Department of the Interior December 14, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents
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Endangered Species; Receipt of Applications for Permit
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.
Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Issuance of Permits
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have issued the following permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species, marine mammals, or both. We issue these permits under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
Proposed Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for the State-Route 99/Cartmill Avenue Interchange Improvements Project, City of Tulare, Tulare County, CA
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from the City of Tulare, Tulare County, California (applicant), for a 5-year incidental take permit for two species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The application addresses the potential for ``take'' of two listed animals, the vernal pool fairy shrimp and the San Joaquin kit fox. The applicant would implement a conservation strategy program to avoid, minimize, and mitigate effects of the project's covered activities, as described in the applicant's low-effect habitat conservation plan (HCP). We request comments on the applicant's application and plan, and our 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.
Interim Policy Leasing for Renewable Energy Data Collection Facility on the Outer Continental Shelf off the Coast of Georgia
This Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) is being published as an initial step for the purpose of involving Federal agencies, states, tribes, local governments, and the public in the preparation of an EA. The EA will consider the environmental consequences associated with issuing a lease for an offshore data collection facility located on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), in accordance with applicable Department of the Interior (DOI) and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). On November 6, 2007, the Minerals Management Service, now BOEM, announced an interim policy for authorizing the issuance of leases for the installation of offshore data collection and technology testing facilities on the OCS (72 FR 62673). An applicant has submitted a lease proposal to BOEM pursuant to the interim policy and, thus, has initiated the need for an EA. On April 7, 2011, Southern Company submitted an application to lease three OCS blocks, approximately 311 nautical miles off the coast of Tybee Island, Georgia, under its original nomination submitted on July 23, 2008. The areas proposed for leasing are identified as Brunswick NH 17-02 OCS blocks numbered 6074, 6174, and 6126. The proposed lease area covers about 70 square kilometers (17,280 acres) of seafloor, and ranges from a depth of 12 meters (m) in Block 6074 to 20 m in the eastern half of Block 6126. Southern Company submitted amended project applications on May 18, 2012, and October 25, 2012, which describe additional data collection and technology testing activities to be conducted on the proposed lease. Southern Company intends to deploy a meteorological tower and/or a meteorological buoy that will measure wind speed, direction and shear, and potentially collect other environmental data during the five year lease term. BOEM intends to prepare an EA for the purpose of considering the environmental consequences associated with issuing an interim policy lease to Southern Company; this EA will consider impacts associated with the deployment and installation of a meteorological tower and/or the deployment of a meteorological buoy. At a minimum, the EA will consider the alternatives of no action (i.e., no issuance of a lease) and the issuance of a lease and approval of certain technology testing activities within the lease area, such as installation of a fixed meteorological tower and/or deployment of a meteorological buoy. With this NOI, BOEM requests comments and input from Federal, state, and local government agencies, tribal governments, and other interested parties on important environmental issues and alternatives that may be appropriate for consideration in the EA. BOEM also requests information pertaining to measures (e.g., limitations on activities based on technology, siting, or timing) that would minimize the reasonably foreseeable impacts to environmental resources and socioeconomic conditions which could result from the proposed activity. BOEM will conduct consultations with other Federal agencies, tribal governments, and affected states during the EA process.
Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan for Western Butte County, CA: Environmental Impact Statement
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act for the proposed Habitat Conservation Plan/ Natural Community Conservation Plan for Western Butte County, hereafter referred to as the Butte Regional Conservation Plan (BRCP). This document is being prepared under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, and the California Natural Community Conservation Planning Act. The BRCP addresses State and Federal endangered species compliance requirements for the county of Butte and the cities of Oroville, Chico, Biggs, and Gridley (local agencies); the Butte County Association of Governments (BCAG); the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans); the Western Canal Water District; the Biggs West Gridley Water District, Butte Water District; and Richvale Irrigation District; and the BRCP implementing entity that will be established to implement the BRCP (permit applicants) for activities and projects in the BRCP plan area that they conduct or approve. The permit applicants intend to apply for a 50-year incidental take permit from the Service. This permit is needed to authorize the incidental take of threatened and endangered species that could result from activities covered under the BCRP. We announce meetings and invite comments.
Information Collection Request Sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval; Depredation Orders for Double-Crested Cormorants
We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. We summarize the ICR below and describe the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost. This information collection is scheduled to expire on January 31, 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. However, under OMB regulations, we may continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is pending at OMB.
Information Collection Request Sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval; Federal Subsistence Regulations and Associated Forms
We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. We summarize the ICR below and describe the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost. This information collection is scheduled to expire on January 31, 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. However, under OMB regulations, we may continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is pending at OMB.
Notice of Availability of the Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment, Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Ring of Fire Resource Management Plan-Haines Planning Area, Alaska
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Ring of Fire RMP for the Haines Planning Area and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.
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