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

This document contains a correcting amendment to a final rule reorganizing regulations of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) relating to onshore oil and gas operations, which was published in the Federal Register of Friday, February 20, 1987 (52 FR 5384). The amendment corrects an error in a cross-reference.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), two meetings of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council (RAC), Nevada, will be held as indicated below. Topics for discussion at the meetings will include, but are not limited to: Manager's reports of current field office activities; RAC subcommittee reports on a variety of issues; Carson City Field Office Energy RMP Amendment/DEIS; North Valleys Rights-of-Way Projects FEIS; Pine Nut Mountain RMP Amendment/ DEIS; Denton-Rawhide Mining RMP Amendment/Sale; Alpine County RMP Amendment; Sand Mountain Conservation Strategy; Granite-Fox Power Plant Project; Coer-Rochester Mine Plan/DEIS; Winnemucca RMP/DEIS; and additional topics the council may raise during the meetings.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) determined, after public input, that the proposed P-SMBP project use power rate of 12.55 mills per kilowatt-hour (kWh) is approved and will become effective 30 days after this notice is published.

The Water Resources Planning Act of 1965 and the Water Resources Development Act of 1974 require an annual determination of a discount rate for Federal water resources planning. The discount rate for Federal water resources planning for fiscal year 2006 is 5.125 percent. Discounting is to be used to convert future monetary values to present values.

The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the North Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge Complex is available for distribution. The plan was prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and describes how the Complex will be managed for the next 15 years. The compatibility determinations for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, environmental education and interpretation, off-road vehicle use, and resource research studies on each refuge, as well as bicycle use and farming on Dahomey and Tallahatchie refuges, are also available within the plan.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (Services) advise interested parties of their intent to conduct public scoping under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to gather information to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) related to a permit application from the Port of Vancouver, Washington, for the incidental take of listed species. The permit application would be associated with the Port of Vancouver Columbia Gateway Site Habitat Conservation Plan adjacent to the Columbia River in Vancouver, WA.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species and/or marine mammals.

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) Mojave Southern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate a total of approximately 633 river miles (mi) (1018.7 kilometers (km)) of critical habitat for spikedace and loach minnow. Proposed critical habitat is located in New Mexico and Arizona. We hereby solicit data and comments from the public on all aspects of this proposal, including data on economic and other impacts of the designation. We may revise this proposal prior to final designation to incorporate or address new information received during public comment periods.

On February 26, 1999, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) issued a section 10(a)(1)(B) permit, pursuant to Section 10(a) of the Endangered Species Act (Act), for incidental take of the golden-cheeked warbler (GCW) (Dendroica chrysoparia) to Mark and Brenda Hogan. This permit was subsequently transferred to Ralph Lake, Jr. on January 12, 2001. The permit (TE-005497) was for a period of five years and expired on February 26, 2004. The requested permit renewal by Ralph Lake will extend the permit expiration by five years from the date the permit is reissued.

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 will meet as indicated below.

This order revokes a Public Land Order in its entirety, which withdrew approximately 8,927 acres for automobile racing and testing grounds. The lands are located within another overlapping withdrawal, so Public Land Order No. 852 is no longer needed.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter Service) will conduct an open meeting on February 1, 2006, to identify and discuss preliminary issues concerning the 2006-07 migratory bird hunting regulations.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species and marine mammals.

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), the Western Montana Resource Advisory Council will meet as indicated below.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) intends to file a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the proposed lease and development of an industrial park of up to 142 acres of land held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) in Umatilla County, Oregon, and that the DEIS is now available for public review. The purpose of the proposed project, the Coyote Business Park, is to help meet economic development needs on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. This notice also announces a hearing for the public to provide comments on the DEIS.

In compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Civil Rights, Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior (DOI), announces the proposed extension of a public information collection and seeks public comments on the provisions thereof.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are listing the alligator snapping turtle (Macroclemys [=Macrochelys] temminckii) and all species of map turtle (Graptemys spp.) in Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Convention, or CITES). Appendix III of CITES includes species that a CITES Party identifies as being subject to regulation within its jurisdiction for the purpose of preventing or restricting exploitation, and as needing the cooperation of other Parties in the control of trade. International trade in alligator snapping turtles is largely focused on pet markets and meat for human consumption. Map turtles are popular in the pet trade and may also be sold for human consumption. Map and alligator snapping turtles are protected to varying degrees by State laws within the United States. Listing these native turtles in Appendix III is necessary to allow us to adequately monitor international trade in the taxa; to determine whether exports are occurring legally, with respect to State law; and to determine whether further measures under CITES or other laws are required to conserve these species. Appendix-III listings will lend additional support to State wildlife agencies in their efforts to regulate and manage these species, improve data gathering to increase our knowledge of trade in these species, and strengthen State and Federal wildlife enforcement activities to prevent poaching and illegal trade. Furthermore, listing alligator snapping turtles and all species of map turtles in Appendix III enlists the assistance of other Parties in our efforts to monitor and control trade in these species.

This notice provides the name of individuals who have been appointed to serve as members of the Department of the Interior Performance Review Board.

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) Southwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to revise critical habitat for the endangered Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis) and Choctawhatchee beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus allophrys), and designate critical habitat for the endangered St. Andrew beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are proposing 5 units of critical habitat totaling approximately 1,264 acres (ac) (511 hectares (ha)) for the Perdido Key beach mouse, 5 units totaling approximately 2,334 ac (944 ha) for the Choctawhatchee beach mouse, and 3 units totaling approximately 2,610 ac (1,056 ha) for the St. Andrew beach mouse. In total, approximately 6,208 ac (2,511 ha) fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. The proposed critical habitat is located in Baldwin County, Alabama, and Escambia, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, and Gulf Counties, Florida.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces a 5- year review of greenback cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki stomias) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). A 5-year review is a periodic process conducted to ensure that the listing classification of a species is accurate. A 5-year review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any such information on greenback cutthroat trout that has become available since its reclassification as a threatened species in 1978. Based on the results of this 5-year review, we will make the requisite finding under the ESA.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate and exclude approximately 17,418 acres (ac) (7,049 hectares (ha)) of critical habitat for the Sonoma County distinct population segment of the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are excluding all critical habitat based on interim conservation strategies and measures being implemented by those local governing agencies with land use authority over the area and also as a result of economic exclusions authorized under section 4(b)(2) of the Act. Therefore, no critical habitat is being designated for the Sonoma County distinct population segment of the California tiger salamander in Sonoma County, California.

In a Notice of Intent published May 7, 2003 (68 FR 24501), the National Park Service (NPS) announced its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Transportation Plan at Arches National Park. The NPS has since determined that it is appropriate at this time to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA), rather than an EIS, for the Transportation Plan.