Department of the Interior February 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice is published in accordance with Section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972. Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) has established the Bureau of Land Management's Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area Advisory Council.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus amarus) Recovery Plan, First Revision. The Rio Grande silvery minnow was listed as endangered in 1994, its first recovery plan was approved in 1999, and critical habitat was designated in 2003.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) have prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Draft California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan Amendment, and Staff Assessment (SA) as a joint environmental analysis document for the Stirling Energy Systems (SES) Solar Two Project and by this notice are announcing the opening of the comment period.

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) Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will meet in Carson City, Nevada. The meeting is open to the public.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Information Collection Request for the Payment for Appointed Counsel in Involuntary Indian Child Custody Proceedings in State courts has been submitted to OMB for review and renewal. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0111, which expires February 28, 2010.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intends to gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and associated environmental documents for the Boyer Chute and Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) and the Iowa Wetland Management District (WMD). We furnish this notice in compliance with our CCP 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.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), and the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 (FLREA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Coeur d'Alene District Resource Advisory Council (RAC) and Recreation RAC Subcommittee will meet as indicated below.

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) Nevada Northeastern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will hold three meetings in Nevada in fiscal year 2010. All meetings are open to the public.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has prepared a Final Environmental Assessment for the Solar Roof Project and by this notice is announcing its availability.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and an environmental assessment (EA) for the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex (NWRC, Refuge) for public review and comment. In these documents, we describe alternatives, including our preferred alternative, to manage this Refuge complex for the 15 years following approval of the final CCP.

The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) California Desert District is soliciting nominations from the public to fill five seats for 3-year terms on its District Advisory Council from 2010-2012. Council members provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on the management of public lands in Southern California.

The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) is publishing its notice under Title II of the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002, Public Law 107-174 (Act), as required by the Act and 5 CFR part 724. This notice describes the obligation of the NIGC and other federal agencies to notify all employees, former employees, and applicants for federal employment of the rights and protections available to them under federal antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws.

The Secretary of the Interior intends to administratively reestablish the National Park Service Concessions Management Advisory Board. This action is necessary and in the public interest in connection with the performance of statutory duties imposed upon the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the draft economic analysis for the proposed designation of critical habitat for 3 mollusks, Georgia pigtoe mussel (Pleurobema hanleyianum), interrupted rocksnail (Leptoxis foremani), and rough hornsnail (Pleurocera foremani), under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) and an amended required determinations section of the proposal. We are reopening the comment period for an additional 30 days to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed listing and designation of critical habitat for the 3 mollusks, the associated DEA, and the amended required determinations section. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted and will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule. We also announce a public hearing; the public is invited to review and comment on any of the above actions associated with the proposed listing and critical habitat designation at the public hearing or in writing.

Under the Class II provisions of Title IV, Public Law 97-451, the Bureau of Land Management received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas leases NMNM 110795, NMNM 110797, and NMNM 110802 from the lessee, David Petroleum Corporation et al, for lands in Guadalupe County, New Mexico. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and found suitable for classification for lease and subsequent conveyance under the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (R&PP Act), as amended, approximately 133 acres of public land in San Bernardino County, California. The State of California, acting through the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), proposes to construct a Joint Port of Entry (JPOE) inspection facility on Interstate 15 (I-15), near the California/Nevada state line. In conjunction with Caltrans, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Department of General Services, and the California Highway Patrol would participate cooperatively in this multipurpose project.

On behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6892 for an additional 20-year period. This order withdrew approximately 473 acres of National Forest System land from surface entry and mining, but not from mineral leasing, to protect the recreational values of the Sixmile Creek Recreation Area. This notice gives an opportunity to comment on the proposed action and to request a public meeting.

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 30 CFR part 882, Reclamation on Private Land, has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden and cost.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our draft comprehensive conservation plan and draft environmental impact statement (CCP/DEIS) for the Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge and Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-tailed Deer (refuge or, collectively, refuges) for public review and comment. The CCP/DEIS describes our proposal for managing the refuges for the next 15 years. Both refuges are managed as part of the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge Complex located in Ilwaco, WA.

We are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the North Dakota regulatory program (hereinafter, the ``North Dakota program'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (``SMCRA'' or ``the Act''). North Dakota proposes revisions to rules and statutes that would allow the revegetation responsibility period to be reduced from ten years to five years for lands eligible for remining. North Dakota intends to revise its program to be consistent with the corresponding Federal regulations and to improve operational efficiency.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the American pika (Ochotona princeps) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. After review of all available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the American pika, at the species level or any of the five recognized subspecies (O. p. princeps, O. p. saxatilis, O. p. fenisex, O. p. schisticeps, and O. p. uinta), is not warranted at this time. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the threats to the American pika, the five subspecies, or its habitat at any time.

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) have sent an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR which is summarized below describes the nature of this collection and the estimate burden and cost. 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.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has filed the plats of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Wyoming State Office, Cheyenne, Wyoming, on the dates indicated.