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

Pursuant to 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Subpart 8364.1, Sec. 8341.2 and Sec. 9268.3, notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Salmon Field Office will temporarily restrict motorized access on approximately 50 acres of public lands within an area known as ``Tower Bottoms.''

MMS is proposing to amend its deep gas royalty relief regulations to incorporate statutory changes enacted in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This proposed rule would provide additional royalty relief for certain wells on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) leases in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). It would also extend the applicability of existing deep gas royalty relief regulatory provisions to more OCS leases. MMS is also proposing amendments to discretionary royalty relief provisions and associated definitions to extend the applicability of certain royalty relief to leases offshore of Alaska.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and found suitable for classification for conveyance under the provisions of the R&PP Act, as amended, (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.), the following parcel of public lands located in the Bridger Valley area, in Uinta County, Wyoming. The land has been leased under the R&PP Act to Uinta County for use as a sanitary landfill since 1977. The lands are described as follows:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces that a final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for the Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Complex) is available. This CCP, prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, describes how the Service intends to manage the Complex, which includes Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Slade NWR, Florence Lake NWR, and Long Lake Wetland Management District (WMD), for the next 15 years.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, intend to gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan and associated environmental documents for Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge. We furnish this notice in compliance with our comprehensive conservation planning policy to advise other agencies and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be considered during the planning process.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of an incidental take permit (ITP) application and Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Parrish Medical Center (applicant) requests an incidental take permit (ITP) for a duration of 2 years pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicant anticipates taking approximately 6.93 acre (ac) of Florida scrub-jay (Alphelocoma coerulescens)occupied habitat incidental to constructing a health center in Brevard County, Florida (project). The applicant's HCP describes the mitigation and minimization measures the applicant proposes to address the effects of the project to the scrub-jay.

Section 1813 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-58) requires the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy (Departments) to jointly consult with stakeholders and conduct a study of issues related to energy rights-of-way (ROWs) on tribal lands. The Act further directs the Departments to submit a report to Congress on the findings of the study. The Report to Congress is available on the Section 1813 Web site (https://1813.anl.gov). This Web site will remain active until August 8, 2007.

The Fish and Wildlife Service intends to gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment for Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. This notice is furnished in compliance with the Service's comprehensive conservation planning policy to advise other agencies and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be considered in the planning process.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Deloycheet, Incorporated. The lands are in the vicinity of Holy Cross, Alaska, and are located in:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intends to gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and associated environmental documents for the Muscatatuck, Tamarac, and Big Muddy National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) and Tamarac Wetland Management District (WMD). We furnish this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other agencies and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be considered in the planning process. In addition, the Service is inviting comments on archeological, historic, and traditional cultural sites in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act. Special mailings, newspaper articles, internet postings, and other media announcements will inform people of the opportunities for written comments.

Notice is hereby given that effective with this publication, the following NAD 27-based Outer Continental Shelf Official Protraction Diagrams and Leasing Maps last revised on the date indicated are available for information only, in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Regional Office, New Orleans, Louisiana. Copies are also available for download at https://www.mms.gov/ld/maps.htm. The Minerals Management Service in accordance with its authority and responsibility under Title 43, Code of Federal Regulations, is updating the basic record used for the description of mineral and oil and gas lease sales in the geographic areas they represent.

This notice extends the comment period for the Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for a proposed casino and hotel project/action to be located in Sonoma, California. Notice of the availability of the DEIS and Draft Conformity Determination were published in the Federal Register on March 9, 2007 (72 FR 10790).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we), will be developing a revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge). We will use local announcements, special mailings, newspaper articles, the Internet, and other media announcements to inform people of opportunities to provide input throughout the planning process. We will hold public meetings in communities within the Refuge during preparation of the revised plan. We will visit each of the 36 occupied communities within the Refuge boundary as we revise this plan.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we) announce that the Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge is available for public comment. We prepared this CCP pursuant to the Alaska National Interests Land Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA), the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (Refuge Administration Act), as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Refuge Improvement Act), and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). In this plan, we describe how the Service proposes to manage this refuge over the next 15 years.

This notice advises that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intends to gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and associated environmental documents for the Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Complex), South Dakota. The Service is furnishing this notice in compliance with Service CCP policy to advise other agencies and the public of its intentions and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be considered in the planning process.

Notice is hereby given of contractual actions that have been proposed to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and are new, modified, discontinued, or completed since the last publication of this notice on February 27, 2007. This notice is one of a variety of means used to inform the public about proposed contractual actions for capital recovery and management of project resources and facilities consistent with section 9(f) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. Additional announcements of individual contract actions may be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general circulation in the areas determined by Reclamation to be affected by the proposed action.

The following applicant has applied for a permit to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

The Department of the Interior, after consultation with the General Services Administration, is establishing the National Geospatial Advisory Committee under the authority of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The Committee will provide advice and recommendations to the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), through the FGDC Chair (the Secretary of the Interior or designee), related to management of Federal geospatial programs, the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), and the implementation of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-16 and Executive Order 12906. The Committee will review and comment upon geospatial policy and management issues and will provide a forum to convey views representative of non-Federal stakeholders in the geospatial community.

Pursuant to Public Law 96-472, the National Earthquake Evaluation Council (NEPEC) will hold a 1-day workshop on May 18, 2007, and a short meeting on May 19, 2007. The workshop will be held at the Portland State Office Building, 1st Floor, Room 1D, 800 NE Oregon Street, Lloyd District, Portland, Oregon. On May 19, the short meeting will be held at the Double Tree Hotel, Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah, Portland, Oregon. The Committee is comprised of members from academia and the Federal Government. The Committee shall advise the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on proposed earthquake predictions, on the completeness and scientific validity of the available data related to earthquake predictions, and on related matters as assigned by the Director. At the 1-day workshop on May 18, the Committee will discuss with scientific experts the evidence for and nature of episodic nonvolcanic tremor and aseismic creep events and their possible relation to seismic slip on the Cascadia subduction interface and will discuss with emergency managers how the aseismic slip events and other earthquake- related phenomena in Cascadia should be communicated to the public. At the meeting on May 19, the Committee will review the workshop findings and compose recommendations to the USGS on what type of public information might be most appropriate and effective when episodic tremor and creep events are detected, and the Committee will receive brief updates on previous discussion topics. Workshops and meetings of the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council are open to the public. A draft workshop agenda is available on request (contact information below). In order to ensure sufficient seating and hand-outs, it is requested that visitors pre- register by May 11. Members of the public wishing to make a statement to the Committee should state that intentions so that time may be allotted in the agenda.

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 U.S. Geological SurveyClimate Change Science Program Committee for Synthesis and Assessment Product 1.2: Past Climate Variability and Change in the Arctic and at High Latitudes. 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 (USGS), a participant in the CCSP, is responsible for three S&A products. S&A product 1.2: Past Climate Variability and Change in the Arctic and at High Latitudes is the subject of this proposed Federal Advisory Committee. The primary function of the Committee is to synthesize and assess the state of knowledge on past climate variability at high latitudes and communicate this information to the USGS. 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 past climate variability at high latitudes. Membership will consist of non-Federal scientists who are recognized as experts in the climate science community.