SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management reminds claimants who wish to retain mining claims on public lands through the 2025 assessment year to pay a Maintenance Fee or file a Maintenance Fee Waiver Certification (Small Miner’s Waiver) on or before Tues., Sept. 3, to prevent the mining claim from being declared forfeit and void.

Courtesy Mining Claims Packets are available online or upon request through the California State Office, Information Access Center (Public Room). The BLM will not be mailing packets, unless requested.

The Maintenance Fee for a Lode Claim, Tunnel Site, or Mill Site is $200 per claim or site. For Placer Claims only, the fees are $200 for every 20 acres or portion thereof. Claimants who filed a Small Miner’s Waiver in 2023 for the 2024 assessment year will be required to file an Affidavit of Annual Assessment Work form, including the required $15 assessment fee per claim on or before Monday, Dec. 30.

The California State Office Public Room is open to in-person visits; however, the BLM encourages submission of mining claims by mail or online.

• Mail: Checks must be pre-printed showing the address, with recommended Certified Mail being the preferred method of shipment, to Bureau of Land Management-CASO, ATTN: Accounts/Mining, 2800 Cottage Way, W-1623, Sacramento, CA 95825. Payments or filings by mail must be postmarked on or before Tues, Sept. 3.
   
• Phone: For Maintenance Fees Only: Call 916-978-4400 to pay with a credit card by telephone.
   
• Online: Visit the BLM’s Mineral & Land Records System (MLRS) payment portal to make payment with a credit card. Note: The Small Miner’s Waiver cannot be filed on MLRS due to original signatures needed; please submit the Small Miner’s Waiver in-person or through the mail.
   
• In-person: claimants who wish to make filings and payments via mail or in-person must make their filing to the proper BLM State Office for the state where the mining claims or sites are located. Check the website for times and telephone numbers for BLM Public Room hours.

For information on the filing deadlines, Maintenance Fees, Maintenance Fee Waiver Certifications, or Federal Land Policy and Management Act filings (Affidavit of Annual Assessment Work or Notice of Intent to Hold) please call the Information Access Center (CA Public Room) at 916-978-4400 or visit the BLM California Public Room website.

To review mining claim fees, please visit the website or the Federal Register. Please note the Federal Register notice states the fees are due on or before Sept. 1, 2024; however, that date is moved out to Sept. 3 due to the first being on a Sunday and Tuesday, Sept. 2, is a federal holiday.

WASHINGTON – Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning today announced that veteran land manager Joe Stout has been named the new BLM California State Director, where he will oversee 15 million acres of public lands and 42 million acres of minerals and energy resources in California, as well as 1.6 million surface acres in northwestern Nevada. Stout will begin his new role on August 11, 2024.

Stout is returning to BLM California, where he previously served for over seven years as the Associate State Director and Acting State Director. Most recently, Stout has served as the Forest Supervisor of the Eldorado National Forest in the Central Sierras of California, overseeing four ranger districts and managing programs in natural resources, fire and aviation, public services, and engineering.

“Joe brings nearly 25 years of experience in natural resources, conservation, and business management to his new role,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “He is highly respected for his inclusive approach to management, his ability to build strong relationships on the ground, and his knack for finding solutions to tough issues. His expertise will benefit the BLM and the communities we serve.”

Before his tenure with the United States Forest Service, Stout held leadership positions at all levels of the BLM. At the Bureau’s Headquarters, he served as the Acting Chief of Staff for the Director’s Office and Division Chief for the Decision Support, Planning, and NEPA programs. At the Regional level, he served as the Acting Associate State Director of BLM Colorado, and at the field level he led a land use plan revision for the Kremmling and Glenwood Springs Field Offices in Colorado.

As BLM California State Director, Stout will lead a team of 1,100 permanent staff who oversee public lands across the rangelands, forests, high mountains, and deserts that make California one of the most diverse states in the nation. The BLM manages an abundance of resources for multiple use in California, supporting generations of families and local communities, and providing important economic benefits to Californians and the nation.

Stout holds a master’s degree in public administration (Environmental Policy, Management, and Law) from the University of Colorado in Denver, and he completed his undergraduate studies in sociology and environmental studies at the State University of New York at Fredonia.

Stout and his family love spending time outdoors, including backpacking, fly fishing and skiing.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management proposes to extend a 25-year public land withdrawal for continued military use and training at Fort Irwin National Training Center in San Bernardino County. Federal Register publication of Notice of the Army’s withdrawal extension application initiates a public comment period that will end on Oct. 24.

Fort Irwin National Training Center supports a key area for conducting arms military training, development, and testing of military equipment. The order affects approximately 117,700 acres of public land, which would remain closed to settlement, sale, location, and entry under the general land laws, including the mining laws.

The BLM and the U.S. Army welcome public comments on the proposed order and will host an in-person public meeting, with a virtual option to attend, on Monday, Sept. 9, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Barstow Field Office, located at 2601 Barstow Road in Barstow, CA 92311. Please register here to attend virtually.

Written comments should be sent to Sarah Naranjo, Realty Specialist at BLM California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way W-1928, Sacramento, CA 95825-1886, or by email at BLM_CA_SO_FortIrwinComments@blm.gov.

