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

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for renewal of the information collection for Verification of Indian Preference for Employment. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0160, which expires August 31, 2011.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is announcing that the No Child Left Behind School Facilities and Construction Negotiated Rulemaking Committee will hold its seventh and final meeting in Washington, DC. The purpose of the meeting is to finalize the language and appearance of a final report to Congress and the Secretary as required under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate revised critical habitat for the Sonoma County distinct population segment of the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) (Sonoma California tiger salamander) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 47,383 acres (19,175 hectares) of land are being designated as revised critical habitat for the Sonoma California tiger salamander.

Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; Alaska. Survey Desriptions: The plat and field notes, representing the corrective dependent resurvey of the Second Guide Meridian East, along a portion of the west boundary of Township 7 North, Range 9 East, the corrective dependent resurvey of the south boundary of the Steese National Conservation Area (north unit) as defined by the 1987 survey of Townships 7 North, Ranges 8 and 9 East and the survey of Tract 37, Township 7 North, Range 9 East, accepted July 18, 2011, for Group No. 444, Alaska. The plat of survey of U.S. Survey No. 13984, Alaska, in 17 sheets, representing the monumented centerline of the Pinnell Mountain Trail and 2 Lots with associated trail improvements thereon, is situated northerly of the Steese Highway, between Twelvemile Summit (Milepost 86) and Eagle Summit (Milepost 107), approximately 75 miles northeasterly of Fairbanks, within Township 7 North, Range 9 East and Townships 8 North, Ranges 9, 10 and 11 East, of the Fairbanks Meridian, Alaska, accepted July 18, 2011, for U.S. Survey No. 13984, Alaska.

The National Indian Gaming Commission (``NIGC'') announces the delay of the effective date on the final rule for Minimum Internal Control Standards for Class II Gaming. The final rule was first published in the Federal Register on October 10, 2008. The Commission delayed the effective date for portions of the final rule on October 9, 2009, and September 10, 2010. With this document, the Commission further delays the effective date in order to allow the Commission time to convene a Tribal Advisory Committee (TAC), to receive and review input from the TAC, and to thoroughly review comments from the public on any potential amendments to the regulations.

Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area Advisory Council will be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2011, at 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Independence Wharf, 470 Atlantic Avenue, Community Room, Boston, MA. The agenda will include: Summer season review; park update; and public comment. The meeting will be open to the public. Any person may file with the Superintendent a written statement concerning the matters to be discussed. Persons who wish to file a written statement at the meeting or who want further information concerning the meeting may contact Superintendent Bruce Jacobson at Boston Harbor Islands, 408 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 228, Boston, MA 02110, or (617) 223-8667. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire commentincluding your personal identifying informationmay be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

In accordance with the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Act of 2000 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (Forest Service) Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Advisory Committee (MAC) will meet as indicated below.

Pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended by the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1976, and to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulations, all interested parties are hereby invited to participate with Oxbow Mining, LLC, on a pro rata cost-sharing basis, in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in lands located in Delta County, Colorado.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) announces the availability of a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193, Chukchi Sea, Alaska (OCS EIS/EA BOEMRE 2011-041). BOEMRE prepared this Final SEIS pursuant to: (1) The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations that implement the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); and (2) the July 21, 2010, remand order issued by the United States District Court for the District of Alaska. The Final SEIS augments the analysis of the Final EIS, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193, Chukchi Sea Planning Area (OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007-026). BOEMRE will issue a NEPA Record of Decision after the 30-day period during which the Final SEIS is available. BOEMRE gives this notice of availability in accordance with Council on Environmental Quality regulations at 40 CFR 1506.6 (b).

Pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended by the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1976, and to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulations, all interested parties are hereby invited to participate with the Peabody Natural Resources Company, on a pro rata cost-sharing basis, in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in lands located in McKinley County, New Mexico.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a revised recovery plan for the Mojave population of the desert tortoise under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This species is found in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts in southern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, and the southwestern tip of Utah in the United States, as well as in Sonora and northern Sinaloa in Mexico. The listed Mojave population of the desert tortoise includes those animals living north and west of the Colorado River in the Mojave Desert of California, Nevada, Arizona, and southwestern Utah, and in the Sonoran (Colorado) Desert in California.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, as amended by the National Forest Management Act of 1976, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have prepared a Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the Draft Land Management Plan (LMP) for the San Juan Public Lands that was published on December 14, 2007, and by this notice, are announcing the opening of the comment period. The San Juan Public Lands Center (SJPLC) is the joint USFS/BLM Service First Office responsible for the management of BLM and USFS lands covered in the Draft LMP.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to remove the regulations that govern the southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) translocation program, including the establishment of an experimental population of southern sea otters, and all associated management actions. We are also proposing to amend the Authority citation for 50 CFR part 17 by removing the reference to Public Law 99- 625, the statute that authorized the Secretary to promulgate regulations establishing the southern sea otter translocation program. Removal of the regulations will terminate the program. We are proposing this action because we believe that the southern sea otter translocation program has failed to fulfill its purpose, as outlined in the southern sea otter translocation plan, and that our recovery and management goals for the species cannot be met by continuing the program. Our conclusion is based, in part, on an evaluation of the program against specific failure criteria established at the program's inception. This proposed action would terminate the designation of the experimental population of southern sea otters, abolish the southern sea otter translocation and management zones, and eliminate the current requirement to remove southern sea otters from San Nicolas Island and the management zone. This proposed rule would also eliminate future actions, required under the current regulations, to capture and relocate southern sea otters for the purpose of establishing an experimental population, and to remove southern sea otters in perpetuity from an ``otter-free'' management zone. As a result, it would allow southern sea otters to expand their range naturally into southern California waters. We have prepared a revised draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) and an initial regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA) to accompany this proposed rule.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will issue an appealable decision to Doyon, Limited. The decision approves conveyance of the surface and subsurface estates in the lands described below pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.). The lands are in the vicinity of Hughes, Alaska, and are located in:

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will issue an appealable decision to Calista Corporation. The decision will approve the conveyance of the surface and subsurface estates in certain lands pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.). The lands are located south west of Mountain Village, Alaska, and contain 9.04 acres. Notice of the decision will also be published four times in the Anchorage Daily News.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Grand Junction Field Office examined approximately 80 acres of public land in Mesa County, Colorado and found the land suitable for classification for sale under the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (R&PP). Colorado Mesa University (formerly Mesa State College) proposes to use the land for construction and operation of a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Academy and Mesa County Regional Public Safety Training Facility (RPSTF).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to revise designated critical habitat for Astragalus lentiginosus var. coachellae (Coachella Valley milk-vetch) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, we are proposing approximately 25,704 acres (10,402 hectares) as critical habitat for this taxon in Riverside County, California.

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

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

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 the regulations under, Prospecting for Minerals Other than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur on the Outer Continental Shelf (OMB No. 1010-0072), and in particular, we are revising BOEMRE Form 0134 to adapt to new advances in technology (digital options) and clarifying requirements for environmental compliance.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on Off-Road Vehicle Management in the Nabesna District of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The FEIS evaluates the environmental impacts of a preferred alternative and four action alternatives for management of off-road vehicles in the Nabesna District. The purpose is to consider opportunities for appropriate and reasonable access to wilderness and backcountry recreational activities, which also accommodates subsistence and access to inholdings; while protecting scenic quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and other park resource values. A no action alternative is also evaluated. This notice officially begins the 30-day waiting period before the Record of Decision can be issued.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, as amended (FLPMA), and in response to a proposal filed by Titan Uranium USA, Inc. (Titan), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Lander Field Office, Wyoming, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments regarding issues and resource information for the proposed Sheep Mountain Uranium Project (the Project) in Fremont County, Wyoming. The Project is a conventional uranium exploration and development project employing open pit and underground mining methods and using heap leach methods for uranium recovery.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Bureau of Education (BIE) is requesting comments on renewal of OMB approval to collect information for the BIE Adult Education Program. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control number 1076-0120, which expires December 31, 2011.

Pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or ``we'') announces the availability of an application for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) and a proposed Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan (LEHCP) from Dominion Virginia Power for public review and comment. We received the permit application from Dominion Virginia Power for incidental take of the Madison Cave isopod during construction of a new natural gas-fired combined-cycle power station in Warren County, Virginia, extending over the next 9 years, until 2020. Our preliminary determination is that the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) qualifies as a low-effect plan under NEPA. To make this determination, we used our LEHCP Screening Form/Environmental Action Statement (EAS), which is also available for review. We provide this notice to (1) seek public comments on the proposed HCP and application; (2) seek public comments on our preliminary determination that the HCP qualifies as a low-effect plan and is therefore eligible for a categorical exclusion under NEPA; and (3) advise other Federal and State agencies, affected Tribes, and the public of our intent to issue an ITP.