Department of the Interior April 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document informs the public that the Western Interior Alaska Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Council will hold a public meeting by teleconference on May 14, 2010. The public is invited to participate and to provide oral testimony.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), intend to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to analyze the effects of potential rule revisions under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act) to improve protection of streams from the adverse impacts of surface coal mining operations. We are requesting comments for the purpose of determining the scope of the EIS.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received applications from William Menchine and Alicia Stanton and the San Lorenzo Valley Water District (applicants) for incidental take permits under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are considering issuing permits that would authorize the applicants' take of the Federally endangered Mount Hermon June beetle (Polyphylla barbata) incidental to otherwise lawful activities that would result in the permanent loss of 0.05 acre (2,182 square feet (sq ft)) of Mount Hermon June beetle habitat near Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, California. We invite comments from the public on the applications, which include Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) that fully describe the proposed projects and measures the applicants would undertake to minimize and mitigate anticipated take of the species. We also invite comments on our preliminary determination that the HCPs qualify as ``low-effect'' plans, eligible for categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended. We explain the basis for this determination in our draft Environmental Action Statements and associated Low-Effect Screening Forms, both of which are also available for review.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Genesis Project and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

The Secretary of the Interior is requesting 64 nominations for representatives to serve on the Coos Bay, Eugene, Medford, Roseburg, and Salem District Resource Advisory Committees (RACs). The Committees will advise the Secretary, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), on the selection and prioritization of projects funded under Title II of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. Terms will begin on the date of appointment and will expire on September 30, 2013.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Upper Klamath, Lower Klamath, Tule Lake, Bear Valley, and Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuges (Refuges) located in Klamath County, Oregon, and Siskiyou and Modoc Counties, California. The Refuges are part of the Klamath Basin Complex. We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider in the planning process.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Department of the Interior, Office of Federal Acknowledgment (OFA) is submitting the information collection Documented Petitions for the Federal Acknowledgment as an Indian Tribe, 25 CFR part 83 to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0104, which expires April 30, 2010. The information collection allows OFA to determine whether an Indian group meets the regulatory criteria for acknowledgment as an Indian Tribe.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is submitting the information collection, titled ``Grazing Permits, 25 CFR 166'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0157, which expires April 30, 2010. The information collection requires anyone seeking to obtain, modify, or assign a grazing permit for grazing on Indian trust or restricted land to submit certain information for review by the BIA.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Office of Facilities, Environmental, and Cultural Resources (OFECR), in the Office of the Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs, is submitting the following information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal: ``Tax Credit Bonds for Bureau of Indian Affairs- Funded Schools,'' OMB Control Number 1076-0173. The current approval expires on April 30, 2010.

This Notice serves to announce two actions, including: (1) The reopening of the public scoping period for proposed Lease Sale 220 in the Mid-Atlantic Planning Area for an additional 45 days and providing notice of the public scoping meeting dates and locations for this proposed sale; and (2) announcing an additional and separate scoping meeting on May 12, 2010, in Norfolk, Virginia which will solicit public input on both the proposed Lease Sale 220 and the G&G PEIS on the Mid- and South Atlantic OCS. This Notice does not extend the public scoping period for the G&G PEIS on the Mid- and South Atlantic OCS. The scoping period for that PEIS ends on May 17, 2010 (see 75 FR 16830).

Under the Class II provisions of Title IV, Public Law 97-451, the Bureau Of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease TXNM 118757 from the lessee, Forest Oil Corporation, for lands in Hill County, New Mexico. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

The Bureau of Reclamation is reopening the comment period for the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, Eastern and Western Division Proposed Project Use Power Rate Adjustment for an additional 30 days from the date of publication of this Notice. The initial Notice proposing this adjustment was published in the Federal Register on January 11, 2010 (75 FR 1408). The public comment period ended on February 10, 2010.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a public meeting of the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (Council).

Final regulations for valuing gas produced from Indian leases, published August 10, 1999, require MMS to determine major portion prices and notify industry by publishing the prices in the Federal Register. The regulations also require MMS to publish a due date for industry to pay additional royalties based on the major portion prices. This notice provides major portion prices for the 12 months of calendar year 2008.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a 3-year renewal of OMB Control Number 1004-0194 under the Paperwork Reduction Act. This control number covers paperwork requirements in 43 CFR subpart 3809.

The plat of survey described below was officially filed in the New Mexico State Office, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Santa Fe, New Mexico, on January 15, 2004. The BLM published a Notice of Filing of Plat of Survey in the Federal Register on April 8, 2010 [75 FR 17952] which contained errors in the description format.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activities. The ESA requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Mohave ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus mohavensis) as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Based on our review, we find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the Mohave ground squirrel may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a status review of the species to determine if listing the species is warranted. To ensure that this status review is comprehensive, we are requesting scientific and commercial data and other information regarding this species. Based on the status review,

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) invites submissions describing interest in obtaining one or more commercial leases for the construction of a wind energy project(s) on the OCS offshore Delaware. The MMS will use responses to this RFI to enable MMS to gauge specific interest in commercial development of OCS wind resources in the area described, as required by 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3). Parties wishing to obtain a commercial lease for a wind energy project should submit detailed and specific information as described below in the section entitled, ``Required Indication of Interest Information.'' Also, with this announcement the MMS invites all interested and affected parties to comment and provide informationincluding information on environmental issues and concernsthat will be useful in the consideration of the area of interest for commercial wind energy leases.

These proposed guidelines set forth best practices that we, the Fish and Wildlife Service, find are appropriate for safely and nonlethally deterring polar bears from damaging private and public property and endangering the public. We would not require anyone to implement these guidelines, nor would anyone be liable if they did not implement them. If the guidelines are finalized, anyone deciding to implement them could do so without our authorization or supervision. We are proposing these guidelines to reduce occurrences of bear-human interactions with only minor, short-term behavioral effects on polar bears. As discussed in the background section of this proposed rule, we authorize other, more aggressive deterrence activities through separate provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. We seek public comment on these proposed guidelines.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Texas regulatory program (Texas program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Texas proposes revisions to its regulations regarding annual permit fees. Texas intends to revise its program to improve operational efficiency.

Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) assessing the potential impacts of restoring the coastal wetland and lower riparian corridor at Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Island National Park. The Final EIS analyzes the effects of implementing proposed actions that accomplish the following objectives: (1) Recreate a more natural topography and hydrology by reconnecting the Canada del Puerto stream with its floodplain and removing non- native eucalyptus trees and other vegetation which have proliferated in the lower drainage; (2) increase biological diversity and productivity by removing fill and restoring the historic wetland; (3) provide an enhanced visitor experience by installing additional interpretive displays; and (4) protect significant cultural and historic resources.

This notice provides the semiannual agenda of rules scheduled for review or development between spring 2010 and fall 2010. The Regulatory Flexibility Act and Executive Order 12866 require publication of the agenda.

The City of Kent, Washington (Kent), has submitted applications to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) (together, the Services, us) for Incidental Take Permits (Permit) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). We jointly prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to support permit-issuance decisions by each agency. As required by the ESA, Kent has also prepared a Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan) designed to minimize and mitigate any such take of endangered or threatened species. The Permit applications are related to water withdrawal and habitat enhancement measures on Rock Creek, tributary to the Cedar River, King County, Washington. The Permit and the Plan each have a proposed term of 50 years.

Pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Southeast Oregon Resource Advisory Council (SEORAC) will meet as indicated below: