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

In compliance 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) announces the availability of the Kemmerer Draft Resource Management Plan Revision and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DRMP/DEIS).

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has determined that certain public lands located in Custer County, Idaho are suitable for classification for conveyance to the Custer County Commission, under authority of the Recreational and Public Purposes Act, June 14,1926 as amended by the Recreation and Public Purpose Act of 1988 (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.),

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce that a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is available for distribution. The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, requires that we develop a comprehensive conservation plan for each national wildlife refuge. This Draft CCP, when final, will describe how we intend to manage Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge over the next 15 years.

The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of funds to assist States and local communities in acquiring for permanent protection lands, or interests in lands, at significant Civil War battlefield sites. Under Public Law (Pub. L.) 110-5, making appropriations to the Department of Interior in FY 2007, Congress appropriated $4 million from the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to assist non-federal efforts to acquire and preserve Civil War battlefield lands. NPS seeks proposals from State and local governmentsor from qualified non- profit historic preservation organizations acting through an agency of State or local governmentfor the non-federal acquisition of significant Civil War battlefield land. Project proposals are subject to the following requirements. 1. These funds must be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis with non-federal dollars. That is, the federal dollars can pay for no more than one-half of the acquisition cost. 2. The purchase price must be supported by a qualified appraisal that has been approved by NPS as meeting the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions. 3. The battlefield land acquired with the assistance of these funds must be permanently protected from inappropriate development through conveyance of a perpetual easement to a public historic preservation agency. NPS will give priority to acquisition of land, or interests in land, within the ``core'' areas of Priority I and Priority II battlefields, as identified by the Congressionally-chartered Civil War Sites Advisory Commission (CWSAC). Among potential projects, NPS will give highest priority to acquisition projects that can be completed within the immediate future. Proposals may be submitted at any time, and must include: (1) CWSAC Priority Listing and Map The applicant must include the CWSAC priority listing and document that the proposed acquisition lies within the battlefield core and/or study area, as defined by the CWSAC. Applicants must submit a U.S. Geological Survey quadrangle map with the boundaries of the proposed acquisition clearly drawn. (2) Threat to the Battlefield The applicant must demonstrate that the battlefield is imminently threatened. The nature, the extent, and the level of severity of the threat to the battlefield must be clearly and convincingly stated. Further, the applicant must describe how and to what extent the proposed acquisition addresses the described threat. In cases where there is minimal threat, applications will be considered if there is a stated compelling reason why the acquisition of the property at this time is a better use of LWCF funds than waiting for a more threatened property. (3) Ability To Secure Non-Federal Match An applicant that has secured matching funds must list all sources of those funds. The applicant must certify that the non-federal matching funds are either ``in-hand'' or otherwise committed in writing at the time of application. Third-party matching share commitments must be documented by letter from the third party. Matching share commitments contingent upon receipt of federal funds from this program are acceptable. An applicant that has not yet secured matching funds must submit a specific, credible plan for raising the necessary matching funds. The plan must identify potential sources of funds. It must include a proposed schedule, usually not more than 120 days, for securing funds or commitments of funds. (4) Immediacy of Acquisition The applicant must demonstrate that the owner of the property to be acquired is willing to sell the land at an agreed-upon price. Acceptable documentation includes a contract or contingent contract to buy the land, or a letter from the owner indicating willingness to enter into such a contract at a specified price. The applicant should include a schedule for completion of the acquisition within the near future.

We (Fish and Wildlife Service) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. This IC is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2007. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

We (Fish and Wildlife Service) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to renew the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. This IC is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2007. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

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

The following permit was issued.

This notice announces an upcoming meeting of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Commission. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) adds all forms of live silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), gametes, viable eggs, and hybrids; and all forms of live largescale silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys harmandi), gametes, viable eggs, and hybrids to the list of injurious fish, mollusks, and crustaceans under the Lacey Act. The best available information indicates that this action is necessary to protect the interests of human beings, and wildlife and wildlife resources, from the purposeful or accidental introduction, and subsequent establishment, of silver carp and largescale silver carp populations in ecosystems of the United States. Live silver carp and largescale silver carp, gametes, viable eggs, and hybrids can be imported only by permit for scientific, medical, educational, or zoological purposes, or without a permit by Federal agencies solely for their own use; permits will also be required for the interstate transportation of live silver or largescale silver carp, gametes, viable eggs, or hybrids currently within the United States. Interstate transportation permits may be issued for scientific, medical, educational, or zoological purposes.

The Duckwater Shoshone Tribe (Applicant) has applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of survival permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The permit application includes a proposed Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA) between the Applicant and the Service. The SHA provides for voluntary habitat restoration, maintenance, and enhancement activities to implement the reintroduction and long-term recovery of Railroad Valley Springfish (Crenichthys nevadae) within Nye County, Nevada. The proposed duration of both the SHA and permit is 25 years. The Service has made a preliminary determination that the proposed SHA and permit application are eligible for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The basis for this determination is contained in an Environmental Action Statement and low-effect screening form, which are also is available for public review.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has officially filed the plats of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Idaho State Office, Boise, Idaho, effective 9 a.m., on the dates specified.

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 Unalakleet Native Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Unalakleet, Alaska, and are located in:

The plats of survey of the following described land was officially filed in the Colorado State Office, Bureau of Land Management, Lakewood, Colorado, effective 10 a.m., June 29, 2007. All inquiries should be sent to the Colorado State Office (CO-956), Bureau of Land Management, 2850 Youngfield Street, Lakewood, Colorado 80215- 7093. The plats and field notes, in duplicate, of the dependent resurveys and corrective dependent resurvey of a portion of the subdivisional lines, the subdivision of certain sections, and metes-and-bounds surveys, in Townships 2 North, Ranges 76 (4 Sheets) and 77 West (5 Sheets), Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado were accepted on April 10, 2007. The plat, and field notes, in duplicate, of the dependent resurveys in Townships 17 South, Ranges 45 and 46 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado were accepted on April 17, 2007. The plat and field notes, in duplicate, of the dependent resurvey and surveys in Township 51 North, Range 1 East, New Mexico Principal Meridian, Colorado were accepted on April 26, 2007. This plat which includes the field notes, and is the entire record of this resurvey, in duplicate, in Township 33\1/2\ North, Range 17 West, Sec. 21, New Mexico Principal Meridian, Colorado were accepted on April 26, 2007. The plat and field notes, in duplicate, of the dependent resurvey and surveys in Townships 50 and 51 North, Range 8 West, New Mexico Principal Meridian, Colorado, were accepted on April 27, 2007. The plat, and field notes, in duplicate, of the dependent resurvey of a portion of the subdivisional lines and section subdivision of Section 23, Township 37 North, Range 7 East, New Mexico Principal Meridian, Colorado were accepted on May 16, 2007. The plat and field notes, in duplicate, of the dependent resurvey of certain mineral claims in Township 43 North, Range 4 West, New Mexico Principal Meridian, Colorado, were accepted on June 6, 2007. The plat, and field notes, in duplicate, of the dependent resurvey in Township 8 South, Range 76 West, and the plat, in duplicate, of the entire record, of the dependent resurvey of a portion of the west boundary of Township 9 South, Range 76 West, both of the Sixth Principal Meridian, Colorado were accepted on June 19, 2007.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the draft post-delisting monitoring plan (draft PDM Plan) for the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires that the Service implement a system, in cooperation with the States, to monitor effectively for at least 5 years, the status of all species that have been recovered and no longer need protection of the ESA. The bald eagle in the contiguous 48 states will be removed from the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife and Plants (delisted) due to recovery. We are publishing the final rule for the delisting simultaneously with this notice elsewhere in today's Federal Register. We will also ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) for the draft PDM Plan described below.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorizes the Secretary to provide development grants to Indian tribes and tribal energy resource development organizations for use in developing or obtaining the managerial and technical capacity needed to develop energy resources on Indian land, and to properly account for resulting energy production and revenues. In furtherance of this goal, the Department of the Interior's Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development is soliciting proposals from tribes and tribal energy resource development organizations. The Department will award several grants of up to $50,000 each for this program.

