Department of the Interior February 23, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species and/or marine mammals.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species and/or marine mammals.

The following permits were issued.

This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intends to prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Assessment (EA), pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and its implementing regulations, for Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), located within the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia. This notice also advises the public that the Service is withdrawing a previous notice, published on May 8, 2002, stating that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) would be developed for the refuge. Comments already received under the previous notice will be considered during preparation of the subject CCP/EA. The Service is furnishing this notice in compliance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.): (1) To advise other agencies and the public of our intentions, and (2) to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to include in the environmental documents.

The Trinity Adaptive Management Working Group (TAMWG) affords stakeholders the opportunity to give policy, management, and technical input concerning Trinity River (California) restoration efforts to the Trinity Management Council. Primary objectives of the meeting will include discussion of the following topics: Trinity River Restoration Program (TRRP) FY08 budget, 2007 Trinity River flow schedule, TRRP science program issues, 2006 salmon returns, salmon disease and mortality studies, Central Valley Project Improvement Act program review, TRRP executive director's report, and election of TAMWG officers. Completion of the agenda is dependent on the amount of time each item takes. The meeting could end early if the agenda has been completed. The meeting is open to the public.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6650 for an additional 20-year term. PLO No. 6650 withdrew 20 acres of public lands from settlement, sale, location, and entry under the general land laws, including the mining laws, to protect the Sugarloaf Petroglyphs and Pine Spring Archeological Sites in Sweetwater County. This notice also gives an opportunity to comment on the proposed action and to request a public meeting.

This advance notice of proposed rulemaking is related to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) surface management regulations for mining operations authorized by the Mining Law. In a previous Federal district court proceeding, environmental groups challenged the BLM's regulations on surface management under the Mining Law in 43 CFR subpart 3809, issued by the Department in 2001, in part, because the regulations did not require fair market value payment for the use of Federal lands for mining operations when the lands are ``invalidly claimed'' or unclaimed under the Mining Law. For the most part, the court upheld the 3809 regulations, but remanded them in part to the Department ``for evaluation, in light of Congress's expressed policy goal for the United States to `receive fair market value of the use of the public lands and their resources.' '' This advance notice of proposed rulemaking is intended to assist the BLM in the evaluation ordered by the Court.