U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Stakeholder Assessment and Multi-Stakeholder Group Options, 26315-26316 [2012-10663]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 86 / Thursday, May 3, 2012 / Notices
of Indian Affairs (BIA) has typically
conducted NEPA reviews of actions
associated with single-family homes by
preparing EAs; the addition of a
categorical exclusion to cover these
actions will allow for a more efficient
NEPA review.
wreier-aviles on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Proposed Categorical Exclusion
The Department of the Interior
proposes to add a categorical exclusion
to the Departmental Manual at 516 DM
10.5 for approval of leases or funds for
single-family homesites, including
associated improvements and easements
on Indian land. This category includes
Federal actions that may include BIA
lease approval or funding for a singlefamily homesite, which would include
a residence with one to four dwelling
units, as well as other improvements
such as a garage, barn or corral. In
addition to building construction,
associated easements may also need BIA
approval on adjacent lands for an access
road and utilities, such as gas, electric
and fiber optics. The categorical
exclusion would be limited to singlefamily homesites where the total area to
be disturbed by construction of homes,
associated structures, and related
easements must be five acres or less; do
not adversely affect any tribal cultural
resources or historic properties; and are
in compliance with applicable federal
and tribal laws. As a final review, each
proposed approval of a lease or funding
for a single-family homesite must also
be reviewed for extraordinary
circumstances that would preclude use
of this categorical exclusion. The
Department’s list of extraordinary
circumstances under which a normally
excluded action would require further
analysis and documentation in an EA or
EIS is found at 43 CFR 46.215.
Analysis
The intent of this categorical
exclusion is to improve the efficiency of
a routine environmental review process
for approval of new home construction
on Indian land. The BIA environmental
staff: (1) Reviewed other agencies’ NEPA
procedures to determine if similar
categorical exclusions were in effect; (2)
reviewed EAs of homesites previously
prepared by BIA to verify that no
significant impacts had been identified;
and (3) conducted a post-construction
reviews of individual homesites to
determine if any unanticipated impacts
had occurred as a result of house
construction.
The BIA reviewed other agencies’
NEPA procedures and identified
comparable categorical exclusions
currently used by the Department of the
Army, Indian Health Service, and Rural
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:32 May 02, 2012
Jkt 226001
Development Program. These
categorical exclusions are comparable
because they are for structures that
provide housing or office space; they
have a size limitation on the area to be
disturbed; they are not restricted to an
environmental setting or geographic
region of the country; and they are
subject to review for extraordinary
circumstances.
On Indian reservations across the
country, the BIA and tribal
environmental staff routinely conduct
NEPA analysis of single-family
homesites by preparing EAs. These EAs,
which have been prepared over the
years in a variety of environmental and
geographic areas, consistently result in
Findings of No Significant Impact
(FONSI).
To verify these findings the BIA
environmental professionals reviewed
159 EAs completed between 2009 and
2011 that covered 643 individual
homesites. These EAs ranged in scope
from a single homesite to a
programmatic EA covering over 100
scattered homesites. The review
confirmed that FONSIs were reached in
all cases. The BIA environmental
professionals also conducted postconstruction reviews on 117 homesites
where construction had already
occurred. No unanticipated
environmental effects were identified in
any of these areas, and the conclusions
of the original EAs and FONSIs were
confirmed. The most typical site
specific mitigation measures that
limited site selections involved
modifying or moving the location of the
homesite lease in order avoid cultural
resources or historic properties. The
analysis conducted by BIA
environmental staff concluded that a
sufficient administrative record exists to
demonstrate the construction of
scattered homesites would normally not
have a significant impact on the human
environment, with the following
limitations: The area of disturbance of
the home site and any associated
facilities must have a five acre
limitation; and each homesite must be
reviewed for extraordinary
circumstances, which not only includes
a review for historic properties and
other relevant federal and tribal laws,
but also the effect to other resources
such as wetlands, and endangered
species. The review for extraordinary
circumstances, which BIA normally
conducts for all categorical exclusions,
insures that measures would continue to
be taken to identify and reduce any
significant impacts.
PO 00000
Frm 00075
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
26315
Public Comments
To be considered, any comments on
this proposed addition to the list of
categorical exclusions in the
Departmental Manual must be received
by the date listed in the DATES section
of this notice at the location listed in the
ADDRESSES section. Comments received
after that date will be considered only
to the extent practicable. Comments,
including names and addresses of
respondents, will be part of the public
record and available for public review at
the BIA address shown in the
ADDRESSES section, during business
hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except holidays. Before
including your address, telephone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Text of Proposed Addition to 516 DM
10
10.5 Categorical Exclusions
M. Other.
(7) Approval of leases, easements or
funds for single-family homesites and
associated improvements, including but
not limited to homes, outbuildings,
access roads, and utility lines, which
encompass five (5) acres or less of
contiguous land, provided that such
sites and associated improvements do
not adversely affect any tribal cultural
resources or historic properties and are
in compliance with applicable federal
and tribal laws.
Dated: April 20, 2012.
