document notifies the public of funding awards for the Fiscal Year 2005 Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). The purpose of this document is to announce the names, addresses and the amount awarded to the winners under the FHIP competition. The purpose of FHIP is also to increase compliance with the Fair Housing Act and with substantially equivalent state and local fair housing laws. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myron P. Newry, Director, FHIP Support Division, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 5228, Washington, DC 20410-2000, telephone
(202)708-0614, ext. 7095. To provide service for persons who are hearing- or speech-impaired, this number may be reached via TTY by dialing the Federal Information Relay Service on
(800)877-8339 or
(202)708-1455. Telephone numbers, other than “800” TTY numbers are not toll free. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Fair Housing Initiatives Program statute (Sec. 561 of the 1987 Housing and Community Development Act, as amended in 1992) authorizes the Secretary to make funds available through grant agreements or by contract in support of activities that assure compliance with the Fair Housing Act and substantially equivalent state and local fair housing laws. FHIP provides competitive funding under three of the four Initiatives:
(1)Private Enforcement Initiative assists private tax-exempt fair housing enforcement organizations in the investigation and enforcement of alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act and substantially equivalent state and local fair housing laws,
(2)Education and Outreach Initiative assists projects that inform the public about their rights and obligations under the Fair Housing Act and with substantially equivalent state and local fair housing laws, and
(3)Fair Housing Organizations Initiative provides assistance to a project that will establish or build the capacity of a start up fair housing organization to become a viable fair housing enforcement organization that will conduct fair housing activities in underserved areas. The fourth initiative, Administrative Enforcement Initiative is currently not being used. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this program is 14-408. On March 21, 2005 (70 FR 13722), HUD published a Notice of Funding Availability
(NOFA)announcing the availability of $18.040 million in competitive funding allocated to the three Initiatives as follows: Private Enforcement Initiative—$13,000,000, Education and Outreach Initiative—$3,940,000, and Fair Housing Organizations Initiative—$1,100,000. This initial **Federal Register** NOFA had a closing date for FHIP of May 23, 2005. On May 25, 2005, a notice was published in the **Federal Register** allowing a grace period that extended the deadline date for FHIP until June 6, 2005. The Department reviewed, evaluated, and scored the applications received based on the criteria in the NOFA. As a result, HUD has funded the applications below, in accordance with section 102(a)(4)(C) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 (103 Stat. 1987, 42 U.S.C., 3545). One awardee, Disability Law Center of Salt Lake City, Utah, was funded ($75,252.80) under FY 2005 funding from a previous year's competition as a result of an administrative error. List of Awardees Under the FY 2005 Fair Housing Initiatives Program Funding Competition, by Initiative, Organization, and Grant Amount Organization name Award amount (in dollars) Education and Outreach Initiative Disability Law Center, Salt Lake City, UT $75,252.80 United Neighborhood Center of Lackawanna County, Scranton, PA 82,603.00 Legal Aid Services of Oregon, Portland, OR 100,000.00 Legal Services of Northern California, Inc., Woodland, CA 100,000.00 Citizens Action of New Jersey, Hackensack, NJ 100,000.00 Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, Columbus, OH 100,000.00 Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, Burlington, VT 100,000.00 Office of Human Affairs, Newport News, VA 58,215.00 Prairie State Legal Services, Inc., Rockford, IL 100,000.00 City of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 30,135.00 United Spinal Association, Jackson Heights, NY 99,643.00 St. Martin Center, Fair Housing, Erie, PA 99,956.00 Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project, New York, NY 100,000.00 Advocacy Center, New Orleans, LA 100,000.00 University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 100,000.00 Aids Legal Referral Panel of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 70,222.00 Piedmont Housing Alliance, Charlottesville, VA 72,363.00 Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc., Los Angeles, CA 100,000.00 JC Vision and Associates, Inc., Hinesville, GA 99,990.00 Arkansas Community Housing Corporation, Little Rock, AR 100,000.00 Housing Council in the Monroe County Area, Rochester, NY 77,110.00 Housing Authority of the City of Fresno, Fresno, CA 100,000.00 Howard University, Washington, DC 99,997.00 Fair Housing Agency of Alabama, Mobile, AL 97,905.00 La Raza Centro Legal, San Francisco, CA 100,000.00 Housing Counseling Services, Inc., Washington, DC 100,000.00 Greater Napa Fair Housing Center, Napa, CA 99,990.00 Legal Services of North Florida, Inc., Tallahassee, FL 100,000.00 Asian Pacific American Legal Center of California, Los Angeles, CA 100,000.00 