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

The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council (Council) was established by the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-320) (Act) to receive reports and advise federal agencies on implementing the Act. In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Bureau of Reclamation announces that the Council will meet as detailed below. Dates and Location: The Council will conduct its annual meeting at the following time and location: Tuesday, October 25, 2005Riverside, CaliforniaThe meeting will be held in the Mission Inn located at 3649 Mission Inn Avenue. The meeting will begin at 8 a.m., recess at approximately 1 p.m., and reconvene briefly the following day at 1 p.m.

The Fish and Wildlife Service published a document in the Federal Register on September 13, 2005 (70 FR 54146), amending 50 CFR part 32. This document related to the addition of refuges and wetland management districts to the list of areas open for hunting and/or sport fishing programs and increased the activities available at other refuges. We also developed pertinent refuge-specific regulations for those activities and amended certain regulations on other refuges that pertain to migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game hunting, and sport fishing for the 2005-2006 season. This document corrects the final regulations.

MMS is delaying until January 1, 2006, the effective date of a rule that will implement fees to offset MMS's costs of providing certain services related to its mineral programs. This delay is necessary because of damage caused in the New Orleans area by Hurricane Katrina and subsequent flooding. The delay will provide relief to the government and the oil and gas industry as they recover from this disaster.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to amend the Caliente Resource Management Plan (RMP) to cover newly transferred lands at NPR-2 and prepare an environmental assessment to analyze the effects of that action. The lands addressed by this amendment were formerly under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy. However, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) transferred management responsibility from the DOE to the BLM effective August 8, 2005. As directed in the Act, ``the principal purpose of the lands subject to transfer * * * is the production of hydrocarbon resources, and the Secretary of the Interior shall manage the lands in a fashion consistent with this purpose.'' Accordingly, this plan amendment will specify management prescriptions at NPR-2 for oil and gas related operations and specific realty actions covered under 43 CFR part 2000 by extending existing management prescriptions from the current Caliente RMP. The proposed action identifies the suitability of the newly transferred lands for leasing for oil and gas exploration and development and any constraints thereon, in addition to addressing both ongoing and new oil and gas related activities on lands that are already leased. The amendment will also identify guidance for specific realty program actions, including any constraints on repositioning land through exchange, sale or acquisition. The land affected comprises only the federal portion of NPR-2. Total acreage is approximately 10,451 acres, located in Townships 31 South, Ranges 23-24 East; and 32 South, Ranges 23-25 East, MDBM. Approximately 7,919 acres, 76% of the transferred land, already contain ongoing oil and gas operations and little change is expected in those areas. Approximately 2,532 acres, or 24% of the transferred land, is unleased.

This notice informs the public that Hurricane Katrina disrupted the Minerals Management Service's Internet-based public commenting system, which is hosted on computers in New Orleans, Louisiana. It advises the public of alternate methods they may use to comment on documents.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat for the Klamath River, Columbia River, Jarbidge River, Coastal-Puget Sound, and Saint Mary-Belly River populations of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the coterminous United States pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This final designation totals approximately 3,828 miles (mi) (6,161 kilometers (km) of streams, 143,218 acres (ac) (57,958 hectares (ha) of lakes in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, and 985 mi (1,585 km) of shoreline paralleling marine habitat in Washington. We solicited data and comments from the public on all aspects of the proposed rules, including data on economic and other impacts of the designations.

This rule prescribes the hunting seasons, hours, areas, and daily bag and possession limits for general waterfowl seasons and those early seasons for which States previously deferred selection. Taking of migratory birds is prohibited unless specifically provided for by annual regulations. This rule permits the taking of designated species during the 2005-06 season.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) prescribes final late-season frameworks from which States may select season dates, limits, and other options for the 2005-06 migratory bird hunting seasons. These late seasons include most waterfowl seasons, the earliest of which commences on September 24, 2005. The effect of this final rule is to facilitate the States' selection of hunting seasons and to further the annual establishment of the late-season migratory bird hunting regulations.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (1976) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (1972), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pinedale Anticline Working Group (PAWG) will meet in Pinedale, Wyoming, for a business meeting. Group meetings are open to the public.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability of the approved Barton Springs Salamander Recovery Plan (Recovery Plan). The Barton Springs salamander (Eurycea sosorum) is known to occur near four spring outlets that collectively make up Barton Springs in Austin, Texas. Habitat loss and modification from water quality and water quantity degradation are the primary threats facing the species. The Recovery Plan outlines the necessary criteria, objectives, and tasks to reduce these threats and accomplish the goal of delisting the Barton Springs salamander.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend existing approvals to collect certain information from lessees, operators, record title holders, operating rights owners, and the general public on oil and gas and operations on Federal lands.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plats of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Montana State Office, Billings, Montana, (30) days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

