Department of the Interior April 19, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is finalizing supplementary rules for all BLM-administered public lands within the approximately 483,700-acre Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA), addressed in the September 2008 Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Record of Decision (ROD). The Snake River Birds of Prey NCA RMP identifies implementation level decisions which describe an array of management actions designed to conserve natural and cultural resources on BLM administered land while providing for recreational opportunities. These supplementary rules will help enforce the decisions in the NCA RMP.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a public meeting of the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (Council). A Federal advisory committee, the Council was created in part to foster partnerships to enhance public awareness of the importance of aquatic resources and the social and economic benefits of recreational fishing and boating in the United States. This meeting is open to the public, and interested persons may make oral statements to the Council or may file written statements for consideration.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is advising the public of the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) associated with an application received from Buckeye Wind, LLC (Buckeye Wind, applicant) for an incidental take permit (permit) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). We also announce the availability of the Buckeye Wind Power Project Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), prepared in accordance with the ESA, and the availability of a Draft Programmatic Agreement (PA) to address the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and its implementing regulations, ``Protection of Historic Properties.'' Buckeye Wind submitted the HCP, as well as a proposed Implementing Agreement (IA), as part of its incidental take permit application. If issued, the permit would authorize incidental take of the federally listed endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) from construction, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning associated with the Buckeye Wind Power Project. Buckeye Wind is requesting a 30-year permit term. We request comments from the public on the permit application, the HCP, the IA, the FEIS, and the Draft PA, all of which are available for review. The Service is furnishing this notice to allow other agencies and the public an opportunity to review and comment on these documents. All comments received will become part of the public record and will be available for review pursuant to the ESA. For locations to review the documents, please see the Availability of Documents section below.