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

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.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing its intention to request approval for the collections of information for 30 CFR Part 764State Processes for Designating Areas Unsuitable for Surface Coal Mining Operations.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the northern Mexican gartersnake (Thamnophis eques megalops) and narrow-headed gartersnake (Thamnophis rufipunctatus) as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to these species. The effect of this regulation is to conserve northern Mexican and narrow-headed gartersnakes under the Act.

Notice is hereby given that the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), New Mexico State Office, in conjunction with the Farmington District Office, will offer certain coal resources in the tract described below in McKinley County, New Mexico, for competitive sale by sealed bid in accordance with the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended.

In accordance with Federal coal management regulations, the Wasatch Natural Resources, LLC, Federal Coal Lease-By-Application (LBA) Environmental Assessment (EA) is available for public review and comment. The United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Price Field Office will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the EA, Fair Market Value (FMV), and Maximum Economic Recovery (MER) of the coal resources for the Long Canyon Coal Lease Tract, serial number UTU-88953.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, determine the following six west Texas aquatic invertebrate species meet the definition of an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973: Phantom springsnail (Pyrgulopsis texana), Phantom tryonia (Tryonia cheatumi), diminutive amphipod (Gammarus hyalleloides), Diamond tryonia (Pseudotryonia adamantina), Gonzales tryonia (Tryonia circumstriata), and Pecos amphipod (Gammarus pecos). This final rule implements the Federal protections provided by the Endangered Species Act for these species. The effect of this regulation is to add these species to the lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife under the Endangered Species Act.

The purpose of this notice is to inform the public and interested State and local government officials of the filing of Plats of Survey in Nevada.

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 (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Needles Field Office, Needles, California, intends to prepare an amendment to the 1980 California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan with an associated Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze the sale of the reversionary interest held by the United States (U.S.) in 50 acres of land previously conveyed out of Federal ownership and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

The National Park Service hereby gives public notice that it proposes to extend the following concession contracts until the dates shown:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Acquisition and Property Management, Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior announces the proposed extension of a public information collection and seeks public comments on the provisions thereof.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment period on the October 3, 2012, proposed listing and designation of critical habitat for Echinomastus erectocentrus var. acunensis (acu[ntilde]a cactus) and Pediocactus peeblesianus var. fickeiseniae (Fickeisen plains cactus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment on revisions to the proposed critical habitat designations, which are described in this document; the associated draft economic analysis (DEA) for the proposed critical habitat designations; and the amended required determinations. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC or Commission) is seeking comments on the renewal of information collections for the following activities: (i) Compliance and enforcement actions under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act as authorized by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 3141-0001; (ii) approval of tribal ordinances, and background investigation and issuance of licenses as authorized by OMB Control Number 3141-0003; (iii) National Environmental Policy Act submissions as authorized by OMB Control Number 3141-0006; and (iv) issuance to tribes of certificates of self-regulation for Class II gaming as authorized by OMB Control Number 3141-0008. These information collections all expire on October 31, 2013.

This order extends the duration of the withdrawal created by Public Land Order No. 6986, which was issued effective July 1, 1993, for an additional 20-year period. The extension is necessary to continue protection of the scenic, recreational, and fish and wildlife habitat values in the scenic section of the Illinois Wild and Scenic River located in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest between the mouth of Deer Creek and the mouth of Briggs Creek, which would otherwise expire on June 30, 2013.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Tucson Field Office (TFO), proposes to sell a parcel of public land consisting of approximately 5.96 acres in Pima County, Arizona. The parcel is being proposed for noncompetitive direct sale to the Three Points Fire District under the provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), and the BLM sales and mineral conveyance regulations for the appraised fair market value (FMV) of $83,440.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Ruby Pipeline Project and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Hollister Underground Mine Project and by this notice is announcing its availability.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the technical/agency draft recovery plan for the endangered Georgia pigtoe mussel, interrupted rocksnail, and rough hornsnail. The draft recovery plan includes specific recovery objectives and criteria the interrupted rocksnail and rough hornsnail would have to meet in order for us to downlist them to threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Recovery criteria for the Georgia pigtoe will be developed after we complete critical recovery actions and gain a greater understanding of the species. We request review and comment on this draft recovery plan from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public.