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

Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) proposes to prepare a combined Planning Report and Environmental Impact Statement (PR/EIS) on the Yakima River Basin Water Storage Feasibility Study. The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is a joint lead with Reclamation in the preparation of this Environmental Impact Statement which will also be used to comply with requirements of the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The purpose of Reclamation's Yakima River Basin Water Storage Feasibility Study is to evaluate alternatives that would create additional water storage for the Yakima River basin and assess their potential to supply the water needed for ecosystem aquatic habitat, basin-wide agriculture, and municipal demands. The need for the study is based on the existing finite water supply and limited storage capability of the Yakima River basin in low water years. This finite supply and limited storage capacity do not meet the water supply demands in all years and result in significant adverse impact to the Yakima River basin's economy, which is agriculture-based, and to the basin's aquatic habitat, specifically, anadromous fisheries. The study seeks to identify means of increasing water storage available, including storage of Columbia River water, for purposes of improving anadromous fish habitat and meeting irrigation and municipal water supply needs.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce our decision and the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and found suitable for classification for conveyance under the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act, 25 acres of public land in Eagle County, Colorado. The Eagle River Water and Sanitation District proposes to use the land for a biosolids treatment and storage facility.

The Secretary of the Interior has designated the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to act on behalf of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) as natural resource trustee (Trustee) with respect to the February 2004 oil spill in the Bradley Beach, NJ, area (the incident). The Service has determined that the impacts of the incident warrant conducting a natural resource damage assessment that will include restoration planning. The incident has been referred to by a number of names, including the Bradley Beach Mystery Spill, the Monmouth County Mystery Spill, the Monmouth and Ocean Counties Mystery Spill, the Brick Township Mystery Spill, and the Brick Township Tarball Mystery Spill. The DOI is hereby providing notice of efforts to plan restoration actions for injuries resulting from the incident. The purpose of this restoration planning is to evaluate potential injuries to natural resources and lost services and use that information to determine the need for and scale of restoration actions.

Under the provisions of the paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3507) and 5 CFR part 1320, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, the National Park Service (NPS) invites comments on a submitted request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve an extension of a currently approved information collection clearance (OMB 1024-0232).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), on behalf of the Department of the Interior (DOI) as a natural resource trustee, announces the release to the public of the Natural Resource Damages Preassessment Screen for Onondaga Lake, Onondaga County, New York. Federal regulations at 43 CFR 11.23(a) require Natural Resource Trustees to complete a preassessment screen (PAS) and make a determination as to whether a Natural Resources Damages Assessment (NRDA) shall be carried out at a site, before assessment efforts are undertaken under the regulations. The Onondaga Lake PAS document fulfills that requirement for the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site and follows the structure of Federal Regulations at 43 CFR part 11. The purpose of the PAS is to provide a rapid review of the readily available information on releases of hazardous substances and potential impacts on natural resources in Onondaga Lake and sub-sites for which the DOI may assert trusteeship under section 107(f) of CERCLA.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is preparing a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). This notice advises the public that the Service intends to gather information necessary for preparing the CCP and EA 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. The Service is furnishing this notice in compliance with Service planning policy, to (1) advise other Federal and State agencies and the public of our intention to conduct detailed planning on this refuge; and, (2) obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to include in the environmental document. The Service will involve the public through open houses, informational and technical meetings, and written comments. Special mailings, newspaper articles, Web sites, and announcements will provide information about opportunities for public involvement in the planning process.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Information Collection Request for the Payment for Appointed Counsel in Involuntary Indian Child Custody Proceedings in State courts has been submitted to OMB for review and renewal. This information collection is cleared under OMB Control Number 1076-0111 through December 31, 2006.

