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

Under the provisions of Section 371(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the lessee, SHADCO, timely filed a petition for reinstatement of noncompetitive oil and gas lease WYW138627 in Natrona County, Wyoming. The lessee paid the required rental accruing from the date of termination, April 1, 2002. No leases were issued that affect these lands. The lessee agrees to new lease terms for rentals of $5.00 per acre and royalties of 16\2/3\ percent or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate. The lessee has paid the required $500 administrative fee for the reinstatement of the lease and $166 cost for publishing this Notice. The lessee has met all the requirements for reinstatement of the lease per Sec. 31(e) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 188(e)). We are proposing to reinstate the lease, effective the date of termination subject to: The original terms and conditions of the lease; The increased rental of $5.00 per acre; and The increased royalty of 16\2/3\ percent or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate.

Under the provisions of section 371(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the lessee, Palo Production Corporation, timely filed a petition for reinstatement of competitive oil and gas lease WYW132338 in Fremont County, Wyoming. The lessee paid the required rental accruing from the date of termination, June 1, 2002. No leases were issued that affect these lands. The lessee agrees to new lease terms for rentals of $10.00 per acre and royalties of 16\2/3\ percent or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate. The lessee has paid the required $500 administrative fee for the reinstatement of the lease and $166 cost for publishing this Notice. The lessee has met all the requirements for reinstatement of the lease per Sec. 31(e) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 188(e)). We are proposing to reinstate the lease, effective the date of termination subject to: The original terms and conditions of the lease; The increased rental of $10.00 per acre; and The increased royalty of 16\2/3\ percent or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate.

Under the provisions of Section 371(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the lessee, Rocksource Energy Corporation, timely filed a petition for reinstatement of competitive oil and gas lease WYW142145 in Fremont County, Wyoming. The lessee paid the required rental accruing from the date of termination, August 1, 2002. No leases were issued that affect these lands. The lessee agrees to new lease terms for rentals of $10.00 per acre and royalties of 16\2/3\ percent or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate. The lessee has paid the required $500 administrative fee for the reinstatement of the lease and $166 cost for publishing this Notice. The lessee has met all the requirements for reinstatement of the lease per Sec. 31(e) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 188(e)). We are proposing to reinstate the lease, effective the date of termination subject to: The original terms and conditions of the lease; The increased rental of $10.00 per acre; and The increased royalty of 16\2/3\ or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate.

In accordance with the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act of 2000, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Steens Mountain Advisory Council will meet as indicated below.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby provides notice that it will offer a 40-acre parcel of public land located in Archuleta County, Colorado, for sale at not less than the appraised fair market value to Thomas H. and Margie E. Smith, the sale proponents. The BLM Pagosa Field Manager has determined that because the parcel is completely surrounded by private lands owned by the sale proponents and has no legal access via any public road, it will be offered to the sale proponents under noncompetitive (direct) sale procedures.

This notice announces that a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge are available for review and comment. 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, the plan identifies wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education and interpretation.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces that the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin is available. 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 public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the following Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment: The previously- approved Right-of-Use (ROU) Application (Form 7-2540), 43 CFR part 429, OMB Control Number 1006-0003, has been significantly modified, shortened and made clearer for short-term public uses of Reclamation land, facilities, and water surfaces. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (Bureau) is publishing this notice to inform the public, the tribes, and Federal staff of the methodology that will be used for the distribution of Contract Support Funds (CSF) and Indian-Self Determination Funds (ISDF) for FY 2006. These funds are distributed as authorized by the Indian Self- Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975, as amended, and financed with funds appropriated under the Snyder Act. This distribution methodology is published to ensure eligible recipients and responsible federal employees are aware of program operations for this fiscal year. This is a guidance document, it is not establishing regulations.

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, as amended by the Act of May 2, 2000, will be issued to Elim Native Corporation. The lands are located in Tps. 6 S., Rs. 15, 16, and 17 W.; Tps. 7 S., Rs. 16, 17, and 18 W.; and Tps. 8 S., Rs. 17 and 18 W., Kateel River Meridian, in the vicinity of Elim, Alaska, and contain approximately 45,881 acres. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Nome Nugget.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a meeting of the Klamath River Basin Fisheries Task Force. The meeting is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to allow affected interests to continue providing recommendations to us on implementation of our program to restore anadromous fisheries, including salmon and steelhead, in the Klamath River in California and Oregon.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs is amending its Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation's Proposed Coyote Business Park, Umatilla County, Oregon, which was published in the Federal Register on December 16, 2005 (70 FR 74844). This amendment adds 18 days to the public comment period. All of the other information in the December 16, 2005, notice remains unchanged.

Pursuant to Civil Action No. 03-04 (RMC), The Wilderness Society v. Gale Norton, January 10, 2005, and in accordance with National Park Service (NPS) Management Policies 2001 section 6.2.1, the NPS has completed a Wilderness Suitability Assessment to determine if lands within Redwood National Park meet criteria indicating suitability for preservation as wilderness. The Redwood National Park staff reviewed management related documents that discussed potential wilderness, reviewed existing resource conditions, and weighed this information against Primary Suitability Criteria, section 6.2.1.1, of Management Policies 2001. Since the expansion of Redwood National Park in 1978, the park has undertaken an intense watershed rehabilitation program with a focus on removing roads. Since park expansion in 1978, about 219 miles of road have been removed and another 123 miles are proposed for removal within the Redwood Creek portion of the park. The 1999 Final General Management/General Plan and FEIS for Redwood National and State Parks states that until watershed restoration activities are completed that no wilderness area will be proposed. The 1979 General Management Plan concluded that a wilderness recommendation would be premature until rehabilitation efforts are completed because of the continuing need for large construction vehicles and the maintenance and heavy use of roads, activities inconsistent with wilderness designation. Based on these findings, the NPS has concluded that the lands within Redwood National Park do not warrant further study for wilderness evaluation at this time. However, following successful completion of watershed restoration activities in 12-15 years, or during the next General Management Plan effort, reconsideration of wilderness suitability for certain tracts of land within Redwood Creek could be warranted.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to revise critical habitat for the endangered Alabama beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 1,298 acres (ac) (525 hectares (ha)) fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. The proposed critical habitat is located in Baldwin County, Alabama.