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

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are designating critical habitat for the endangered Piperia yadonii (Yadon's piperia) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 2,117 acres (ac) (857 hectares (ha)) fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. The critical habitat is located in Monterey County, California.

The Department of the Interior proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6664 for an additional 20-year term. PLO No. 6664 withdrew 840 acres of public lands in Carbon County, Montana, from settlement, sale, location, or entry under the general land laws, including the United States mining laws to protect the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Petroglyph Canyon and Weatherman Draw archeological sites. This notice also gives an opportunity to comment on the proposed action and to request a public meeting. The lands have been and will remain open to mineral leasing.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) occurring in the Big Lost River in Idaho as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the mountain whitefish in the Big Lost River may be warranted. This finding is based on insufficient information indicating that mountain whitefish in the Big Lost River may represent a species, subspecies, or distinct population segment (DPS) and, therefore, a listable entity under section 3(16) of the Act. Accordingly, we will not be initiating a status review in response to this petition. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the status of mountain whitefish occurring in the Big Lost River at any time. This information will help us to monitor and encourage the ongoing conservation of mountain whitefish in the Big Lost River.

In accordance with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 (FLREA), the Recreation Subcommittee will hold a meeting to finalize draft protocol and guidelines and to discuss membership needs for fiscal year 2008.

We are announcing the approval of an amendment to the Kentucky Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation (AMLR) Plan under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The amendment makes several revisions to Kentucky's AMLR Plan and is intended to update and improve the effectiveness of the AMLR Plan. Kentucky submitted the amendment in response to the passage of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (SMCRA amendments of 2006).

Pursuant to Public Law 106-148, the NCGMP Advisory Committee will meet in Room 1787 of Building 25 at the Federal Center, Denver, CO. The advisory Committee, composed of scientists from Federal Agencies, State Agencies, academic institutions, and private companies, will advise the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey on planning and implementation of the geologic mapping program. Topics to be reviewed and discussed by the Advisory Committee include the: Progress of the NCGMP towards fulfilling the purposes of the National Geological Mapping Act of 1993 Updates on the Federal, State, and educational components of the NCGMP Report from the Subcommittee on an implementation plan for the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) intends to file a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (FPEIS) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the proposed Coeur d'Alene Tribal Integrated Resource Management Plan (IRMP), Coeur d'Alene Reservation, Idaho, and that the FPEIS is now available to the public. The FPEIS analyzes the impacts of four alternative approaches to managing the natural, environmental and cultural resources of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe. The purpose of the proposed action, approval of the tribe's implementation of the IRMP for a period of 20 years, is to protect and sustain these resources.

The plats of survey of the described lands were officially filed in the Arizona State Office, Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix, Arizona, on dates indicated.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the Recovery Plan for the Nosa Luta or Rota Bridled White-eye (Zosterops rotensis). This species, which is found only on the island of Rota in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, was federally listed as endangered in 2004.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has determined that land located in Santa Fe County, New Mexico is suitable for classification for lease or conveyance to Museum of New Mexico Board of Regents, a statutorily created body of the State of New Mexico, under the authority of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (R&PP), as amended (43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.). The Museum of New Mexico plans to use the land for an official repository for the purpose of alleviating the present substandard, overcrowded collection storage conditions for archaeological collections and for meeting the need for centralized research, education, and support facilities.

This notice is published in accordance with Section 9(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. Appendix). Following consultation with the General Services Administration, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of the Interior has formally renewed the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program Advisory Council to provide advice and recommendations on program guidance relating to Route 6 Corridor preservation. Public Law 106-45 (16 U.S.C. 461 note), August 10, 1999, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the National Park Service, to provide a program of technical assistance and grants that will set priorities for the preservation of the Route 66 corridor, which passes through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Members of the committee represent states through which Route 66 passes, non-profit Route 66 preservation entities and other interested organizations.

To comply with 43 CFR 8365.1-4(a)(2) Public Health, Safety and Comfort, approximately 6,000 acres of public lands in the Table Mesa Road area, north of Phoenix, Arizona, will be temporarily closed to recreational shooting and all other potentially unsafe or conflicting activities on October 20, 2007 during an all-day BLM sponsored National Public Lands Day (NPLD) volunteer clean-up project.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan, Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, Washington, DC. On June 6, 2007 the National Capital Regional Director approved the Record of Decision for the General Management Plan for the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Specifically, the NPS has selected the preferred alternative (Alternative A) as described in the Final General Management Plan for the Environmental Impact Statement based on consideration of economic, environmental, technical, and other factors. The selected alternative and three other alternatives, including a no-action alternative, were analyzed in the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements. Each alternative considered (a) how traffic should be managed in the park and on the parkway; (b) the most appropriate levels of service and locations for visitor interpretation and education in the park; (c) the appropriate balance between rehabilitation of historic structures and cultural landscapes and preservation of natural resources; and (d) the most appropriate locations to support park administration and operations functions to minimize resource disturbance. The full range of foreseeable environmental consequences was assessed. The NPS believes Alternative A would best accomplish its goals for managing Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway. Alternative A was selected by the NPS based on its ability to maintain traditional visitor experiences and activities, enhance resources protection, improve control over non- recreational use of park roads to heighten safety and the quality of the visitor experience, and optimize the use of structures for park purposes. The selected alternative will not result in the impairment of resources and values. The most difficult decision to be made in this general management planning process was the management of traffic on the park road system because these park roads are recognized historic resources and are also the primary means for most visitors to experience the park. They are also heavily used as commuter routes. Under the selected alternative, the existing park roadway system will be retained and non-recreational through-traffic will be accommodated. It continues weekday auto travel throughout the park, but will use traffic-calming and speed enforcement measures to reduce traffic speeds and volumes to improve visitor safety and better control traffic volumes and speeds through the park. Speed tables and additional traffic signs will be installed on Beach Drive in the gorge area. The selected alternative will also enhance interpretation and education opportunities and improve the use of park resources, especially cultural resources. It generally retains the current scope of visitor uses. Additional aspects of this alternative include trail improvement; rehabilitation of the Peirce Mill complex to better focus on history; the moving of park administrative offices from the Peirce- Klingle Mansion at Linnean Hill which will be rehabilitated for adaptive use compatible with park values; the relocation of the U.S. Park Police substation from the Lodge House on Beach Drive with the Lodge House converted to a visitor contact station; and that the nature center will be rehabilitated and expanded, and the planetarium upgraded. The Record of Decision includes a statement of the decision made, synopses of other alternatives considered, the basis for the decision, a finding of no impairment of park resources and values and an overview of public involvement in the decision-making process. This decision is the result of a public planning process that began in 1996. The official responsible for this decision is the NPS Regional Director, National Capital Region.

