Department of the Interior August 23, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of survival permit pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended. The permit application includes a draft 20-year Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) between the Service and TPWD for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken in 50 Texas counties. We request public comment.

Pursuant to section 2(b) the Mineral Leasing Act of February 25, 1920, as amended by Section 4 of the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1976, 90 Stat. 1083, 30 U.S.C. 201(b), and to Title 43, Code of Federal Regulations, (CFR), Subpart 3410, all interested qualified parties, as provided in 43 CFR 3472.1 are hereby invited to participate with Ark Land Company on a pro rata cost sharing basis in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in the following described lands in Garfield County, Colorado.

National Petroleum ReserveAlaska; Notice of Sale and Notice of Availability of the Detailed Statement of Sale for Oil and Gas Lease Sale 2006. The Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State Office, will hold an oil and gas lease sale bid opening for the Northeast and Northwest Planning Areas of the National Petroleum ReserveAlaska. Tracts offered for competitive bid in the Northeast Planning Area cover land not previously offered for sale, as identified in the January 11, 2006, Record of Decision on the Amended Integrated Activity Plan/Environmental Impact Statement; land previously offered in Sale Numbers 991 (1999) and 2002, but for which no bid was received; and land from leases issued after the 2002 Sale that have been relinquished by lessees. All the tracts in the Northwest Planning Area cover land offered in the 2004 Sale but that did not receive any bid.

The purpose of this notice is to alert the public to two items. First, pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the disposition of the former Bureau of Mines Twin Cities Research Center (Center), located within the boundary of Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), a unit of the NPS, in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The draft EIS is now available for public review and comment, and everyone is invited to comment on the document. Secondly, the notice is intended to alert any prospective Government or university entities that the NPS is soliciting proposals for use of the Center. In accordance with the legislation addressing the Center (Pub. L. 104-134), only Government and university entities qualify as possible recipients of the property. Additionally, Public Law 106-113 allows the Secretary to accept financial remuneration for the Center and distribute the funds to MNRRA and the national wildlife refuge system for the benefit of their respective activities in Minnesota. The Center is Federal land located within the boundary of the MNRRA. Accordingly, through today's notice, the NPS invites written proposals from Government and university entities who may be interested in acquiring the former Bureau of Mines property. Verbal proposals will not be considered.