Tribal and Alaska Native Biomass Demonstration Projects; Eligibility Criteria, 2436-2437 [2020-00529]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 10 / Wednesday, January 15, 2020 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[L10300000.PH0000 19X LLWO220000]
Tribal and Alaska Native Biomass
Demonstration Projects; Eligibility
Criteria
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) is establishing
eligibility and selection criteria for
Tribal Biomass Demonstration Project
and Alaska Native Biomass
Demonstration Project proposals
submitted for BLM-managed lands, as
authorized by the Indian Tribal Energy
Development and Self-Determination
Act Amendments of 2017.
DATES: This Notice takes effect on
January 15, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Additional information
about this notice and program may be
obtained on the internet at https://
www.blm.gov/https%3A//www.blm.gov/
programs/natural-resources/forests-andwoodlands/biomass-and-bioenergy/
tribal-biomass.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe
Tague, Division Chief, Forest, Range,
Riparian, and Plant Conservation,
telephone (202) 912–7222; email,
jtague@blm.gov.
Persons who use a telecommunication
device for the deaf may call the Federal
Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339
to contact Mr. Tague during normal
business hours. The FRS is available 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a
message or question regarding the
project. You will receive a reply during
normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Background
Section 202 of Public Law 115–325
amends the Tribal Forest Protection Act
of 2004 (25 U.S.C. 3115(a) et seq.) for
the purpose of establishing tribal and
Alaska Native biomass demonstration
projects for federally recognized Indian
tribes and Alaska Native corporations to
promote biomass energy production by
providing reliable supplies of woody
biomass from Bureau of Land
Management and Forest Service lands.
For Tribal Biomass Demonstration
Projects, the Act requires, for each of
fiscal years 2017 through 2021, the
Secretary of Agriculture and the
Secretary of the Interior to enter into
stewardship contracts or similar
agreements (excluding direct service
contracts) with Indian tribes to carry out
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:18 Jan 14, 2020
Jkt 250001
at least four new demonstration projects
to promote biomass energy production
(including biofuel, heat, and electricity
generation) on Indian forest land and in
nearby communities by providing
reliable supplies of woody biomass from
Federal land.
For Alaska Native Biomass
Demonstration Projects, the Act
requires, for each of fiscal years 2017
through 2021, the Secretary of
Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior to enter into an agreement or
contract with an Indian tribe or a tribal
organization to carry out at least one
new demonstration project to promote
biomass energy production (including
biofuel, heat, and electricity generation)
by providing reliable supplies of woody
biomass from Federal land.
Indian tribe means: Any Indian tribe,
band, nation or other organized group or
community, including any Alaska
Native village or regional or village
corporation as defined in or established
pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act, which is recognized as
eligible for the special programs and
services provided by the United States
to Indians because of their status as
Indians. (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)).
Eligibility
To establish eligibility for a Tribal
Biomass Demonstration Project, an
Indian tribe (as defined at (25 U.S.C.
5304(e)) must submit an application
with the following information:
(1) A description of the Indian forest
land under the jurisdiction of the Indian
tribe;
(2) A description and location of the
biomass utilization facility including its
annual biomass consumption and
details related to the application
evaluation criteria;
(3) A map depicting the BLM lands
being proposed for harvest; and
(4) A harvest plan proposing the
means to carry out the biomass harvest.
To establish eligibility for an Alaska
Native Biomass Demonstration Project,
an Indian tribe (as defined at (25 U.S.C.
5304(e)) needs to submit an application
with the following information:
(1) A description and location of the
biomass utilization facility, including its
annual biomass consumption and
details related to the application
evaluation criteria;
(2) A map depicting the BLM lands
being proposed for harvest; and
(3) A harvest plan proposing the
means to carry out the biomass harvest.
The statute allows the Secretary of the
Interior to establish additional criteria
as needed. Such additional criteria will
be posted on the website established for
this purpose (see ADDRESSES).
PO 00000
Frm 00054
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
The eligibility applications comprise
a collection of information that requires
a control number from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501–3521).
An agency may not conduct or sponsor
and a person is not required to respond
to a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number. For this reason, the BLM will
request an OMB control number for
these applications.
