Department of the Interior April 8, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Following consultation with the General Services Administration, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) is renewing the Royalty Policy Committee. The Royalty Policy Committee provides advice related to the Department's management of Federal and Indian mineral leases and revenues, and reports to the Secretary through the Director of the Minerals Management Service. The Royalty Policy Committee also reviews and provides comments on recent management and other mineral-related policies; and provides a forum to convey views representative of mineral leases, operators, revenue payors, revenue recipients, government agencies, and the interested public.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is seeking comments on the information collection: 25 CFR part 243, Reindeer in Alaska. The information collected under this program is related to the Alaska Native reindeer industry and applies to non-natives who own, or want to own reindeer in Alaska. It is used solely to monitor and regulate the possession and use of Alaskan reindeer by non-Natives in Alaska. This collection needs renewal.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a), the Office of the Secretary of the Department of the Interior is issuing public notice of its intent to amend an existing Privacy Act system of records notice, Interior, DOI-18, ``Discrimination Complaints.'' The revisions will update the system name, addresses of the system locations and system managers, the categories of individuals covered by the system statement, the routine uses of the records, and the storage, retrievability, and safeguards statements.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) and National Park Service (NPS) policy in Director's Order 12 (Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision Making), the NPS in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the North Shore Road Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Park), North Carolina. The ROD was approved by the Southeast Regional Director on December 28, 2007. The NPS has selected the preferred alternative (Monetary Settlement Alternative) as described in the Final EIS to ensure that resources of the Park and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (Trail) will be unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations, and fulfill project goals and objectives including the protection of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. The selected alternative and four other alternatives, including a No-Action Alternative, were analyzed in the Draft and Final EIS. The full range of foreseeable environmental consequences was assessed. The NPS believes the Monetary Settlement Alternative will best accomplish the goals of the Park and the Trail. NPS selected the Monetary Settlement because it protects the significant and diverse natural resources and ecosystems of the Park (forest communities, water resources, protected species, and soundscapes). It will avoid disturbance to the Park and allow the Park to protect resources from adverse effects of problematic geologic formations and acidic runoff. The Monetary Settlement will also protect the tangible (archaeological sites, historic structures, landscapes, cemeteries, and traditional cultural properties) and intangible (feelings of attachment, family life, myth, folklore, and ideology) aspects of cultural resources in the Park. The Monetary Settlement Alternative is consistent with NPS management of the Park within the study area as backcountry. The Monetary Settlement Alternative allows for the traditional recreational activities of hiking, camping, fishing, and horse use in this backcountry area of the Park. It maintains the existing balance of visitors and resource use in this backcountry area and preserves the associated peace and solitude currently available there. The ROD includes a statement of the decision made, 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 2003. The official responsible for this decision is the NPS Regional Director, Southeast Region.