Department of the Interior January 13, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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) prohibit 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.

This notice informs the public that the Assistant Secretary Indian Affairs proclaimed approximately 2 acres, more or less, to be added to the Bay Mills Indian Reservation for the Bay Mills Indian Community of Michigan.

The Bureau of Land Management announces the expiration of two withdrawals established by two Secretarial Orders and one Public Land Order and modified by two Public Land Orders affecting 62,025.42 acres of public lands in Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Gem, Payette, and Washington Counties withdrawn for stock driveway purposes. This action opens the lands to the operation of the public land laws. The lands have been and will remain open to mining and mineral leasing.

This notice implements Section 6 of the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act (Act) (Pub. L. 109-362). The Act designates the 11,271 acre Elkhorn Ridge Potential Wilderness Area and requires that this area ``shall be designated as wilderness and as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, on the earlier of(1) the date on which the Secretary publishes in the Federal Register notice that the conditions in the potential wilderness area that are incompatible with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) have been removed; or (2) the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.'' The Secretary of the Interior has determined that the conditions of the Elkhorn Ridge Potential Wilderness Area that were incompatible have been removed, and therefore the area is now suitable for wilderness designation.

The Grand Junction, Colorado, Regional Airport Authority has requested the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Grand Junction Field Office (GJFO) to consider the transfer of title to approximately 720 acres of public land for airport improvements, including relocation and construction of the main runway for the Grand Junction Regional Airport. Public Land Order No. 7027 (59 FR 3000 January 20, 1994) withdrew these lands from mining claim location in anticipation of a need for future airport expansion. The BLM's consideration of the Grand Junction Regional Airport Authority's (Airport Authority) request initiates a BLM Notice of Intent to initiate a public scoping process to amend the BLM GJFO 1987 Resource Management Plan (RMP) and prepare an Environmental Analysis (EA). The request also initiates a Notice of Realty Action (NORA) to assist the BLM in determining whether granting the requested title conveyance is consistent with the needs of the Department of the Interior. This notice initiates the public scoping process and concurrent opportunity for submission of public comments for the EA, RMP Amendment, and NORA.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), South Dakota Field Office, proposes to sell a parcel of public land consisting of 0.03 acres in Lawrence County, South Dakota, to Keith Sauls for the appraised fair market value of $183.