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

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the southern hickorynut mussel (Obovaria jacksoniana) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Based on our review, we find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the southern hickorynut mussel may be warranted. Therefore, we will not be initiating a further status review in response to this petition. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the status of, or threats to, the southern hickorynut mussel or its habitat at any time.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce three 12-month findings on petitions to list three entities of the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We find that listing the greater sage-grouse (rangewide) is warranted, but precluded by higher priority listing actions. We will develop a proposed rule to list the greater sage-grouse as our priorities allow.

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.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request (ICR) concerns the paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 250, Subpart Q, ``Decommissioning Activities.''

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request concerns the paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 250, subpart A, ``General.''

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management will issue an appealable decision approving the conveyance of surface and subsurface estates in certain lands pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to Bristol Bay Native Corporation for 2.72 acres located southeast of the Native village of Koliganek, 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 the Bureau of Land Management will issue an appealable decision approving the conveyance of the surface estate in certain lands pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to Leisnoi, Incorporated. The subsurface estate in these lands will be conveyed to Koniag, Inc. when the surface estate is conveyed to Leisnoi, Incorporated. The lands are in the vicinity of Woody Island, Alaska, and are located in:

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Amargosa Farm Road Solar Power Project, Nye County, Nevada, and by this Notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

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

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), advise the public that we intend to prepare a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate the impacts of, and alternatives to, the proposed issuance of an Endangered Species Act permit to the Lower Colorado River Authority Transmission Services Corporation (LCRA TSC; applicant) for incidental take of six federally listed or candidate species from activities associated with LCRA TSC's construction, maintenance, operation, and repair of four Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ) ``priority'' transmission lines and related facilities (i.e., substations, substation upgrades, and access roads) required to be constructed by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) (collectively, the LCRA TSC CREZ transmission lines). We also announce plans for a series of public scoping meetings and a public comment period.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Berry Cave salamander (Gyrinophilus gulolineatus) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Based on our review, we find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing this species may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a review of the status of the species to determine if listing the Berry Cave salamander is warranted. To ensure that this status review is comprehensive, we are requesting scientific and commercial data and other information regarding this species. Based on the status review, we will issue a 12-month finding

This notice reopens the period for comments on the Draft NEPA Procedures Manual published in the Federal Register on December 4, 2009 (74 FR 63765-74 FR 63787). Previously, the Commission reopened the comment period from January 19, 2010, to March 4, 2010 (75 FR 3756).

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement for the Grand Ditch Breach Restoration, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. This effort will result in ecological restoration of the area affected by the 2003 Grand Ditch Breach. Alternatives to be considered will likely include a combination of the following: Allowing natural (passive) restoration to occur where appropriate; stabilizing steep, unstable slopes with an engineered solution; removing deposited sediment and redistributing it through the impacted area or elsewhere; removing dead timber from the impacted area and/or using it in the restoration process; regrading and recontouring areas to restore appropriate morphology and function; native plant restoration with appropriate, locally gathered plant materials; may require the use of motorized equipment such as chainsaws, heavy lift helicopters, and earthmoving equipment; may require temporary fencing to protect native plant restoration areas.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate revised critical habitat for the California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 1,636,609 acres (ac) (662,312 hectares (ha)) of critical habitat in 27 California counties fall within the boundaries of the final revised critical habitat designation.

The plats of survey of the following described lands are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington State Office, Portland, Oregon, 30 days from the date of this publication.

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations at 40 CFR 1501.7, and authorities under the Endangered Species Act (15 U.S.C. 1536, et seq.), the Department of the Interior (Interior), Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission (Mitigation Commission), and the Central Utah Water Conservancy District (District), as Joint Lead Agencies, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), with public involvement, for the Provo River Delta Restoration Project. The restoration project is a recovery action within the approved species recovery plan.

We (NMFS and USFWS; also collectively referred to as the Services) have determined that the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is composed of nine distinct population segments (DPSs) that qualify as ``species'' for listing as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and we propose to list two as threatened and seven as endangered. This also constitutes the 12-month findings on a petition to reclassify loggerhead turtles in the North Pacific Ocean as a DPS with endangered status and designate critical habitat, and a petition to reclassify loggerhead turtles in the Northwest Atlantic as a DPS with endangered status and designate critical habitat. We will propose to designate critical habitat, if found to be prudent and determinable, for the two loggerhead sea turtle DPSs occurring within the United States in a subsequent Federal Register notice.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3507) and 5 CFR 1320, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, the National Park Service invites public comments on an extension of a currently approved collection of information Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 1024-0034. An agency 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 issues the official trail marker insignia of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail. The original graphic image was developed as part of the Trail's comprehensive management and use Plan. It first came into public use in 2009. The National Park Service official uses this insignia to mark the trail's route. This publication accomplishes the official designation of the insignia now in use by the National Park Service.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(2), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from Gas Holdings, Inc., for non-competitive oil and gas lease WYW150539 for land in Park County, Wyoming. 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) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD)/Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Cottonwood Field Office located in northern Idaho. The Idaho State Director signed the ROD on December 21, 2009, excluding decisions

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposes to amend its regulations to add Indian python (Python molurus, including Burmese python Python molurus bivittatus), reticulated python (Broghammerus reticulatus or Python reticulatus), Northern African python (Python sebae), Southern African python (Python natalensis), boa constrictor (Boa constrictor), yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus), DeSchauensee's anaconda (Eunectes deschauenseei), green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), and Beni anaconda (Eunectes beniensis) to the list of injurious reptiles. This listing would prohibit the importation of any live animal, gamete, viable egg, or hybrid of these nine constrictor snakes into the United States, except as specifically authorized. The best available information indicates that this action is necessary to protect the interests of humans, wildlife, and wildlife resources from the purposeful or accidental introduction and subsequent establishment of these large constrictor snake populations into ecosystems of the United States. If the proposed rule is made final, live snakes, gametes, or hybrids of the nine species or their viable eggs could be imported only by permit for scientific, medical, educational, or zoological purposes, or without a permit by Federal agencies solely for their own use. The proposed rule, if made final, would also prohibit any interstate transportation of live snakes, gametes, viable eggs, or hybrids of the nine species currently held in the United States. If the proposed rule is made final, interstate transportation could be authorized for scientific, medical, educational, or zoological purposes.

We, the United States, as a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), will attend the fifteenth regular meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP15) in Doha, Qatar, during March 13-25, 2010. This notice announces the availability of tentative U.S. negotiating positions on amendments to the CITES Appendices (species proposals), draft resolutions and decisions, and agenda items submitted by other countries and the CITES Secretariat for consideration at CoP15. All of this information is on our website at https://www.fws.gov/international/ newspubs/fedregnot_list.html and is also available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Management Authority.

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) Northeast California Resource Advisory Council and its Sage Steppe Ecosystem Subcommittee will meet as indicated below.