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

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and final Environmental Assessment (FEA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the issuance of a take permit for golden eagles pursuant to the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (Eagle Act), in association with the operation of the Shiloh IV Wind Project in Solano County, California. The FEA was prepared in response to an application from Shiloh IV Wind Project, LLC (applicant), an affiliate of EDF Renewable Development, Incorporated, for a 5-year programmatic take permit for golden eagles under the Eagle Act. The applicant will implement a conservation program to avoid, minimize, and compensate for the project's impacts to eagles, as described in the applicant's Eagle Conservation Plan (ECP). We solicited comments on the draft Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) and have reviewed those comments in the course of preparing our findings for this project. Based on the FEA the Service concludes that a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is appropriate. Based on the FONSI and findings we prepared associated with the permit application, we intend to issue the permit after 30 days.

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

In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), notice is hereby given that the Federal Deepwater Horizon natural resource trustee agencies and the State Deepwater Horizon natural resource trustee agencies for Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida (Participating Trustees) have prepared a Final Programmatic and Phase III Early Restoration Plan and Final Early Restoration Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final Phase III ERP/PEIS, or Plan). This notice announces the availability of the Final Phase III ERP/PEIS. The Texas natural resource trustee agencies are not joining in the issuance of the Final Phase III ERP/PEIS at this time. The Final Phase III ERP/PEIS considers programmatic alternatives comprised of early restoration project types that would restore natural resources, ecological services, and recreational use services injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and related response actions. The Participating Trustees additionally propose to select 44 specific early restoration projects for implementation that are consistent with the proposed preferred early restoration program alternative. The Participating Trustees have developed restoration alternatives and projects to utilize funds for early restoration being provided under the Framework for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (Framework Agreement) discussed below. The Final Phase III ERP/PEIS evaluates these programmatic restoration alternatives and projects under criteria set forth in the natural resource damage assessment regulations and the Framework Agreement. The Final Phase III ERP/PEIS also evaluates the environmental consequences of the restoration alternatives and projects under NEPA. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Final Phase III ERP/PEIS.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (collectively referred to as the ``Services'' or ``we''), announce the extension of the public comment period on our May 12, 2014, draft policy regarding implementation of section 4(b)(2) of the Endangered Species Act. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final policy.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is announcing tribal consultations to discuss long-term solutions concerning contract support costs. The BIA will conduct a total of five consultation sessions with Indian tribes. This notice establishes the date, time, and location of the consultation sessions.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs is submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for renewal for the collection of information for the Homeliving Programs (25 CFR 36, Subpart G) and School Closure and Consolidation. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0164, which expires June 30, 2014.

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.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our draft recovery plan for the Texas ayenia (also referred to as the Tamaulipan kidneypetal), which is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This plant species is currently found in southern Texas and in northern Mexico. The draft recovery plan includes specific recovery objectives and criteria to be met in order to enable us to remove this species from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. We request review and comment on this plan from local, State, and Federal agencies; Tribes; and the public. We will also accept any new information on the status of the Texas ayenia throughout its range to assist in finalizing the recovery plan.

Titus County, Mount Pleasant, TX, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects or objects of cultural patrimony. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items should submit a written request to Titus County. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the cultural items to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology 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 Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. 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 Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and present- day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or 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 Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The Anthropological Studies Center, Sonoma State University, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the definition of sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items should submit a written request to the Anthropological Studies Center, Sonoma State University. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the cultural items to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum, University of Washington (Burke Museum), has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or 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 Burke Museum. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository and the University of Alaska Museum of the North have completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and have determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or 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 Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with Indian tribes and 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 Denver Museum of Nature & Science. 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 Denver Museum of Nature & Science has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary object, in consultation with Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary object 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 object should submit a written request to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary object to the Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The Peabody Museum of Natural History has corrected an inventory of human remains published in a Notice of Inventory Completion in the Federal Register on February 25, 1994. This notice corrects the minimum number of individuals. Lineal descendants or 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 Peabody Museum of Natural History. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology at Indiana University has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or 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 Indiana University NAGPRA Office. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the comment period on the proposed rule published on March 12, 2010, which proposed to amend our regulations to add nine species of large constrictor snakes as injurious species under the Lacey Act. Because four of the nine species were added to the regulations in 2012, this reopening notice is restricted to the five remaining species: the reticulated python (Broghammerus reticulatus or Python reticulatus), DeSchauensee's anaconda (Eunectes deschauenseei), green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), Beni anaconda (Eunectes beniensis), and boa constrictor (Boa constrictor). If you have previously submitted comments on the proposed rule, please do not resubmit them because we have already incorporated them in the public record and will fully consider them in our final decision on these five species.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing its intention to request renewed authority for the collection of information relating to Abandoned mine reclamation funds.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a final rule to list the Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia) and the yellow-crested cockatoo (C. sulphurea) as endangered, and to list the white cockatoo (C. alba) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). We are taking these actions in response to a petition to list these three cockatoo species as endangered or threatened under the ESA. We also finalize the special rule for the white cockatoo in conjunction with our final listing as threatened for this species.

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) is announcing that the Advisory Board for Exceptional Children (Advisory Board) will hold its next meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The purpose of the meeting is to meet the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) for Indian children with disabilities.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are gathering information to prepare a 12-month finding under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), on a petition to list the current classification of Humboldt marten (Martes caurina humboldtensis) as an endangered or threatened species. We provide this notice to summarize the uncertainty regarding the subspecies taxonomic classification (based on current genetics information) and, therefore, our intent to conduct an evaluation of a potential distinct population segment (DPS) of martens in coastal northern California and coastal Oregon relative to the full species classification level. We will submit a 12-month finding on the petition to the Federal Register by April 1, 2015.

The purpose of this notice is to reopen the request for public nominations for certain Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Advisory Committees that have member terms expiring this year. These Advisory Committees provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on land use planning and management of the National System of Public Lands within their respective geographic areas. The Advisory Committees covered by this request for nominations are identified below. The BLM will accept public nominations for 30 days after the publication of this notice.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species, marine mammals, or both. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) prohibit activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.