American Institute for Social Justice, Washington, DC 100,000.00 ByDesign Financial Solutions, Los Angeles, CA 100,000.00 Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments, Georgetown, SC 98,915.00 City of Billings—Community Development, Billings, MT 92,879.00 AAFE Community Development Fund, New York, NY 100,000.00 Missouri Tax Justice Research Project, St. Louis, MO 100,000.00 Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, NC 99,968.00 ACORN Housing, St. Paul, MN 100,000.00 New York Agency for Community Affairs, Brooklyn, NY 99,975.00 Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach, FL 100,000.00 Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy, Richmond, VA 100,000.00 Total Action Against Poverty in Roanoke, Roanoke, VA 87,928.62 ACORN Institute, Dallas, TX 96,952.58 Fair Housing Organizations Initiative Housing Discrimination Project, Holyoke, MA 500,000.00 Private Enforcement Initiative Fair Housing Council of Central California, Fresno, CA 220,000.00 Fair Housing Center of Greater Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids, MI 218,244.00 Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Inc., Buffalo, NY 218,930.40 Fair Housing Council Montgomery County, Glenside, PA 270,000.00 Tennessee Fair Housing Council, Nashville, TN 219,542.40 Arizona Fair Housing Center, Phoenix, AZ 219,535.20 Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia, Inc., Swarthmore, PA 275,000.00 Housing Opportunities Made Equal of G. Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 219,762.64 Family Housing Advisory Services, Inc., Omaha, NE 275,000.00 Fair Housing Center of South Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA 275,000.00 Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc., Jacksonville, FL 274,972.67 Housing Research & Advocacy Center, Cleveland, OH 220,000.00 South Suburban Housing Center, Homewood, IL 262,500.00 Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board, Ontario, CA 219,999.20 Fair Housing Resource Center, Inc., Painesville, OH 220,000.00 Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN 220,000.00 Gulfcoast Legal Services, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL 220,000.00 Connecticut Fair Housing Center, Inc., Hartford, CT 220,000.00 Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, Chicago, IL 219,960.80 Intermountain Fair Housing Council, Boise, ID 219,399.20 South Brooklyn Legal Services, Inc., Brooklyn, NY 220,000.00 California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., San Francisco, CA 220,000.00 North Dakota Fair Housing Council, Bismarck, ND 188,538.40 Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 220,000.00 Fair Housing of Marin, San Rafael, CA 220,000.00 Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Inc., Portland, ME 220,000.00 Project Sentinel, Palo Alto, CA 214,568.80 Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, Inc., Dayton, OH 220,000.00 Fair Housing Center of Northern Alabama, Birmingham, AL 220,000.00 Silver State Fair Housing Council, Reno, NV 203,629.00 John Marshall Law School, Chicago, IL 219,973.60 Fair Housing Continuum, Inc., Cocoa, FL 275,000.00 Bay Area Legal Services, Inc., Tampa, FL 127,467.89 Legal Assistant Corp. of Central Massachusetts, Worcester, MA 220,000.00 Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago, IL 220,000.00 Metro St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council, St. Louis, MO 220,000.00 Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council, Milwaukee, WI 274,996.00 Gulf Coast Fair Housing Center, Gulfport, MS 220,000.00 HOPE Fair Housing Center, Wheaton, IL 274,702.33 Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston, Inc., Boston, MA 274,166.67 Metro Fair Housing Services, Inc., East Point, GA 216,894.40 Montana Fair Housing, Inc., Missoula, MT 220,000.00 Central Alabama Fair Housing Center, Montgomery, AL 219,200.00 Northwest Fair Housing Alliance, Spokane, WA 220,000.00 Austin Tenants Council, Inc., Austin, TX 219,487.20 Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc., White Plains, NY 202,048.00 Lexington Fair Housing Council, Lexington, KY 205,258.00 Fair Housing Center of Southwest Michigan, Kalamazoo, MI 199,209.60 Housing Discrimination Project, Inc., Holyoke, MA 220,000.00 Equal Rights Center, Washington, DC 220,000.00 Sentinel Fair Housing, Oakland, CA 219,432.00 West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc., Jackson, TN 275,000.00 Long Island Housing Services, Inc., Bohemia, NY 220,000.00 Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA 220,000.00 San Antonio Fair Housing Council, San Antonio, TX 219,997.60 Fair Housing Contact Service, Akron, OH 220,000.00 Metro Fair Housing Council of Greater Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK 217,724.00 Bay Area Legal Aid, Oakland, CA 220,000.00 Housing Advocates, Inc., Cleveland, OH 217,640.00 Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit, Detroit, MI 112,360.80 Savannah-Chatham County Fair Housing Council, Savannah, GA 134,859.20 Dated: November 14, 2005. Kim Kendrick, Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. [FR Doc. E5-7268 Filed 12-12-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210-28-P DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-4639-N-09] Notice of HUD-Held Multifamily and Healthcare Loan Sale (MHLS 2005-3) AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing—Federal Housing Commissioner, HUD. ACTION: Notice of sale of mortgage loans. SUMMARY: This notice announces HUD's intention to sell certain unsubsidized multifamily and healthcare mortgage loans, without Federal Housing Administration