Application Evaluation Criteria
In accordance with the Act, the BLM
will evaluate applications by assessing
whether the proposed project would:
(1) Increase the reliability of local or
regional energy;
(2) Enhance the economic
development of the Indian tribe;
(3) Result in or improve the
connection of electric power
transmission facilities serving the
Indian tribe with other electric
transmission facilities;
(4) Improve the forest health or
watersheds of Federal land or Indian
forest or rangeland; or
(5) Otherwise promote the use of
woody biomass.
Contracts and Agreements Selection
In accordance with the Act, when
evaluating applications the BLM will
also take into consideration the
following factors:
(1) The status of the Indian tribe as an
Indian tribe;
(2) The trust status of the Indian forest
land or rangeland of the Indian tribe;
(3) The cultural, traditional, and
historical affiliation of the Indian tribe
with the land subject to the proposal;
(4) The treaty rights or other reserved
rights of the Indian tribe relating to the
land subject to the proposal;
(5) The indigenous knowledge and
skills of members of the Indian tribe;
(6) The features of the landscape of
the land subject to the proposal,
including watersheds and vegetation
types;
(7) The working relationships
between the Indian tribe and Federal
agencies in coordinating activities
affecting the land subject to the
proposal; and
(8) The access by members of the
Indian tribe to the land subject to the
proposal.
In accordance with the Act, the
contract or agreement for a project must
exclude from consideration any
merchantable logs that have been
identified for commercial sale.
E:\FR\FM\15JAN1.SGM
15JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 10 / Wednesday, January 15, 2020 / Notices
Submitting an Application
A federally recognized tribe may
submit an application to the BLM field
office that has jurisdiction over the land
where the project would occur. The
application should contain the
information outlined in the eligibility
section of this notice.
Additional Information for Contract or
Agreement Development
After receiving an application to
verify eligibility, the BLM will work
with the tribe as appropriate to obtain
additional information necessary to
develop the contract or agreement. The
information may include, but is not
limited to:
(1) A description of the harvesting
methods, annual harvest tonnage, and
transportation routes;
(2) A start date and duration of source
area usage; and
(3) Information relevant to any
necessary analysis of the project under
the National Environmental Policy Act.
Casey Hammond,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Land and
Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 2020–00529 Filed 1–14–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–84–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Dated: January 8, 2020.
David L. Bernhardt,
Secretary of the Interior.
National Park Service
[FR Doc. 2020–00478 Filed 1–14–20; 8:45 am]
[NPS–WASO–D–COS–POL–29039;
PPWODIREP0; PPMPSPD1Y.YM0000]
BILLING CODE 4312–52–P
National Park System Advisory Board;
Charter Renewal
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Charter renewal.
AGENCY:
The Secretary of the Interior
intends to renew the National Park
System Advisory Board, in accordance
with section 14(b) of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act. This action is
necessary and in the public interest in
connection with the performance of
statutory duties imposed upon the
Department of the Interior and the
National Park Service.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Joshua Winchell, Staff Director for the
National Park System Advisory Board,
Office of Policy, National Park Service,
202–513–7053.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board
is authorized by 54 U.S.C. 102303 (part
of the 1935 Historic Sites, Buildings and
Antiquities Act) and has been in
existence almost continuously since
1935. Pursuant to 54 U.S.C. 102303, the
legislative authorization for the Board
expired January 1, 2010. However, due
SUMMARY:
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
to the importance of the issues on which
the Board advises, the Secretary of the
Interior exercised the authority
contained in 54 U.S.C. 100906 to reestablish and continue the Board as a
discretionary committee from January 1,
2010, until such time as it may be
legislatively reauthorized.
The advice and recommendations
provided by the Board and its
subcommittees fulfill an important need
within the Department of the Interior
and the National Park Service, and it is
necessary to re-establish the Board to
ensure its work is not disrupted. The
Board’s members are balanced to
represent a cross-section of disciplines
and expertise relevant to the National
Park Service mission. The renewal of
the Board comports with the
requirements of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, as amended.
