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

Members of the public are hereby invited to participate with Dakota Westmoreland Corporation in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in lands located in Mercer County, North Dakota, encompassing 640.00 acres.

We invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list Sclerocactus brevispinus (Pariette cactus) as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also propose to change the taxonomy of the currently threatened Sclerocactus glaucus ``complex'' to three distinct species: Sclerocactus brevispinus, S. glaucus, and S. wetlandicus. Because these species make up what was formerly the ``complex'', each will maintain its status of being listed as threatened. After review of all available scientific and commercial information, we find that reclassifying S. brevispinus as endangered is warranted but precluded by higher priority actions to amend the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants. However, S. brevispinus is currently listed as threatened as part of the S. glaucus (Uinta Basin hookless cactus) complex. We further propose to revise the taxonomy of S. glaucus (Uinta Basin hookless cactus) (previously considered a ``complex''), which is currently listed as a threatened species. In accordance with the best available scientific information, we propose to recognize the three distinct species: S. brevispinus, S. glaucus, and S. wetlandicus. Because each of these three species constitute the S. glaucus complex, we consider all three species to be threatened under the Act. In addition, we propose common names for S. glaucus and S. wetlandicus.

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

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Alaska State Office, is discontinuing preparation of the Integrated Activity Plan (IAP) for the South portion of the National Petroleum ReserveAlaska (NPR-A) and its accompanying Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

We announce our receipt of an application to conduct certain activities pertaining to enhancement of survival of endangered species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and draft environmental assessment (EA) for the Washita and Optima National Wildlife Refuges (Refuges, NWRs) for public review and comment. In this draft CCP/EA, we describe how we intend to manage these Refuges for the 15-year period beginning when we make the final version of this CCP/EA available.

Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission (the Commission) will be held on Tuesday, October 23, 2007, at 1:30 p.m., at the National Building Museum, Room 312, 401 F Street, NW., Washington, DC. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss currently authorized and proposed memorials in the District of Columbia and its environs. In addition to discussing general matters and conducting routine business, the Commission will review the status of legislative proposals intoduced in the 110th Congress to establish memorials in the District of Columbia and its environs, as follows:

The following public lands in Mohave County, Arizona, have been examined by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and found suitable for classification for lease or conveyance to Littlefield Unified School District 9 and under the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act, as amended, 43 U.S.C. 869 et seq., and under Sec. 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act, 43 U.S.C. 315(f), and Executive Order No. 6910.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announce the dates and location of the 2007 Federal Duck Stamp contest, and the species eligible to be subjects for this year's designs. We invite the public to enter and to attend. The 2007 contest will select the image that will grace the 75th Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp.

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 the Price Field Office Supplemental Draft Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Supplemental DRMP/EIS) to augment the analysis of managing non- Wilderness Study Area (WSA) lands with wilderness characteristics. This Notice announces the availability of the document and the beginning of a 90-day comment period.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing its intention to renew authority to collect information for a series of customer surveys to evaluate OSM's performance in meeting the performance goals outlined in its annual plans developed pursuant to the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously approved the collection and assigned it clearance number 1029-0114.