(FHA)insurance, in a competitive, sealed bid sale (MHLS 2005-3). This notice also describes generally the bidding process for the sale and certain persons who are ineligible to bid. DATES: The Bidder's Information Package
(BIP)was made available to qualified bidders on November 10, 2005. Bids for the loans must be submitted on the bid date, which is currently scheduled for December 14, 2005. HUD anticipates that awards will be made on or before December 16, 2005. Closings are expected to take place on December 21, 2005. ADDRESSES: To become a qualified bidder and receive the BIP, prospective bidders must complete, execute, and submit a Confidentiality Agreement and a Qualification Statement acceptable to HUD. Both documents will be available on the HUD Web site at *http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/comp/asset/mfam/mhls.cfm.* The executed documents must be mailed and faxed to S.S.D., Inc., HUD's Transaction Specialist for the sale, at 1400 K Street, NW., Suite 950, Attention: MHLS 2005-3 Sale Coordinator, Fax:
(202)464-3047. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myrna Gordon, Deputy Director, Asset Sales Office, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 3136, Washington, DC 20410-8000; telephone
(202)708-2625, extension 3369 or Gregory Bolton, Senior Attorney, Office of Insured Housing, Multifamily Division, Room 9230; telephone
(202)708-0614, extension 5245. Hearing- or speech-impaired individuals may call
(202)708-4594 (TTY). These are not toll-free numbers. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: HUD announces its intention to sell in MHLS 2005-3 certain unsubsidized mortgage loans (Mortgage Loans) secured by multifamily and healthcare properties located throughout the United States. The Mortgage Loans are comprised primarily of non-performing mortgage loans. A final listing of the Mortgage Loans will be included in the BIP. The Mortgage Loans will be sold without FHA insurance and with servicing released. HUD will offer qualified bidders an opportunity to bid competitively on the Mortgage Loans. The Mortgage Loans will be stratified for bidding purposes into several mortgage loan pools. Each pool will contain Mortgage Loans that generally have similar performance, property type, geographic location, lien position and other characteristics. Qualified bidders may submit bids on one or more pools of Mortgage Loans or may bid on individual loans. A mortgagor who is a qualified bidder may submit an individual bid on its own Mortgage Loan. Interested Mortgagors should review the Qualification Statement to determine whether they may also be eligible to qualify to submit bids on one or more pools of Mortgage Loans or on individual loans in MHLS 2005-3. The Bidding Process The BIP will describe in detail the procedure for bidding in MHLS 2005-3. The BIP will also include a standardized nonnegotiable loan sale agreement (Loan Sale Agreement) and a loan information CD that contains a spreadsheet with selected attributes for each Mortgage Loan. As part of its bid, each bidder must submit a deposit equal to the greater of $100,000 or 10% of the bid price. HUD will evaluate the bids submitted and determine the successful bids in its sole and absolute discretion. If a bidder is successful, the bidder's deposit will be non-refundable and will be applied toward the purchase price. Deposits will be returned to unsuccessful bidders. Closings are scheduled to occur on December 21, 2005. These are the essential terms of sale. The Loan Sale Agreement, which will be included in the BIP, will contain additional terms and details. To ensure a competitive bidding process, the terms of the bidding process and the Loan Sale Agreement are not subject to negotiation. Due Diligence Review The BIP will describe the due diligence process for reviewing loan files in MHLS 2005-3. Qualified bidders will be able to access loan information remotely via a high-speed Internet connection. Further information on performing due diligence review of the Mortgage Loans will be provided in the BIP. Mortgage Loan Sale Policy HUD reserves the right to add Mortgage Loans to or delete Mortgage Loans from MHLS 2005-3 at any time prior to the Award Date. HUD also reserves the right to reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, without prejudice to HUD's right to include any Mortgage Loans in a later sale. Mortgage Loans will not be withdrawn after the Award Date except as is specifically provided in the Loan Sale Agreement. This is a sale of unsubsidized mortgage loans. Pursuant to the Multifamily Mortgage Sale Regulations, 24 CFR 290.30 *et seq.* , the Mortgage Loans will be sold without FHA insurance. Consistent with HUD's policy as set forth in 24 CFR 290.35, HUD is unaware of any Mortgage Loan that is delinquent and secures a project
(1)for which foreclosure appears unavoidable, and