The BLM is responsible for administering the Department of the Interior’s land withdrawal program and for processing all withdrawal-related applications or proposals for public lands. For more information, please contact Sarah Naranjo, Realty Specialist, Bureau of Land Management, California State Office at snaranjo@blm.gov.

BARSTOW, CA. – The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comment on a proposed land sale of approximately 30 acres of public lands located in San Bernardino County to Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. The Notice of Realty Action will publish in the Federal Register on Wednesday, August 28, to begin a public comment period that will close Oct. 15. 

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway has proposed to use the land for the Barstow International Gateway project, an approximately 4,500-acre integrated rail facility that would transfer goods from international to domestic containers. The proposed project would result in a more than $1.5 billion investment in the community, potentially creating more than 20,000 new jobs and helping to address logistics and supply chain issues. If approved, the Barstow International Gateway project is expected to also help reduce freeway congestion around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The public land proposed for sale is suitable for private sale since it is surrounded by private lands and provides no public access. As such, there would be no impacts to public land access or recreation. If approved, the public lands would be sold to Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway at fair market value.

Anyone interested reviewing the environmental assessment, the appraisal, or maps, may visit the BLM National NEPA Register, or visit the BLM Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road in Barstow, CA 92311, during business hours 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., five days a week, excluding federal holidays. The public may contact the office at 760-252-6000 to make visitation arrangements.

Written comments should be sent to Bureau of Land Management, Barstow Field Office, ATTN: Tim McCain, 2601 Barstow Road in Barstow, CA 92311, or sent by email to tmccain@blm.gov.   

For additional information, contact Tim McCain, Realty Specialist, at tmccain@blm.gov.

WASHINGTON — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today announced its proposed roadmap for solar energy development on public lands, designed to expand efficient and environmentally responsible solar project permitting on public lands across the West. Today’s release of the Final Utility-Scale Solar Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendments (also known as the proposed updated Western Solar Plan), comes as the Biden-Harris administration releases new data to demonstrate how it has improved federal permitting processes to help deliver more projects, more efficiently, across the United States.

The proposed Western Solar Plan builds on President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is working to transition the nation to clean energy, lower energy costs for consumers, create good-paying union jobs, tackle the climate crisis, and advance clean air and environmental justice priorities, with the goal of achieving a 100-percent clean electricity grid by 2035. Earlier this year, BLM surpassed the goal of permitting more than 25 gigawatts of clean energy projects on public lands, and the updated Western Solar Plan will support continued progress on responsible permitting. 

“The updated Western Solar Plan will help build modern, resilient energy infrastructure that creates a strong clean energy economy and protects our communities from the worsening impacts of climate change,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Dr. Steve Feldgus. “Through extensive planning and collaboration, we’re not only protecting our public lands but also ensuring that permitting for solar projects moves faster and more efficiently, avoiding conflicts and striking the right balance as we advance clean energy and safeguard the environment.”

Developed with substantial public input, the proposed updated Western Solar Plan will guide BLM’s management of solar energy proposals and projects on public lands. It would make over 31 million acres of public lands across 11 western states available for potential solar development, driving development closer to transmission lines or on previously disturbed lands and avoiding protected lands, sensitive cultural resources and important wildlife habitat.

Steering project proposals away from areas where they may conflict with other resources or uses will help ensure responsible development, speed the permitting process, and provide greater predictability to the solar energy industry. The plan updates and expands the original 2012 Western Solar Plan in order to reflect changes in technology and meet the higher demand for solar energy development. This plan analyzes five additional western states (Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming), in addition to the six states analyzed in the original plan.

“The updated Western Solar Plan is a responsible, pragmatic strategy for developing solar energy on our nation’s public lands that supports national clean energy goals and long-term national energy security,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “It will drive responsible solar development to locations with fewer potential conflicts while helping the nation transition to a clean energy economy, furthering the BLM’s mission to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.” 

No solar developments are authorized through this planning effort; proposed projects will still undergo site-specific environmental review and public comment. This Final Utility-Scale Solar Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement follows a draft published in January 2024 for public comment, with input from a wide range of stakeholders helping BLM to make additional updates that will help protect wildlife habitats and migration corridors and other key resources, while providing clarity to industry about low-conflict areas and project design approaches to guide responsible development.

To date, the Biden-Harris administration has approved 40 renewable energy projects on public lands (9 solar, 13 geothermal, and 18 gen-ties) allowing for early achievement of the goal to permit 25 gigawatts by 2025. In total, BLM has now permitted clean energy projects on public lands with a total capacity of approximately 29 gigawatts of power – enough to power over 12 million homes. This year BLM also issued a final Renewable Energy Rule that will lower consumer energy costs and the cost of developing solar and wind projects, improve project application processes, and incentivize developers to continue responsibly developing solar and wind projects on public lands.

Publication of the Final Utility-Scale Solar Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendments initiates a 30-day protest period and 60-day governor’s consistency review. Following resolution of any remaining issues identified in this phase, the BLM will publish the Record of Decision and Final Resource Management Plan Amendments.

For more information on the updated Western Solar Plan, visit the project’s National NEPA Project Register (ePlanning) website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022371/510.