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

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Montana State Office, Billings, Montana, thirty (30) days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is amending supplementary rules relating to camping on public lands in Colorado. These rules extend the time the public must remain absent from a site once the current 14-day camping stay limit is reached. They also require that once campers have camped for 14 days, they must move away from that particular location for 30 days, rather than seven days, before returning. These rules are needed to further protect natural resources and provide for public health and safety. These supplementary rules will be more consistent with camping and occupancy regulations on public lands in other western states.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), proposed in an earlier document to establish annual hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds for the 2010-11 hunting season. This supplement to the proposed rule provides the regulatory schedule, announces the Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee and Flyway Council meetings, and provides Flyway Council recommendations resulting from their March meetings.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C., Chapter 3507) and 5 CFR Part 1320, Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements, the National Park Service (NPS) invites public comments on an extension of a currently approved information collection Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control 1024-0231.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, propose changes in the regulations governing the Wildlife Restoration, Sport Fish Restoration, and Hunter Education and Safety (Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety) financial assistance programs. We conducted rulemaking 2 years ago to amend these regulations, and based on experience gained since then, we propose to adopt two recommendations that we received in response to the prior proposed rule and to modify three provisions from the subsequent final rule. We also propose to update the regulations to reflect changes in law, regulation, policy, technology, and practice during the past 25 years. In addition, this proposed rule simplifies specific requirements of the establishing authorities of the Wildlife Restoration and Sport Fish Restoration programs and clarifies terms in those authorities as well as terms generally used in grant administration. Finally, this proposed rule organizes the regulations to follow the life cycle of a grant and rewords and reformats the regulations following Federal plain language policy and current rulemaking guidance.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease CACA 44900 from NW. Lost Hills Petroleum Holdings, LLC. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all required rentals and royalties accruing from February 1, 2010, the date of termination.

This notice publishes the Secretary's certification of the amended St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin Alcoholic Beverage Control Ordinance. The amended 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 tribe'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.

Under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR Part 1320, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, the National Park Service (NPS) invites public comments on the renewal of a current collection with a revision for Office of Management and Budget control number 1024-0252.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment period on our February 4, 2010, proposed rule to reestablish the Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis) in southwestern Arizona. We proposed to reestablish the Sonoran pronghorn under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), and to classify that reestablished population as a nonessential experimental population (NEP). The proposed rule provided a plan for establishing the NEP and provided for allowable legal incidental taking of Sonoran pronghorn within the defined NEP area. A draft environmental assessment (EA) on this proposed action was also made available for comment. This action will provide all interested parties with an additional opportunity to submit comments on the proposed rule to reestablish Sonoran pronghorn into southwest Arizona and its accompanying draft EA. Information previously submitted need not be resubmitted as it has already been incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in the final rule.

The MMS is proposing to promulgate regulations establishing

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) for public review and comment. In this Draft CCP/EA, we describe the alternative we propose to use to manage this refuge for the 15 years following approval of the final CCP.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Felsenthal and Overflow National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) for public review and comment. Felsenthal, Overflow, and Pond Creek NWRs are managed as a Complex. A separate CCP was prepared for Pond Creek NWR. In this Draft CCP/EA, we describe the alternative we propose to use to manage these refuges for the 15 years following approval of the final CCP.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the final post-delisting monitoring plan (PDM Plan) for the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires that we implement a system, in cooperation with the States, to monitor effectively for at least 5 years the status of all species that have been recovered and no longer need ESA protection. In 2007, we removed the bald eagle in the contiguous 48 States from the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife and Plants (delisted) due to recovery. Over a 20-year period, we will monitor the status of the bald eagle, at 5-year intervals.

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 (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activities. The ESA requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are making limited technical amendments to their joint regulations governing contracts and annual funding agreements under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to update the appeals procedures.

Comal County, Texas (Applicant), has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an incidental take permit (TE- 223267-0) under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended. The requested permit, which would be in effect for a period of 30 years, if granted, would authorize incidental take of the following federally listed species: Golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) and black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla). The proposed take would occur in Comal County, Texas, as a result of activities including, but not limited to: Public or private construction and development, utility installation and maintenance, and public infrastructure projects. Comal County has completed a draft Habitat Conservation Plan (dHCP) as part of the application package. We have issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement (dEIS) that evaluates the impacts of, and alternatives to, possible issuance of an incidental take permit (ITP).

The National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC) will meet on June 22-23, 2010 at the National Conservation Training Center, 698 Conservation Way, Shepherdstown, WV 25443. The meeting will be held in Room 201 Instructional East.

Notice is hereby given, in accordance with Public Laws 92-463 and 94-579, that the California Desert District Advisory Council to the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior, will participate in a field tour of BLM-administered public lands on Friday, June 18, 2010, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will meet in formal session on Saturday, June 19, 2010, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Heritage Inn and Suites, 1050 N. Norma St., Ridgecrest, California.

NMFS and USFWS hereby extend the comment period on the proposed listing of nine distinct population segments of loggerhead sea turtles as endangered or threatened, which was published on March 16, 2010, until September 13, 2010. In addition, NMFS and USFWS will hold a public hearing in Berlin, MD, on June 16, 2010 to answer questions and receive public comments.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a 12-month finding on a petition to remove Cirsium vinaceum (Sacramento Mountains thistle) from the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Plants under the Endangered Species Act. After reviewing the best scientific and commercial information available, we find that delisting C. vinaceum is not warranted. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the status of, or threats to, the species or its habitats at any time. This information will help us monitor and encourage the conservation of this species.

For gas produced from Indian tribal leases on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation (Reservation) in Utah, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) is terminating the exclusion from valuation under the regulations at 30 CFR 206.172, based on a request by the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation.

The following applicants have applied for scientific research permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Act requires that we invite public comment on these permit applications.