Bureau of Land Management 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The purpose of this notice is to inform the public and interested State and local government officials of the filing of Plats of Survey in Nevada.

The plats of survey of the following described lands are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management, Oregon State Office, Portland, Oregon, 30 days from the date of this publication.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Barstow Field Office, Barstow, California, has prepared a Proposed California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment and Joint Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in cooperation with San Bernardino County for the Soda Mountain Solar Project (Project), and by this notice is announcing their availability. The Proposed Project is a 358 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) solar energy generation facility, along with supporting infrastructure, in rural San Bernardino County. After review, the BLM's Preferred Alternative identified in the Final EIS excludes the proposed northern solar array, includes the Applicant Proposed alignment for Rasor Road, and excludes the proposed brine ponds associated with reverse osmosis treatment of groundwater. The BLM's Preferred Alternative would reduce the Project size from 2,557 to 1,923 acres, and decrease the Project's output from 358 to 264 MW.

On April 21, 2015, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published in the Federal Register an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit public comments and suggestions that may be used to update the BLM's regulations related to royalty rates, annual rental payments, minimum acceptable bids, bonding requirements, and civil penalty assessments for Federal onshore oil and gas leases. In response to requests received for additional time to provide comment, the BLM is announcing by issuance of this notice that the public comment period for the ANPR will be extended 14 days beyond the end of the initial comment period.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado State Office is publishing this notice to inform the public of the official filing of the survey plat listed below. The plat will be available for viewing at https://www.glorecords.blm.gov.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the HiLine District in Montana and by this notice is announcing its availability.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Miles City Field Office planning area and by this notice is announcing its availability.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, and the Resources Planning Act of 1974, as amended by the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) have prepared Proposed Land Use Plan Amendments (LUPA) and Final Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) for planning units in Idaho, Southwestern Montana, Nevada, Northeastern California, Oregon, and Utah. There are four separate Final EISs being conducted in the Great Basin Region and this notice announces the availability of all four.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Billings planning area, including Pompeys Pillar National Monument, and by this notice is announcing its availability.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska State Office is issuing a call for nominations and comments on tracts for the upcoming 2015 National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) Oil and Gas Lease Sale. A map of the NPR-A showing areas available for leasing is online at https://www.blm.gov/ak.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Dakotas Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ukiah Field Office, Ukiah, California intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment with an associated Environmental Assessment (EA) for the California Coastal National Monument (CCNM) and by this notice is announcing the beginning of a scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the John DaySnake Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the West Eugene Wetlands planning area located in western Oregon. The Oregon/Washington State Director signed the ROD on April 17, 2015, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved RMP effective immediately.

As authorized under the provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and relevant regulations, certain public land near Stead, Nevada, will be temporarily closed to all public use to provide for public safety during the 2015 Reno Air Racing Association Pylon Racing Seminar and the Reno National Championship Air Races.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Arizona Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet in Phoenix, Arizona, as indicated below.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Farmington District Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

In accordance with Federal coal management regulations, the Buckingham Coal Company, Federal Coal Lease by Application (LBA) Environmental Assessment (EA) is available for public review and comment. A public hearing will be held to receive comments on the EA and associated Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), Fair Market Value (FMV), and Maximum Economic Recovery (MER) of the coal resources for Buckingham Coal Company LBA OHES-57390.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado State Office is publishing this notice to inform the public of the official filing of the survey plats listed below. The plats will be available for viewing at https://www.glorecords.blm.gov.

As authorized under the provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Carson City District Office will temporarily close certain public land surrounding and including the abandoned man-made structures and features, known as the American Flat Mill, in Storey County, Nevada, to all public use. This action would provide for public safety during demolition and reclamation activities occurring at the site.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) Revisions and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Western Oregon and, by this notice, is announcing the opening of the comment period.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Utah Resource Advisory Council (RAC)/Recreation Resource Advisory Council (RecRAC) will meet as indicated below.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is issuing this Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit public comments and suggestions that may be used to update the BLM's regulations related to royalty rates, annual rental payments, minimum acceptable bids, bonding requirements, and civil penalty assessments for Federal onshore oil and gas leases. As explained below, each of these elements is important to the appropriate management of the public's oil and gas resources. They help ensure a fair return to the taxpayer, diligent development of leased resources, adequate reclamation when development is complete; and that there is adequate deterrence for violations of legal requirements, including trespass and unauthorized removal. Aspects of these elements are fixed by statute and beyond the Secretary's authority to revise; however, in many instances they have been further constrained by regulatory provisions (e.g., minimum bond amounts) that have not been reviewed or adjusted in decades. The purpose of this ANPR is to seek comments on this situation and the need for, and content of, potential changes or updates to the existing regulations in these areas. Specifically, the BLM is seeking comments and suggestions that would assist the agency in preparing a proposed rule that gives the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), through the BLM, the flexibility to adjust royalty rates in response to changes in the oil and gas market. Absent near-term enactment of new statutory flexibility for new non-competitively issued leases, a future proposed rule would limit any contemplated royalty rate changes to new competitively issued oil and gas leases on BLM-managed lands, because the royalty rate that is charged on non-competitively issued leases is currently fixed by statute at 12.5 percent. The intent of any anticipated changes to the royalty rate regulations would be to provide the BLM with the necessary tools to ensure that the American people receive a fair return on the oil and gas resources extracted from BLM-managed lands. In addition to the royalty rate, the BLM is also seeking input on: (1) How to update its annual rental payment, minimum acceptable bid, and bonding requirements for oil and gas leases, and (2) Whether to remove the caps established by existing regulations on civil penalties that may be assessed under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act (FOGRMA). With respect to annual rental payments, the intent of any potential increase in annual payments would be to provide a greater financial incentive for oil and gas companies to develop their leases promptly or relinquish them, including for potential re-leasing, as appropriate, by other parties, and to ensure that leases acquired non- competitively provide a fair financial return to the taxpayer. With respect to the minimum acceptable bid, the intent of any potential changes is to ensure that the American taxpayers receive a fair financial return at BLM oil and gas lease sale auctions. With respect to bonding requirements, the intent of any potential bonding updates would be to ensure that bonds required for oil and gas activities on public lands adequately capture costs associated with potential non- compliance with any terms and conditions applicable to a Federal onshore oil and gas lease. The BLM's existing regulations currently set bond minimums that have not been adjusted in 50 years. With respect to penalty assessments, the intent of the potential removal of the regulatory caps would be to ensure that the penalties provide adequate deterrence of unlawful conduct, particularly drilling on Federal onshore leases without authorization and drilling into leased parcels in knowing and willful trespass. The anticipated updates to BLM's onshore oil and gas royalty rate regulations and other potential changes to its standard lease fiscal terms address recommendations from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and will help ensure that taxpayers are receiving a fair return from the development of these resources. The anticipated changes to the royalty rate regulations will also support implementation of reform proposals in the Administration's Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 budget.

This order revokes in its entirety the withdrawal established by an Executive Order as to 168.05 acres of public land on Thunder Bay Island in Lake Huron withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws and reserved for use by the United States Coast Guard for lighthouse purposes. The reservation is no longer needed. This order returns administrative jurisdiction to the Bureau of Land Management and opens the land to the operation of the public land laws, subject to valid existing rights and other segregations of record.

The plats of survey described below are scheduled to be officially filed in the New Mexico State Office, Bureau of Land Management, Santa Fe, New Mexico, thirty (30) calendar days from the date of this publication.