Department of the Interior April 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The public is invited to comment on the following application for approval to conduct certain activities with birds that are protected in accordance with the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 (WBCA).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are initiating 5-year reviews for 25 species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We conduct these reviews to ensure that our classification of species on the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants as threatened or endangered is accurate. A 5-year review assesses the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. We are requesting any information that has become available since our last 5-year review of each of these species. Based on review results, we will determine whether we should change the listing status of any of these species. In this notice, we also announce 5-year reviews that were completed for 28 species in California and Nevada between March 17, 2011, and February 29, 2012.

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. This IC is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2012. To submit a proposal for the MRERP a project narrative must be completed and submitted via Grants.gov. Furthermore, for multi-year projects, an annual progress report must be completed, and for all projects, a final technical report is required at the end of the project period. The narrative and report guidance is available at https://www.usgs.gov/contracts/Minerals/.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Lost Creek Uranium In Situ Recovery (ISR) Project and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 9.52(b) of Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 9, Subpart B, that the National Park Service (NPS) has received from Cimarex Energy Company (Cimarex), a Plan of Operations to conduct the Rivers Edge 3-D Seismic Survey within the Beaumont, Little Pine IslandPine Island Bayou Corridor, Lower Neches River Corridor, and Village Creek Corridor Units of Big Thicket National Preserve (Preserve), in Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, and Orange Counties, Texas. The NPS has prepared an Environmental Assessment of this proposal. The Environmental Assessment evaluates two alternatives: A No Action alternative under which there would be no new impacts, and the NPS preferred alternative under which Cimarex would conduct a 3-D seismic survey within the Preserve using a combination of helicopter-portable and tracked drilling equipment.

BOEM has issued a Record of Decision (ROD) to authorize the use of OCS sand resources by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Martin County Board of Commissioners in the Martin County, Florida Hurricane Storm Damage Reduction (HSDR) Project. The ROD documents the BOEM's decision in selecting the Preferred Alternative described in the USACE's Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Martin County HSDR Project (August 2011). BOEM will enter into a negotiated agreement for the purpose of making sand available from a shoal on the OCS for placement on the beach in support of the beach nourishment, following the mandated 30-day wait period from the date of the issuance of the ROD. BOEM is announcing the availability of this ROD in accordance with the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Deputy Director for the BOEM signed the ROD on March 28, 2012.

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 Indian Reservation Roads. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0161, which expires July 31, 2012.

The Office of the Secretary is announcing that the Secretarial Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform (the Commission) will hold a public webinar meeting on May 16, 2012. Having gathered valuable background information during the first meeting held in Washington, DC, March 1-2, 2012, the Commission is beginning to develop a comprehensive evaluation of how the Department of the Interior manages and administers trust responsibilities to American Indians. The Secretarial Commission's charter requires the Commission to provide well-reasoned and factually-based recommendations for potential improvements to the existing management and administration of the trust administration system. The Commission is committed to early public engagement and welcomes your participation in these important meetings.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to sell a 22.98- acre parcel of public land in Washakie County, Wyoming, by non- competitive (direct) sale to the town of Ten Sleep under the provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), at no less than the appraised fair market value.

In accordance with Title IV of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act (Pub. L. 97-451), Skyline Geyser LLC timely filed a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas leases UTU86505, UTU86506, and UTU86485 for lands in Iron County, Utah, and it was accompanied by all required rentals and royalties accruing from July 1, 2011, the date of termination.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plats of survey of the lands described below in the BLM-Eastern States office in Springfield, Virginia, 30 calendar days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) considering the reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts and socioeconomic effects of issuing a lease in Official Protraction Diagram NG 17-06, Blocks 7003, 7053, and 7054, offshore Florida. The proposed lease would authorize technology testing activities, including the installation, operation, relocation, and decommissioning of technology testing facilities. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the EA for review and to solicit public comments on the EA. Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.4(d)(1), which is a section in the regulations implementing section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 470f, BOEM has made a finding of ``no historic properties affected'' for this proposed project. The finding and supporting documentation have been submitted to the Florida State Historic Preservation Officer and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and are included in the EA for public inspection. BOEM will conduct a public information session at the following location and time to explain the proposed activities and provide additional opportunities for public input on the EA: Broward County Main Library, 100 S Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301-7528, Wednesday, May 9, 2012, 2 p.m. The EA and information on the public session can be found online at: https://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities / Florida.aspx.