Certification: I hereby certify that the
renewal of the National Park System
Advisory Board is necessary and in the
public interest in connection with the
performance of duties imposed on the
Department of the Interior by the
National Park Service Organic Act (54
U.S.C. 100101(a) et seq.), and other
statutes relating to the administration of
the National Park Service.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:18 Jan 14, 2020
Jkt 250001
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket ID BOEM–2019–0070]
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Gulf of
Mexico (GOM), Oil and Gas Lease
Sales for 2020
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM), Department of the
Interior (DOI).
ACTION: Notice to Rescind Notice of
Intent to Prepare a Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement.
AGENCY:
This Notice advises the public
that BOEM is rescinding the Notice of
Intent (NOI) to prepare a Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the OCS Gulf of Mexico (GOM) lease
sales for 2020 and subsequent GOM
lease sales through 2022.
DATES: This Notice takes effect on
January 15, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information on the status of the
environmental review for the 2020 GOM
oil and gas lease sales or BOEM’s
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00055
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
2437
policies associated with this Notice,
please contact Ms. Helen Rucker, Chief,
Environmental Assessment Section,
Office of Environment (GM 623E),
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
New Orleans Office, 1201 Elmwood
Park Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana
70123–2394, telephone 504–736–2421,
or email at helen.rucker@boem.gov.
On
December 26, 2018, BOEM published a
NOI to initiate the environmental
review to inform the decisions for the
two proposed lease sales scheduled in
2020 and the subsequent lease sales
through 2022. The proposed lease sales
include the Western and Central
Planning Areas, and a small portion of
the Eastern Planning Area not subject to
Congressional moratorium.
At the time of publication, BOEM
anticipated the first GOM lease sale of
2020 would be conducted under the
2019–2024 National OCS Oil and Gas
Leasing Program and planned to prepare
a Supplemental EIS for the proposed
lease sales scheduled in 2020 through
2022.
However, development of the 2019–
2024 Program has been delayed, and
BOEM has decided not to prepare a
Supplemental EIS at this time, because
it is not making any substantial changes
in the proposed actions that are relevant
to environmental concerns. As a result,
it has determined that no new
circumstances or information relevant to
environmental concerns and bearing on
the proposed action or its impacts have
arisen.
Thus, under the standards of 40 CFR
1502.9(c), there is nothing triggering the
need for a Supplemental EIS.
Accordingly, BOEM has determined
NEPA adequacy on the use of the 2018
GOM Supplemental EIS for Lease Sale
254, which tiers from and updates the
2017–2022 GOM Multisale EIS. BOEM
is hereby rescinding the December 26,
2018, Notice of Intent to prepare a
Supplemental EIS.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: This Notice to rescind the NOI
is published pursuant to 43 U.S.C. 1337, 40
CFR 1508.22, and 43 CFR 46.415.
Michael A. Celata,
Regional Director, New Orleans Office,
Department of the Interior Regions 1, 2, 4,
and 6, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2020–00500 Filed 1–14–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
E:\FR\FM\15JAN1.SGM
15JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2436-2437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00529]
[[Page 2436]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[L10300000.PH0000 19X LLWO220000]
Tribal and Alaska Native Biomass Demonstration Projects;
Eligibility Criteria
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is establishing
eligibility and selection criteria for Tribal Biomass Demonstration
Project and Alaska Native Biomass Demonstration Project proposals
submitted for BLM-managed lands, as authorized by the Indian Tribal
Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2017.
DATES: This Notice takes effect on January 15, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Additional information about this notice and program may be
obtained on the internet at https://www.blm.gov/https%3A//www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/forests-and-woodlands/biomass-and-bioenergy/tribal-biomass.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Tague, Division Chief, Forest,
Range, Riparian, and Plant Conservation, telephone (202) 912-7222;
email, [email protected].
Persons who use a telecommunication device for the deaf may call
the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact Mr. Tague
during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, to leave a message or question regarding the project. You
will receive a reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 202 of Public Law 115-325 amends the Tribal Forest
Protection Act of 2004 (25 U.S.C. 3115(a) et seq.) for the purpose of
establishing tribal and Alaska Native biomass demonstration projects
for federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native corporations
to promote biomass energy production by providing reliable supplies of
woody biomass from Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands.
