Department of the Interior August 24, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Coconino National Forest, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribe, has determined that the cultural items meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and repatriation to the Indian tribe stated below may occur if no additional claimants come forward. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the cultural items may contact the USDA, Forest Service, Southwestern Region.

The Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke Museum), University of Washington, has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and a present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains may contact the Burke Museum. Repatriation of the human remains to the tribe named below may occur if no additional claimants come forward.

In compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior is announcing its intention to request renewal approval for the collection of information for Alternatives Process in Hydropower Licensing. This collection request has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden and cost.

This notice terminates the existing classifications in their entirety or in part for public lands at three locations that were classified as suitable for lease/disposal under the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act. Additionally, this notice opens these public lands to the operation of the public land laws generally, including the 1872 Mining Law. The classification termination and opening order will affect a total of 333.17 acres of public lands within Sublette County, Wyoming.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Cedar City Field Office, Cedar City, Utah, intends to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) and possible Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are notifying the public that we have submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for an extension of a currently approved information collection (IC) for the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (NCGMP). The NCGMP has two components: Educational (EDMAP) and State (STATEMAP). This notice provides the public an opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of this collection which is scheduled to expire on August 31, 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 the Great Lakes Islands National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) for public review and comment. The group of five national wildlife refuges includes Gravel Island and Green Bay National Wildlife Refuges, Door County, Wisconsin; Harbor Island National Wildlife Refuge, Chippewa County, Michigan; Huron National Wildlife Refuge, Marquette County, Michigan; and Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Charlevoix, Arenac, and Alpena Counties, Michigan. In this draft CCP/EA we describe how we propose to manage these refuges for the next 15 years.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), in cooperation with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians (Tribe), intends to gather the information necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the conveyance into trust of 164.22 acres of land currently held by the Tribe in the City of South Bend, Indiana. The purpose of the proposed action is to help create a tribal land base and to meet the Tribe's economic development needs in Indiana. The Tribe is federally recognized, but does not currently have a federally protected reservation or have land that is held in trust for the Tribe by the United States in the State of Indiana. This notice also announces a public scoping meeting to identify potential issues, alternatives, and content for inclusion in the EIS.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (collectively referred to as the ``Services'' or ``we''), propose to revise our regulations pertaining to impact analyses conducted for designations of critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (the Act). These changes are being proposed as directed by the President's February 28, 2012, memorandum, which directed us to take prompt steps to revise our regulations to provide that the economic analysis be completed and made available for public comment at the time of publication of a proposed rule to designate critical habitat.