Department of the Interior September 6, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP)/Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Winnemucca District and by this notice is announcing its availability.

This notice advises the public that we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received applications for incidental take permits pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), from the City of Desert Hot Springs and Mission Springs Water District (MSWD), Riverside County, California. The Service, in cooperation and coordination with the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission (CVCC), has prepared a joint draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (draft Supplemental EIR/EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the proposed amendment to the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Communities Conservation Plan (CVMSHCP, or Plan), to include Desert Hot Springs and MSWD as permittees to the Plan. The draft Supplemental EIR/EIS supplements the approved and certified September 2007 Final Recirculated EIR/EIS for the CVMSHCP (72 FR 63922; November 13, 2007) and considers the environmental effects associated with the approval of an amendment to the existing incidental take permit under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act. The draft Supplemental EIR/EIS has been prepared to analyze the effects of the addition of Desert Hot Springs and MSWD as permittees to the CVMSHCP. The analyses provided in the draft Supplemental EIR/EIS are intended to inform the public of the proposed action, alternatives, and associated impacts; address public comments received during the scoping period for the draft Supplemental EIR/EIS; disclose the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of the proposed action and each of the alternatives; and indicate any irreversible commitment of resources that would result from implementation of the proposed action.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our recovery plan for the southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni), listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Our recovery plan describes the status, current management, recovery objectives and criteria, and specific actions needed to enable us to delist the southwest Alaska DPS of the northern sea otter.