Department of the Interior January 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Field Office, Baker City, Oregon intends to revise a Resource Management Plan (RMP) with an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Baker Resource Area of the Vale District and by this notice is announcing public scoping meetings. The RMP will revise the existing Baker Resource Management Plan of 1989.

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

This notice is published in accordance with section 9(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (Pub. L. 92-643). The U.S. Geological SurveyClimate Change Science Program (CCSP) Committee on Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.2: Thresholds of Climate Change will hold its FACA peer review meeting on January 28-30, 2008 in Denver, CO. Agenda for the Meeting: The agenda will cover the following: Expert review of SAP 4.2. The review committee will meet to discuss the first draft of SAP 4.2 and provide guiding comments for the completion of the product.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, on behalf of the interdepartmental National Invasive Species Council, proposes to appoint new members to the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC). The Secretary of the Interior, acting as administrative lead, is requesting nominations for qualified persons to serve as members of the ISAC.

We are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the New Mexico regulatory program (hereinafter, the ``New Mexico program'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). New Mexico is proposing additions of and revisions to the New Mexico Annotated Code (NMAC) to improve and clarify the public notification process during permitting actions, to correct outdated citations, to comply with formatting requirements for New Mexico administrative law; the revisions also include non-substantive editorial changes. New Mexico revised its program to provide additional safeguards, clarify ambiguities, and achieve stylistic consistency. This document gives the times and locations that the New Mexico 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.

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 Gwitchyaazhee Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Fort Yukon, Alaska, and are located in:

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), together with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), has prepared a Draft EIS/EIR (which includes draft land use plan amendments) for the proposed Sunrise Powerlink Project proposed by San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E), and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. The BLM is the lead Federal agency for the preparation of this EIS in compliance with the requirements of NEPA. The CPUC is the lead agency for the State of California for the preparation of this EIR in compliance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing that the information collection request for its Technical Evaluation customer surveys has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden and cost. The OMB control number for this collection of information is 1029-0114 and is on the forms along with the expiration date.

This notice announces the revision to the boundary of Mesa Verde National Park to include the parcel of land known as Tract 01- 135. The United States will acquire this tract from The Mesa Verde Foundation upon the revision of the boundary. The National Park Service has determined that this boundary revision will make a significant contribution to the purpose for which the Park was created. The effect date of this boundary revision is the date on which this notice is published in the Federal Register.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Amargosa River population of the Mojave fringe-toed lizard (Uma scoparia) in the State of California as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing this population may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a status review of the Amargosa River population of the Mojave fringe-toed lizard, and we will issue a 12- month finding on our determination as to if the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that the status review of the Amargosa River population of the Mojave fringe-toed lizard is comprehensive, we are soliciting scientific and commercial data regarding this species. We will make a determination on critical habitat for this species if, and when, we initiate a listing action.

MMS prepared the ROD for the establishment of an alternative energy and alternate use (AEAU) program on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), as authorized by Section 388 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), and codified in subsection 8(p) of the OCS Lands Act. In accordance with the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the MMS is announcing the availability of this ROD. The decision is to select the Preferred Alternative described in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This decision establishes an AEAU program for the issuance of leases, easements and rights-of-way (ROW) for alternative energy activities and the alternate use of structures on the OCS and the promulgation of regulations to govern the program. Selection of the Preferred Alternative also provides MMS the option to authorize individual projects on a case-by-case basis before promulgation of the final rule. The Director, MMS signed the ROD on December 21, 2007.

In accordance with Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. seq.), the National Park Service (NPS) will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Anacostia Park Wetlands Management Plan with Goose Management Strategies (EIS). The current Proposed Action is a modification of the original proposal to prepare an Environmental Assessment. Based on comments received during internal scoping (February 2007), agency scoping (March 2007) and public scoping (June-August 2007) for the Anacostia Park Wetlands Restoration Plan with Goose Management Strategies Plan/ Environmental Assessment (EA), the NPS recognizes that wetland management actions could result in some significant impacts to the park's resources. This notice serves as an announcement of an additional 30-day public comment period. Comments submitted to the park or through Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) during the public scoping period (June 25-August 10, 2007) and at the public meetings (July 17 and 18, 2007) for the EA will be considered as part of the planning process for the current proposed action and do not need to be resubmitted. The intent of this notice is to obtain suggestions and additional information on the scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend an existing approval to collect information from applicants who apply to purchase mineral materials from public lands under regulations at 43 CFR parts 3600 and 3610. The BLM uses the information collected on Form 3600-9 (Contract for the Sale of Mineral Materials) to evaluate the environmental impacts of and otherwise evaluate mineral materials disposal proposals.

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), the Western Montana Resource Advisory Council will meet as indicated below.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the decision and availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). We completed a thorough analysis of the environmental, social, and economic considerations and presented it in the Final CCP/EIS. The availability of the Final CCP/EIS was announced in the Federal Register on August 22, 2007. The ROD documents our decision to adopt and implement Alternative C.

This notice publishes the Deemed Approved Compact between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the State of Florida.

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 a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Greater Deadman Bench Region, Uintah County, Utah.

Pursuant to section 2(b) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, by section 4 of the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1976, Stat. 1083, 30 U.S.C. 201(b), and to the regulations adopted as 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 3410, all interested parties are hereby invited to participate with Bowie Resources, LLC, on a pro rata cost sharing basis in a program for the exploration of unleased coal deposits owned by the United States of America in Delta County, Colorado:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to sell approximately 425 acres of public land within and adjacent to the Denton-Rawhide Mine in Mineral County, Nevada. The sale will be made under the provisions of Section 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), (43 U.S.C. 1713).

The plats of survey of the following described lands were officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington State Office, Portland, Oregon, on September 13, 2007.

The Fish and Wildlife Service intends to gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment for Crystal River 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.

The Department of the Interior (Department) proposes to amend its regulations by adding a new part to codify its NEPA procedures currently in the Departmental Manual (DM). This proposed regulation contains Departmental policies and procedures for compliance with NEPA, Executive Order (E.O.) 11514, E.O. 13352 and the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations. By converting the Departmental NEPA procedures from the DM to new regulations that are consistent with NEPA and the CEQ regulations, the Department intends to promote greater transparency in the NEPA process for the public and enhance cooperative conservation.

This order revokes in its entirety a Bureau of Land Management Order dated July 13, 1954, as it affects 7.79 acres of public land withdrawn from surface entry and mining and reserved for use by the Federal Aviation Administration for Air Navigation Site No. 7 at Slana, Alaska. The land is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was withdrawn.