Department of the Interior December 8, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Colorado State Office, will offer certain coal resources in the B, D/E seams in Gunnison County, Colorado, hereinafter described as Federal coal lease application (LBA) COC 67232 for competitive lease by sealed bid in accordance with the provisions for competitive lease sales in 43 CFR 3422.2(a), and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended and supplemented (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.).

This notice reopens the period for comments on proposed Class II definitions and game classification standards published in the Federal Register on May 25, 2006 (71 FR 30232, 71 FR 30238). This notice also reopens the period for comments on proposed Class II technical standards published in the Federal Register on August 11, 2006 (71 FR 46336).

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) have prepared a Final EIS/EIR for the South Delta Improvements Program (SDIP). The SDIP is being pursued to address the needs of the Sacramento- San Joaquin River Delta (Delta) aquatic environment, as well as longstanding statewise, regional and local water supply needs. Reclamation and DWR have identified the following objectives and purpose: reduce the movement of San Joaquin River watershed Central Valley fall-/late fall-run juvenile Chinook salmon into the south Delta via Old River; maintain adequate water levels and, through improved circulation, water quality available for agricultural diversions in the south Delta, downstream of the head of Old River; and increase water deliveries and delivery reliability for Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP) water contractors south of the Delta and provide opportunities to convey water for fish and wildlife purposes by increasing the maximum permitted level of diversion through the existing intake gates at Clifton Court Forebay from 6680 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 8500 cfs.

The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in Wakulla, Jefferson, and Taylor Counties, Florida, is available for distribution. The plan was prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and describes how the refuge will be managed for the next 15 years.

The termination of benefits for stripper well properties was effective February 1, 2006, and replaced by Section 343 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which was established a Marginal Property Production Incentives Program (MPPIP).