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

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement for a Deer Management Plan (EIS and Plan) covering Antietam National Battlefield and Monocacy National Battlefield, Maryland, and Manassas National Battlefield Park, Virginia. The purpose of this EIS and Plan is to develop a deer management strategy that supports preservation of the cultural and natural landscapes through the protection and restoration of native vegetation and other natural and cultural resources, and that provides for management of Chronic Wasting Disease at the parks.

In accordance with the Secure Schools and Community Self- Determination Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Medford District Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease COC64399 from Encana Oil and Gas (USA), for lands in Garfield County, Colorado. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

The Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs made a final agency determination to acquire approximately 15 acres of land, known as ``OMDE Ponca City,'' into trust for the Osage Nation of Oklahoma on July 8, 2011.

The Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs made a final agency determination to acquire approximately 27.66 acres of land, known as ``OMDE Tulsa,'' into trust for the Osage Nation of Oklahoma on July 8, 2011.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion (Archeolarca cavicola) as threatened or endangered with critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After review of the best scientific and commercial information available, we find that listing the Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion is not warranted at this time. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the threats to the Grand Canyon cave pseudoscorpion or its habitat at any time.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from Catherine M. and Ronald L. Francis (applicants) for a 5-year incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The application addresses the potential for ``take'' of the Federally endangered Morro shoulderband snail (Helminthoglypta walkeriana) incidental to the construction and occupation of a single-family residence on a legal single-family-zoned parcel in the unincorporated community of Los Osos, San Luis Obispo County, California. The applicants would implement a conservation program to minimize and mitigate project activities as described in their low-effect habitat conservation plan. We invite comments from the public on the application, which includes the Francis Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for the Morro Shoulderband Snail (HCP) that has been determined to be eligible for a Categorical Exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA).

The purpose of this notice is to inform the public and interested State and local government officials of the filing of Plats of Survey in Nevada.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM Montana State Office, Billings, Montana, on August 15, 2011.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wells Field Office, Elko, Nevada, is proposing to amend the 1985 Wells Resource Management Plan (RMP) for recreation in the Spruce Mountain Area and prepare an associated Environmental Assessment (EA). By this notice, the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues associated with this proposed action.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from USA Exploration & Production LLC for competitive oil and gas lease WYW140216 for land in Converse and Campbell Counties, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ridgecrest Field Office, Ridgecrest, California, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which may include an amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (1980, as amended), related to Power Partners Southwest, LLC's (Applicant or Power Partners) right-of-way (ROW) authorization request for the Tylerhorse Wind Project (Project), a 60-megawatt (MW) wind farm. By this notice the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to identify issues and solicit public comments on the EIS and proposed plan amendment (PA). By this notice the BLM is also segregating, subject to valid existing rights, approximately 1,200 acres of public lands from appropriation under the public land laws, including the Mining Law of 1872, as amended, but not from leasing under the mineral leasing laws or disposal under the mineral material laws, for a period of 2 years from the date of publication of this notice for the purpose of processing Power Partner's ROW authorization request.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), and the California Environmental Quality Act, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ridgecrest Field Office, Ridgecrest, California, together with the County of Kern, California, intend to prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/ Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which may include an amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (1980 as amended), related to Alta Windpower Development LLC's (Applicant or AWD) right- of-way (ROW) authorization request for the Alta East Wind Project (Project), a 300-megawatt (MW) wind farm. By this notice BLM and Kern County are announcing the beginning of the scoping process to identify issues and solicit public comments on the EIS/EIR and proposed plan amendment. By this notice the BLM is also segregating, subject to valid existing rights, approximately 2,083 acres of public lands from appropriation under the public land laws, including the Mining Law of 1872, as amended, but not from leasing under the mineral leasing laws or disposal under the mineral material laws, for a period of 2 years from the date of publication of this notice for the purpose of processing AWD's ROW authorization request.

This notice informs the public that the Assistant Secretary Indian Affairs proclaimed approximately 40 acres, more or less, to be added to the Bay Mills Indian Community of Michigan.

This notice informs the public that the Assistant Secretary Indian Affairs proclaimed approximately 99.5623 acres, more or less, to be added to the Pueblo of Laguna Reservation, (Laguna), New Mexico.

