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

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP), finding of no significant impact (FONSI), and land protection plan (LPP) for Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge (NWR, refuge) in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Nantucket NWR is part of the Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex, administered from Sudbury, Massachusetts. In this final CCP, we describe how we will manage the refuge for the next 15 years.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of a Correction to the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Maysdorf II Coal Lease-by-Application (LBA) included in the South Gillette Area Coal Lease Applications Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from Fowler Ridge Wind Farm LLC, Fowler Ridge II Wind Farm LLC, Fowler Ridge III Wind Farm LLC, and Fowler Ridge IV Wind Farm LLC, collectively referred to as Fowler Ridge (applicant), for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), for its Fowler Ridge Wind Farm (FRWF) (project). If approved, the ITP would be for a 22-year period and would authorize the incidental take of an endangered species, the Indiana bat. The applicant has prepared a draft habitat conservation plan (HCP) that describes the actions and measures that the applicant would implement to avoid, minimize, and mitigate incidental take of the Indiana bat. The ITP application also includes a draft implementing agreement (IA). We also announce the availability of a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which has been prepared in response to the permit application in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and a draft Programmatic Agreement (PA) that has been prepared in response to the permit application in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). We request public comment on the application and associated documents.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Central Montana Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered or threatened species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), prohibits activities with endangered and threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activities. The Act and the National Environmental Policy Act also require that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the comment period on our October 11, 2012 (77 FR 61938), proposal to list Taylor's checkerspot butterfly as endangered and streaked horned lark as threatened and to designate critical habitat, and on our December 11, 2012 (77 FR 73770), proposal to list four subspecies of Mazama pocket gopher (Olympia, Tenino, Yelm, and Roy Prairie) and to designate critical habitat, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed critical habitat designations and an amended required determinations section of the proposed designations. The draft economic analysis addresses the potential economic impacts of critical habitat designation for all six subspecies (collectively, the ``prairie species'') under consideration in these rulemakings. In addition, we are providing information that we inadvertently omitted from the preamble to the October 11, 2012, proposed rule (77 FR 61938) to list Taylor's checkerspot butterfly as endangered and streaked horned lark as threatened and to designate critical habitat. We are reopening the comment periods to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed rules, the associated DEA, and our amended required determinations. Comments previously submitted on these proposed rulemakings do not need to be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rules. We also announce a public hearing and three public information workshops on our proposed rules and associated documents.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Uncompahgre Field Office, Montrose, Colorado, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze a Master Development Plan (MDP) that proposes to drill up to 150 wells within the Bull Mountain Unit (146 natural gas wells and 4 water disposal wells) and to construct associated access roads, pipelines and infrastructure.

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

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan (EIS/GMP) for Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, North Carolina. The draft describes and analyzes several alternatives to guide the management of the site over the next 15 to 20 years. The NPS preferred alternative incorporates various management prescriptions to ensure access to and protection and enjoyment of the monument's resources.

The public is invited to comment on the following application for approval to conduct certain activities with birds that are protected in accordance with the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992.

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 a survey, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, Department of Commerce), State, and tribal partners (co-leaders), announce the availability of the final National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy (NFWPCAS or Strategy). The purpose of the Strategy is to inspire and enable natural resource professionals and other decision makers to take action to conserve the nation's fish, wildlife, plants, and ecosystem functions, as well as the human uses and values these natural systems provide, in a changing climate. Input from public comments and workshops has been incorporated in the development of this final document. The Strategy is available at https:// www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov/strategy.php.

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) Boise District Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will hold a meeting as indicated below.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activities. The ESA requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are initiating 5-year status reviews under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), of 18 animal species and 38 plant species. A 5-year status review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any such information that has become available since the last review for the species. In this notice, we also announce 5-year reviews that were completed for 27 species in California and Nevada between March 1, 2012, and January 31, 2013.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Texas.

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 qualified parties are hereby invited to participate with Ark Land 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 Sevier County, Utah.

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) announces the availability of the Approved Land Use Plan Amendments/Record of Decision (ROD) for Allocation of Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources on Lands Administered by the BLM in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The BLM Principal Deputy Director signed the ROD on March 22, 2013, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the Approved Plan Amendments effective immediately.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Natchez Trace Parkway, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, has determined that a cultural item meets the definition of unassociated funerary object and repatriation to the Indian tribe stated below may occur if no additional claimants come forward. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the cultural item may contact Natchez Trace Parkway.

The Slater Museum of Natural History, University of Puget Sound, has completed an inventory of human remains in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the remains and any present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains may contact the Burke Museum acting on behalf of the Slater Museum of Natural History. Disposition of the human remains to the Indian tribes stated below may occur if no additional requestors come forward.

The Colorado College, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribe, has determined that the cultural item meets the definition of unassociated funerary object and repatriation to the Hopi Tribe of Arizona may occur if no additional claimants come forward. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the cultural items may contact The Colorado College.

The University of Washington, Department of Anthropology, has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the remains and any present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary objects may contact the Burke Museum acting on behalf of the University of Washington, Department of Anthropology. Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian tribes stated below may occur if no additional requestors come forward.

The University of Denver Museum of Anthropology, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, has determined that the cultural items meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and repatriation to the Indian tribes stated below may occur if no additional claimants come forward. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the cultural items may contact the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology.