THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON EXPANSION OF SAN JOSE CEMETERY IN LUIS LOPEZ

SOCORRO, N.M. – RealEstateRama – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Socorro Field Office is seeking public comment on the Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment to establish disposal criteria for a 2.72 acre parcel of public land for the expansion of the San Jose Cemetery located 5 miles south of Socorro in Luis Lopez, N.M. The BLM is also seeking public comment on the conveyance of those lands.

Consistent with the guidelines of Secretary’s Order 3373, the BLM evaluated public access considerations and determined that there is no impact on outdoor recreation access, including hunting and fishing, by the conveyance. The BLM also concluded this parcel meets disposal criteria as required by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.

Given the location, the ownership of the surrounding lands, and the public need to expand the existing cemetery, the BLM determined that the parcel would be offered through a non-competitive direct sale to the Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe San Miguel Parish at not less than the appraised fair market value. The 45-day public scoping period ends Jan. 10, 2020. The project description is posted on the BLM’s ePlanning website at: https://go.usa.gov/xVYN8. The environmental assessment will be posted once public scoping in completed.

Interested members of the public may submit comments by mail at the BLM Socorro Field Office, Attn: Mark Matthews, 901 South Highway 85, Socorro, NM 87801; by fax to 575-835-0223; or by email to . Please reference “Proposed RMP Amendment and Direct Sale of Public Land for Cemetery Expansion” in all correspondence and in the subject line of faxes or emails. Comments that contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response; however, they will be considered in the BLM decision-making process. The most useful comments are those that contain new technical or scientific information, identify issues relevant to the proposal, identify alternatives, or provide technical or scientific rationale for opinions or preferences.

Before including an address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in any comments, be aware that the entire comment—including personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. Requests to withhold personal identifying information from public review can be submitted, but the BLM cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.

For further project-specific information, please contact BLM Realty Specialist Virginia Alguire 575-838-1290.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In fiscal year 2018, the diverse activities authorized on BLM-managed lands generated $105 billion in economic output across the country. This economic activity supported 471,000 jobs and contributed substantial revenue to the U.S. Treasury and state governments, mostly through royalties on minerals.