Department of the Interior December 29, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Section 1813 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-58) requires the Department of the Interior (DOI) and Department of Energy to provide Congress with a study regarding energy rights-of-way on tribal lands. The study is due to Congress by August 7, 2006. The Departments are interested in receiving comments from the public about how to proceed with implementing section 1813.

The Bureau of Land Management's California Desert District is soliciting nominations from the public for five members of its District Advisory Council to serve the 2007-2009 three-year term. Council members provide advice and recommendations to BLM on the management of public lands in southern California. Nominations will be accepted through Wednesday, May 31, 2006. The three-year term would begin January 1, 2007. The five positions to be filled include:

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Shumagin Corporation. The lands are located in T. 51 S., R. 70 W., T. 52 S., R. 74 W., T. 53 S., R. 74 W., T. 53 S., R. 75 W., T. 52 S., R. 78 W., T. 54 S., R. 80 W., T. 50 S., R. 82 W., and T. 51 S., R. 83 W., Seward Meridian, Alaska, in the vicinity of Sand Point, Alaska, and contain approximately 24,626.58 acres. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Dutch Harbor Fisherman.

The following described lands, aggregating approximately 5.0 acres, more or less, have been designated for disposal and will be offered as a direct sale of public lands within the City of Henderson in Clark County, Nevada, to M Holdings, LLC.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce public meetings on American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). These meetings will help us gather information from the public in preparation of our 2006 findings on the export of American ginseng roots, for the issuance of permits under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing to designate areas where personal watercraft (PWC) may be used in Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina. This proposed rule implements the provisions of the NPS general regulations authorizing park areas to allow the use of PWC by promulgating a special regulation. The NPS Management Policies 2001 directs individual parks to determine whether PWC use is appropriate for a specific park area based on an evaluation of that area's enabling legislation, resources and values, other visitor uses, and overall management objectives.

The Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region, intends to gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and its implementing regulations. The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, requires the Service to develop a comprehensive conservation plan for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose in developing a comprehensive conservation plan is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year strategy for achieving refuge purposes and contributing toward the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System, consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal mandates, and Service policies. In addition to outlining broad management direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, plans identify wildlife- dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education and interpretation. The purpose of this notice is to achieve the following: (1) Advise other agencies and the public of our intentions, and (2) Obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issue to include in the environmental document.