Department of the Interior March 2, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), are finalizing changes to the Tennessee Federal regulatory program regarding performance bonds and revegetation success standards. These revisions provide a mechanism to use our statutory authority to accept financial assurances in the form of trust funds and annuities in Tennessee to fund the treatment of long-term postmining pollutional discharges from surface coal mining operations and thus satisfy performance bond obligations for treatment of those discharges. Our previous regulations also did not facilitate the growth of forests, and we are taking a number of steps to ensure the reestablishment of high quality hardwood forests where the postmining land uses are related to forestry. To minimize competition with woody plants and support healthier tree growth, we are removing the 80% ground cover revegetation success standard for mine sites with postmining land uses of wildlife habitat, undeveloped land, recreation, or forestry; limiting the herbaceous ground cover success standards to those necessary to control erosion and support the forestry-related postmining land use; requiring seed mixes and seeding rates of herbaceous vegetation for those land uses to be specified in the permit; and removing the limitations on the amount of bare areas that can remain after reclamation of mine sites with those land uses.

The Field Manager of the Las Vegas Field Office is proposing to close selected public lands under its administration within Nye County, Nevada, to target shooting. The proposed closure is to ensure the safety of persons and property adjacent to these selected public lands. The rapid increase in population and growth of Pahrump, Nevada has created conflicts between new residential areas and traditional public lands users accustomed to target shooting on public lands around Pahrump. There have been incidents of damage to private property and indiscriminate shooting towards residential areas by public land users. Trash accumulation from items used as targets is also affecting the condition of the public lands. This action is being taken to help ensure public safety and prevent environmental degradation. This proposed closure does not apply to hunting under the laws and regulations of the State of Nevada.

This notice is a revision of the April 24, 2002 Notice of Intent (Federal Register Volume 67, Number 79, pages 20152-20153). In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, and the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 1610.2), notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) intends to initiate a new scoping process for a Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS). Previously, the BLM announced that an Environmental Assessment would be prepared in connection with the RMP for the Carrizo Plain National Monument. By this notice, the BLM is announcing public scoping meetings.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DRMP/DEIS) for the Ironwood Forest National Monument and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

In accordance with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 (FLREA), the Recreation Subcommittee will hold a meeting to establish guidelines for the newly formed Recreation Subcommittee, to discuss a proposal for establishing a fee at Bob Scott campground managed by the Forest Service and to discuss a proposal to raise fees at BLM campgrounds managed by the BLM Nevada Elko Field Office. Date and Time: The Recreation Subcommittee will meet on Thursday, March 29, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada State Office. All meetings are open to the public. A general public comment period, where the public may submit oral or written comments to the Recreation Subcommittee will begin at approximately 11 a.m. unless otherwise listed in the final meeting agenda. A final detailed agenda, with any additions/corrections to agenda topics, location, field trips and meeting times, will be sent to local and regional media sources at least 14 days before each meeting, and hard copies can also be mailed or sent via FAX. Individuals who need special assistance such as sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodations, or who wish a hard copy of each agenda, should contact Barbara Keleher no later than 10 days prior to each meeting.