Willie R. Taylor,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy and
Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2012–10696 Filed 5–2–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–W7–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[Docket No. ONRR–2012–0003]
U.S. Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative Stakeholder
Assessment and Multi-Stakeholder
Group Options
Office of the Secretary, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The U.S. Department of the
Interior (Interior) has retained an
independent facilitator, the Consensus
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\03MYN1.SGM
03MYN1
wreier-aviles on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
26316
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 86 / Thursday, May 3, 2012 / Notices
Building Institute (CBI), to conduct a
stakeholder assessment as part of the
U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency
Initiative (USEITI) implementation
process. On May 18, 2012, Interior will
receive and publish CBI’s findings
regarding options for forming a U.S.
multi-stakeholder group that will be
responsible for determining how USEITI
will be implemented. By this notice,
Interior is providing the public advance
notice of the opportunity to comment
between May 18 and June 29, 2012 on
CBI’s assessment and findings.
Comments may be provided in writing
or in person at public listening sessions
and a public workshop. Details will be
provided by Federal Register Notice at
a later date.
DATES: The public listening sessions,
webinar and workshop dates are:
Session 1—Anchorage, Alaska Public
Listening Session, May 30, 2012.
Session 2—Public Webinar, June 1,
2012.
Session 3—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Public Listening Session, June 11,
2012.
Session 4—New Orleans, Louisiana
Public Listening Session, June 12,
2012.
Session 5—Washington, DC Public
Workshop, June 22, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben
Nussdorf, telephone (202) 254–5573, fax
number (202) 254–5589, email
benjamin.nussdorf@onrr.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
February 24th, 2012, Interior published
a notice in the Federal Register seeking
public comment on the formation of a
multi-stakeholder group to implement
USEITI (74 FR 11151). In that notice,
Interior stated that it would hold a
series of public listening sessions to
provide additional opportunities for
public comment. In March, Interior held
those listening sessions in St. Louis,
Missouri; Denver, Colorado; Houston,
Texas; and Washington, DC. CBI
analyzed the input from these four
public listening sessions, interviews
with potential stakeholders, and written
comments that were submitted to
Interior. This input will form the basis
of CBI’s independent stakeholder
assessment and findings regarding
options for establishing the U.S. multistakeholder group, which will be
responsible for implementing USEITI.
In response to feedback received
during the first public comment period,
once Interior receives the assessment
from CBI on May 18, 2012, it will be
published and made available online at
www.doi.gov/EITI. Alternatively, you
may request a copy of the assessment
from Ben Nussdorf, whose contact
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:32 May 02, 2012
Jkt 226001
information is listed previously in this
notice. We encourage stakeholders and
members of the public to participate in
the additional public comment period
held from May 18–June 29, 2012, to
gather feedback on the stakeholder
assessment and recommended options
for establishing the U.S. multistakeholder group. During the May 18–
June 29 public comment period, three
public listening sessions, a public
webinar, and a public workshop will be
held as listed previously in this notice.
Further details regarding specific times
and locations will be provided in
advance via Federal Register Notice and
online at www.doi.gov/EITI.
Background: In September 2011,
President Barack Obama announced the
United States’ commitment to
participate in the Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative. EITI is a
signature initiative of the U.S. National
Action Plan for the international Open
Government Partnership and offers a
voluntary framework for governments
and companies to publicly disclose in
parallel the revenues paid and received
for extraction of oil, gas and minerals
owned by the state. The design of each
framework is country-specific, and is
developed through a multi-year,
consensus based process by a multistakeholder group comprised of
government, industry and civil society
representatives. On October 25,
President Obama named Secretary of the
Interior Ken Salazar as the U.S. Senior
Official responsible for implementing
USEITI. In response, Secretary Salazar
posted a White House blog the same
day, committing to work with industry
and civil society to implement USEITI.
For further information on EITI, please
visit the USEITI Web page at https://
www.doi.gov/EITI.
Dated: April 27, 2012.
Amy Holley,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Policy,
Management and Budget.
[FR Doc. 2012–10663 Filed 5–2–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–T2–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission
Sunshine Act Meeting
F.C.S.C. Meeting and Hearing Notice
No. 04–12.
The Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission, pursuant to its regulations
(45 CFR 503.25) and the Government in
the Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. 552b),
hereby gives notice in regard to the
scheduling of open meetings as follows:
PO 00000
Frm 00076
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Wednesday, May 16, 2012: 2:30
p.m.—Issuance of Proposed Decisions in
claims against Libya.
Thursday, May 17, 2012: 9:00 a.m.—
Issuance of Proposed Decisions in
claims against Libya.
Status: Open.
