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

As required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the National Park Service (NPS) is hereby giving notice that the Advisory Committee on the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail will hold a meeting. Designated through an amendment to the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241), the new trail will consist of ``a series of water routes extending approximately 3,000 miles along the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in the States of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and in the District of Columbia,'' tracing the 1607-1609 voyages of Captain John Smith to chart the land and waterways of the Chesapeake Bay. This meeting is open to the public. Preregistration is required for both public attendance and comment. Any individual who wishes to attend the meeting and/or participate in the public comment session should register via e-mail at Christine_Luceron@nps.gov or telephone: (757) 898-2432. For those wishing to make comments, please provide a written summary of your comments prior to the meeting.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), notify the public of the reinstatement of our July 15, 2002, proposed rule to list Lepidium papilliferum (slickspot peppergrass) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We announce the reopening of the public comment period on that proposed listing.

The following applicants have applied for scientific research permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.

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 Calista Corporation for lands located on Nunivak Island, Alaska. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Anchorage Daily News.

Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and National Park Service (NPS) policy in Director's Order Number 2 (Park Planning) and Director's Order Number 12 (Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision- making) the NPS announces the availability of a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan (SDEIS/GMP) for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area. The document provides a framework for management, use, and development options for the CRNRA by the NPS for the next 15 to 20 years. The document describes six management alternatives for consideration, including a no-action alternative that continues current management policies, and analyzes the environmental impacts of those alternatives. The CRNRA includes a maximum of 10,000 acres of land in 16 units distributed along a 48-mile corridor between Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, and Buford Dam. The CRNRA is linear corridor surrounded by rapidly developing urban and suburban areas.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM-Eastern States, Springfield, Virginia, 30 calendar days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

We announce a meeting of the Sporting Conservation Council (Council). The meeting agenda includes outcomes of the October 1-3, 2008, White House Conference on North American Wildlife Policy, at which the culmination of the 10-year Conservation Plan agenda Executive Order (E.O.) 13443 calls for, along with other E.O. issues, will have been covered. This Council meeting is open to the public, and will include a session for the public to comment.

We announce our receipt of applications to conduct certain activities pertaining to enhancement of survival of endangered species.

This notice sets forth the names and titles of the current membership of the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE) Performance Review Board as of September 11, 2008.

This proposed rule would revise the production measurement regulations to establish meter proving, meter verification/calibration, and well test requirements after hurricanes and other events beyond the control of the lessee. This rulemaking would eliminate some reporting burden on industry, and it would eliminate the need for MMS to grant waivers to the reporting requirements in certain situations. The proposed rule would also add new definitions providing clarity in the training regulations, which should lead to improved training of Outer Continental Shelf workers.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to gather information necessary to prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and associated environmental documents for three Wetland Management Districts (WMDs) located in the State of South Dakota. The three WMDs are Huron, Madison and Sand Lake. The Service is furnishing this notice in compliance with Service CCP Policy to advise other agencies and the public of its intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be considered in the planning process.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to revise designated critical habitat for the California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii), pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The previous final rule designated 450,288 acres (ac) (182,225 hectares (ha)) of critical habitat. We herein propose to revise those critical habitat boundaries to better reflect lands containing essential features for the California red-legged frog, and we now propose to designate approximately 1,804,865 ac (730,402 ha) of critical habitat in 28 California counties, an increase of approximately 1,354,577 ac) (548,177 ha).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a meeting of the Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control Alternatives Workgroup (Workgroup). The Workgroup's purpose is to provide, in an advisory capacity, recommendations and advice on research and implementation of sea lamprey control techniques alternative to lampricide that are technically feasible, cost effective, and environmentally safe. The primary objective of the meeting will be to discuss potential research initiatives that may enhance alternative sea lamprey control techniques. The meeting is open to the public.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are notifying the public that we will submit to OMB an information collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork requirements for ``USGS Earthquake Report, (1 USGS form).'' This notice provides the public an opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of this form.

Under the Class II provisions of Title IV, Public Law 97-451, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease TXNM 118213 from the lessee, Woodward Development LLC, for lands in Houston County, Texas. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

Under the Class II provisions of Title IV, Public Law 97-451, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease TXNM 118211 from the lessee, Woodward Development LLC, for lands in Houston County, Texas. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

We invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

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 NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., Successor in Interest to Akuliuk Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Selawik, Alaska, and are located in:

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (collectively, ``we'') are extending the comment period for proposed regulations governing interagency cooperation under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U. S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Northwest California Resource Advisory Council will meet as indicated below.

Notice is hereby given that the boundary of Big Thicket National Preserve is modified to include seven tracts of land adjacent to the park. This revision is made to include privately owned property that the landowners wish to donate to the United States. The National Park Service has determined that inclusion of the seven tracts within the preserve's boundary will make significant contributions to the purposes for which the preserve was established. After the United States acquires the tracts, the National Park Service will manage them in accordance with applicable law.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) as the lead agency, together with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as cooperating agencies, advise the public of the availability of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the application from Coyote Springs Investment LLC (CSI) for a Section 10 incidental take permit pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), a section 404 permit under the Clean Water Act, and reconfiguration of CSI private and lease lands in Lincoln County. In addition, the EIS includes the proposed action of BLM issuing a right- of-way within the BLM utility corridor, located west of U.S. Highway 93 in Lincoln County for the construction of detention basins. This notice also announces the availability of the CSI Multiple- Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP), which CSI has submitted as part of their incidental take permit application, and Implementing Agreement (legal contract for the MSHCP). The permit would authorize the incidental take of specified covered species over 40 years, including some that may become federally-listed during the term of the permit. The permit is needed because take of species could occur during CSI's proposed urban development activities located in a 21,454-acre area in southern Lincoln County, Nevada. In addition, take of species could occur during recreation and resource management activities within the 13,767-acre proposed Coyote Springs Investment Conservation Lands (CSICL) in Clark and Lincoln counties. The CSICL is an area leased by CSI from BLM, which would be managed for the conservation of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) and other covered species specified in the CSI MSHCP. This notice is provided pursuant to applicable NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.6) to inform the public of the proposed action, and to make available for 30 days' review the final EIS, CSI MSHCP, and Implementing Agreement.