(a) A notice of realty action indicating the availability of public lands for non-Federal uses through lease, permit or easement shall be issued, published and sent to parties of interest by the authorized officer, including, but not limited to, adjoining land owners and current or past land users, when a determination has been made that such public lands are available for a particular use either through the submission of a public initiated proposal or through the land use planning process.

(b) The notice shall include the use proposed for the public lands and shall notify the public that applications for a lease, permit or easement shall be considered. The notice shall specify the form of negotiation, whether by competitive or non-competitive bidding, under which the land use authorization shall be issued. A notice of realty action is not a specific action implementing a resource management plan or amendment.

(c) The notice of realty action shall be published once in the Federal Register and once a week for 3 weeks thereafter in a newspaper of general circulation in the vicinity of the public lands included in the land use proposal.

(d) An application submitted before a notice of realty action is published shall not be processed and shall be returned to the person who submitted it. Return of an application shall not be subject to appeal or protest.