In accordance with Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Las Vegas Field Office, Nevada intends to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to the Las Vegas Disposal Boundary Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to analyze a possible adjustment of the boundary of the Conservation Transfer Area (CTA) referenced in the December 2004 FEIS and Record of Decision (ROD). Analysis of this possible boundary adjustment will include the management of approximately 13,400 acres of lands managed by the BLM. Under the ROD for the 2004 FEIS, approximately 5,000 acres were determined to be subject to a process of more study, collaboration, further NEPA analysis, and approval of a conservation agreement, prior to the transfer of title. The conservation agreement would determine the allowable uses to protect the resources within the CTA. Furthermore, the ROD stated that the boundary of the CTA would be adaptable to the needs and concerns of interested parties. The option was open to increase or decrease the size of the CTA with additional analysis. The SEIS to be prepared will analyze the effects of a variety of options for a final boundary for the CTA, as well as the impacts of several proposed uses, and the effect of retention of the CTA by the United States for management by the BLM. This analysis, and any decision made on the basis of this analysis, will ensure the direction reflected in the 2004 FEIS and ROD is met. This action is consistent with the Las Vegas Resource Management Plan of 1998, as superseded by the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (SNPLMA) of 1998 and the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act (Clark County Act) of 2002.

As required by 43 CFR 2310.3-1 notice is hereby given that a public meeting will be held regarding the proposed extension of the withdrawal to protect the Fairbanks Command and Data Acquisition Station (also known as the Gilmore Satellite Tracking Station). The station is operated by NOAA's National Satellite Information Services (also known as the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service). The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 3708, as modified by PLO No. 6709 (54 FR 6919, February 15, 1989) for an additional 20 year period. The lands comprise approximately 8,500 acres and are located in T. 2 N., R. 1 E., and T. 2 N., R. 2 E., Fairbanks Meridian near Fox, Alaska. A complete description can be provided by the BLM Fairbanks District Office at the address below.

The Bureau of Land Management proposes to establish fees and supplementary rules for the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument (UMRBNM) Interpretive Center for public use of the day-use areas. The fees are authorized under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA), 16 U.S.C. 6801 et seq. The UMRBNM Interpretive Center qualifies as a site wherein visitors can be charged a ``Standard Amenity Recreation Fee'' authorized under section 3(4)(f) of the REA, for a recreation use permit described at 43 CFR part 2930. The supplementary rules, developed pursuant to 43 CFR 8365.1-6, are necessary for human health and safety and to protect the natural resources of the site. In accordance with BLM recreation fee program policy, the business plan explains the fee collection process, as well as outlining how the fees will be used at the UMRBNM Interpretive Center. BLM has notified and involved the public at each stage of the planning process, including the proposal to collect fees.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs is seeking comments on the renewal of the Job Placement and Training (Adult Vocational Training and Direct Employment) Information Collection. This action is being taken due to the impending expiration of the existing data collection. This action will allow the Department on-going collection of data required by statute, regulation and policy.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability for review of the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The Service prepared the Draft CCP/EIS in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997. We request public comments.

This notice is published in accordance with section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, Public Law 92-463. Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) has renewed the Bureau of Land Management's Steens Mountain Advisory Council. The purpose of the Council will be to advise the Secretary in managing and promoting cooperative management of the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose revisions to the 2005 special rule for the central Idaho and Yellowstone area nonessential experimental population of the gray wolf (Canis lupus) in the northern Rocky Mountains (NRM). Specifically, this rule proposes to modify the definition of ``unacceptable impacts'' to wild ungulate populations so that States and Tribes with Service- approved post-delisting wolf management plans can better address the impacts of a biologically recovered wolf population on ungulate populations and herds while wolves remain listed. We also propose to modify the 2005 special rule to allow private citizens in States or on Tribal lands with approved post-delisting wolf management plans to take wolves that are in the act of attacking their stock animals or dogs. All other provisions of the 2005 special rule, including the process to obtain Service approval and the conditions for reporting all wolf take, would remain unchanged. As under the existing terms of the 2005 special rule, these proposed modifications would not apply with respect to States or Tribes without approved post-delisting wolf management plans and would not impact wolves outside the Yellowstone or central Idaho nonessential experimental population areas. A draft environmental assessment will be prepared on this proposed action.

We are approving an amendment to the Virginia regulatory program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Virginia is revising its remining regulations to make three of those provisions permanent by deleting a termination date of September 30, 2004, from the regulations. The amendment is intended to render the State regulations consistent with recent amendments to SMCRA.