In this notice, the Office of Self-Governance (OSG) establishes a March 1, 2007, deadline for tribes/consortia to submit completed applications to begin participation in the tribal self- governance program in fiscal year 2008 or calendar year 2008.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), with the cooperation of the Native Village of Eyak, the Federal Highway Administration, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, intends to file a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the proposed oil spill facility at Shepard Point, near Cordova, Alaska, and that the FEIS is now available for public review. The purpose of the proposed project, the Cordova Area Oil Spill Facility, is to provide a deepwater staging facility for the rapid deployment of equipment to the sites of any oil spills that might occur in the Prince William Sound and environs.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 83 Stat. 852, 853, codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability of the Record of Decision for the Burr Trail Modifications, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. On October 23, 2006 the Director, Intermountain Region approved the Record of Decision for the project. As soon as practicable, the National Park Service will begin to implement the Preferred Alternative contained in the FEIS issued on July 14, 2006. The following course of action will occur under the preferred alternative. In areas with high bentonite clay content, a gravel surface course will be constructed to increase safety. Geotextile fabric may be used between the aggregate and subbase to prevent gravel loss into the subgrade. Without altering the overhanging rock, a narrow section of the road at mile point 0.65 will be widened by 6 feet to 10 feet. This will be accomplished by moving the northern roadside ditch toward the overhanging rock. A rock embankment will be added to the southern side of the road (the north bank of Sandy Creek) to provide structural stability for a portion of the road as well as slope protection. The road bank in the vicinity of mile points 0.75 and 0.85 will be stabilized using slope protection to reduce erosion and maintain the natural contours of the existing stream channel. Up to 530 linear feet of slope protection will be placed along the base and 6 feet or more up the sides of the road embankment. The base width of the protection will remain aligned with the slope to minimize placement of rock within the existing stream channel. Two paved fords, impassable whenever water flows across the roadway, will be constructed at mile points 0.10 and 0.20. Two vented paved fords will be constructed at mile points 0.50 and 0.60. These crossings will be passable during 2-year storm events; floodwaters will be conveyed through two 24-inch-diameter corrugated metal pipe culverts. The paved fords (vented and unvented) will be relatively consistent with the existing topography, and their length will be sufficient to contain overtopping 10-year storm event floodwaters within the paved area. Each of the fords will include slope protection to protect the upstream and downstream banks and inlet and outlet protection to reduce and minimize erosion and scour. Paved fords, similar to those that will be constructed at mile points 0.10 and 0.20, will be constructed at each of the two minor drainage channels. The upstream channel (i.e., inlet) will be recontoured to direct surface flow over the paved ford, and inlet and outlet protection will be installed to minimize erosion and scour. Slope protection will be added to portions of the downstream road embankment to minimize erosion. A vented paved ford will be constructed to facilitate crossing Halls Creek. This ford will include four 36-inch-diameter corrugated metal pipe culverts. The roadway at the crossing will be shifted a short distance downstream (i.e., to the south) from the Halls Creek/ Burr Canyon drainage confluence so that the culverts in the paved ford can accommodate flows from the two drainages. Inlet and outlet protection will be added to minimize scouring and erosion. Slope protection will also be placed on the stream banks both upstream and downstream of the crossing if necessary to reduce the potential for erosion of the stream banks. An existing culvert near the base of the switchbacks in Burr Canyon will be replaced by three 36-inch-diameter corrugated metal pipe culverts. Inlet protection will be installed while the outlet will use the existing rock channel as erosion protection. An approximately 50-foot length of road just east of the existing culvert will be widened 6 to 10 feet by adding a rock embankment and backfilling to widen the road on the south slope of the Burr Canyon drainage. A cattle guard will be placed at the park boundary by the National Park Service to prevent cattle from entering the park from adjacent Bureau of Land Management-administered lands, and the existing cattle guard at mile point 0.55 will be removed when the current grazing allotment expires. This course of action and three alternatives were analyzed in the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements. The full range of foreseeable environmental consequences was assessed, and appropriate mitigating measures were identified. The Record of Decision includes a statement of the decision made, synopses of other alternatives considered, the basis for the decision, a description of the environmentally preferable alternative, a finding on impairment of park resources and values, a listing of measures to minimize environmental harm, and an overview of public involvement in the decision-making process.

This notice sets forth the date of the January 29, 2007 meeting of the Flight 93 Advisory Commission.

