Notice2026-04994
Application for a Recordable Disclaimer of Interest for Lands Underlying Portions of the Eek River, Middle Fork of the Eek River, and Ugaklik River in Alaska
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 16, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentLand Management Bureau
Abstract
On January 4, 2018, the State of Alaska (State) finalized an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for a recordable disclaimer of interest (RDI) from the United States for the submerged lands underlying portions of the Eek River, Middle Fork of the Eek River, and Ugaklik River, south of Bethel, Alaska. An RDI, if issued, would disclaim the United States' interest in the lands underlying the portions of the waterbodies in the RDI application. This notice informs the public of the pending RDI application and supporting evidence submitted by the State and requests additional information related to the waterbodies in the application.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 50 (Monday, March 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12604-12605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[A2407-014-004-065516, #O2509-014-004-125222; AKAK106538743]
Application for a Recordable Disclaimer of Interest for Lands
Underlying Portions of the Eek River, Middle Fork of the Eek River, and
Ugaklik River in Alaska
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of application.
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SUMMARY: On January 4, 2018, the State of Alaska (State) finalized an
application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for a recordable
disclaimer of interest (RDI) from the United States for the submerged
lands underlying portions of the Eek River, Middle Fork of the Eek
River, and Ugaklik River, south of Bethel, Alaska. An RDI, if issued,
would disclaim the United States' interest in the lands underlying the
portions of the waterbodies in the RDI application. This notice informs
the public of the pending RDI application and supporting evidence
submitted by the State and requests additional information related to
the waterbodies in the application.
DATES: All comments and any additional information should be received
on or before April 15, 2026. The BLM will issue a decision on the
application on or after June 15, 2026.
ADDRESSES: The State's RDI application and its attachments may be
viewed at: <a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/lands-and-realty/regional-information/alaska/RDI/kuskokwim">https://www.blm.gov/programs/lands-and-realty/regional-information/alaska/RDI/kuskokwim</a>, under the section titled ``Eek River
System (Eek River, Middle Fork Eek River, and Ugaklik River).'' Public
comments may be mailed, emailed, or hand delivered. Mail comments to:
Bureau of Land Management, ATTN: Bettie Shelby, Acting Branch Chief,
Lands and Realty (AK-941), 222 West 7th Avenue #13, Anchorage, Alaska
99513; email comments to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b6d4c5ded3dad4cff6d4dadb98d1d9c0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="41233229242d233801232d2c6f262e37">[email protected]</span></a>; or hand deliver comments
during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Alaska Time) to the BLM
Public Information Center, 222 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska
99513.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bettie Shelby, Acting Branch Chief,
Lands and Realty (AK-941), at 222 West 7th Avenue, #13, Anchorage,
Alaska 99513; 907-271-5596; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e88a9b808d848a91a88a8485c68f879e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3351405b565f514a73515f5e1d545c45">[email protected]</span></a>; or visit the BLM's RDI
website at https://www.blm.gov/programs/lands-
[[Page 12605]]
and-realty/regional-information/alaska/RDI.
Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of
hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals
outside the United States should use the relay services offered within
their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in
the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 4, 2018, the State filed a final
application (AA-93604) for an RDI pursuant to section 315 of the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 as amended (43 U.S.C.
1745), and the regulations in 43 CFR part 1860, subpart 1864, which
authorize the BLM to issue an RDI. An RDI is a legal document through
which the BLM would disclaim the United States' interest in or
ownership of specified lands. This notice of application is to inform
the public of the pending application and the State's supporting
evidence, as well as to provide the opportunity to comment or provide
additional information to the BLM.
The State's RDI application asserts that the waterbodies were
navigable in fact on the date of Alaska Statehood, January 3, 1959. As
such, the application contends that ownership of the lands underlying
portions of the Eek River, Middle Fork of the Eek River, and Ugaklik
River automatically passed from the United States to the State on the
date of Statehood under the Equal Footing Doctrine, the Submerged Lands
Act of 1953, the Submerged Lands Act of 1988, the Alaska Right of Way
Act of 1898, the Alaska Statehood Act, and other title navigability
laws.
The RDI application includes the eligible submerged lands for the
following land descriptions: (1) Eek River: All submerged lands between
the lines of ordinary high water of the left and right banks of the Eek
River, from the confluence with Rainy Creek in sec. 1, T. 2 S., R. 64
W., Seward Meridian, Alaska, downstream to sec. 8, T. 1 N., R. 72 W.,
Seward Meridian, Alaska; (2) Middle Fork Eek River: All submerged lands
between the lines of ordinary high water of the left and right banks of
the Middle Fork Eek River from sec. 18, T. 3 S., R. 68 W., Seward
Meridian, Alaska, downstream to river mile 0.3 near the confluence with
the Eek River in sec. 34, T. 1 N., R. 71 W., Seward Meridian, Alaska;
and (3) Ugaklik River: All submerged lands between the lines of
ordinary high water of the left and right banks of the Ugaklik River
from sec. 3, T. 3 S., R. 70 W., Seward Meridian, Alaska, downstream to
the confluence with the Eek River in sec. 3, T. 1 S., R. 72 W., Seward
Meridian, Alaska.
The BLM is seeking additional information related to the
waterbodies in the State's RDI application. Examples of additional
information are photographs or videos capturing boats being used on the
waterbodies, historical or present-day use diaries, or specific verbal
knowledge, whether passed down through the region, or present-day use,
information on the type of boat or watercraft used, and information on
the time of year boats are, or were, used. In addition to boat use, the
BLM is seeking hydrological data and/or photographs that capture
waterbody characteristics such as depth, width, obstructions or
obstacles, or shallow stream sections.
In previous Federal Register notices regarding RDI applications,
the BLM provided a 90-day public comment period. The BLM determined
that 30 days is adequate and sufficient time under the circumstances to
receive substantive and relevant public input as is permitted under 43
CFR 1864.2. Additionally, a 30-day public comment period provides the
BLM with a minimum of 60 days to review comments received before making
a decision on the application on or after 90 days from the date of
publication in the Federal Register.
Copies of the State's RDI application and comments provided in
response to this notice will be available for public review at the BLM
Alaska State Office (see ADDRESSES above), during regular business
hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Alaska Time, Monday through Friday, excepting
Federal holidays.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personally identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personally identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask the BLM in your comment to withhold your personally identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
(Authority: 43 U.S.C. 1745 and 43 CFR part 1860, subpart 1864)
Bettie Shelby,
Acting Deputy State Director, Division of Lands and Cadastral.
[FR Doc. 2026-04994 Filed 3-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-10-P
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