Department of the Interior June 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Wayne State University Gordon L. Grosscup Museum of Anthropology (hereafter WSU Museum) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the WSU Museum. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

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 November 30, 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.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request (ICR) concerns the paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR part 550, subparts A and K, General and Production Requirements.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from the City of Santa Cruz (applicant) for a 30-year incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The proposed permit would authorize take of the federally endangered Mount Hermon June beetle (Polyphylla barbata) and the federally endangered Zayante band winged grasshopper (Trimerotropis infantilis), and will address associated impacts and conservation measures for the federally endangered Ben Lomond spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens var. hartwegiana), incidental to otherwise lawful activities associated with the operation and maintenance of the existing Graham Hill Water Treatment Plant, construction of new facilities, which have the potential for minor temporary and long-term impacts to Mount Hermon June beetle habitat within Santa Cruz County, California, and restoration activities at the mitigation site. The Service's proposed action is the issuance of a permit to the City of Santa Cruz for a low-effect habitat conservation plan (HCP) for incidental take of Mount Hermon June beetle and Zayante band-winged grasshopper. Associated impacts and conservation measures for Ben Lomond spineflower would also be included in the HCP. We are requesting comments on the applicant's permit application and on our preliminary determination that the proposed HCP qualifies as a low-effect HCP, eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended. The basis for this determination is discussed in the Environmental Action Statement (EAS) and the associated low-effect screening form, which are available for public review, along with the draft HCP.

This order extends the withdrawal created by Public Land Order No. 6997, as corrected, for an additional 20-year period. The extension is necessary to continue the protection of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, which would otherwise expire on September 27, 2013.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), proposed in an earlier document to establish annual hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds for the 2013-14 hunting season. This supplement to the proposed rule provides the regulatory schedule, announces the Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee and Flyway Council meetings, and provides Flyway Council recommendations resulting from their March meetings.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, and the Alaska National Lands Interest Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Central Yukon Field Office, Fairbanks, Alaska, intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) with an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Central Yukon Planning Area. This notice announces the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues. The RMP will replace the existing Utility Corridor RMP, Central Yukon RMP, and part of the Southwest Management Framework Plan. Additionally, the RMP will cover lands in the Fairbanks North Star Borough that are currently not included in any management plan.

We are announcing receipt of North Dakota's response to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's (OSM) March 13, 2013, issue letter pertaining to a previously proposed amendment to the North Dakota regulatory program (hereinafter, the ``North Dakota program'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (``SMCRA'' or ``the Act''). North Dakota intends to revise its program to be consistent with the corresponding Federal regulations, add a new subsection to an existing rule with general requirements on the format of electronic applications, and make a minor correction to a provision pertaining to a separate rule which was amended to no longer require renewal of a permit once lands in that permit are no longer being mined or used in the support of mining. This document gives the times and locations that the North Dakota program and proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has established the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area as a unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Service established the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area on September 27, 2012, by acquiring, through donation from the Thaw Charitable Trust, the 4,224-acre Wind River Ranch in Mora County, New Mexico.

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, the United States Department of the Interior (USDOI), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Coeur d'Alene Indian Tribe (Tribe), and the State of Idaho (State) intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice are announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reopening the comment period for the proposed rule to amend the BLM's commercial oil shale regulations that published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2013. The 60-day comment period for the proposed rule ended on May 28, 2013. This notice reopens the comment period for 30 days.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to revise the existing nonessential experimental population designation of the Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. This action is being taken in coordination with our proposed rule in today's Federal Register to list the Mexican wolf as an endangered subspecies and delist the gray wolf (Canis lupus). The proposal to list the Mexican wolf as an endangered subspecies and delist the gray wolf species necessitates that we revise the nonessential experimental population designation of Mexican wolves in order to correctly associate this designation with the properly listed entity. In addition, we are proposing several revisions to the section 10(j) rule. We are seeking comment from the public on the proposed revisions and on additional possible modifications that we may analyze and incorporate into our final determination.

The Bureau of Reclamation and the Western Municipal Water District have completed a final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (SEIR/EIS) for the proposed Riverside-Corona Feeder Project.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are updating the names and addresses of our regional offices in our regulations at title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations. We are also making other revisions to our regulations, such as updating the names and phone numbers of certain other Service offices. We are taking these actions to ensure regulated entities and the general public have accurate contact information for the Service's offices.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a public meeting, teleconference and web-based meeting of the Trinity Adaptive Management Working Group (TAMWG).

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision will be issued by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to The Kuskokwim Corporation. The decision approves the surface estate in the lands described below for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601, et seq.). The subsurface estate in these lands will be conveyed to Calista Corporation when the surface estate is conveyed to The Kuskokwim Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Georgetown, Alaska, and are located in:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing its intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information for OSM's Special Permanent Program Performance StandardsOperations in Alluvial Valley Floors.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we (The U.S. Geological Survey) are notifying the public that we have submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the information collection request (ICR) 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 ICR.

On May 11, 2012, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published in the Federal Register a proposed rule to regulate hydraulic fracturing on Federal and Indian land. Due to the complexity of the rule and the issues surrounding it, the BLM extended the comment period for 60 days beyond the end of the initial comment period. On May 24, 2013, the BLM published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment. Key issues in the revised proposed rule include: the use of an expanded set of cement evaluation tools to help ensure that usable water zones have been isolated and protected from contamination and more detailed guidance on how trade secrets claims will be handled. The revised proposed rule would also provide opportunities for the BLM to coordinate standards and processes with individual States and tribes to reduce administrative costs and improve efficiency. This notice extends the public comment period on the revised proposed rule for 60 days beyond the initial comment period.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are advising the public of the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) associated with an application received from NiSource Inc. (hereafter ``NiSource'') for an incidental take permit (hereafter ``ITP'') pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). If issued, the ITP would authorize NiSource to take 10 federally listed species over a 50-year period. For record of decision availability, see DATES. For directions on how to review the FEIS and related documents, see ADDRESSES.

The Department of the Interior is finalizing regulations guiding implementation of the Buy Indian Act, which provides Indian Affairs (IA) with authority to set aside procurement contracts for Indian-owned and controlled businesses. This rule supplements the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Department of the Interior Acquisition Regulation (DIAR).

The Michigan Department of Transportation has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the Michigan Department of Transportation. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The Dallas Water Utilities has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to Dallas Water Utilities. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.