All meetings are held at the Foreign
Claims Settlement Commission, 600 E
Street NW., Washington, DC. Requests
for information, or advance notices of
intention to observe an open meeting,
may be directed to: Judith H. Lock,
Executive Officer, Foreign Claims
Settlement Commission, 600 E Street
NW., Suite 6002, Washington, DC
20579. Telephone: (202) 616–6975.
Jaleh F. Barrett,
Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2012–10748 Filed 5–1–12; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–BA–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 52–029 and 52–030; NRC–
2008–0558]
Progress Energy Florida; Final
Environmental Impact Statement for
Combined Licenses for Levy Nuclear
Plant Units 1 and 2
Notice is hereby given that the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC
or the Commission) and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District,
as a cooperating agency, have published
a final environmental impact statement
(EIS), NUREG–1941, ‘‘Environmental
Impact Statement for Combined
Licenses (COLs) for Levy Nuclear Plant
Units 1 and 2.’’ The site comprises of
approximately 3,105 acres in Levy
County, Florida.
On August 13, 2010 (75 FR 49539),
the NRC published a notice of
availability for the draft EIS. The
purpose of this notice is to inform the
public that the final EIS is available for
public inspection in the NRC’s Public
Document Room (PDR) located at One
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville
Pike, Rockville, Maryland, 20852 or
from NRC’s Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from
the NRC’s Web site at www.nrc.gov/
reading-rm/adams.html. The ADAMS
accession numbers for the final EIS are
ML12100A063, ML12100A068, and
ML12100A070. Persons who do not
have access to ADAMS or who
encounter problems in accessing the
documents located in ADAMS should
contact the PDR reference staff by
telephone at 1–800–397–4209 and 1–
301–415–4737 or by sending an email to
E:\FR\FM\03MYN1.SGM
03MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 86 (Thursday, May 3, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26315-26316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-10663]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[Docket No. ONRR-2012-0003]
U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Stakeholder
Assessment and Multi-Stakeholder Group Options
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) has retained an
independent facilitator, the Consensus
[[Page 26316]]
Building Institute (CBI), to conduct a stakeholder assessment as part
of the U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (USEITI)
implementation process. On May 18, 2012, Interior will receive and
publish CBI's findings regarding options for forming a U.S. multi-
stakeholder group that will be responsible for determining how USEITI
will be implemented. By this notice, Interior is providing the public
advance notice of the opportunity to comment between May 18 and June
29, 2012 on CBI's assessment and findings. Comments may be provided in
writing or in person at public listening sessions and a public
workshop. Details will be provided by Federal Register Notice at a
later date.
DATES: The public listening sessions, webinar and workshop dates are:
Session 1--Anchorage, Alaska Public Listening Session, May 30, 2012.
Session 2--Public Webinar, June 1, 2012.
Session 3--Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Public Listening Session, June 11,
2012.
Session 4--New Orleans, Louisiana Public Listening Session, June 12,
2012.
Session 5--Washington, DC Public Workshop, June 22, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben Nussdorf, telephone (202) 254-
5573, fax number (202) 254-5589, email benjamin.nussdorf@onrr.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 24th, 2012, Interior published a
notice in the Federal Register seeking public comment on the formation
of a multi-stakeholder group to implement USEITI (74 FR 11151). In that
notice, Interior stated that it would hold a series of public listening
sessions to provide additional opportunities for public comment. In
March, Interior held those listening sessions in St. Louis, Missouri;
Denver, Colorado; Houston, Texas; and Washington, DC. CBI analyzed the
input from these four public listening sessions, interviews with
potential stakeholders, and written comments that were submitted to
Interior. This input will form the basis of CBI's independent
stakeholder assessment and findings regarding options for establishing
the U.S. multi-stakeholder group, which will be responsible for
implementing USEITI.
In response to feedback received during the first public comment
period, once Interior receives the assessment from CBI on May 18, 2012,
it will be published and made available online at www.doi.gov/EITI.
Alternatively, you may request a copy of the assessment from Ben
Nussdorf, whose contact information is listed previously in this
notice. We encourage stakeholders and members of the public to
participate in the additional public comment period held from May 18-
June 29, 2012, to gather feedback on the stakeholder assessment and
recommended options for establishing the U.S. multi-stakeholder group.
During the May 18-June 29 public comment period, three public listening
sessions, a public webinar, and a public workshop will be held as
listed previously in this notice. Further details regarding specific
times and locations will be provided in advance via Federal Register
Notice and online at www.doi.gov/EITI.
Background: In September 2011, President Barack Obama announced the
United States' commitment to participate in the Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative. EITI is a signature initiative of the U.S.
National Action Plan for the international Open Government Partnership
and offers a voluntary framework for governments and companies to
publicly disclose in parallel the revenues paid and received for
extraction of oil, gas and minerals owned by the state. The design of
each framework is country-specific, and is developed through a multi-
year, consensus based process by a multi-stakeholder group comprised of
government, industry and civil society representatives. On October 25,
President Obama named Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar as the U.S.
Senior Official responsible for implementing USEITI. In response,
Secretary Salazar posted a White House blog the same day, committing to
work with industry and civil society to implement USEITI. For further
information on EITI, please visit the USEITI Web page at https://www.doi.gov/EITI.
Dated: April 27, 2012.
Amy Holley,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Policy, Management and Budget.
[FR Doc. 2012-10663 Filed 5-2-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-T2-P