The proposed rules add new sections and a new part to the Commission's regulations in order to ensure that each place, facility or location where class II or class III gaming will occur is located on Indian lands eligible for gaming as required by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The rules are also intended to ensure that gaming facilities are constructed, maintained and operated in a manner that adequately protects the environment and the public health and safety.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), are approving, with certain exceptions, an amendment to the Indiana regulatory program (Indiana program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Reclamation (IDNR, department, or Indiana) revised its rules concerning the definition of ``government-financed construction''; underground mining reclamation plans for siltation structures, impoundments, dams, embankments, and refuse piles; requirements for performance bond release; surface mining permanent and temporary impoundments; surface mining primary roads; and inspections of sites. Indiana revised its program to be consistent with the corresponding Federal regulations, to clarify ambiguities, and to improve operational efficiency.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Nevada Resource Advisory Councils meeting will be held as indicated below.

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 Levelock Natives, Limited. The lands are in the vicinity of Levelock, Alaska, and are located in: Seward Meridian, Alaska, T. 10 S., R. 44 W., Sec. 27. Containing 640 acres. The subsurface estate in these lands will be conveyed to Bristol Bay Native Corporation when the surface estate is conveyed to Levelock Natives, Limited. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Bristol Bay Times.

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 Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) for public review and comment. In this draft CCP/EA, we describe how we propose to manage the refuge for the next 15 years.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose new regulations for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (refuge) to govern existing general public use and recreation. If adopted, these changes would take effect in spring 2008 and would implement the recently completed comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) for the refuge. This proposed regulation would, if made final, codify many existing refuge regulations currently published in and by brochures, signs, maps, and other forms of public notice.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the comment period on the proposed designation of critical habitat for Berberis nevinii (Nevin's barberry) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are also using this comment period to announce revisions to proposed critical habitat subunits 1B, 1D, and 1E as described in the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on February 6, 2007, and announce the availability of the draft economic analysis for the proposed critical habitat designation and an amended Required Determinations section of the proposal. The draft economic analysis estimates potential costs to be approximately $169,000 to $172,000 in undiscounted dollars over a 20-year period in areas proposed as critical habitat and approximately $1.7 to $433.5 million in undiscounted dollars over a 20-year period (or 40-year period for impacts related to management of Vail Lake) in areas proposed for exclusion from critical habitat under section 4(b)(2) of the Act. We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties to comment simultaneously on the proposed rule, our revisions to the proposed rule, the associated draft economic analysis, and the amended Required Determinations section. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they will be incorporated into the public record as part of this comment period and will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.

The purpose of this notice is to inform the public and interested State and local government officials of the filing of Plats of Survey in Nevada.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the reopening of the comment period on the proposed revised designation of critical habitat for the Monterey Spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of the draft economic analysis of the proposed revised critical habitat designation and amended Required Determinations for the proposal. The draft economic analysis for Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens forecasts future costs associated with conservation efforts for Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens of approximately $17 million (undiscounted) over a 20-year period as a result of the proposed revised designation of critical habitat, including those costs coextensive with listing and recovery. Discounted future costs are estimated to be approximately $13 million ($0.85 million annualized) at a 3 percent discount rate or approximately $9.6 million ($0.85 million annualized) at a 7 percent discount rate. The amended Required Determinations section provides our determination concerning compliance with applicable statutes and Executive Orders that we have deferred until the information from the draft economic analysis of this proposal was available. We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed rule, the associated draft economic analysis, and the amended Required Determinations section. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they will be incorporated into the public record as part of this comment period and will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.

Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act request for lease and subsequent conveyance of approximately 2.5 acres of public land in Clark County, Nevada. The City of Las Vegas (City) proposes to use the land as a fire station.

Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act request for lease and subsequent conveyance of approximately 41.48 acres of public land in Clark County, Nevada. The City of North Las Vegas proposes to use the land for a public park and a police substation.