Department of the Interior April 7, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to reclassify the delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. After review of all available scientific and commercial information, we find that reclassifying the delta smelt from a threatened to an endangered species is warranted, but precluded by other higher priority listing actions. We will develop a proposed rule to reclassify this species as our priorities allow.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability of the Record of Decision for the Benefits-Sharing Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) covering all units of the National Park System. On March 5, 2010, the Deputy Director of the National Park Service approved the Record of Decision for the project. As soon as practicable, the National Park Service will begin to implement the Preferred Alternative contained in the FEIS issued on November 27, 2009. Three alternatives were evaluated in the FEIS, each of which would clarify the rights and responsibilities of researchers and NPS management in connection with the allocation of benefits from valuable discoveries, inventions, and other developments that result from research involving specimens lawfully collected from units of the National Park System. The No Action Alternative allows scientists to use material originating as National Park Service research specimens to conduct research that may lead to commercial products but without any obligation to share the benefits with the National Park Service. Another alternative prohibits scientific research involving National Park Service research specimens that is in any way associated with the development of commercial products. A third alternative, the Environmentally Preferred Alternative, allows the National Park Service and researchers who study material associated with a Scientific Research and Collecting Permit to enter into benefits-sharing agreements on a case-by-case basis before using their research results for any commercial purpose. This Environmentally Preferred Alternative has three considerations regarding the disclosure of financial information: Always disclose, never disclose, or comply with confidentiality laws regarding disclosure. The Preferred Alternative implements the benefits-sharing agreement requirement, while complying with confidentiality laws regarding disclosure of royalty rate or related information.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the approved recovery plan for the scaleshell mussel (Leptodea leptodon). The endangered scaleshell mussel is now consistently found in only the Meramec, Bourbeuse, and Gasconade Rivers in Missouri. This plan includes specific recovery objectives and criteria to achieve removal of the species from the protections of the Endangered Species Act (Act).

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), 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 Ridgecrest Solar Power Project (RSPP), Kern County, California, and by this notice are announcing the opening of the comment period.

The National Park Service (NPS) is terminating preparation of an EIS for the GMP for the Park, South Carolina. A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the Park GMP was published in the Federal Register on October 10, 2006 (71 FR 63350), and followed by a scoping newsletter. The NPS has since determined that an Environmental Assessment rather than an EIS is the appropriate level of environmental documentation for the plan.

Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of a Final GMP/EIS for the CRNRA, Georgia.