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

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Utah Resource Advisory Council (RAC) Subcommittee will meet as indicated below.

The Office of the Secretary is amending several existing procedural regulations governing appeals to the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA); adopting new regulations governing consolidation, extensions of time, intervention, and motions in IBLA appeals; removing regulations relating to the former Interior Board of Surface Mining and Reclamation Appeals and Interior Board of Contract Appeals, which no longer exist; and correcting the address of the Office of Hearings and Appeals.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), BOEMRE 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 Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) ``No. 2010-N05, Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the OCS.''

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) 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. This IC is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2011.

This order further extends the duration of the withdrawal created by Public Land Order No. 7464 for an additional 5-year period. This extension is necessary to continue protection of the Bureau of Land Management's Zortman-Landusky mining area which would otherwise expire on October 4, 2010.

Pursuant to Public Law 96-472, the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council (NEPEC) will hold a 2-day meeting on November 3 and 4, 2010. The meeting will be held on the campus of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91106. The Council is comprised of members from academia and the Federal Government. The Council shall advise the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on proposed earthquake predictions, on the completeness and scientific validity of the available data related to earthquake predictions, and on related matters as assigned by the Director. Additional information about the Council may be found at: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/aboutus/nepec/. At the meeting, the Council will review plans and progress related to understanding, forecasting and communicating about earthquake occurrence in California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Central United States. The Council will ratify the charges to NEPEC subcommittees that will focus on: (1) Methods for rapidly estimating the probability of a large earthquake following a possible foreshock or during a swarm of seismicity, procedures by which Council findings are to be transmitted to the USGS, and the format and content of earthquake advisory statements that may be composed and delivered at times of heightened concern; (2) earthquake occurrence and forecasting in the Pacific Northwest; (3) earthquake occurrence and forecasting in the Central and Eastern U.S.; and (4) review procedures for the project intended to deliver an updated Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3) in summer 2012. Workshops and meetings of the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council are open to the public. A draft workshop agenda is available on request (contact information below). In order to ensure sufficient seating and hand-outs, it is requested that visitors pre- register by November 1. Members of the public wishing to make a statement to the Committee should provide notice of that intention by November 1 so that time may be allotted in the agenda.

We (U.S. 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. This IC is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2011. 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.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has officially filed the plats of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Idaho State Office, Boise, Idaho, effective 9 a.m., on the dates specified.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to establish a policy to guide Service employees to increase efficiency and effectiveness in achieving the Service's mission through partnerships with Friends organizations (volunteer/advocate). Today, Friends organizations play a vital role in helping to fulfill the Service's mission of ``working with others, to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.'' This draft policy provides guidance for Service employees who work with Friends organizations to increase community involvement in our programs. Specifically, it includes guidance regarding financial and administrative practices, Friends Partnership Agreements, and revenue generating operations. We propose to incorporate this draft policy as Part 633, chapters 1-4 of the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332 (2) (C), the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan (Draft GMP/EIS) for Hampton National Historic Site, Maryland. The purpose of the Draft GMP/EIS is to provide a clear definition of the park's purpose, significance, fundamental resources and values, and the direction that will guide and coordinate all subsequent planning and management.

In accordance with Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the NIGC, in cooperation with the Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria (the ``Graton Rancheria''), announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria Casino and Hotel, Sonoma County, CA.

The purpose of this SEIS (OCS EIS/EA BOEMRE 2010-034) is to provide new analysis in accordance with the United States (U.S.) District Court for the District of Alaska Order remanding the BOEMRE's Chukchi Sea Lease Sale 193 Final EIS (FEIS) (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007-0026). The District Court's Order instructs the BOEMRE to address three concerns: (1) Analyze the environmental impact of natural gas development; (2) determine whether missing information identified by BOEMRE in the 193 FEIS was essential or relevant under 40 CFR 1502.22; and (3) ``determine whether the cost of obtaining the missing information was exorbitant, or the means of doing so unknown.''

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 Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Amargosa Farm Road Solar Power Project, Nye County, Nevada, and by this notice is announcing its availability.

This final rule establishes a new subpart under the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) regulations to require operators to develop and implement Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) for oil and gas and sulphur operations in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). This rulemaking will incorporate in its entirety and make mandatory the American Petroleum Institute's Recommended Practice 75, Development of a Safety and Environmental Management Program for Offshore Operations and Facilities, with respect to operations and activities under the jurisdiction of BOEMRE. This final rule will apply to all OCS oil and gas and sulphur operations and the facilities under BOEMRE jurisdiction including drilling, production, construction, well workover, well completion, well servicing, and DOI pipeline activities. The importance of this final rule is highlighted by the Deepwater Horizon event on April 20, 2010. Although the cause of the event is presently under investigation, it further illustrates the importance of ensuring safe operations on the OCS. BOEMRE believes that requiring operators to implement SEMS will reduce the risk and number of accidents, injuries, and spills during OCS activities.