The National Indian Gaming Commission (``NIGC'' or ``Commission''), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, is seeking reinstatement of approval from the Office of Management and Budget for collection of information for the following information collection activities: (1) Compliance and enforcement under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) ; (2) approval of Class II background Investigation tribal licenses; (3) management contract regulations; (4) National Environmental Policy Act procedures; (5) annual fees payable by Indian gaming operations; (6) issuance of certificates of self regulation to tribes for Class II gaming; (7) minimum internal control standards; and (8) facility license review. These information collections have expired.

The Bureau of Reclamation intends to submit a request for renewal of an existing approved information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): Diversions, Return Flow, and Consumptive Use of Colorado River Water in the Lower Colorado River Basin (OMB Control Number 1006-0015).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing that the information collection request regarding the certification of a State or Tribe for noncoal reclamation has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewed approval. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden and cost.

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 Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.

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.

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 Iqfijouaq Company. The decision approves for conveyance the surface estate in the lands described below, pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601, et seq.). The subsurface estate in these lands will be conveyed to Calista Corporation when the surface estate is conveyed to Iqfijouaq Company. The lands are in the vicinity of Eek, 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 Chevak Company. The decision approves for conveyance the surface estate in the lands described below, pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601, et seq.). These lands lie entirely within Public Land Orders 2213 and 4584, Clarence Rhodes National Wildlife Range now known as the Yukon Delta Wildlife Refuge. The subsurface estate will be reserved to the United States in the conveyance to Chevak Company. The lands are in the vicinity of the village of Chevak, Alaska, and are described as:

Two parcels of public land totaling 970 acres in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, are being proposed for sale.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to conduct public scoping under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to gather information to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) in anticipation of receiving an application for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) amendment under section 10 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) from the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) for their 1997 Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for forested State trust lands. The HCP amendment involves the proposed replacement of an interim conservation strategy for the threatened marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus), which is currently being implemented under the HCP, with a long-term conservation strategy. The proposed amendment to the HCP and the ITP is exclusively limited to consideration of a long-term conservation strategy for the marbled murrelet on HCP-covered lands.

In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Framework Agreement for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting from the DEEPWATER HORIZON Oil Spill (Framework Agreement), notice is hereby given that the Federal and State natural resource trustee agencies (Trustees) have approved the Phase I Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (Phase I ERP/EA) describing the first eight restoration projects selected by the Trustees to commence the process of restoring natural resources and services injured or lost as a result of the DEEPWATER HORIZON oil spill, which occurred on or about April 20, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Phase I ERP/EA.

The plats of survey of the following described lands are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington State Office, Portland, Oregon, 30 days from the date of this publication.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application from Hoa Cam Tieu (applicant) for a 3-year incidental take permit for three species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The application addresses the potential for ``take'' of one listed animal, the Bay checkerspot butterfly; one listed plant, the Santa Clara Valley dudleya; and one nonlisted plant, the most beautiful jewelflower. The applicant would implement a conservation program to minimize and mitigate the project activities, as described in the applicant's low- effect habitat conservation plan (Plan). We request comments on the applicant's application and Plan, and the preliminary determination that the Plan qualifies as a ``low-effect'' habitat conservation plan, eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA). We discuss our basis for this determination in our environmental action statement (EAS), also available for public review.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP)/Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the John Day Basin planning area and by this notice is announcing its availability.