For Tribal Biomass Demonstration Projects, the Act requires, for
each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021, the Secretary of Agriculture
and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into stewardship contracts
or similar agreements (excluding direct service contracts) with Indian
tribes to carry out at least four new demonstration projects to promote
biomass energy production (including biofuel, heat, and electricity
generation) on Indian forest land and in nearby communities by
providing reliable supplies of woody biomass from Federal land.
For Alaska Native Biomass Demonstration Projects, the Act requires,
for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021, the Secretary of
Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an
agreement or contract with an Indian tribe or a tribal organization to
carry out at least one new demonstration project to promote biomass
energy production (including biofuel, heat, and electricity generation)
by providing reliable supplies of woody biomass from Federal land.
Indian tribe means: Any Indian tribe, band, nation or other
organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or
regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant
to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which is recognized as
eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United
States to Indians because of their status as Indians. (25 U.S.C.
5304(e)).
Eligibility
To establish eligibility for a Tribal Biomass Demonstration
Project, an Indian tribe (as defined at (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)) must submit
an application with the following information:
(1) A description of the Indian forest land under the jurisdiction
of the Indian tribe;
(2) A description and location of the biomass utilization facility
including its annual biomass consumption and details related to the
application evaluation criteria;
(3) A map depicting the BLM lands being proposed for harvest; and
(4) A harvest plan proposing the means to carry out the biomass
harvest.
To establish eligibility for an Alaska Native Biomass Demonstration
Project, an Indian tribe (as defined at (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)) needs to
submit an application with the following information:
(1) A description and location of the biomass utilization facility,
including its annual biomass consumption and details related to the
application evaluation criteria;
(2) A map depicting the BLM lands being proposed for harvest; and
(3) A harvest plan proposing the means to carry out the biomass
harvest.
The statute allows the Secretary of the Interior to establish
additional criteria as needed. Such additional criteria will be posted
on the website established for this purpose (see ADDRESSES).
The eligibility applications comprise a collection of information
that requires a control number from the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3521). An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number. For this reason, the BLM will
request an OMB control number for these applications.
Application Evaluation Criteria
In accordance with the Act, the BLM will evaluate applications by
assessing whether the proposed project would:
(1) Increase the reliability of local or regional energy;
(2) Enhance the economic development of the Indian tribe;
(3) Result in or improve the connection of electric power
transmission facilities serving the Indian tribe with other electric
transmission facilities;
(4) Improve the forest health or watersheds of Federal land or
Indian forest or rangeland; or
(5) Otherwise promote the use of woody biomass.
Contracts and Agreements Selection
In accordance with the Act, when evaluating applications the BLM
will also take into consideration the following factors:
(1) The status of the Indian tribe as an Indian tribe;
(2) The trust status of the Indian forest land or rangeland of the
Indian tribe;
(3) The cultural, traditional, and historical affiliation of the
Indian tribe with the land subject to the proposal;
(4) The treaty rights or other reserved rights of the Indian tribe
relating to the land subject to the proposal;
(5) The indigenous knowledge and skills of members of the Indian
tribe;
(6) The features of the landscape of the land subject to the
proposal, including watersheds and vegetation types;
(7) The working relationships between the Indian tribe and Federal
agencies in coordinating activities affecting the land subject to the
proposal; and
(8) The access by members of the Indian tribe to the land subject
to the proposal.
In accordance with the Act, the contract or agreement for a project
must exclude from consideration any merchantable logs that have been
identified for commercial sale.
[[Page 2437]]
Submitting an Application
A federally recognized tribe may submit an application to the BLM
field office that has jurisdiction over the land where the project
would occur. The application should contain the information outlined in
the eligibility section of this notice.
Additional Information for Contract or Agreement Development
After receiving an application to verify eligibility, the BLM will
work with the tribe as appropriate to obtain additional information
necessary to develop the contract or agreement. The information may
include, but is not limited to:
(1) A description of the harvesting methods, annual harvest
tonnage, and transportation routes;
(2) A start date and duration of source area usage; and
(3) Information relevant to any necessary analysis of the project
under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Casey Hammond,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 2020-00529 Filed 1-14-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P
