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

The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council (Council) was established by the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-320) (Act) to receive reports and advise Federal agencies on implementing the Act. In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Bureau of Reclamation announces that the Council will meet as detailed below. The meeting of the Council is open to the public.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended; Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended; and the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Pub. L 111-11), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) St. George Field Office (SGFO), St. George, Utah, intends to prepare Resource Management Plans (RMP) for the Beaver Dam Wash and the Red Cliffs National Conservation Areas and an amendment to the St. George Field Office RMP. The BLM SGFO will prepare a single Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to satisfy the NEPA requirements of this planning process. By this notice, the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6801 for an additional 20-year period. This order withdrew approximately 61.356 acres of National Forest System land from the mining laws to protect the Smithsonian Institution's Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory. The withdrawal created by PLO No. 6801 will expire on September 18, 2010, unless extended. This notice gives an opportunity to comment on the proposed action and to request a public meeting.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and environmental assessment (EA) for Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Seneca, Wayne, and Cayuga Counties, New York. We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other Federal and State agencies, Tribal Governments, and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider in the planning process. We are also announcing public meetings and requesting public comments.

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 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (PRMP/FEIS) for the Pocatello Field Office and by this notice is announcing its availability.

We (Fish and Wildlife Service) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. 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.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (Act) prohibits activities with endangered and threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The Act requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the reopening of the public comment period on the proposed designation of critical habitat for the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA), corrections to our proposed boundaries for sea-ice critical habitat, our intention to hold two public hearings to provide the public with an opportunity to submit testimony on the proposed designation of critical habitat for the polar bear and on the DEA, and an amended required determinations section of the proposal. We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to provide additional comment on the proposed rule, the associated DEA, corrections to our proposed boundaries for sea-ice critical habitat, and the amended required determinations section. If you submitted comments previously, you do not need to resubmit them because we have already incorporated them into the public record and will fully consider them in preparation of the final rule.

The MMS, in accordance with regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), announces the availability of an EA and FONNSI for the Cape Wind Energy Project proposed for Nantucket Sound, offshore Massachusetts. On January 16, 2009, the MMS announced the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Cape Wind Energy Project. The FEIS assessed the physical, biological, and social/human impacts of the proposed project and 13 alternatives, including a no-action alternative (i.e., the project is not built), and proposed mitigation.

We (U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and a part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on this IC. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list Hermes copper butterfly (Hermelycaena [Lycaena] hermes) as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) and to designate critical habitat. We find the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the Hermes copper butterfly may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a status review to determine if the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, we are soliciting scientific and commercial data and other information regarding this species. Based on the status review,

Under the provisions of the Mineral Lands Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulations, the BLM received a petition for reinstatement from Western American Resources, LLC and East Resources, Inc. for competitive oil and gas lease WYW164359 for land in Goshen County, WY. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

This notice publishes the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma's Alcohol Control Ordinance, which was adopted by the Tribal Council of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma under Council Bill CB-64-2010 enacted on March 13, 2010. The Alcohol Control Ordinance regulates and controls the manufacture, distribution, possession, and sale of alcohol on Tribal lands of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The Tribal lands are located in Indian country and this enactment will increase the ability of the Tribal government to control alcohol-related activities within the Tribe's jurisdiction and at the same time will provide an important source of revenue for the continued operation and strengthening of the Tribal government and the delivery of Tribal services.

This notice publishes the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma Liquor Control Ordinance. The Ordinance regulates and controls the possession, sale, and consumption of liquor within the tribal lands. The tribal lands are located in Indian country and this Ordinance allows for possession and sale of alcoholic beverages within their boundaries. This Ordinance will increase the ability of the tribal government to control the community's liquor distribution and possession, and at the same time will provide an important source of revenue for the continued operation and strengthening of the tribal government and the delivery of tribal services.

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) Southwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet in June, August and October 2010.