This notice constitutes the Second Notice in the Federal Register referred to in Sec. 73.7(f) of the World Heritage Program regulations (36 CFR Part 73). It sets forth the decision to request that draft World Heritage nominations for 11 ``Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings'' (in Arizona, California, Illinois, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) and ``Poverty Point State Historic Site and National Monument,'' Louisiana, be prepared, thereby notifying the owners and the public of this decision. On December 14, 2010 (75 FR 77901), the Department of the Interior requested public comment on which property or properties on the U.S. World Heritage Tentative List should be nominated next by the United States to the World Heritage List. This was the First Notice in the Federal Register, pursuant to 36 CFR 73.7(c). The Tentative List consists of properties that appear to qualify for World Heritage status and which may be considered for nomination by the United States to the World Heritage List. The current Tentative List was transmitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre on January 24, 2008. After review of the comments provided by the public and consultation with the Federal Interagency Panel for World Heritage, the Department, in accordance with 36 CFR Part 73, has selected ``Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings'' and ``Poverty Point State Historic Site and National Monument'' from the Tentative List as proposed nominations to the World Heritage List. With the assistance of the Department, the owners of these sites are encouraged to prepare complete nomination documents for the sites in accordance with 36 CFR Part 73 and the nomination format required by the World Heritage Committee. A discussion of the decision, the nomination process and schedule and a summary of the comments as received follows.

This notice corrects the location and starting time of a meeting previously announced in a Federal Register notice published on June 27, 2011 (76 FR 37372). On page 37373, column 2, lines 7-8 of the notice should read: ``held on August 11, 2011, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Bureau of Land Management, 920 NE Main Street, Lewistown.''

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, as lead agency advise the public that we intend to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on a proposed application, including a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The potential ITP would include federally listed and candidate species within portions of nine states (North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas). The activities covered by a potential ITP would include regional- level construction, operation, and maintenance associated with multiple commercial wind energy facilities. The planning partners are currently considering, for inclusion in the HCP, certain species listed as federally threatened or endangered, or having the potential to become listed during the life of the HCP, and having some likelihood of being taken by the applicant's activities within the proposed permit area. The intended effect of this notice is to gather information from the public to develop and analyze the effects of the potential issuance of an ITP that would facilitate wind energy development within the planning area, while minimizing incidental take and mitigating the effects of any incidental take to the maximum extent practicable. We provide this notice to (1) Describe the proposed action; (2) advise other Federal and state agencies, potentially affected tribal interests, and the public of our intent to prepare an EIS; (3) announce the initiation of a 90-day public scoping period; and (4) obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues and possible alternatives to be included in the EIS.

The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), through the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED), is soliciting grant proposals from Federally-recognized Indian tribes for projects to build tribal capacity for energy resource development under the Department of the Interior's (DOI) Tribal Energy Development Capacity (TEDC) grant program. Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, 25 U.S.C. 3502 (Act), Congress appropriates funds on a year-to-year basis to DOI for grants of funds to Indian tribes for use in assessing, developing, and sustaining the managerial and technical capacity needed to develop energy resources on Indian land and properly accounting for resulting energy resource production and revenues. We will use a competitive evaluation process based on criteria stated in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice to select projects for funding awards.

Under the Endangered Species Act (Act), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the receipt and availability of four proposed habitat conservation plans (HCPs) and accompanying documents for four independently proposed developments. The take would involve the Federally endangered Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis) on Perdido Key in Escambia County, Florida. Each HCP analyzes the take incidental to construction and occupation of four single-family residences (Projects). We invite public comments on these documents.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intend to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and environmental assessment (EA) for Cold Springs and McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuges, located in Umatilla County, Oregon. We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and the public of our intentions and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider in the planning process.

BOEMRE has prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) considering the environmental impacts and socioeconomic effects of issuing renewable energy leases (which includes reasonably foreseeable site characterization activitiesgeophysical, geotechnical, archeological, and biological surveyson those leases) in identified Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) offshore New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. The draft EA also considers the reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts and socioeconomic effects associated with the approval of site assessment activities (including the installation and operation of meteorological towers and buoys) on the leases that may be issued. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the draft EA for review and comment. Public comments on the draft EA will be considered in the preparation of the final EA and determination of whether a Finding of No Significant Impact would be appropriate, or whether an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) would need to be prepared. The draft EA can be accessed online at: https:// www.boemre.gov/offshore/RenewableEnergy/SmartFromTheStart.htm .

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 the Nunakauiak Yupik Corporation. The decision approves the surface estate in the lands described below for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. These lands lie entirely within the Clarence Rhode National Wildlife Refuge established on December 6, 1960, and January 20, 1969. The subsurface estate will be reserved to the United States in the conveyance to the Nunakauiak Yupik Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Toksook Bay, Alaska, and are described as:

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) is announcing that the Advisory Board for Exceptional Children (Advisory Board) will hold its next meeting in Tampa, Florida. The BIE Advisory Board will hold its meeting in conjunction with the BIE Special Education Academy. The purpose of the meeting is to meet the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) for Indian children with disabilities.