Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and Opportunity for Public Meeting; Idaho

The Forest Service (FS) has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requesting the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management to withdraw 10 acres of public land adjacent to the Clearwater National Forest from mining to protect the Lenore Tree Improvement Area near Orofino, Idaho and adjacent to the Clearwater River. This notice segregates the land for up to 2 years from settlement, sale, location or entry under the United States mining laws. The land will remain open to mineral leasing and to all activities currently consistent with applicable Forest plans and those related to the exercise of valid existing rights. This parcel of land has been withdrawn for FS use since 1990 for genetic seedling testing purposes. This proposed withdrawal covers the same 10 acres that were withdrawn for FS use under Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6799, BLM Serial Number IDI-26701, published on Friday, September 14, 1990 in the Federal Register (55 FR 37878). Due to an administrative oversight on the part of the FS, PLO 6799 expired before an extension of the withdrawal can be processed. Therefore, the FS is requesting a new 20- year withdrawal covering the same area.