Department of the Interior June 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Secretary of the Interior proposes to withdraw approximately 676,048 acres of public lands from settlement, sale, location, or entry under the general land laws, including the mining laws, on behalf of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to protect and preserve solar energy study areas for future solar energy development. This notice segregates the lands for up to 2 years from surface entry and mining while various studies and analyses are made to support a final decision on the withdrawal application. The lands will remain open to the mineral leasing laws.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Las Vegas Field Office, will prepare one environmental impact statement (EIS) for two proposed solar energy projects located on public lands in Clark County, Nevada. Publication of this notice initiates the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Bureau of Indian Affairs is submitting an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for clearance and extension. The information collection, Tribal Reassumption of Jurisdiction over Child Custody Proceedings, is cleared under OMB Control Number 1076-0112 through June 30, 2009. We may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

This notice advises the public that the City of Elk Grove (applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an Enhancement of Survival Permit through a Safe Harbor Agreement (Agreement) for the Federally threatened species valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus) and the Federally threatened giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas). The Agreement is available for public comment (see below).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to remove the Lost River sucker (Deltistes luxatus) and the shortnose sucker (Chasmistes brevirostris) from the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife (List) 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 removing the Lost River sucker or shortnose sucker from the List may be warranted. Therefore, we will not initiate a status review for either species in response to this petition. We ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the status of, or threats to, the Lost River and shortnose suckers or their habitat at any time.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) for Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (refuge). We will also prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential effects of various CCP alternatives. We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise the public, other Federal and State agencies, and Tribes of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider during the planning process.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the Georgia pigtoe mussel (Pleurobema hanleyianum), interrupted rocksnail (Leptoxis foremani), and rough hornsnail (Pleurocera foremani), as endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Georgia pigtoe, interrupted rocksnail, and rough hornsnail are endemic to the Coosa River drainage within the Mobile River Basin of Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia. These three species have disappeared from large portions of their natural ranges due to extensive construction of dams that eliminated or reduced water currents and caused changes in habitat and water quality. The surviving populations are small, localized, and highly vulnerable to water quality and habitat deterioration.

Notice is given that the MMS will issue five limited leases authorizing wind resource data collection on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore New Jersey and Delaware. Five OCS blocks will be leased for a term of 5 years; and the annual rent will be $3.00 per acre as established in the interim policy published in the Federal Register (72 FR 214, pp. 62673-62675) on November 6, 2007. The OCS blocks will be leased subject to the terms set forth in the lease form published in the Federal Register (73 FR 77, pp. 21363-21375) on April 21, 2008, and also subject to stipulations. The MMS will issue leases for four OCS blocks off the coast of New Jersey and one off the coast of Delaware to four companies: Bluewater Wind Delaware, LLC; Bluewater Wind New Jersey Energy LLC; Fishermen's Energy of New Jersey, LLC, and Deepwater Wind, LLC. The OCS blocks off the coast of New Jersey are Wilmington NJ 18-02 Block 6936 to Bluewater Wind New Jersey Energy, LLC; Wilmington NJ 18-02 Block 6931 to Fishermen's Energy of New Jersey, LLC; Wilmington NJ 18-02 Block 6738 and Wilmington NJ 18-02 Block 7033 to Deepwater Wind, LLC. The OCS block MMS will lease off the coast of Delaware is Salisbury NJ 18-05 Block 6325 to Bluewater Wind Delaware, LLC.

This notice announces our decision on a request for a determination of valid existing rights (VER) under section 522(e) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). We (OSM) have determined that, based upon the information provided, the applicant has not demonstrated the existence of VER on the Jack Smith, et al. property within the boundaries of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Clay County, Kentucky.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), invite the public to comment on the following application for a permit to conduct certain activities with endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), which requires that we invite public comment on the permit application.

The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of class II and III gaming ordinances approved by the Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), announce a 90- day finding on a petition to revise critical habitat for Eriogonum pelinophilum (clay-loving wild buckwheat) under the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended. Following a review of the petition, we find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that revision of the critical habitat for E. pelinophilum may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a review of the critical habitat for the species, and will subsequently issue a 12-month finding to determine if revisions to the species' critical habitat are warranted. To ensure that the review is comprehensive, we are soliciting scientific and commercial data and other information regarding this species.

The National Park Service (NPS) is requesting comments on its revision of its policy governing the issuance of permits for special park uses. This policy will apply to all units of the national park system, and will replace the previous policy which was issued in April 2000.

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, North Slope Science Initiative (NSSI) Science Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) will meet as indicated below:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing its intention to seek the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to continue the collection of information for 30 CFR part 700General. This information collection activity was previously approved by OMB and assigned clearance number 1029-0094. We may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is submitting the following information collections to the Office of Management and Budget for renewal: (1) Tribal Colleges and Universities Annual Report Form, 25 CFR 41.9, OMB Control No. 1076-0105; and (2) Tribal Colleges and Universities Grant Application Form, 25 CFR 41.8, OMB Control No. 1076-0018.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the surface estate of certain lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Aleknagik Natives Limited. The lands are in the vicinity of Aleknagik, Alaska, and are located in:

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the surface estate in certain lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Napaskiak, Incorporated. The lands are in the vicinity of Napaskiak, Alaska, and located in:

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the surface estate of certain lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Alaska Peninsula Corporation, Successor in Interest to Kokhanok Native Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Kokhanok, Alaska, and are located in:

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the surface estate of certain lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Tununrmiut Rinit Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Tununak, Alaska, and are located in:

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the conveyance of surface estate only for certain lands pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to The Aleut Corporation for 93.53 acres on Samalga Island, Alaska. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Anchorage Daily News.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the surface and subsurface estates in certain lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Calista Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Lime Village, Stony River, Sleetmute, Red Devil, Crooked Creek, Aniak, Chuathbaluk, Russian Mission, and Goodnews Bay, Alaska, and are located in:

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the surface estate of certain lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Akiachuk, Limited. The lands are in the vicinity of Akiachak, Alaska, and are located in:

We (NMFS and USFWS, collectively referred to as the Services) have determined that naturally spawned and conservation hatchery populations of anadromous Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) whose freshwater range occurs in the watersheds from the Androscoggin River northward along the Maine coast to the Dennys River, including those that were already listed in November 2000, constitute a distinct population segment (DPS) and hence a ``species'' for listing. We have determined that the Gulf of Maine (GOM) DPS warrants listing as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Critical habitat for the GOM DPS will be designated in a subsequent Federal Register notice.