Department of the Interior May 22, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

MMS is proposing to incorporate by reference the First Edition of the American Petroleum Institute's Recommended Practice for Cementing Shallow Water Flow Zones in Deep Water Wells (API RP 65) into MMS regulations. Since 1987, at least 113 OCS wells have encountered shallow water flow (SWF) to varying degrees. The majority of these wells experienced SWF to only a minor degree; however, there were instances of severe encounters resulting in abandonment of well sites and loss of wells. This action would establish best practices for cementing wells in deep water areas of the OCS that are prone to SWF.

This notice advises the public of three corrections to the Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe's Proposed Fee-to Trust Transfer, Reservation Proclamation and Casino-Resort Project, Clark County, Washington, published in the Federal Register on April 12, 2006, 71 FR 18767 (FR Doc. E6-5383). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was erroneously included among the cooperating agencies. EPA is not a cooperating agency for this DEIS. This notice also corrects the name, address and telephone number of the contact person for the DEIS.

This notice advises the public that the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC, or Applicant) has applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of survival permit (ESP) under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The ESP application includes a proposed Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA) for the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) (RCW) for a period of 99 years, along with a supporting Environmental Assessment (EA). We announce the opening of a 30-day comment period and request comments from the public on the proposed SHA and the supporting EA.

The National Park Service (NPS) has revised existing policies and procedures that guide its acceptance of donations and its relationships to those who desire to raise private sector support to benefit parks and programs. The policies and procedures apply to all units of the national park system, and supersede and replace the policies and procedures originally issued in 1998 that were subsequently extended pending the completion of the revision.

This notice announces the revision to the boundary of Big Thicket National Preserve to include the parcel of land known as Tract 223-09. The United States will acquire this tract from The Conservation Fund upon the revision of the boundary. The National Park Service has determined that this boundary revision is necessary and that the acquisition of this tract would make a significant contribution to the purposes for which the preserve was created.