(2)in which very-low income tenants reside who are not receiving housing assistance and who would be likely to pay rent in excess of 30 percent of their adjusted monthly income if HUD sold the Mortgage Loan. If HUD determines that any Mortgage Loans meet these criteria, they will be removed from the sale. Mortgage Loan Sale Procedure HUD selected a competitive sale as the method to sell the Mortgage Loans primarily to satisfy the Mortgage Sale Regulations. This method of sale optimizes HUD's return on the sale of these Mortgage Loans, affords the greatest opportunity for all qualified bidders to bid on the Mortgage Loans, and provides the quickest and most efficient vehicle for HUD to dispose of the Mortgage Loans. Bidder Eligibility In order to bid in the sale, a prospective bidder must complete, execute and submit both a Confidentiality Agreement and a Qualification Statement acceptable to HUD. The following individuals and entities are ineligible to bid on any of the Mortgage Loans included in MHLS 2005-3:
(1)Any employee of HUD, a member of such employee's household, or an entity owned or controlled by any such employee or member of such an employee's household;
(2)any individual or entity that is debarred, suspended, or excluded from doing business with HUD pursuant to Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 24;
(3)any contractor, subcontractor and/or consultant or advisor (including any agent, employee, partner, director, principal or affiliate of any of the foregoing) who performed services for or on behalf of HUD in connection with MHLS 2005-3;
(4)any individual who was a principal, partner, director, agent or employee of any entity or individual described in subparagraph 3 above, at any time during which the entity or individual performed services for or on behalf of HUD in connection with MHLS 2005-3;
(5)any individual or entity that uses the services, directly or indirectly, of any person or entity ineligible under subparagraphs 1 through 4 above to assist in preparing any of its bids on the Mortgage Loans;
(6)any individual or entity which employs or uses the services of an employee of HUD (other than in such employee's official capacity) who is involved in MHLS 2005-3;
(7)any mortgagor (or affiliate of a mortgagor) that failed to submit to HUD on or before November 30, 2005, audited financial statements for 1998 through 2004 for a project securing a Mortgage Loan; and
(8)any individual or entity and any Related Party (as such term is defined in the Qualification Statement) of such individual or entity that is a mortgagor in any of HUD's multifamily housing programs and that is in default under such mortgage loan or is in violation of any regulatory or business agreements with HUD, unless such default or violation is cured on or before November 30, 2005. In addition, any entity or individual that serviced or held any Mortgage Loan at any time during the two-year period prior to November 30, 2005, is ineligible to bid on such Mortgage Loan or on the pool containing such Mortgage Loan, but may bid on loan pools that do not contain Mortgage Loans that they have serviced or held at any time during the two-year period prior to November 30, 2005. Also ineligible to bid on any Mortgage Loan are:
(a)Any affiliate or principal of any entity or individual described in the preceding sentence;
(b)any employee or subcontractor of such entity or individual during that two-year period; or
(c)any entity or individual that employs or uses the services of any other entity or individual described in this paragraph in preparing its bid on such Mortgage Loan. Prospective bidders should carefully review the Qualification Statement to determine whether they are eligible to submit bids on the Mortgage Loans in MHLS 2005-3. Freedom of Information Act Requests HUD reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to disclose information regarding MHLS 2005-3, including, but not limited to, the identity of any successful bidder and its bid price or bid percentage for any pool of loans or individual loan, upon the closing of the sale of all the Mortgage Loans. Even if HUD elects not to publicly disclose any information relating to MHLS 2005-3, HUD will have the right to disclose any information that HUD is obligated to disclose pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and all regulations promulgated thereunder. Scope of Notice This notice applies to MHLS 2005-3 and does not establish HUD's policy for the sale of other mortgage loans. Dated: December 4, 2005. Brian D. Montgomery, Assistant Secretary for Housing—Federal Housing Commissioner. [FR Doc. E5-7269 Filed 12-12-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210-27-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [UT-070-1610-DP-011J] Supplement to Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Price Field Office To List Proposed Areas of Critical Environmental Concern and Specific Associated Resource Use Limitations for Public Lands in Carbon and Emery Counties, UT AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: A notice of availability for the Draft Resource Management Plan