The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for Merritt 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 nd Service policies. In addition to outlining broad management direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, plans identify wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education and interpretation.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has completed a Draft Interim Visitor Services Plan (VSP) and associated Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge/Battle of Midway National Memorial/Midway Atoll Special Management Area (Refuge). The Draft VSP/EA is available for public review and comments. This remote Pacific island Refuge is a U.S. territory located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and part of the newly established Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument (Monument). The VSP is intended to guide visitor activities on the Refuge for an interim period of time until a broader Monument management plan is completed that meets the applicable requirements of a refuge comprehensive conservation plan.

Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) subparts 1500- 1508, and 43 CFR subpart 3809, notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Battle Mountain Field Office, Tonopah Field Station, will be preparing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Round Mountain Expansion Project located in Nye County, Nevada. The proposal includes expansion of existing facilities at the Round Mountain mine and the development of new mining and leaching facilities at the adjacent Gold Hill ore deposit.

The proposal to initiate the collection of information described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for approval under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of the proposed collection of information and related forms may be obtained by contacting the Bureau's Clearance Officer at the phone number listed below. OMB has up to 60 days to approve the information collection, but may respond after 30 days; therefore public comments should be submitted to OMB within 30 days in order to assure maximum consideration. Comments and suggestions on the proposal should be made directly to the Desk Officer for the Interior Department, OMB-OIRA, via e-mail to OIRADOCET@omb.eop.gov or via facsimile to (202) 395-6566, and to the Bureau Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 807 National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20192. Specific public comments are requested as to: 1. Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Bureau, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. The accuracy of the Bureau's estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions use; 3. The quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. How to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of the appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology. Title: Inventory of Geological and Geophysical Collections at State Surveys. OMB approval number: 1028-. Abstract: Section 351 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, ``to carry out a National Geological and Geophysical data Preservation Program'' (NGGDPP). The Implementation Plan for the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program submitted to Congress in August 2006 outlines the vision and purpose of the program and makes recommendations for implementation of the program. One of the action items in the FY 2007 implementation plan is to ``begin interactions with State geological surveys and other DOI agencies that maintain geological and geophysical data and samples to address their preservation and data rescue needs.'' As the first step in this process, the USGS is requesting that each state provide an assessment of their current collections resources and data preservation needs. This information will provide a snapshot of the diversity of scientific collections held, supported, or used by state geological surveys. The inventory covers geological and geophysical collections including: (1) Physical collections such as cores, rocks, minerals, fossils, and liquid samples (such as oil). (2) Digital collections (such as analyses and well logs) that are/ were related to physical collections. (3) Paper and other records (such as microfiche and tapes) that need to be converted to digital format (such as seismic lines and historical geological records). Bureau Form Number: None. Frequency: One time. Description of Respondents: State Geological Surveys. Annual Responses: 50. Annual Burden in Hours: 150. Bureau Clearance Officer: Fred Travnicek, 703-648-7231.

93-129 LTD (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for a 10-year incidental take permit for one covered species pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The application addresses the potential for ``take'' of the federally threatened coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) associated with the proposed grading and infrastructure for Tentative Parcel Map 93-129. A conservation program to mitigate for the project activities would be implemented as described in the proposed Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for Grading and Infrastructure for Tentative Parcel Map 93-129 (proposed Plan), which would be implemented by the Applicant. We are requesting comments on the permit application and on the preliminary determination that the proposed Plan qualifies as a ``low- effect'' Habitat Conservation Plan, eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended. The basis for this determination is discussed in the Environmental Action Statement (EAS) and the associated Low Effect Screening Form, which are also available for public review.

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

An application has been filed for the conveyance of the Federally owned mineral interest in the tract of land described in this notice. Publication of this notice temporarily segregates the mineral interests in the public lands covered by the application from appropriation under the mining and mineral leasing laws while the application is being processed.

We (Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. The ICR, which is summarized below, describes the nature of the collection and the estimated burden. This ICR is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2006. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. However, under OMB regulations, we may continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is pending at OMB.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species.