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

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to conduct public scoping under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to gather information to prepare a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) related to an incidental take permit (ITP) application that Champlin Hawaii Wind Holdings, LLC (Champlin) intends to submit to the Service pursuant to the requirements of section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The proposed permit would authorize the incidental take of listed species caused by the construction and operation of Champlin's proposed Na Pua Makani Project (Project) near Kahuku, Hawaii, for production of wind-generated electrical energy on the island of Oahu. In accordance with ESA requirements for an ITP, Champlin is preparing a habitat conservation plan (HCP) to minimize and mitigate the impacts of take of the covered species likely to be caused by the Project. The DEIS will address the impacts of, and alternatives to, issuance of the ITP and implementation of the HCP to determine if these actions may significantly affect the human environment. This notice initiates the public scoping period for the DEIS during which we invite other agencies and the public to attend a public meeting and submit oral and written comments that provide suggestions and information on the scope of issues and alternatives that should addressed in the DEIS.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing that the information collection request for General Reclamation Requirements, has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden and cost.

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) Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental assessment (EA) for Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Carlton Pond Waterfowl Production Area (WPA), located in Penobscot, Kennebec, and Waldo Counties, Maine. The CCP describes how we will manage the refuge and WPA for the next 15 years.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment periods on our January 11, 2013, proposed rules to list the Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) as endangered and to designate critical habitat for the species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In addition, we announce the rescheduling of two public informational sessions and public hearings for both the proposed listing and proposed critical habitat rules, and the addition of a third public informational session and public hearing. We are reopening the comment periods to allow all interested parties an additional opportunity to comment on the proposed listing and the proposed designation of critical habitat, and to comment on the proposed critical habitat's associated draft economic analysis (DEA), draft environmental assessment (EA), and amended required determinations section. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rules.

Nonnative species in Hawaii displace, compete with, and consume native species, some of which are endangered, threatened, or otherwise in need of additional protection. To protect native species, we propose to establish a control order for cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis) and barn owls (Tyto alba), two introduced migratory bird species in Hawaii. We also make the supporting draft environmental assessment available for public comment.

This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Region is permanently closing and/or restricting hunting and trapping within the Skilak Wildlife Recreation Area (Skilak Loop Management Area), a portion of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. This action is consistent with refuge management plans and objectives and historic State of Alaska hunting and trapping regulations (regulations in effect from 1987 to 2012, and as amended in 2007 and 2012).

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) Front Range Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will meet as indicated below.

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) and the Forest Service (USFS) have prepared a Draft Land Use Plan (LUP) Amendments and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for managing Greater Sage- Grouse (GRSG) in the Idaho and Southwestern Montana sub-region, and by this notice are announcing the opening of the comment period.

BOEM requests comments on the Annual Progress Report (Report) on the OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program 2012-2017 (Five Year Program). The Annual Progress Report is available for review at: www.boem.gov/ Five-Year-Program-Annual-Progress-Report/. Information on the Five Year Program is available online at https://www.boem.gov/Oil-and-Gas-Energy- Program/Leasing/Five-Year-Program/2012-2017/Five-Year-Program .aspx. The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) published the Five Year Program in June 2012, and the program became final on August 27, 2012, after the required 60-day congressional review period. Section 18(e) of the OCS Lands Act (Act) states that ``the Secretary shall review the leasing program approved under this section at least once each year. He [or she] may revise and reapprove such program, at any time, and such revision and reapproval, except in the case of a revision which is not significant, shall be in the same manner as originally developed.'' Historically, the annual review has been an internal process in which BOEM reports to the Secretary any information or events that might result in consideration of a revision to the Program. However, in the decision document for the Five Year Program (available by clicking on ``Proposed Final Program Decision Document'' at the above web address), the Department of the Interior stated its commitment to ``publish an annual progress report on the Five Year Program that includes an opportunity for stakeholders and the public to comment on the program's implementation.'' Pursuant to this commitment, the Annual Progress Report (Report) provides the public an overview of the activities that have occurred during the previous year. The Report includes the following information: Statistics of sales that have occurred in the previous year, including the number and location of lease blocks and the dollars collected on high bids; a tracking table of all relevant deferrals and mitigations; a summary of completed and ongoing safety and environmental studies; regulatory updates; a discussion of significant new drilling activities and seismic data collection; a summary of any significant incidents; and other relevant information. After the comment period, BOEM will submit the Report, with a summary of comments received in response to this notice, to the Secretary. There is no specified format for comments. However, BOEM requests that respondents focus on new information that has come to light since final approval of the Five Year Program in August 2012, and information that was not provided during previous comment periods related to the development of the Five Year Program.

We revise the regulations that allow control of depredating birds in California. We specify the counties in which this order is effective, identify the species that may be taken under the order, add a requirement that landowners attempt nonlethal control, add a requirement for use of nontoxic ammunition, and revise the reporting required. These changes update and clarify the current regulations and enhance our ability to carry out our responsibility to conserve migratory birds.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, revise the List of Migratory Birds by both adding and removing species. Reasons for the changes to the list include adding species based on new taxonomy and new evidence of occurrence in the United States or U.S. territories, removing species no longer known to occur within the United States, and changing names to conform to accepted use. The net increase of 19 species (23 added and 4 removed) brings the total number of species protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) to 1,026. We regulate most aspects of the taking, possession, transportation, sale, purchase, barter, exportation, and importation of migratory birds. An accurate and up-to-date list of species protected by the MBTA is essential for public notification and regulatory purposes.

In accordance with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App., 2, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, Wildland Fire Executive Council (WFEC) will meet as indicated below.

In August, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to revise regulations addressing oil and gas mining on reservation land of the Osage Nation. The public comment period for that rule closed on October 28, 2013. This notice reopens the comment period until November 18, 2013.

The University of Michigan 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 University of Michigan. 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 Michigan has completed an inventory of human remains, 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 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 should submit a written request to the University of Michigan. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The University of Michigan 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 University of Michigan. 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 Michigan 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 University of Michigan. 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 Michigan has completed an inventory of human remains, 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 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 should submit a written request to the University of Michigan. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The University of Michigan 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 University of Michigan. 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 Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and present-day Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of any 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 Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The mailing/street address for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), West Desert District and Salt Lake Field Offices will be changing from 2370 South 2300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84119-2022, to 2370 South Decker Lake Blvd., West Valley City, UT 84119-2022. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question for the above individual. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Las Cruces District Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are reopening the public comment period on the proposed rule to list the distinct population segment (DPS) of the North American wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus) in the contiguous United States as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on February 4, 2013. We are reopening the comment period to allow the public an additional opportunity to review and comment on the proposed rule, as well as the peer review and public comments that were submitted during the first comment period. Comments already submitted need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule, which we intend to issue by February 4, 2014, as required by the Endangered Species Act.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is soliciting nominations from the public to fill positions on the Carrizo Plain National Monument Advisory Committee (MAC). MAC members provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on the management of public lands in the Carrizo Plain National Monument.