(RMP)and Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS)for the Price Field Office planning area in Carbon and Emery Counties, Utah was published in the **Federal Register,** volume 69, number 136, Friday, July 16, 2004. This supplements that Notice with information on existing and potential Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) considered within the Draft RMP and EIS, as required in 43 CFR 1610.7-2. The CFR also provides an associated 60-day comment period. DATES: The comment period will commence with the publication of this notice in the **Federal Register** and end 60 days after its publication. ADDRESSES: Written comments on ACECs should be sent to the Bureau of Land Management, Price Field Office, 125 South 600 West, Price, UT 84501. If you have already submitted comments during the comment period for the Draft RMP and EIS held from July 16, 2004, to November 30, 2004, they will be considered for the Proposed RMP and Final EIS, and there is no need to resubmit them in response to this notice. Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the Price Field Office during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays and will be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). They may be published as part of the EIS and other related documents. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or street address from public review and disclosure under the FOIA, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or businesses will be made available for public inspection in their entirety. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Floyd Johnson, Assistant Field Manager, BLM Price Field Office, 125 South 600 West, Price, UT 84501, phone 435-636-3600. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Price Field Office planning area includes all of the public land and Federal mineral ownership managed by the Price Field Office in Carbon and Emery Counties, Utah. This area includes approximately 2.5 million acres of BLM-administered surface lands and 2.8 million acres of Federal mineral lands under Federal, State, and private surface in the area. The decisions of the Price RMP will only apply to BLM-administered public lands and Federal mineral estate. The Draft RMP/EIS addresses five alternatives and provides proposed management decisions and impact analysis of the alternatives. The number and acreages of ACECs that would be designated vary by alternative. For example, Alternative A would designate eight ACECs comprising 167,439 public surface acres, while Alternative C would designate 19 ACECs comprising 642,516 acres. Resource use limitations applied to the ACECs also vary by alternative in some cases. There are presently 13 existing designated ACECs (289,629 total acres) in the Price Field Office, which were established by the San Rafael RMP (1991). These are reflected in the No Action Alternative of the Draft RMP and EIS. There are also 9 potential ACECs (286,416 total acres), each of which is being considered in at least one action alternative. Specific ACEC proposals, including resource use limitations, are described in detail by alternative in Chapter 2 of the Draft RMP/EIS. A summary of this information follows: The 13 currently designated ACECs that are being reconsidered are as follows: Big Flat Tops ACEC (192 acres), Copper Globe ACEC (128 acres), San Rafael Canyon ACEC (49,791 acres), Sids Mountain ACEC (55,165 acres), Bowknot Bend ACEC (1,087 acres), Dry Lake Archaeological District ACEC (18,007 acres), Pictographs ACEC (43 acres), San Rafael Reef ACEC (74,102 acres), Muddy Creek ACEC (25,751 acres), Segers Hole ACEC (7,369 acres), Highway I-70 Scenic ACEC (39,488 acres), Swasey's Cabin ACEC (60 acres) and Temple Mountain ACEC (2,442 acres). These currently designated ACECs would continue to be designated in the No Action Alternative and in at least one of the action alternatives. Boundaries and acreages vary by alternative for the San Rafael Canyon ACEC, Sids Mountain ACEC, and Highway I-70 Scenic ACEC (acreage figures shown above are for existing ACEC boundaries). Resource use limitations for all currently designated ACECs vary by alternative and relate to leasing for oil and gas, locatable mineral entry, right-of-way
(ROW)grants, private or commercial use of woodland products, livestock use, land treatments and range improvements, visual resource management (VRM), off-highway vehicle
(OHV)use, disposal of mineral materials, and fire suppression activities. In addition, cultural resource considerations are made for Dry Lake Archaeological District ACEC, Pictographs ACEC, San Rafael Reef ACEC, Muddy Creek ACEC, Segers Hole ACEC, and Highway I-70 Scenic ACEC. Under all action alternatives, the Pictographs ACEC name would change to the Rock Art ACEC and 12 sites would be added, totaling 16,047 acres. Under Alternatives C and D, Swasey's Cabin ACEC and Temple Mountain ACEC would be included as a part of the Heritage Sites Potential ACEC. The 9 potential ACECs being considered are the Lower Green River Potential ACEC (38,317 acres), Gordon Creek Potential ACEC (2,620 acres), Beckwith Plateau Potential ACEC (50,531 acres), Temple-Cottonwood-Dugout Wash Potential ACEC (72,796 acres), Nine Mile Canyon Potential ACEC (48,861 acres), Range Creek Potential ACEC (65,495 acres), Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry Potential ACEC (767 acres), Heritage Sites Potential ACEC (2,862 acres, 7 locations) and Uranium Mining Districts Potential ACEC (4,167 acres, 4 locations). The Lower Green River Potential ACEC, Gordon Creek Potential ACEC, and Beckwith Plateau Potential ACEC are proposed for designation under at least one action alternative. Resource use limitations would vary by alternative and relate to livestock grazing, leasing for oil and gas; disposal of mineral materials, locatable mineral entry, OHV use, and VRM. Use limitations for ROWs within the Beckwith Plateau Potential ACEC would vary by alternative, and protective measures would have to be taken within the Gordon Creek Potential ACEC before surface-disturbing activities could occur. The Temple-Cottonwood-Dugout Wash Potential ACEC, Nine Mile Canyon Potential ACEC, and the Range Creek Potential ACEC are proposed for designation under at least one action alternative. Resource use limitations relate to oil and gas leasing, OHV use, disposal of mineral materials, and locatable mineral entry. Within the Range Creek potential ACEC, public access would be limited to hiking and horseback riding only. The Nine Mile Canyon Potential ACEC would have restrictions relating to VRM and cultural resources as well. The Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry Potential ACEC would be designated in all action alternatives. Resource use limitations would vary by alternative and relate to public access, OHV use, construction of facilities, recreation, oil and gas leasing, disposal of mineral materials, locatable mineral entry; and collection of nonrenewable resources. The Heritage Sites Potential ACEC and the Uranium Mining Districts Potential ACEC would be designated under Alternatives C and D. Resource use limitations for the Heritage Sites Potential ACEC relate to oil and gas leasing, locatable mineral entry, disposal of mineral materials, ROW grants, land treatments and range improvements, and VRM. Resource use limitations for the Uranium Mining Districts Potential ACEC relate to firewood collection, livestock use, oil and gas leasing, disposal of mineral materials, locatable mineral entry, and cultural resources. Dated: October 18, 2005. Jeff Rawson, Acting State Director. [FR Doc. E5-7254 Filed 12-12-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-DK-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [UT-080-1610-DP-010J] Supplement to Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Vernal Field Office To List Proposed Areas of Critical Environmental Concern and Specific Associated Resource Use Limitations for Public Lands in Daggett, Duchesne, Uintah and Grand Counties, UT AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: A notice of availability for the Draft Resource Management Plan
(RMP)and Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS)for the Vernal Field Office planning area in Daggett, Duchesne, and Uintah Counties, Utah was published in the **Federal Register** , volume 70, number 10, on Friday, January 14, 2005. This supplements that Notice with information on existing and potential Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) considered within the Draft RMP and EIS, as required in 43 CFR 1610.7-2. The CFR also provides an associated 60-day comment period on the potential ACECs. DATES: The comment period will commence with the publication of this notice in the **Federal Register** and end 60 days after its publication. ADDRESSES: Written comments on ACECs should be sent to the Bureau of Land Management, Vernal Field Office, 170 South 500 East, Vernal, UT 84078; Fax 435-781-4410. If you have already submitted comments during the comment period for the Draft RMP and EIS held from January 14, 2005, to June 24, 2005, they will be considered for the Proposed RMP and Final EIS, and there is no need to resubmit them in response to this notice. Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the Vernal Field Office during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays and will be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). They may be published as part of the EIS and other related documents. Individual respondents may request confidentiality with respect to their name, address, and phone number. If you wish to withhold your name or street address from public review and disclosure under the FOIA, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or businesses will be made available for public inspection in their entirety. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerry Kenczka, Planner, BLM Vernal Field Office, 170 South 500 East, Vernal, UT 84078, phone 435-781-4400. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Vernal Field Office planning area includes all of the public land and Federal mineral ownership managed by the Vernal Field Office in Daggett, Duchesne, and Uintah Counties, in northeast Utah, and about 3,000 acres in Grand County. This area includes approximately 1.8 million acres of BLM administered surface lands and 2.1 million acres of Federal mineral lands under Federal, state, private, and Ute Tribal surface in the four county areas. The Draft RMP/EIS addresses four alternatives and provides proposed management decisions and impact analysis of the alternatives. The number and acreages of ACECs that would be designated vary by alternative. For example, Alternative D would designate seven ACECs comprising 165,944 public surface acres, while Alternative C would designate 13 ACECs comprising 681,310 acres. Resource use limitations often vary by ACEC and alternative as well. There are presently 7 designated ACECs (165,944 acres) in the Vernal Field Office, which were established by the Diamond Mountain Resource Management Plan
