Department of the Interior February 6, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with Title IV of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act (Pub.L. 97-451), Whiting Petroleum Corporation timely filed a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease UTU79796 for lands in San Juan County, Utah, and it was accompanied by all required rentals and royalties accruing from October 1, 2006, the date of termination.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Indiana regulatory program (Indiana program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Reclamation (IDNR, department, or Indiana) proposes revisions to its rules concerning the definition of ``government-financed construction''; underground mining reclamation plans for siltation structures, impoundments, dams, embankments, and refuse piles; performance bond release; surface mining permanent and temporary impoundments; surface mining primary roads; and inspections of sites. Indiana intends to revise its program to be consistent with the corresponding Federal regulations, to clarify ambiguities, and to improve operational efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the Indiana program and proposed amendments to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

We are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Montana regulatory program (hereinafter, the ``Montana program'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Montana proposes revisions to and additions of rules about civil penalties. These are based on legislation it recently passed. Montana intends to revise its program to provide additional safeguards, clarify ambiguities, and improve operational efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the Montana program and proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for Berberis nevinii (Nevin's barberry) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The proposal includes approximately 417 acres (ac) (169 hectares (ha)) of land in Riverside County, California, that meet the definition of critical habitat for B. nevinii. Of this, we propose to exclude 385 ac (156 ha) of non-Federal land from the final designation under section 4(b)(2) of the Act, leaving a proposed final designation of 32 ac (13 ha) of Federal land.