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

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following application for a recovery permit to conduct activities with the purpose of enhancing the survival of an endangered species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), prohibits certain activities with endangered species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The Act also requires that we invite public comment before issuing such permits.

This notice publishes the amendment to the Salt River Pima- Maricopa Indian Community Alcoholic Beverage Control Ordinance, Chapter 14, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Code of Ordinances to provide consistency with newly amended Arizona State Liquor Law and to enact certain technical amendments. The amended Salt River Pima- Maricopa Indian Alcohol Beverage Control Ordinance, Chapter 14 of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Code of Ordinances was last published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2010 (Vol. 75, No 133, FR 39960-39967). Sections 14-5(c)(4), 14-9(g), 14-18(o) and (t) of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Code of Ordinances shall be repealed and replaced in their entirety, and a new Section 14-12 has been added.

The State Historical Society of Wisconsin 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 State Historical Society of Wisconsin. 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 Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has completed an inventory of human remains, 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 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 should submit a written request to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex, which includes the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR and the Coachella Valley NWR. The Draft CCP/EA, prepared under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, describes how the Service proposes to manage the two Refuges for the next 15 years. A hunt plan, draft compatibility determinations for existing public uses, a draft predator management plan, and a draft integrated pest management plan are also available for review and public comment with the Draft CCP/EA.

This document is the Final Sale Notice (FSN) for the sale of a commercial wind energy lease on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore Virginia, pursuant to BOEM's regulations at 30 CFR 585.216. BOEM is offering Lease OCS-A 0483 for sale using an ascending clock auction format. The lease area comprises the Virginia Wind Energy Area (WEA) described in the Call for Information and Nominations (Call) published on February 3, 2012 (see ``Area Offered for Leasing'' below for a description of the WEA and lease area) (77 FR 5545). The lease area is identical to that announced in the Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) for Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Virginia, which was published on December 3, 2012, in the Federal Register with a 60-day public comment period (77 FR 71621). In this FSN, you will find information pertaining to the area available for leasing, lease provisions and conditions, auction details, the lease form, criteria for evaluating competing bids, award procedures, appeal procedures, and lease execution. The issuance of the lease resulting from this announcement would not constitute an approval of project-specific plans to develop offshore wind energy. Such plans, expected to be submitted by the lessee, will be subject to subsequent environmental and public review prior to a decision to proceed with development.

We (National Park Service, NPS) 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, 2014. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

This regulatory agenda is a semiannual summary of current and projected rulemakings, existing regulations, and completed actions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its components. This agenda provides the public with information about DHS's regulatory activity. DHS expects that this information will enable the public to be more aware of, and effectively participate in, the Department's regulatory activity. DHS invites the public to submit comments on any aspect of this agenda.

The Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) and Office of Hearing and Appeals (OHA) are proposing to amend and clarify regulations concerning certain aspects of appeals of ONRR correspondence and to clarify the final administrative nature of ONRR orders that are not paid or appealed.

The plats of survey of lands described below are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management California State Office, Sacramento, California, thirty (30) calendar days from the date of this publication.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Southwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet in August 2013.

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), is removing previously disposed-of state program disapprovals and required program amendments for Wyoming that remain codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The disapprovals and required program amendments are no longer necessary because Wyoming subsequently submitted and obtained OSM approval of revised regulations under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act).

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Sonoran Valley Parkway Project (Parkway) and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment period on our April 25, 2013, proposed rule to list the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog and the northern distinct population segment (DPS) (populations that occur north of the Tehachapi Mountains) of the mountain yellow-legged frog as endangered species, and the Yosemite toad as a threatened species. We are also reopening the public comment period on our April 25, 2013, proposed rule to designate critical habitat for these species. The 60-day comment period for both proposed rules ended on June 24, 2013. This notice announces reopening of the comment periods to allow all interested parties an additional opportunity to comment on the proposed rules and to submit information on the status of the species and proposed critical habitat. We will consider all comments and information provided by the public during these comment periods in preparation of a final determination on our proposed listings and designation of critical habitat. Accordingly, the final decisions may differ from our proposals. If you submitted comments previously, you do not need to resubmit them because we have already incorporated them into the public record and will fully consider them in preparation of the final rules.

Pursuant to applicable provisions of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA), the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Prineville District Office is proposing to begin collecting fees for day and overnight trips (floats) on the Service Creek (River Mile 157) to Tumwater Falls (River Mile 10) stretch of the John Day River, between Service Creek, Oregon, and the confluence of the John Day River and the Columbia River, Oregon. The John Day River system was designated as a National Wild and Scenic River on October 28, 1988, and as a Special Area in the John Day Basin Resource Management Plan (February 2001).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or USFWS), announce the reopening of the comment period on the March 25, 2013, proposed rule to designate specific areas in the terrestrial environment as critical habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed designation of critical habitat and an amended required determinations section of the proposal. We also announce that, based on a reevaluation of the applicable Habitat Conservation Plan, we are removing Unit LOGG-T-FL-04 from consideration for exclusion from critical habitat. We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed rule, the associated DEA, and the amended required determinations section. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.

Pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended by the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1976, and to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulations, all interested parties are hereby invited to participate with Bridger Coal Company, on a pro rata cost-sharing basis, in its program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in Sweetwater County, Wyoming.

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) Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet on August 22, 2013, in Grand Junction.

Consistent with the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) (NEPA), BOEM is announcing its intent to prepare a Supplemental EIS for proposed WPA lease sales beginning with Lease Sale 238 (WPA Lease Sales 238, 246, and 248 Supplemental EIS). Lease Sale 238 is the next proposed lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico's WPA off the States of Texas and Louisiana. The WPA Lease Sales 238, 246, and 248 Supplemental EIS will update the environmental and socioeconomic analyses in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2012-2017; Western Planning Area Lease Sales 229, 233, 238, 246, and 248; Central Planning Area (CPA) Lease Sales 227, 231, 235, 241, and 247, Final Environmental Impact Statement (OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2012-019) (WPA/CPA Multisale EIS) and the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2013-2014; Western Planning Area Lease Sale 233; Central Planning Area Lease Sale 231-Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2013-0118) (WPA 233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS). The WPA/CPA Multisale EIS was completed in July 2012. The WPA 233/CPA 231 Supplemental EIS was completed in April 2013. A Supplemental EIS is deemed appropriate to supplement the NEPA documents cited above for these lease sales in order to consider possible new circumstances and information arising from, among other things, the Deepwater Horizon explosion, oil spill, and response. The WPA Lease Sales 238, 246, and 248 Supplemental EIS analysis will focus on updating the baseline conditions and potential environmental effects of oil and natural gas leasing, exploration, development, and production in the WPA. The WPA Lease Sales 238, 246, and 248 Supplemental EIS analysis will focus on the potential environmental effects of oil and natural gas leasing, exploration, development, and production in the WPA identified through the Area Identification procedure as the proposed lease sale area. In addition to the no action alternative (i.e., canceling the proposed sale), other alternatives may be considered for the proposed lease sales, including WPA Lease Sale 238, such as deferring certain areas from the proposed lease sales.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following application to conduct certain activities with endangered or threatened species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (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.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) 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 a renewal to the paperwork requirements in the regulations under, Subpart P, Sulphur Operations.

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 Napaimute, Alaska, and are located in:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a public teleconference of the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council (Council).

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is announcing the availability of a Supplement to the Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Bighorn Basin Planning Area and announcing the opening of the comment period.