(RMP)(1994). These are reflected in the No Action Alternative (Alternative D) of the Draft RMP and EIS. There are also 6 potential ACECs (515,366 acres), each of which is being considered in at least one alternative. Specific ACEC proposals, including resource use limitations, are described in detail by alternative in Chapter 2 of the Draft RMP/EIS. A summary of this information follows: The 7 currently designated ACECs that are being reconsidered are as follows (acreage figures shown are for existing ACEC boundaries): Red Mountain-Dry Fork ACEC (24,285 acres), Nine Mile Canyon ACEC (44,181 acres), Browns Park ACEC (52,721 acres), Lower Green River ACEC (8,470 acres), Lears Canyon ACEC (1,375 acres) and Pariette Wetlands ACEC (10,437 acres), and the Red Creek Watershed ACEC (24,475 acres). Resource use limitations for these ACECs would vary by alternative, and relate to oil and gas leasing, visual resource management
(VRM)and management of off-highway vehicle
(OHV)use. In addition, there are limitations regarding disposal of mineral materials within the Lears Canyon and Pariette Wetlands ACECs. The Red Mountain-Dry Fork ACEC, Browns Park ACEC, Lears Canyon ACEC, Pariette Wetlands ACEC, Red Creek Watershed ACEC, and Nine Mile Canyon ACEC would continue to be designated in all alternatives, although boundaries and acreages vary by alternative for the Nine Mile Canyon and Brown's Park ACEC. The Lower Green River ACEC would continue to be designated in Alternatives A, C, and D, and boundaries and acreages for this ACEC would vary by alternative. The 6 potential ACECs being considered are as follows: Middle Green River Potential ACEC (6,768 acres), Four Mile Wash Potential ACEC (50,280 acres), Main Canyon Potential ACEC (100,915 acres), Coyote Basin Potential ACEC, White River Potential ACEC, and Bitter Creek Potential ACEC. Boundaries and acreages would vary by alternative for the Coyote Basin, White River, and Bitter Creek Potential ACECs. When included in more than one alternative, resource use limitations for these ACECs would vary and relate to oil and gas leasing, visual resource management, and management of OHV use. Dated: October 18, 2005. Jeff Rawson, Acting State Director. [FR Doc. E5-7253 Filed 12-12-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-DK-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [WO-300-1310-PP-OSHL] Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS)and Plan Amendments for Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources Leasing on Lands Administered by the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of intent. SUMMARY: In accordance with section 369(d)(1) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM)intends to prepare a Programmatic EIS for Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources Leasing on Lands Administered by the BLM in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, and by this notice is announcing public scoping meetings. The Programmatic EIS will amend existing applicable Resource Management Plans to open lands for oil shale and tar sands resources leasing in these three states. The Programmatic EIS will also inform the development of the regulations required by section 369(d)(2) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. DATES: The BLM will accept written comments on the scope of the Programmatic EIS that are postmarked or delivered by January 31, 2006, and electronic comments that are received by January 31, 2006. The BLM will hold public scoping meetings to obtain comments at the following locations on the dates specified below: Salt Lake City, Utah: Tuesday, January 10, 2006; Price, Utah: Wednesday, January 11, 2006; Vernal, Utah: Thursday, January 12, 2006; Rock Springs, Wyoming: Friday, January 13, 2006; Rifle, Colorado: Wednesday, January 18, 2006; Denver, Colorado: Thursday, January 19, 2006; Cheyenne, Wyoming: Friday, January 20, 2006; The BLM will announce exact times and locations for all public meetings through the local media, newsletters, and the project Web site ( *http://ostseis.anl.gov* ) at least 15 days prior to the meeting. We will provide formal opportunities for public participation upon publication of the Draft Programmatic EIS. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by the following methods: Written: Mail or deliver to BLM Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources Leasing Programmatic EIS Scoping, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439. Electronic: Through the Web site at *http://ostseis.anl.gov.* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have your name added to our mailing list, contact Sherri Thompson, Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street, Lakewood, CO 80215,
