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

Pursuant to Public Law 96-472, the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council (NEPEC) will hold a 1\1/2\ day meeting on September 17 and 18, 2012, at the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC), 1711 Illinois Avenue, Golden, Colorado 80401. The Council is comprised of members from academia and the Federal Government. The Council shall advise the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey on earthquake predictions, on the completeness and scientific validity of the available data related to earthquake predictions, and on related matters as assigned by the Director. Additional information about the Council may be found at https:// earthquake.usgs.gov/aboutus/nepec/. At the meeting, the Council will receive briefings on: ongoing and planned work with social and behavioral scientists on improving hazard and risk messages; development of a strategic plan for operational earthquake forecasting including calculation of short-term aftershock probabilities; discussions with emergency managers and other decision- makers about their needs for earthquake information, scientific evaluations, and hazard and risk forecasts; status of the project intended to deliver an updated Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3); and on the delivery of near-real-time earthquake information by the NEIC. A draft meeting agenda is available from the Executive Secretary on request (contact information below), and will be posted to the web site (above) when finalized. In order to ensure sufficient seating and hand- outs, it is requested that visitors pre-register by September 13, 2012. Members of the public wishing to make a statement to the Council should provide notice of that intention by September 13 so that time may be allotted in the agenda.

This notice sets the date of the Acadia National Park Advisory Commission meeting.

Notice is hereby given in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act that meetings of the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park Advisory Commission will be held to discuss the implementation of the Park's general management plan. Date: September 20, 2012. Location: Warren County Government Center, 220 North Commerce Avenue, Front Royal, VA 22360. Date: December 20, 2012. Location: Strasburg Town Hall Council Chambers, 174 East King Street, Strasburg, VA 22657. Date: March 21, 2013. Location: Middletown Town Council Chambers, 7875 Church Street, Middletown, VA 22645. Date: June 20, 2013. Location: Warren County Government Center, 220 North Commerce Avenue, Front Royal, VA 22630.

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) has endorsed the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) as the first-ever comprehensive federal data standard for classifying and describing coastal and marine ecosystems. CMECS provides a means of classifying ecological and habitat units using a common terminology. It provides a uniform protocol for identifying, characterizing and naming ecological units in support of monitoring, protection, and restoration of unique biotic assemblages, protected species, critical habitat, and important ecosystem components.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (Act) prohibits activities with endangered and threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The Act requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan (Plan), along with the Implementing Agreement (IA), for review. The EIS was updated to address the comments received on the 2010 Draft EIS. We are considering issuing an incidental take permit for 18 species in response to applications from the County of Santa Clara; Cities of San Jose, Gilroy, and Morgan Hill; Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, and Santa Clara Valley Water District (applicants). The applicants are currently in the process of creating a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to implement the Plan. Following its formation, the Service anticipates that the applicants will submit an application to the Service to amend the section 10(a)(1)(B) incidental take permit to add the JPA.

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations, the National Park Service (NPS) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the permit for the Susquehanna to Roseland 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line to pass through three units of the National Park System: The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River. This Final EIS describes and analyzes six alternatives for the transmission line that will guide the decision to grant or deny the construction and Right-of- Way (ROW) permits requested by the applicants.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Maysdorf II Coal Lease-by- Application (LBA) included in the South Gillette Area Coal Lease Applications Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Under the Endangered Species Act (Act), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the receipt and availability of a proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP) and accompanying documents for private development projects and municipal infrastructure improvements (activities) regulated or authorized by the Escambia County Board of Commissioners (Applicant). The activities would result in take of six federally-listed species on Perdido Key in Escambia County, Florida. The HCP analyzes the take incidental to activities conducted or permitted by the Applicant. We invite public comments on these documents.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the Platte River caddisfly (Ironoquia plattensis) as an endangered or threatened species and to designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. After review of all available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the Platte River caddisfly as an endangered or threatened species 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 Platte River caddisfly or its habitat at any time.

The Bureau of Reclamation has made available for public review and comment the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Arkansas Valley Conduit and Long-Term Excess Capacity Contract, Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, Colorado. The proposed Arkansas Valley Conduit, conveyance contract for the Pueblo Dam north-south outlet works interconnect, and long-term excess capacity master contract to store water in available space in Pueblo Reservoir would deliver high quality water that would meet Environmental Protection Agency and state water quality requirements and help water providers throughout the Arkansas River Basin in Colorado reliably meet existing and future water demands.

We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 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 February 28, 2013. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

BOEM Form 0009 would be used to issue Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) renewable energy right-of-way (ROW) grants in order to streamline this process and increase efficiency and consistency for applicants. As defined by BOEM regulations at 30 CFR Part 585, an ROW grant is an authorization issued for use of a portion of the OCS for the construction and use of a cable or pipeline for the purpose of gathering, transmitting, distributing, or otherwise transporting electricity or other energy product generated or produced from renewable energy, but does not constitute a project easement. The ability of an ROW grantee to install such a cable or pipeline and operate such activities would be subject to the applicable approvals specified in 30 CFR Part 585. BOEM has developed the form included in this notice and invites comments on the draft form. Following the 30- day comment period, BOEM will review all submitted comments, and publish a final version of the form in the Federal Register.

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) Palm Springs South Coast Field Office, Palm Springs, California, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Rio Mesa Gen- Tie Project. The proposed project would require an amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan (1980 as amended), which would be evaluated in this EIS. By this notice, the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues related to the EIS/plan amendment (PA).

The Secretarial Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform (the Commission) will hold a public meeting on September 13 and 14, 2012. The Commission will also host a public facilitated discussion the afternoon of September 12, 2012, on the Fort Berthold Reservation, and a youth outreach session the evening of September 13, 2012, at the United Tribes Technical College.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork requirements in the regulations under Subpart C, Pollution Prevention and Control. This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Prince of Wales flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus griseifrons) as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), and to designate critical habitat. Based on our review, we find that the petition does not present substantial information indicating that listing this subspecies may be warranted. Therefore, we are not initiating a status review in response to this petition. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the status of, or threats to, the Prince of Wales flying squirrel or its habitat at any time.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Boise District Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will hold a meeting as indicated below.

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 collection is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2013.

The Longyear Museum of Anthropology has completed an inventory of human remains in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the remains and any present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains may contact the museum. Disposition of the human remains to the Indian tribe stated below may occur if no additional requestors come forward.

The Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, has determined that the cultural items meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and repatriation to the Indian tribes 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 Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona.

The plats of survey of the described lands were officially filed in the Arizona State Office, Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix, Arizona, on dates indicated.

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 Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.