Criteria.

§ 2420.2 Criteria. Lands may be classified for retention under the Classification and Multiple Use Act of September 19, 1964 (78 Stat. 986, 43 U.S.C. 1411–18), if they are not suitable for disposal under the criteria set forth in part 2430 and such classification will do one or more of the following: (a) Assist in effective and economical administration of the public lands in furtherance of the several objectives of such administration as expressed in the various public land laws. (b) Further the objectives of Federal natural resource legislation directed, among other things towards: (1) Stabilization and development of the livestock industry dependent upon Federal lands, such as sections 1 and 15 of the Taylor Grazing Act (43 U.S.C. 315 and 315m), and the Alaska Grazing Act (48 U.S.C. 471–471o). (2) Provision or preservation of adequate areas of public hunting and fishing grounds and public access thereto, and maintenance of habitat and food supplies for the fish and wildlife dependent upon the public lands and maintained under Federal and State programs, such as section 9 of the Taylor Grazing Act (43 U.S.C. 315h) and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661–666c). (3) Fostering the economy of the nation by industrial and mineral development, such as through the materials sales and mineral leasing laws (Group 3000 of this chapter) and the rights-of-way laws (Group 2800 of this chapter). (4) Realization of the beneficial utilization of the public lands through occupancy leases, such as under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (43 U.S.C. 869–869–4) and the Small Tract Act (43 U.S.C. 682a–682e). (5) Provision of needed recreation, conservation, and scenic areas and open space (42 U.S.C. 1500–1500e) and assurance of adequate outdoor recreation resources for present and future generations of Americans (16 U.S.C. 460–1 et seq. ). (6) Stabilization of the timber industry and dependent communities and sustained-yield production of timber and other forest products, such as the Materials Sales Act (30 U.S.C. 601–604), and, in connection with management of other Federal lands, the O and C Act (43 U.S.C. 1181a–1181f, 1181g–1181j). (7) Protection of frail lands, conservation of productive soils and water supplies, and prevention of damage and loss due to excessive runoff, flooding, salination, and siltation, such as the Soil and Moisture Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 590a et seq. ) and section 2 of the Taylor Grazing Act (43 U.S.C. 315a). (c) Preservation of public values that would be lost if the land passed from Federal ownership (43 U.S.C. 1411–1418) such as where (1) The lands are needed to protect or enhance established Federal programs, by such means as provision of buffer zones, control of access, maintenance of water supplies, reduction and prevention of water pollution, exclusion of nonconforming inholdings, maintenance of efficient management areas, provision of research areas, and maintenance of military areas or sites for other government activities. (2) The lands should be retained in Federal ownership pending enactment of Federal legislation, which would affect them. (3) The lands should be retained in Federal ownership pending their acquisition by a State or local government. (4) The lands are best suited for multiple use management and require management for a mixture of uses in order to best benefit the general public and such management could not be achieved if the lands were in private ownership. (5) The lands contain scientific, scenic, historic, or wilderness values which would be lost to the general public if they were transferred out of Federal ownership. (6) Transfer of the lands would be inconsistent with national objectives for the preservation of natural beauty of the country and the proper utilization of open space. [35 FR 9561, June 13, 1970]