Department of the Interior January 15, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the General Management Plan (GMP) for Blue Ridge Parkway (parkway). Consistent with NPS laws, regulations, and policies and the purpose of the parkway, the FEIS/GMP will guide the management of the parkway over the next 20+ years.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposes to establish a policy that covers Service procedures for accepting, using, and recognizing donations. This draft donations policy is an extension of the Department of the Interior's guidance on donations, found in the Departmental Manual (DM) at 374 DM 6. It focuses on the ethical considerations of all types of donations, as opposed to our Fish and Wildlife Service Manual (FW) guidance, 342 FW 5, Non-Purchase Acquisition, which covers the acquisition of real property rights by methods other than purchase, including donation. If finalized, this draft policy would establish procedures for reviewing and evaluating potential donors and donations. It lists delegations of authority for accepting donations and the roles and responsibilities of the Service's Donations Senior Manager and employees authorized to accept donations. It provides guidance on soliciting donations, where appropriate, and provides general guidance on fundraising by non-Federal entities on the Service's behalf. It also covers recognition of donors. We propose to incorporate this draft policy as 212 FW 8 in the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual (https://www.fws.gov/policy/manuals/).

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and associated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents for Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Noxubee, Oktibbeha, and Winston Counties, Mississippi. We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other Federal and State agencies, Native-American tribes, and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider in the planning process.