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.

This final rule amends the regulations that manage the taking of wildlife and fish in Alaska for subsistence purposes. In particular, the Federal Subsistence Board's (Board) process of accepting and addressing special action requests is clarified, along with the role of the Regional Advisory Councils in the special action process. Public notice requirements are updated to bring them in alignment with the practices of the digital age and accommodate the new biennial regulatory cycle.

This notice publishes the Secretary's certification of the Liquor Control Ordinance of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. The enactment of this Ordinance allows the Wal-Mart Superstore to sell liquor on tribal lands, which will general millions of dollars in sales revenue and increase funding for essential government services provided by the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. The ordinance will increase the ability of the tribal government to control the distribution and possession of liquor within their reservation.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD)/Approved Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (the applicable Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the project site and the surrounding areas) located in the California Desert District. The Secretary of the Interior approved the ROD on October 5, 2010, which constitutes the final decision of the Department and makes the Approved Amendment to the CDCA Plan effective immediately.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our draft recovery plan for the southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the northern sea otter (Enydra lutris kenyoni), listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Our recovery plan describes the status, current management, recovery objectives and criteria, and specific actions needed to enable us to delist the southwest Alaska DPS. We request review and comment on our plan from local, State, and Federal agencies and the public. We will also accept any new information on the species' status throughout its range.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), as lead agency, and the National Indian Gaming Commission, the City of Calexico, and the Manzanita Band of Kumeyaay Indians as cooperating agencies, intend to file a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Tribe's proposed 60.8- acre fee-to-trust transfer and casino project to be located in Calexico, California, and that the DEIS is now available for public review and comment. This notice provides a 75-day public comment period, which adds a 30-day extension to the normal 45-day public comment period.

The Department of the Interior (DOI), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) is announcing its intent to conduct a broad review of its categorical exclusions (CEs) for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) decisions. This review is being conducted in accordance with section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4332; the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR parts 1500-1508 (Nov. 1978); the CEQ Draft Guidance on Establishing and Applying Categorical Exclusions under NEPA (February 18, 2010); and consistent with recommendations provided by CEQ in their ``Report Regarding the Minerals Management Service's National Environmental Policy Act Policies, Practices, and Procedures as They Relate to Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Exploration and Development'' (August 16, 2010). Furthermore, this notice provides the public an opportunity to comment on the issues that should be addressed by BOEMRE during the review of its CEs and their application to OCS decisionmaking. The BOEMRE will use and coordinate a commenting process to ensure public involvement. Authority: The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, established a national policy to protect the environment and also established the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). CEQ regulations at 40 CFR 1507.3 require Federal agencies to adopt procedures to implement NEPA, to consult with CEQ during their development, to provide an opportunity for public review, and to revise procedures as necessary to ensure full compliance with the purposes and provisions of the Act. The CEQ regulations are available at https:// ceq.hss.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/tocceq.htm. The Department of the Interior NEPA procedures were promulgated as regulations and published in the Federal Register on October 15, 2008 (73 FR 61292). They can be found at (https://www.doi.gov/oepc/nepafr/ docs/Federal%20Register%20October%2015,%202008%20NEPA.pdf). These regulations identify categories of actions taken throughout the Department that under normal circumstances do not have, and are not expected to have, significant individual or cumulative environmental impacts; therefore, the Bureau is not required to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. These regulations also identify the extraordinary circumstances which nullify the use of the CE in particular circumstances. The CEQ regulations define ``categorical exclusion'' at 40 CFR 1508.4:

In accordance with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA), the Upper Snake Field Office will begin collecting fees for the day use area and a fee for use of the Recreational Vehicle dump station at Egin Lakes Access Recreation Site (Egin). The day use fee will be $5 per day for the use of the area, and $10 per use of the recreational vehicle dump station. A $60 season pass will be available. The site is located in Fremont County, Idaho.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species, marine mammals, or both. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) prohibits activities with listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activities. Both laws require that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby notifies the public that it will hold a public meeting to consider a proposal to exchange Federal coal deposits for Alluvial Valley Floor (AVF) fee coal pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977. This exchange (serial number MTM-99236) has been proposed by Jay Nance, Brett A. Boedecker, as personal representative for Susanne N. Boedecker, Joseph P. Hayes, Patricia Hayes Rodolph, and the Brown Cattle Company Shareholders Coal Trust, collectively referred to as Nance-Brown.