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

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), advise the public that we intend to prepare a joint Federal/State Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), in coordination with the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), for the proposed Kauai Seabird Habitat Conservation Plan (KSHCP) and the expected applications from public and private entities on Kaua'i for incidental take permits (ITPs, or permits). The proposed KSHCP is being prepared under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The ITPs would authorize incidental take of the Federally endangered Hawaiian petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), the Federally threatened Newell's (Townsends) shearwater (Puffinus auricularis newelli), and the band-rumped storm-petrel (Oceanodroma castro), a Federal candidate species that could become listed during the term of the permit (collectively, these three species are hereafter referred to as the ``Covered Species''). The DLNR is preparing the KSHCP under which numerous applicants are anticipated to apply for incidental take of the Covered Species due to adverse effects of light attraction and these birds colliding with utility lines and associated structures. We provide this notice to announce the initiation of a public scoping period during which we invite other agencies and the public to attend a public meeting and submit oral and written comments that provide suggestions and information on the scope of issues and alternatives to be addressed in the joint EIS.

This notice publishes approval of the Amendments to the Class III Gaming Compact (Amendment) between the State of Oregon and the Siletz Indians of Oregon.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from Kaheawa Wind Power II, LLC (KWP II) (Applicant) for an incidental take permit (permit) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The Applicant is requesting an incidental take permit under the ESA to authorize take of three Federally endangered and one threatened bird species. The permit application includes a draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and a draft Implementing Agreement (IA). We also announce the availability of a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) that has been prepared in response to the permit application in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). We are making the permit application package and draft EA available for public review and comment.

This notice publishes approval of the 2010 Amendments to the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewas (``Tribe'') and the State of Wisconsin Gaming Compact of 1991, as Amended in 1999 and 2003.

The North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Council) will meet to select North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant proposals for recommendation to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (Commission). This meeting is open to the public and interested persons may present oral or written statements.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the FinalComprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Environmental Assessment (EA) for Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Tamarac Wetland Management District (WMD). Goals and objectives in the CCP describe how the agency intends to manage the refuge over the next 15 years.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing its intention to renew authority to collect information for a series of customer surveys to evaluate OSM's performance in meeting the performance goals outlined in its annual plans developed pursuant to the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously approved the collection and assigned it clearance number 1029-0114.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE), in accordance with Federal Regulations that implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), announces the availability of NEPA-related Site-Specific Environmental Assessments (SEA) and Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI), prepared by BOEMRE for the following oil-, gas-, and mineral-related activities proposed on the Gulf of Mexico.

On September 7, 2010, the Bureau of Land Management published a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Gas Hills Uranium Project, Fremont and Natrona Counties, Wyoming (75 FR 54384). The notice inadvertently contained an incorrect legal land description. The correct legal land description for the Gas Hills Uranium Project location is as follows:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the comment period on our April 1, 2010, proposed revised designation of critical habitat for Astragalus jaegerianus (Lane Mountain milk-vetch) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed revised designation of critical habitat for Astragalus jaegerianus 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 on the items listed above. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted and will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado State Office is publishing this notice to inform the public of the intent to file the land survey plats listed below, and to afford all affected parties a proper period of time to protest this action, prior to the plat filing.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) for Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge (refuge) in Sherwood, Oregon. We will also prepare an environmental assessment (EA) to evaluate the potential effects of various CCP alternatives. We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and the public of our intentions and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider during the CCP planning process.

We (U.S Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. We summarize the ICR below and describe the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost. This ICR is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2010. 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. However, under OMB regulations, we may continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is pending at OMB.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bakersfield Field Office, proposes to sell 7 contiguous parcels of public land consisting of approximately 391 acres in Santa Barbara County, California. Each parcel would be sold to the respective adjacent land owner for the appraised fair market value. The adjacent landowners are Acquistapace Ranches LLC, West Bay LLC, Leo Moore Trust, Tepusquet Ranch LLC, Lenore Penny Revocable Trust, Lone Pine LLC, and the Charles Minetti Trust. The total appraised value of all 7 parcels is $104,000. The sale will be subject to the applicable provisions of Sections 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), 43 U.S.C. 1713 and 1719, respectively, and the BLM land sale and mineral conveyance regulations at 43 CFR 2710 and 2720.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Bay Springs salamander (Plethodon ainsworthi) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Based on our review, we find the petition does not present substantial information indicating that listing may be warranted at this time. Therefore, we are not initiating a 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 Bay Springs salamander or its habitat at any time.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the rayed bean (Villosa fabalis) and snuffbox (Epioblasma triquetra) as endangered throughout their ranges, under Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This proposed rule, if made final, would extend the Act's protection to the rayed bean and the snuffbox. We have determined that designating critical habitat for these species is prudent, but not determinable at this time. The Service seeks data and comments from the public on this proposed listing rule.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) owns or has an interest in irrigation projects located on or associated with various Indian reservations throughout the United States. We are required to establish irrigation assessment rates to recover the costs to administer, operate, maintain, and rehabilitate these projects. We request your comments on the proposed rate adjustments.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR 250, subpart F, ``Oil and Gas Well-Workover Operations,'' and related documents. This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

Nominations are being solicited for nine positions on the Pinedale Anticline Working Group (PAWG).

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has amended its Departmental Manual (DM) by adding a new chapter to provide supplementary requirements for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) within the Department's Office of Native Hawaiian Relations. The change to the DM was published in the Federal Register on December 3, 2009. No comments were received on the DM change. By publishing these changes in the Federal Register, DOI intends to promote greater transparency and accountability to the public and enhance cooperative conservation.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, located in Elko and White Pine Counties of Nevada. We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider in the planning process.

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.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regarding an expected application from Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) for a permit authorizing incidental take of Federally listed species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA).We are revising our previous notice of intent (NOI) of November 2008 in order to gather information necessary to prepare a joint EIS/environmental impact report (EIR) on the habitat conservation plan (HCP) for PG&E's operation, maintenance, and minor new construction activities in the North Coast, Central Coast, Sacramento Valley, and Sierra regions.