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

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the information collection request (ICR) described below. To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) 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 ICR. This collection is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2015.

Pursuant to the Wilderness Act of 1964, and in accordance with National Park Service (NPS) Management Policies (2006), Section 6.2.1, the NPS intends to assess lands within the original 1974 legislated boundary of Big Cypress National Preserve for wilderness eligibility. A determination of eligibility and subsequent future actions will be announced in the Federal Register upon completion of the assessment.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs (AS-IA) published a notice announcing the submission of the revised information collection titled ``Reporting Systems for Public Law 102-477'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval. In response, the AS-IA received several requests to extend the comment period to allow additional time for tribes to review and comment on the revised forms and related materials; therefore, we are providing a new 30-day comment period.

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.

Notice is hereby given in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, (5 U.S.C. Appendix 1-16), that a meeting of the National Historic Landmarks Committee of the National Park System Advisory Board will be held beginning at 10:00 a.m. on February 11, 2015, at the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives. The meeting will continue beginning at 9:30 a.m. on February 12, 2015.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing supplementary rules for the Killpecker Sand Dunes Recreational Site located within the Greater Sand Dunes Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) Eastern Portion managed by the Rock Springs Field Office (RSFO) in Rock Springs, Wyoming. This action is necessary for the public health and safety of visitors in order to provide high quality and unique off- highway vehicle (OHV) activities in the open play sand dunes area. The proposed supplementary rules are intended to allow the BLM to more effectively manage a safe environment for OHV recreation by providing better visual identification of OHVs, implementing a speed limit, and prohibiting the possession and use of glass containers in the OHV recreation area.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and State CEQA Guidelines, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) intend to prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) to evaluate impacts regarding construction and operation of the Delta Research Station (DRS) in the San Francisco Bay/ Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta), California. The planned DRS would consist of two facilities, a proposed Estuarine Research Station (ERS) and Fish Technology Center (FTC). The USFWS will be the lead Federal agency responsible for coordinating the environmental analysis for the proposed action under NEPA. DWR will be the lead State agency responsible for coordinating the environmental analysis under CEQA. With this notice, USFWS and DWR are announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing that the information collection request for Underground Mining Permit ApplicationsMinimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan, has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden and cost. This information collection activity was previously approved by OMB and assigned control number 1029-0039.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) is seeking comments on the renewal of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the collection of information for the Bureau of Indian Education Adult Education Program authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0120. This information collection expires February 28, 2015.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Maricopa Sun Solar Complex Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and its implementing regulations, as well as in compliance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The final EIS was updated to address the comments received on the 2014 draft EIS and considers the environmental effects of issuing an incidental take permit for five animal species in response to the application from Maricopa Sun, LLC (Applicant). The Applicant has prepared the final Maricopa Sun Solar Complex Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to describe and implement a conservation plan that will minimize and mitigate environmental effects associated with the incidental take of five animal species (``Covered Species'') associated with the construction, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of an up to 700 megawatt photo-voltaic power generating facility and implementation of conservation actions associated with the HCP in Kern County, California.

This notice publishes the Class III Amended and Restated Tribal-State Compact between the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians \1\ and the State of California taking effect.

This notice provides the names of individuals who have been appointed to serve as members of the Department of the Interior Senior Executive Service (SES) Performance Review Board.

In this Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), present an updated list of plant and animal species native to the United States that we regard as candidates for or have proposed for addition to the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Identification of candidate species can assist environmental planning efforts by providing advance notice of potential listings, allowing landowners and resource managers to alleviate threats and thereby possibly remove the need to list species as endangered or threatened. Even if we subsequently list a candidate species, the early notice provided here could result in more options for species management and recovery by prompting candidate conservation measures to alleviate threats to the species. The CNOR summarizes the status and threats that we evaluated in order to determine that species qualify as candidates, to assign a listing priority number (LPN) to each species, and to determine whether a species should be removed from candidate status. Additional material that we relied on is available in the Species Assessment and Listing Priority Assignment Forms (species assessment forms) for each candidate species. Overall, this CNOR recognizes 23 new candidates, changes the LPN for one candidate, and removes one species from candidate status. Combined with other decisions for individual species that were published separately from this CNOR in the past year, the current number of species that are candidates for listing is 146. This document also includes our findings on resubmitted petitions and describes our progress in revising the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (Lists) during the period October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014. We request additional status information that may be available for the 146 candidate species identified in this CNOR.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have issued the following permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species, marine mammals, or both. We issue these permits under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

This notice sets forth the date of the 297th Meeting of the Cape Cod National Seashore Advisory Commission.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a public teleconference of the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (Council).

On August 15, 2014, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announced a proposal to designate critical habitat for the western distinct population segment of the yellow-billed cuckoo (western yellow-billed cuckoo) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). On November 12, 2014, the public comment period was reopened for an additional 60 days until January 12, 2015. We now announce a public hearing in California. The public hearing will provide an opportunity for the public to provide comments and testimony on the proposed designation of critical habitat for the western yellow- billed cuckoo. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.

The Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum 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 a relationship of lineal descent has been established between the human remains and associated funerary objects of an identified individual and the individual's descendants. Lineal descendants not identified in this notice who wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the lineal descendants stated in this notice may proceed.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is publishing this notice in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The BLM gives notice that the Secretary of the Interior is establishing the Southwest Oregon Resource Advisory Council (RAC), the Northwest Oregon RAC, and the Coastal Oregon RAC. These RACs will provide advice to the Secretary of the Interior concerning the planning and management of the public lands located in western Oregon's five BLM districts.

The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) California Desert District is soliciting nominations from the public for six members to its District Advisory Council to serve three-year terms. Council members provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on the management of public lands in Southern California.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) to determine whether newly identified measures to mitigate potential impacts caused by the proposed SunZia Southwest Transmission Line Project to military operations and readiness activities require the BLM to prepare a supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which the BLM published in June 2013. The mitigation proposed by the Department of Defense (DOD) would involve the burial of three segments that total approximately 5 miles of the SunZia Southwest Transmission Line Project within the area identified as the ``call up area'' north of the White Sands Missile Range along and within the preferred alternative corridor analyzed in the Final EIS. This notice announces the opening of a public comment period for the EA.

Under the Endangered Species Act, as amended (Act), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on six incidental take permit applications for take of the federally listed American burying beetle resulting from activities associated with the construction, operation, maintenance, repair, and decommissioning of oil and gas pipelines and related well field activities in Oklahoma. If approved, the permits would be issued under the approved Oil and Gas Industry Conservation Plan Associated with Issuance of Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(B) Permits for the American Burying Beetle in Oklahoma (ICP).

On November 7, 2014, BOEM published a notice in the Federal Register (79 FR 66401). BOEM is changing the venue for one of the public hearing dates. This notice makes that change.

The National Park Service is proposing to construct a paved, multi-use visitor path in Bryce Canyon National Park. The path would be approximately 6.2 miles long and be open to several uses, including running, walking, and bicycling. National Park Service regulations require promulgation of a special regulation to designate new routes for bicycle use off park roads and outside developed areas.