OCR Text |
Show Regulations to Aid Purchase of Land Changes in regulations designed to aid the public in buying small parcels of public lands and ., to broaden notificaiton of affected congressional delegations, governors gover-nors and local officials have been proposed by the Bureau of Land Management. The proposed regulatory amendments, amend-ments, are partly in response to feedback from the public at recent BLM land sales. One of the proposed changes would be the expansion of time allowed for payment to 180 days to allow more time to complete financing arrangements. Under the present regulations full payment is due 30 days after the sale. Other changes proposed include: allowing a variable rate down payment, ranging from 10 to . 30 percent, rather than the static 20 percent that current regulations require at the time of sale; broader notification of affected Congressional delegations, Governors, and local officials; alllowance of public nomination of tracts to be offered for sale; clarification of methods of sale; allowance of the use of real estate , brokers to broaden the market area ; clarification of appraisal methods and policy relating to lands with mineral values. The regulations apply only to public lands administered by BLM. Federal law allows sale of certain BLM lands only when they are difficult or uneconomic to manage, are needed for important public objectives such as community ex-pension, ex-pension, or if they were acquired for a certain purpose and no longer needed. Decisions on which lands are to be offered for sale are made through a comprehensvie land use planning process requiring public involvement. Public comment on the proposals are welcomed during the comment period which ends February 6, 1984. . They should be sent to BLM (140) 1800 C St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240. |