Department of the Interior August 8, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered or threatened species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (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.

The Bureau of Reclamation is extending the public comment period for the Draft Report Assessing Rural Water Activities to September 10, 2012. The notice to solicit public comments was published in the Federal Register on June 15, 2012 (77 FR 36001). The public comment period was originally to end on August 14, 2012.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and environmental assessment (EA) for Presquile National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) for public review and comment. Presquile NWR is located in Chesterfield County, Virginia, and is administered by staff at Eastern Virginia Rivers NWR Complex. The draft CCP/EA describes two alternatives for managing Presquile NWR for the next 15 years. Alternative B is identified as the Service-preferred alternative. Also available for public review and comment are the draft compatibility determinations, which are included as appendix B in the draft CCP/EA.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list Graptopetalum bartramii (Bartram stonecrop) and Pectis imberbis (beardless chinch weed) as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), and to designate critical habitat. Based on our review, we find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing Bartram stonecrop and beardless chinch weed may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we will initiate a review of the status of these species to determine if listing Bartram stonecrop or beardless chinch weed, or both, is warranted. To ensure that our status review is comprehensive, we request scientific and commercial data and other information regarding these species. Based on the status review, we will issue a 12-month finding on the petition, which will address whether the petitioned action is warranted, as provided in section 4(b)(3)(B) of the Act.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from Hot Springs Resources Ltd. for competitive oil and gas lease WYW174758 for land in Natrona County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.