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

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), and the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) announce that the final environmental impact statement/environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) for the South Bay Salt Pond (SBSP) Restoration Project is available for distribution. The final EIS/EIR, which we prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), describes the restoration plan (plan) for 15,100 acres (ac) (6,111 hectares (ha)) of former commercial salt ponds in south San Francisco Bay. The SBSP Restoration Project would use a combination of restored tidal marsh, managed ponds, flood control measures and public access features to meet the three goals of the plan: to restore wildlife habitat, to provide flood protection, and to provide wildlife-oriented public access. The ponds are located at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and at the Eden Landing State Ecological Reserve. The FEIS/EIR includes program-level evaluation of the SBSP long- term alternatives as well as project-level analysis of the first phase of restoration (the Phase 1 actions). We and the CDFG jointly have prepared the final EIS/EIR to analyze the impacts of the SBSP. The final EIS/EIR presents a limited evaluation of the potential impacts associated with the list of possible South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Study (Shoreline Study) actions. In the draft EIS/EIR, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) was identified as the co-lead agency for NEPA compliance. However, this caused confusion as to the exact nature of the relationship of the Shoreline Study to the EIS/EIR for the SPSP Restoration Project. To eliminate this confusion, the Corps is no longer a co-lead agency on the SBSP Restoration project EIS/EIR. The Corps will remain a cooperating agency because they will use the final EIS/EIR to issue Clean Water Act 404 permits for the SBSP Restoration Project. The Corps will separately complete the Shoreline Study. The Shoreline Study area includes the SBSP Restoration Project area as well as shoreline and floodplain areas in the counties of Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and found suitable approximately 80.24 acres of public land in Dona Ana County, New Mexico for classification for lease or subsequent conveyance under the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act, as amended (44 Stat. 741, as amended; 43 U.S. C. 869 et seq.) and Section 212 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA of 1976, as amended). Las Cruces Public Schools propose to use the land for a K-5 elementary school and a 6-8 grade middle school and playgrounds.

This notice publishes the Deemed Approved Amended Tribal-State Compact between the State of California and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.

This notice publishes the Deemed Approved Amended Tribal-State Compact between the State of California and the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Nation.

This order revokes a Public Land Order, as modified, insofar as it affects approximately 63 acres of land withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining laws for the protection of the Gilmore Satellite Tracking Station at Gilmore Creek northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. The land is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was withdrawn.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Little Snake Field Office, Colorado, announces its intent to prepare additional air quality information. On February 9, 2007, the BLM published a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register (Vol. 72, No. 27, pages 6284-6285) announcing the release of the Draft EIS for public review and comment. The 90-day comment period closed May 16, 2007. During the public comment period, the Environmental Protection Agency, in consultation with BLM, identified areas where additional air quality information would improve the existing analysis in the Draft EIS. As a result, the BLM is preparing an additional air quality analysis. When the additional air quality analysis has been completed, the BLM will present the information for public review and comment. At that time, BLM will only accept comments from the public pertaining to the new air quality information.

The Secretary of the Interior proposes to withdraw on behalf of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approximately 944,343 acres of public lands from settlement, sale, location, entry, or patent under the United States mining laws for a period of 20 years for the protection of desert tortoise habitat, archaeological and cultural resources, and special wildlife and riparian values on 24 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) in accordance with Sec. 204 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of October 21, 1976, 43 U.S.C. 1714 (2000). In accordance with 43 CFR 2310.3-1(b), (2)(v), this notice announces public meetings on the proposed withdrawal.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are designating revised final critical habitat for the coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 197,303 acres (ac) (79,846 hectares (ha)) of habitat in San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and Ventura Counties, California, are being designated as critical habitat for the coastal California gnatcatcher. This revised final designation constitutes a reduction of 298,492 ac (120,795 ha) from the 2003 revised proposed rule. We are continuing our review of whether the current listing of the coastal California gnatcatcher as a subspecies should be retained or changed, as discussed in the 2003 proposed rule to revise critical habitat, and we will publish our determination separately at a later date.

This notice extends by 45 days, the post-sale evaluation period for Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 205. The Minerals Management Service (MMS) will complete evaluating all the bids received in this sale by February 15, 2008. This action is necessary due to the unusually high number of bids received in this lease sale.

This notice is published in accordance with Section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (Pub. L. 92-463). Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture have renewed the Bureau of Land Management's Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Advisory Committee. The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Secretaries with respect to the preparation and implementation of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Management Plan.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Texas regulatory program (Texas program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Texas proposes revisions to its regulations regarding annual permit fees. Texas intends to revise its program to improve operational efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the Texas program and proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Crow Tribe Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation (AMLR) Plan (hereinafter, the Crow Plan) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The Crow Tribe has requested concurrence from the Secretary of the Department of the Interior with its certification of completion of all coal-related reclamation objectives. If the Secretary concurs with the certification, the Crow Tribe intends to request AMLR funds to pursue projects in accordance with section 411 of SMCRA.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Nevada Northeastern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will meet as indicated below.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is amending the existing regulations regarding valuation, for royalty purposes, of oil produced from Indian leases. These amendments will clarify and update the existing regulations.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), in cooperation with the Soboba Band of Luise[ntilde]o Indians (Tribe), intends to gather information necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed fee-to-trust land acquisition and casino and hotel project (Proposed Action) located within the City of San Jacinto, Riverside County, California. The purpose of the Proposed Action is to improve the tribal economy in order to better enable the Tribe to provide governmental services, perform governmental functions, create jobs and career opportunities for tribal members and develop programs that would assist tribal members to attain economic self- sufficiency. This notice also announces a public scoping meeting to identify potential issues, alternatives and content for inclusion in the EIS.

The Secretary of the Interior is publishing this notice in accordance with section 207(c) of the Gila River Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2004 (Settlement Act), Public Law 108-451, 118 Stat. 3499, 3519-20. Congress enacted the Settlement Act as Title II of the Arizona Water Settlements Act (AWSA), Public Law 108-451, 118 Stat. 3478 et seq. The publication of this notice causes the waivers and releases of certain claims to become effective as required by the Settlement Act.

In the interest of public and operational safety, the Bureau of Land Management is closing four areas used by aircraft at its Campbell Tract Facility in Anchorage, Alaska, to public or private entry, access or use. The four areas are: The Campbell Airstrip and the Campbell Tract Facility heliport, aircraft ramp, and aircraft taxiway between the airstrip and aircraft ramp areas. Recreational uses authorized on other portions of the Campbell Tract and the adjacent Municipality of Anchorage Far North Bicentennial Park are prohibited within the four areas named above. This order is issued under the authority of 43 CFR 8364.1 and affects the following public lands:

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the Yuba County Water Agency (YCWA) have prepared the Final EIR/EIS for the Proposed Lower Yuba River Accord (Yuba Accord). The Final EIR/EIS contains responses to comments received on the Draft EIR/EIS. The purpose of the Yuba Accord is to resolve instream flow issues associated with operation of the Yuba River Development Project (Yuba Project) in a way that protects and enhances lower Yuba River fisheries and local water-supply reliability. At the same time, it would provide revenues for local flood control and water supply projects, water for the CALFED Program to use for protection and restoration of Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta (Delta) fisheries, and improvements in statewide water supply management, including supplemental water for the Central Valley Project (CVP) and the State Water Project (SWP). A Notice of Availability of the Draft EIR/EIS was published in the Federal Register on Monday, July 2, 2007 (72 FR 36036). The public review period on the Draft EIR/EIS ended on August 24, 2007.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (RPA), as amended by the National Forest Management Act of 1976, (NFMA, Sec. 6, 16 U.S.C. 1600.), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) San Juan Field Office and San Juan National Forest, U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has prepared a Draft Land Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DLMP/ DEIS) for the public and National Forest System Lands under their jurisdiction and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. The BLM San Juan Field Office and San Juan National Forest are managed under Service First. The San Juan Public Lands Center (SJPLC) is the joint USFS/BLM Service First Office responsible for the management of these public lands. Service First is a partnership strategy to provide better customer service and be more cost effective in the delivery of those services to users of the public lands in southwest Colorado. This notice also meets BLM requirements in 43 CFR part 1610, 7-2(b) concerning potential Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs).

Pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Miles City Field Office, has prepared supplemental air quality information for public review. On May 2, 2007, the public comment period on the Draft Supplement to the Montana Statewide Oil and Gas Environmental Impact Statement and Amendment of the Powder River and Billings RMPs (Draft SEIS) ended. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notified the BLM of air quality analysis deficiencies in the Draft SEIS. As a result, the BLM has prepared additional air quality analyses to demonstrate that predicted visibility effects in Class I airsheds can be mitigated. This new air quality analyses supplements the Draft SEIS.

Under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR part 1320, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, the National Park Service (NPS) invites public comments on an extension of a currently approved collection of information (OMB 1024-0224).

Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 83 Stat. 852, 853, codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability of the Record of Decision for the Winter Use Plans, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, Wyoming. On November 20, 2007, the Director, Intermountain Region, approved the Record of Decision for the project. Beginning in the winter of 2007-2008, the National Park Service (NPS) will begin to implement this Decision, although certain provisions will not apply until implementing regulations are promulgated, as described in the Revised Preferred Alternative (Alternative 7) contained in the FEIS issued on October 5, 2007. The following course of action will occur under Alternative 7 as modified in the ROD: 540 Best Available Technology (BAT) snowmobiles and 83 snowcoaches will be allowed per day in Yellowstone. All snowmobiles and snowcoaches will be 100% commercially guided. For the winter season of 2007-2008 Sylvan Pass will be managed continuing the combined program outlined in the 2004 Temporary Plan. After the winter of 2007-2008, in order to maximize risk reduction, the pass would be open and managed using full avalanche forecasting (as defined in the Sylvan Pass Operational Risk Management Assessment). When full forecasting indicates the pass is safe, the pass will be open to oversnow travel (both motorized and non-motorized access). The NPS will, in good faith, work cooperatively with the State of Wyoming, Park County, Wyoming, and the City of Cody to determine how to provide continued snowmobile and snowcoach motorized oversnow access to Yellowstone National Park through the East Gate via Sylvan Pass in the winter use seasons beyond 2007-2008. Beginning with the 2011-2012 season, all snowcoaches operating in the parks will be required to meet BAT emission and sound level requirements. In Grand Teton and the Parkway, grooming and motorized oversnow travel on the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail (CDST) between Moran Junction and Flagg Ranch will be discontinued. However, those interested in through travel on the CDST may transport their snowmobiles on trailers between these locations. Twenty-five snowmobiles a day will be allowed to travel on the Grassy Lake Road with no BAT or guiding requirement. Forty unguided BAT snowmobiles a day will be allowed on Jackson Lake to facilitate ice fishing by those possessing appropriate fishing gear and a valid State of Wyoming fishing license. This course of action and seven alternatives were analyzed in the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements. The full range of foreseeable environmental consequences was assessed, and appropriate mitigating measures were identified. The Record of Decision includes a statement of the decision made, synopses of other alternatives considered, the basis for the decision, a description of the environmentally preferred alternative, a finding on impairment of park resources and values, a listing of measures to minimize environmental harm, and an overview of public involvement in the decision-making process.