(303)239-3758 or visit the Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources Leasing Programmatic EIS Web site at *http://ostseis.anl.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Notice Of Intent provides public notice that the BLM intends to prepare the Programmatic EIS to amend applicable resource management plans to open BLM lands for oil shale and tar sands leasing in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. It also announces opportunities for the public to provide comments relating to the preparation, scope, and content of the Programmatic EIS. The Programmatic EIS will also inform the development of the regulations required by section 369(d)(2) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The planning area for the oil shale resources is the Piceance and Washakie Basins in Colorado, the Uintah Basin in Utah, and the Green River and Washakie Basins in Wyoming. For the tar sands resources, the planning area is certain sedimentary provinces in the Colorado Plateau in Utah. The plan will fulfill the needs and obligations set forth by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and BLM policies. The BLM will work collaboratively with interested parties to identify the leasing decisions that are best suited to local, regional, and national needs and concerns. The Programmatic EIS will analyze the no action alternative and leasing under stipulations to protect other resource values and other alternatives identified during scoping. The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis and the alternatives. These issues also guide the planning process. You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria in writing to the BLM at any public scoping meeting, or by using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. The minutes and list of attendees for each scoping meeting will be available to the public and open for 30 days after the meeting should participants wish to clarify their views. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name and/or address from public review or disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written comment. The BLM will honor such requests to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, are available for public inspection in their entirety. Preliminary issues and management concerns have been identified by BLM personnel, other agencies, and in meetings with individuals and user groups. They represent the BLM's knowledge to date regarding the issues and concerns with current land management. The major issues that will be addressed in this planning effort include: Management of the oil shale and tar sands resources; surface and groundwater protection; air quality protection; wildlife and wildlife habitat quality and fragmentation; protection of wilderness, riparian, and scenic values; cultural resource protection; threatened and endangered species and habitat protection; transportation corridors; multiple mineral development; and socio-economic impacts on local economies. After BLM has gathered public input on issues the plan should address, we will categorize comments as follows: 1. Issues to be resolved in the plan; 2. Issues to be resolved through policy, regulation, or administrative action; or 3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan. The BLM will provide an explanation in the Programmatic EIS as to why we placed an issue in category two or three. In addition to these major issues, a number of management questions and concerns will be addressed in the Programmatic EIS. The public is encouraged to help identify these questions and concerns during the scoping phase. Planning criteria are the standards, rules, and other factors used in formulating judgments about data collection, analysis and decisionmaking associated with preparation of the Programmatic EIS. These criteria establish parameters and help focus preparation of the EIS. We welcome public comment on the following preliminary planning criteria, which will be utilized in the preparation of the Programmatic EIS: A. The Programmatic EIS and plan amendments will be completed in compliance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and all other applicable laws. B. BLM will work collaboratively with the States of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, tribal governments, county and municipal governments, other Federal agencies, and all other interested groups, agencies and individuals. Public participation will be encouraged throughout the process. C. The Programmatic EIS will amend the appropriate individual land use plans to address leasing of oil shale and tar sands resources on BLM-administered lands. D. A strategy to mitigate socio-economic impacts including the infrastructure to accommodate the required workforce will be addressed in the Programmatic EIS and plan amendments. E. Preparation of the Programmatic EIS and plan amendments will involve coordination with Native American Tribal governments and will provide strategies for the protection of recognized traditional uses. F. BLM will coordinate with local, State, and Federal agencies in the Programmatic EIS and plan amendments to strive for consistency with their existing plans and Policies, to the extent practicable. G. The Programmatic EIS will comply with the legislative directives set forth in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the Programmatic EIS in order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns identified. Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines will be involved in the planning process: Minerals and geology, wildlife and fisheries, air quality, outdoor recreation, archeology, paleontology, hydrology, soils, sociology and economics. Thomas P. Lonnie, Assistant Director, Minerals, Realty, and Resource Protection. [FR Doc. 05-23976 Filed 12-12-05; 8:45 am]
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Traces to 2 documents
3 references not yet in our index
- 44 USC 35
- 103 Stat. 1987
- 43 CFR 1610.7-2
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