Department of the Interior February 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 information collection is scheduled to expire on February 28, 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. However, under OMB regulations, we may continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is pending at OMB.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), as lead agency, with the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians (Tribe), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), as cooperating agencies, intend to gather information necessary for preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Moapa Band of Paiute Indians Solar Generation Facility on the Moapa River Indian Reservation, Nevada. This notice also announces public scoping meetings to identify potential issues and content for inclusion in the EIS.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Special Flight Rules Area in the Vicinity of Grand Canyon National Park for Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. The four alternatives in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that are being considered include: Alternative A Current Condition: Key elements are corridors open year round, annual allocation cap of 93,971, and no quiet technology incentive. Current tours for helicopters and fixed wing remain the same. Alternative E Alternating Seasonal Use: Key elements are corridors alternating on a seasonal basis, daily allocation cap of 364 for air tour and air tour related, and conversion to quiet technology aircraft. Alternative F Modified Current Condition: Key elements are similar to current condition except for one way east bound tour for quiet technology, elimination of Nankoweap loop, incentives for quiet technology aircraft, and seasonal shift for Dragon corridor. NPS Preferred Alternative: Key elements are short-loop corridors alternate on a seasonal basis, four-year phase in of long-loop for quiet technology aircraft, annual allocation cap of 65,000 air tour and related operations and a daily cap of 364 for commercial air tours, increased altitudes for some areas and flight free zones, and conversion of quiet technology within ten years.

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 also requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

Notice is hereby given in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. Appendix, and Parts 62 and 65 of title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, that the National Park System Advisory Board will meet April 12-13, 2011, in San Francisco, California. The agenda will include the review of proposed actions regarding the National Historic Landmarks Program and the National Natural Landmarks Program. Interested parties are encouraged to submit written comments and recommendations that will be presented to the Board. Interested parties also may attend the Board meeting and upon request may address the Board concerning an area's national significance.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), will reintroduce whooping cranes (Grus americana) into historic habitat in southwestern Louisiana with the intent to establish a nonmigratory flock. We are designating this reintroduced population as a nonessential experimental population (NEP) under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended. The geographic boundary of the NEP includes the entire State of Louisiana. The objectives of the reintroduction are: to advance recovery of the endangered whooping crane; to implement a primary recovery action; to further assess the suitability of Louisiana as whooping crane habitat; and to evaluate the merit of releasing captive-reared whooping cranes, conditioned for wild release, as a technique for establishing a self- sustaining, nonmigratory population. The only natural wild population of whooping cranes remains vulnerable to extirpation through a natural catastrophe or contaminant spill, due primarily to its limited wintering distribution along the Texas gulf coast. If successful, this action will result in the establishment of an additional self- sustaining population, and contribute toward the recovery of the species. No conflicts are envisioned between the whooping crane's reintroduction and any existing or anticipated Federal, State, Tribal, local government, or private actions such as agriculture-aquaculture- livestock practices, oil/gas exploration and extraction, pesticide application, water management, construction, recreation, trapping, or hunting.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to offer, by competitive sale, a parcel of Federally owned land near Golden, New Mexico, containing approximately 130.56 acres. The sale will be subject to the applicable provisions of Section 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), respectively, and the BLM land sale regulations. The purpose of the sale is to dispose of lands which are difficult and uneconomic to manage. The sale will be conducted in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as a competitive sealed bid auction in which interested bidders must submit written sealed bids equal to or greater than the appraised fair market value of the land.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the General Management Plan, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. On September 13, 2010, the Regional Director, Southeast Region, approved the ROD for the project.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (FLPMA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Rock Springs Field Office (RSFO), Rock Springs, Wyoming, intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) with an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues. The BLM is also soliciting resource information for coal and other resources for the planning area. The Rock Springs RMP will replace the existing Green River RMP (1997).