This order revokes a Public Land Order in its entirety insofar as it affects 1,205.42 acres of public lands in Carbon County, Wyoming, withdrawn on behalf of the Bureau of Reclamation for the Savery-Pot Hook Project. The Public Land Order has previously been revoked in part and the lands remaining are no longer needed for the purpose for which they were withdrawn.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the recovery plan for the Carson wandering skipper (Pseudocopaeodes eunus obscurus). The plan includes recovery criteria and measures for the conservation of the Carson wandering skipper in California and Nevada.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), in cooperation with the State of Tennessee and Conservation Fisheries, Inc., a nonprofit organization, plan to reintroduce 15 mussels listed as endangered under section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act): Appalachian monkeyface (pearlymussel) (Quadrula sparsa), birdwing pearlymussel (Lemiox rimosus), cracking pearlymussel (Hemistena lata), Cumberland bean (pearlymussel) (Villosa trabalis), Cumberlandian combshell (Epioblasma brevidens), Cumberland monkeyface (pearlymussel) (Quadrula intermedia), dromedary pearlymussel (Dromus dromas), fanshell (Cyprogenia stegaria), fine-rayed pigtoe (Fusconaia cuneolus), orange-foot pimpleback (pearlymussel) (Plethobasus cooperianus), oyster mussel (Epioblasma capsaeformis), ring pink (mussel) (Obovaria retusa), rough pigtoe (Pleurobema plenum), shiny pigtoe (Fusconaia cor), and white wartyback (pearlymussel) (Plethobasus cicatricosus); 1 endangered aquatic snail: Anthony's riversnail (Athearnia anthonyi); 2 endangered fishes: duskytail darter (Etheostoma percnurum) and pygmy madtom (Noturus stanauli); and 3 fishes listed as threatened under section 4 of the Act: slender chub (Erimystax cahni), spotfin chub (=turquoise shiner) (Erimonax monachus), and yellowfin madtom (Noturus flavipinnis). We published the proposed rule for this action on June 13, 2006 (71 FR 34196). The species will be released into their historical habitat in the free-flowing reach of the French Broad River from below Douglas Dam to its confluence with the Holston River, Knox County, Tennessee, and in the free-flowing reach of the Holston River from below Cherokee Dam to its confluence with the French Broad River. Based on the evaluation of species experts, none of these 21 species currently exist in these river reaches or their tributaries. These species are being reintroduced under the authority of section 10(j) of the Act and would be classified as a nonessential experimental population (NEP). The geographic boundaries of the NEP would extend from the base of Douglas Dam (river mile (RM) 32.3 (51.7 kilometers (km)) down the French Broad River, Knox and Sevier Counties, Tennessee, to its confluence with the Holston River and then up the Holston River, Knox, Grainger, and Jefferson Counties, Tennessee, to the base of Cherokee Dam (RM 52.3 (83.7 km)) and would include the lower 5 RM (8 km) of all tributaries that enter these river reaches. These reintroductions are recovery actions and are part of a series of reintroductions and other recovery actions that the Service, Federal and State agencies, and other partners are conducting throughout the species' historical ranges. This rule provides a plan for establishing the NEP and provides for limited allowable legal take of these 16 mollusks and 5 fishes within the defined NEP area. We have decided to include all 21 species in a single rulemaking to allow us to restore the aquatic ecosystem as quickly as possible as we bring each of these species on line in the propagation facilities. We have reasons to believe all of these species co-existed in the past, and we also want the public to understand that all of these species will be reintroduced into the same stretch of river. We are not establishing 21 separate NEPs.

The Bureau of Reclamation is canceling plans to prepare a final environmental impact statement (EIS) on the environmental impacts of proposed modifications to the main channel of the Rio Grande and Low Flow Conveyance Channel system. The reason for canceling is that seven years have elapsed since publication of the draft EIS and the recently issued final EIS and Record of Decision for the Upper Rio Grande Basin Water Operations Review considers the impacts of continuing the operation of the Low Flow Conveyance Channel as a passive drain with no diversion from the Rio Grande.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) have prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) of our proposal to revise the 2005 special rule for the central Idaho and Yellowstone area nonessential experimental populations of the gray wolf (Canis lupus) in the northern Rocky Mountains. The Service is reopening the comment period for the proposed revisions to the 2005 special rule to allow all interested parties to comment simultaneously on the proposed revisions and the draft EA. If you have previously submitted comments on the proposed revisions, you do not need to resubmit them because those comments have been incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in our final decision.

Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 9.52(b) of Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 9, Subpart B, of a Plan of Operations submitted by St. Joseph Petroleum, Inc., for continued production of six gas wells inside the boundary of Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Fentress County, Tennessee. Additionally, the NPS has prepared an EA for this proposal.

The National Park Service (NPR) announces the availability of the ROD on the FGMP/EIS for Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Florida. On June 11, 2007, the Regional Director, NPS, Southeast Region, approved the ROD for the project. As soon as practicable, the NPS will begin to implement the FGMP/EIS, described as the Preferred Alternative contained in the FGMP/EIS issued on May 4, 2007. The approved plan will enhance opportunities for visitors to interact with and appreciate the national monument's resources while providing for the preservation and protection of the park's resources when implemented. The approved alternative will enhance the visitor experience by removing some modern intrusions from the Castillo and from the exterior landscapes. The visitor center authorized by Public Law 108-480, pending availability and approval of capital and operational funding, would be constructed off-site and convenient to the park and St. Augustine's Spanish Quarter. The authority for publishing this notice is 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C).