Department of the Interior April 6, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability of the Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact Statement, General Management Plan for Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, Texas. On February 8, 2005, the Associate Regional Director, Intermountain Region approved the Record of Decision for the project. As soon as practicable, the National Park Service will begin to implement the General Management Plan, described as the Preferred Alternative contained in the Final Environmental Impact Statement issued on January 7, 2005. The following course of action will occur under the preferred alternative. The protection of natural and cultural resources will be emphasized throughout the river corridor, as well as providing opportunities for traditional visitor uses. As mandated by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, a permanent boundary for the wild and scenic river is established for protection and management of the outstandingly remarkable values. The National Park Service will negotiate and implement cooperative agreements with nonfederal landowners that specify the rights and responsibilities of the National Park Service and each landowner. A river use plan and resource management plan will be developed for the entire river. The NPS will cooperate with other U.S agencies and the appropriate agencies in Mexico to maintain or enhance water quality and minimum flows in the river. The preferred alternative also recommends to Congress that the upstream segment of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park be designated as part of the Wild and Scenic River. The selected action and one other alternative were analyzed in the draft and final environmental impact statements. A full range of foreseeable environmental consequences was assessed. The full Record of Decision includes a statement of the decision made, synopses of other alternatives considered, the basis for the decision, a finding of non- impairment of park resources and values, a listing of measures to minimize environmental harm, and an overview of public involvement in the planning process.

This notice sets forth the date of the April 16, 2005, meeting of the Flight 93 Advisory Commission.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter the Service or we) proposes to establish annual hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds for the 2005-06 hunting season. We annually prescribe outside limits (frameworks) within which States may select hunting seasons. This proposed rule provides the regulatory schedule, describes the proposed regulatory alternatives for the 2005-06 duck hunting seasons, requests proposals from Indian tribes that wish to establish special migratory game bird hunting regulations on Federal Indian reservations and ceded lands, and requests proposals for the 2006 spring/summer migratory bird subsistence season in Alaska. Migratory game bird hunting seasons provide hunting opportunities for recreation and sustenance, aid Federal, State, and tribal governments in the management of migratory game birds, and permit harvests at levels compatible with migratory game bird population status and habitat conditions.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requests the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend an existing approval to collect information from those persons who submit Form 2520-1 to apply for a desert-land entry to reclaim, irrigate, and cultivate arid and semiarid public lands in the Western United States. The BLM uses this information to determine if the applicant is eligible to make a desert-land entry under the appropriate land entry laws.

This notice advises the public of a correction to the Bureau of Indian Affairs' (BIA) Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the North Fork Rancheria's Proposed Trust Acquisition and Hotel/Casino Project, Madera County, California, published in the Federal Register on October 27, 2004 (69 FR 62721), which described the proposed action. The October notice is corrected to include statements concerning project alternatives, which are provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. This notice also re-opens public scoping to identify potential issues, concerns and alternatives to be considered in the EIS.