Department of the Interior November 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado State Office is publishing this notice to inform the public of the intent to officially file the survey plat listed below and afford a proper period of time to protest this action prior to the plat filing. During this time, the plat will be available for review in the BLM Colorado State Office.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for renewal for the collection of information, ``Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in BIA and IHS.'' The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0160, which expires November 30, 2014.

BOEM, in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), is issuing a request for information to aid in the development of a long-term monitoring plan (LTMP) for marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The LTMP will focus on the potential impacts to marine mammals from geological and geophysical data acquisition activities, including seismic surveys. This LTMP is a required element of BOEM's petition for rulemaking under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. We summarize the ICR below and describe the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA/applicant) for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The permit is needed to authorize take of listed animal species due to construction and habitat management and monitoring activities within areas affected by covered freeway projects and in preserves in Orange County, California. We have prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS), which is the Federal portion of the draft environmental impact report (DEIR)/DEIS, to analyze the impacts of issuing an incidental take permit based on the OCTA's proposed natural community conservation plan (NCCP)/habitat conservation plan (HCP). The DEIR portion of the joint document was prepared by the OCTA in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. The DEIS/DEIR, HCP, and NCCP are available for review.

The final rule to list the gray wolf as endangered throughout its range in the United States published in 1978. On October 6, 2014, a suspected gray wolf was seen wandering in the area of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Deer hunting season is beginning in this area of Arizona, and it is believed that the wolf may be in danger of possible harm and could accidentally be shot either as a result of misunderstanding of status or misidentification. We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have, under an Endangered Species Act (ESA) permit, authorized qualified researchers to capture, draw blood, and possibly affix a brightly colored GPS radio collar on the suspect wolf and release it back into the general area where it was captured. It is essential for its safety to conduct these actions.

The California State Director for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is establishing interim final supplementary rules and requests public comments. These interim final supplementary rules will become effective immediately upon publication in the Federal Register, and will apply to 695 acres of public lands, known as Kanaka Valley, in El Dorado County, California. The BLM has determined that these interim final supplementary rules are necessary to enhance the safety of visitors and local residents and reduce the risk of undue ecological degradation to Kanaka Valley's rare soils and plants and other significant values. These rules are in accordance with the Kanaka Valley Management Plan (2013).

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the final recovery plan for the endangered Georgia pigtoe mussel, interrupted rocksnail, and rough hornsnail. The final 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 status 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.

The Standard Criteria for Agricultural and Urban Water Management Plans (Criteria) are now available for public comment. To meet the requirements of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992 and the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982, the Bureau of Reclamation developed and published the Criteria. The Criteria apply to any Water Management Plans submitted to the Bureau of Reclamation as required by applicable Central Valley Project water service contracts, settlement contracts, or any contracts that specifically invokes the Criteria. Note: For the purpose of this announcement, Water Management Plans are considered the same as Water Conservation Plans (Plans).

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has submitted an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to continue the collection of information from applicants for oil shale leases, oil shale lessees, and oil shale operators. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously approved this information collection activity, and assigned it control number 1004-0201.

This document announces that the Department will accept comments on the proposed rule governing rights-of-way on Indian land until November 28, 2014. The proposed rule would comprehensively update and streamline the process for obtaining BIA grants of rights-of-way on Indian land, while supporting tribal self-determination and self- governance.

All interested parties are hereby invited to participate with Trapper Mining Inc., on a pro rata cost-sharing basis, in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in lands located in Moffat County, Colorado, encompassing 3,625.26 acres.

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.