Department of the Interior May 27, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) requests comments and suggestions from affected parties and the interested public before proposing changes to the existing regulations governing the valuation of oil and gas produced from Federal onshore and offshore oil and gas leases, for royalty purposes. The existing Federal oil valuation regulations have been in effect since 2000, with a subsequent amendment relating primarily to the use of index pricing in some circumstances. The existing Federal gas valuation regulations have been in effect since March 1, 1988, with various subsequent amendments relating primarily to the transportation allowance provisions. These regulations have not kept pace with significant changes that have occurred in the domestic gas market during the last 20-plus years. This notice is intended to solicit comments and suggestions for possible new methodologies to establish the royalty value of oil and gas produced from Federal leases. The ONRR plans to hold public workshops to discuss possible changes to the oil and gas valuation regulations after the written comment period closes and ONRR has had a reasonable time to review and analyze the comments. The ONRR will announce any public workshops in a future Federal Register notice. Getting feedback upfront and involving all affected stakeholders in the rulemaking process are the hallmarks of good government and smart business practice. The intention of this rulemaking process is to provide regulations that would offer greater simplicity, certainty, clarity, and consistency in production valuation for mineral lessees and mineral revenue recipients; be easy to understand; decrease industry's cost of compliance; and provide early certainty to industry and ONRR that companies have paid every dollar due. The ONRR intends that the final regulations will be revenue neutral.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is seeking comments on renewal of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the collection of information for Verification of Indian Preference for Employment, 25 CFR part 5. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0160, which expires August 31, 2011.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Northeast California Resource Advisory Council will meet as indicated below.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, notice is hereby given of meetings of the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC). Comprised of 30 nonfederal invasive species experts and stakeholders from across the nation, the purpose of the Advisory Committee is to provide advice to the National Invasive Species Council, as authorized by Executive Order 13112, on a broad array of issues related to preventing the introduction of invasive species and providing for their control and minimizing the economic, ecological, and human health impacts that invasive species cause. The Council is co-chaired by the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Commerce. The duty of the Council is to provide national leadership regarding invasive species issues. Purpose of Meeting: The meeting will be held on June 14-16, 2011 in Denver, Colorado, and will focus primarily on invaders in the intermountain West. The meeting will focus on adapting management of invasive species in the vast Rocky Mountain/High Plains region in order to gain new understanding of landscape ecology, climate change, land development, introduction pathways, and new invaders. ISAC will also consult with Western-based scientists and practitioners on problems and potential solutions, as well as evaluate on-the-ground issues firsthand, thereby determining how management methods and practices can be adapted in the West to prevent and manage invasive species.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, Louisiana, and Pearl River County, Mississippi, 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.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Schell Field Office, Nevada, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a right-of-way (ROW) application submitted by Wilson Creek Power Partners, LLC, for a wind energy generation project and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public input on the identification of issues. The BLM may also determine that the proposed project would require an amendment to the Ely Resource Management Plan, in which case the EIS would support any planning amendment.

This notice provides information regarding the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) approval of the Buy American waiver requested by the Deschutes River Conservancy (DRC) to purchase foreign-produced ductile iron flanges also known as bolt rings used to connect high- density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) grant for Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID) Phase IIIMain Canal piping project located in Sisters, Oregon. These ductile iron flanges are not available in the United States and are necessary for the construction of the TSID project and associated construction schedule. The DRC and TSID engineers conducted market research for the domestic ductile iron flange production industry and determined there is currently no domestic availability for ductile iron flanges for use with HDPE and PVC pipe.