Department of the Interior January 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The following permit was issued.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Bureau of Indian Education is announcing that the Advisory Board for Exceptional Children will hold its next meeting in Washington, DC. The purpose of the meeting is to meet the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA) on Indian children with disabilities.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Utah Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

Under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR Part 1320, Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements, the National Park Service (NPS) invites comments on a proposed new collection of information (OMB 1024-xxxx). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the NPS request for the collection of information, but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, to ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive public comments within 30 days of the date on which this notice is published in the Federal Register. This study will provide the NPS and park managers with critical public input regarding deer issues in and around northeastern NPS units. The study will use a mail survey of hometown in communities near parks to assess: (1) The degree to which experience, individual capacity, and perceptions of institutional capacity affect residents' intention to participate in deer management planning, (2) the degree of cognitive co-orientation between park managers and stakeholders about deer and deer management, and (3) social and demographic attributes of residents with different degrees of intention to participate and/or co- orientation to managers.

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 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability for public review of the draft revised Recovery Plan for the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus amarus). The Rio Grande silvery minnow currently inhabits the Rio Grande in New Mexico. The Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft revised Recovery Plan.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted a request for an extension of an approved information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted a request for an extension of an approved information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval.

This order revokes two Executive Orders insofar as they affect approximately 1,725.81 acres of National Forest System lands withdrawn for lighthouse purposes within Alaska. The lands are no longer needed for the purpose for which they were withdrawn.

Notice is given that the Amendment to the Tribal-State gaming compact between the State of California and the Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation is considered approved and is in effect.

The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, has filed an application requesting the Secretary of the Interior to withdraw 387.50 acres of National Forest System land from mining for protection and conservation of the Arizona Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. arizonicus) located in the Tonto National Forest, Arizona. This notice segregates the land for up to 2 years from location and entry under the United States mining laws. The land will remain open to all other uses which may by law be authorized on National Forest System lands.

Pursuant to 43 Code of Federal Regulations subpart 8364, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) may issue an order to close the use of BLM administered lands to the public to protect those lands and resources. The Pinedale Resource Management Plan (RMP) Record of Decision (ROD), December 12, 1988, states that big game winter ranges, and elk feedgrounds may be closed to minimize stress to wintering animals. The Pinedale Anticline Project (PAPA) ROD (2000) identifies areas that may be subject to seasonal closures as conditions warrant. After consulting with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the BLM Pinedale Field Manager has implemented a seasonal closure on certain BLM-administered lands and travel ways including existing roads and two-track trails, to all types of motorized vehicle travel (e.g., snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, any vehicle including trucks, sport utility vehicles and cars, motorcycles etc.). Winter ranges, as identified in the Pinedale RMP, and as described below in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section, will be closed to all unauthorized motorized travel from November 15 through April 30 each winter. Use of winter range areas by non-motorized means is still allowed. Feedground areas will be closed November 15 through April 30 each winter, to all motorized vehicles and human presence. The Mesa winter range will remain open to motorized travel on existing roads from November 15 through January 14 each winter, but roads will be closed to unauthorized motorized travel January 15 through April 30 each winter. After April 30 each year, motorized vehicle use will be limited to existing roads and two-track trails. The winter range seasonal closures affect public lands located within the Deer Hills, Oil Field, Mesa, Bench Corral, and Miller Mountain winter ranges. Elk feedground closures affect public lands around the Franz, Finnegan, Scab Creek, Fall Creek, and North Piney feedgrounds. This action is necessary for the protection of crucial winter range habitat for elk, moose, antelope, and mule deer. Except for travel on highways or county roads, motorized vehicle travel within these areas will be allowed only by written authorization from the Pinedale Field Manager. Personnel of the BLM, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture-APHIS & Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and law enforcement personnel are exempt from this closure when performing official duties. Operators of existing oil and gas facilities may perform routine maintenance, or operation and drilling as approved by the BLM, and livestock operators may perform permitted activities.

The National Park Service (NPS) announces the Subsistence Resource Commission (SRC) meeting schedule for the following areas: Aniakchak National Monument, Lake Clark National Park and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The purpose of each meeting is to develop and continue work on subsistence hunting program recommendations and other related subsistence management issues. Each meeting is open to the public and will have time allocated for public testimony. The public is welcomed to present written or oral comments to the SRC. The NPS SRC program is authorized under title VIII, section 808, of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Public Law 96-487, to operate in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Draft meeting minutes will be available upon request from each Superintendent for public inspection approximately six weeks after each meeting.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) propose to amend our regulations to comply with the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct). The EPAct requires the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to develop regulations establishing environmental performance and reclamation standards for abandoned coal refuse remining operations. These standards must distinguish between refuse removal operations and on-site refuse reprocessing operations and must be premised on the distinct differences between removal operations, on- site reprocessing operations, and other types of surface coal mining operations. The Secretary may devise different performance standards than any of those set forth in sections 515 and 516 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), and separate permit systems if the Secretary determines, on a standard-by-standard basis, that a different standard may facilitate refuse removal and on-site refuse reprocessing operations in a manner that would provide the same level of environmental protection as under sections 515 and 516. We are proposing changes to our rules that respond to the EPAct's requirements.

The Bureau of Land Management is soliciting nominations from the public to fill a vacated position on the Central California Resources Advisory Council and serve the remainder of a three-year term that expires in September, 2007. Council members provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on the management of public lands in Central California.

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is extending the comment period for the Black Mesa Project draft EIS and scheduling an additional public meeting in Leupp, Arizona.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has officially filed the plats of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Idaho State Office, Boise, Idaho, effective 9 a.m., on the dates specified.

This notice is published in accordance with Section 9(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (Pub. L. 92-463). Following consultation with the General Services Administration, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of the Interior has established the United States Geological SurveyClimate Change Science Program Committee for Synthesis and Assessment Product 3.4: Abrupt Climate Change. The Climate Change Science Program (CCSP), a consortium of federal agencies performing climate science, has established a synthesis and assessment (S&A) program as a part of its Strategic Plan. There are 21 S&A products to be administered by 13 federal agencies over a 5 year period. The U.S. Geological Survey, a participant in the CCSP, is responsible for 3 S&A products. S&A product 3.4: Abrupt Climate Change is the subject of this federal advisory committee. The primary function of the committee is to synthesize and assess the state fo knowledge on the topic of abrupt climate change and communicate this information to the U.S. Geological Survey. Committee members will meet and discuss issues relating to the study design, research methodology, data sources and quality, and study findings. The committee will draft a report that will serve as the CCSP definitive document on current knowledge pertaining to the topic of abrupt climate change. Membership will consist of federal and non-federal scientists who are recognized as experts in the climate science community.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have drafted permit conditions to allow the use of raptors protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for abatement activities. We will authorize the use of these raptors for this purpose under our special purpose permits. We are asking for comments on our draft permit conditions. Allowing the use of raptors to conduct abatement activities is consistent with ensuring the long-term conservation of these species and will serve a public need.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), again withdraw our July 15, 2002, proposal (67 FR 46441) to list Lepidium papilliferum (slickspot peppergrass) as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The best available data for L. papilliferum indicates that, while its sagebrush-steppe matrix habitat is degraded, there is little evidence of negative impacts on the abundance of L. papilliferum, which inhabits slickspot microsites within this system. Annual abundance of the plant is strongly correlated with spring precipitation, therefore a high degree of variability in annual abundance is to be expected. Data on overall population trends are inconsistent; although recent declines that do not correlate with spring rainfall are noted in one portion of the species' range, range-wide data demonstrate increases in abundance that continue to track consistently with rainfall during those same years. The best available range-wide data indicate that abundance of the population range-wide is strongly correlated with precipitation and has increased in recent years in association with increased rainfall, as expected.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to evaluate the potential effects of the proposed Wellton-Mohawk Title Transfer. The title transfer would transfer ownership and divest Reclamation of the responsibility for the operation, maintenance, management, regulation of, and liability for the identified project facilities and appurtenant lands to the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District (District). This title transfer would consolidate management responsibility with the District, thereby allowing them to have greater authority in the management of growth and land-based issues in the Wellton-Mohawk Valley, protect against encroachment on agriculture, and consolidate ownership of lands, facilities, and the Gila River Flood Channel.

The United States Forest Service has filed an application requesting the Secretary of the Interior to withdraw 62.08 acres of National Forest System land from mining to protect the Red Rock Ranger District Administrative Site, Coconino National Forest. This notice segregates the land for up to 2 years from location and entry under the United States mining laws. The land will remain open to all other uses which may by law be authorized on these National Forest System lands.