Department of the Interior February 13, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On March 15, 2006, the MMS will open and publicly announce bids received for blocks offered in Central GOM Oil and Gas Lease Sale 198, pursuant to the OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331-1356, as amended), and the regulations issued thereunder (30 CFR part 256). The Final Notice of Sale 198 Package (FNOS 198 Package) contains information essential to bidders, and bidders are charged with the knowledge of the documents contained in the Package.

We are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Wyoming regulatory program (hereinafter, the ``Wyoming program'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Wyoming proposes revisions to and additions of rules about bond release (Rule Package 1-P) and highwall retention (Rule Package 1-T). Wyoming intends to revise its program to be consistent with the corresponding Federal regulations, provide additional safeguards, clarify ambiguities, and improve operational efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the Wyoming program and proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

We are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Utah regulatory program (hereinafter, the ``Utah program'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Utah proposes revisions to the Utah Administrative Rules concerning permit change, renewal, transfer, sale and assignment, cross sections and maps, processing and approval of extensions to the approved permit area, determining civil penalty amounts, and assessing daily civil penalties. Utah intends to revise its program to clarify and strengthen certain parts of the rules.

Carlos Bigord (Applicant) requests an incidental take permit (ITP) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Applicant anticipates taking over a one- year permit term, about 0.23 acre of Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)(scrub-jay) foraging, sheltering, and possibly nesting habitat, incidental to lot preparation for the construction of a single-family home and supporting infrastructure in Charlotte County, Florida (Project). The Applicant's Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) describes the mitigation and minimization measures proposed to address the effects of the Project to the Florida scrub-jay. These measures are outlined in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. The Service announces the availability of the HCP for the incidental take application.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces that the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) is available for Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, Minnesota. The CCP was prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Goals and objectives in the CCP describe how the agency intends to manage the refuge over the next 15 years.

The Adaptive Management Program (AMP) was implemented as a result of the Record of Decision on the Operation of Glen Canyon Dam Final Environmental Impact Statement to comply with consultation requirements of the Grand Canyon Protection Act (Pub. L. 102-575) of 1992. The AMP includes a Federal advisory committee (AMWG), a technical work group (TWG), a monitoring and research center, and independent review panels. The AMWG makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior concerning Glen Canyon Dam operations and other management actions to protect resources downstream of Glen Canyon Dam consistent with the Grand Canyon Protection Act. The TWG is a subcommittee of the AMWG and provides technical advice and recommendations to the AMWG. Date and Location: The AMWG will conduct the following public meeting: Phoenix, ArizonaMarch 7-8, 2006. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. on the first day and will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 3 p.m. on the second day. The meeting will be held at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 2 Arizona Center, 400 N. 5th Street, 12th Floor, Conference Rooms A&B, in Phoenix, Arizona. Agenda: The purpose of the meeting will be to review the Fiscal Year 2005 budget expenditures and proposed FY06 budget modifications and draft FY07-08 budget and workplan proposals, and to receive updates on science plans currently in development along with other monitoring and research reports. Additional topics of discussion will include status of humpback chub efforts, basin hydrology, public outreach, and other administrative and resource issues pertaining to the AMP. Time will be allowed for any individual or organization wishing to make formal oral comments (limited to 5 minutes) at the meeting. To allow full consideration of information by the AMWG members, written notice must be provided to Dennis Kubly, Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Regional Office, 125 South State Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84138; telephone (801) 524-3715; faxogram (801) 524-3858; e-mail at dkubly@uc.usbr.gov at least five (5) days prior to the meeting. Any written comments received will be provided to the AMWG and TWG members.

We invite the public to comment on the following application to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the island marble butterfly (Euchloe ausonides insulanus) as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We find that the petition presents substantial scientific information indicating that listing the island marble butterfly may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a status review of the species, and we will issue a 12-month finding to determine if the petitioned action is warranted. To assist and ensure that the review is comprehensive, we are soliciting information and data regarding this species.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is reopening the comment period on its Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Proposed Campo Solid Waste Landfill Facility on the Campo Indian Reservation in San Diego County, California, for an additional 30 days. The Notice of Intent to prepare the SEIS, published in the Federal Register on November 8, 2005 (70 FR 67738), announced a closing date for comments of December 9, 2005.