The public surface estate has been determined to be suitable for disposal by direct sale under Section 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, (90 STAT. 2750; 43 U.S.C. 1713) and the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act of 2000, Pub. L. 106-248, July 25, 2000, to the Mary A. Clay Revocable Trust, the owner of improvements on the property.

Notice is hereby given that certain lands will be temporarily closed to public use in and around the Paragon Astronautics rocket launch site, located in Pershing, Washoe and Humboldt counties, Nevada, from 0700 to 1200 hours, September 27, 2005-September 30, 2005; October 3, 2005-October 7, 2005; and October 11, 2005-October 14, 2005. These closures are being made in the interest of public safety at and around the location of an amateur high-altitude rocket launch site. This event is expected to attract approximately 50 participants. The lands involved are located northeast of Gerlach, Nevada in the Mount Diablo Meridian. The following Public Lands are closed to public use: Public land areas north of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, east of State Highway 34 and County Road 200, and west of the Pahute Peak and Black Rock Desert wilderness boundaries within the following legally described areas:

Pursuant to 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Subpart 8341.2(a), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the closure of certain BLM-administered public lands to all types of motor vehicle use to protect the National Historic Trails (NHT), which includes the Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, California, and Pony Express Trails. This closure affects public lands located within Fremont County on the NHTs in the area known as Rocky Ridge. The closure area extends for approximately 2 miles from near the Lower Monument over Rocky Ridge to the western edge of the BLM-administered public land in Section 28, T29N, R97W.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Bureau of Reclamation (we, our, or us) intends to submit a request for renewal of an existing approved information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): Crop Acreage and Yields and Water Distribution (Water User Crop Census Report [Form 7-332], and Crop and Water Data [Form 7-2045]), OMB Control Number: 1006-0001. We request your comments on the proposed forms and specific aspects of this information collection.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease WYW149420 from Beard Oil Company for lands in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease WYW144663 from Crown Oil & Gas Co., Inc. for lands in Sublette County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease WYW131795 from Encana Energy Resources, Inc. for lands in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease WYW146282 from Gulf Exploration LLC for lands in Converse County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease WYW157570 from Rocky Mountain Land & Leasing, Inc. for lands in Hot Springs County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing its intention to request renewed authority to collect information for: OSM grant formsOSM-47 (Budget Information Report), OSM-49 (Budget Information and Financial Reporting) and OSM-51 (Performance and Program narrative); 30 CFR 735 (Grants for Program Development and Administration and Enforcement); and 30 CFR part 886 (State and Tribal Reclamation Grants).

We are proposing to update and amend the standards for the humane and healthful transport of wild mammals and birds to the United States. To determine how to proceed, we are asking the public for comments and input on whether the current regulations are up to date and adequate. We are also seeking comments for the best process to address necessary changes to the requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations that provide standards for the humane and healthful transport of wild mammals and birds to the United States. This will allow us to further meet our responsibilities under the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 and our obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The current standards for transport of mammals and birds now available are in accordance with the accepted international requirements as described in the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) Live Animal Regulations (LAR) published in October 1993 (20th edition). This edition is now 12 years old and several updates of the IATA Live Animal Regulations have been published since publication of that edition. Many mammals and birds are protected by CITES and it is a recommendation that all species listed under CITES be transported using the current IATA LAR. We expect that if we promulgate amendments to the standards for humane and healthful transport of wild mammals and birds to the United States, these amendments will be consistent with the most current IATA LAR at the time of the final rule, and, therefore, be current with the industry standards for ensuring the humane and healthful shipment of live mammals and birds. Finally, it has come to our attention that IATA LAR requirements may not always agree with those of the international ground transport industry, such as those of the Animal Transport Association (AATA). We are interested in public comments on this issue as well.