Department of the Interior June 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from Na Pua Makani Power Partners, LLC (applicant), for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The applicant is requesting an ITP to authorize take of one threatened and six endangered species (``covered species''). If issued, the ITP would authorize incidental take of the covered species that may occur as a result of the construction and operation of the Na Pua Makani Wind Energy Project (Project). The ITP application includes a draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) describing the applicant's actions and the measures the applicant will implement to minimize, mitigate, and monitor incidental take of the covered species. The Service also announces the availability of a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that has been prepared in response to the permit application in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). We are making the ITP application, including the draft HCP and the draft EIS, available for public review and comment.

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 Areas Designated by Act of Congress, has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. 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 1029-0111.

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 its maintenance of state programs and procedures for substituting Federal enforcement of state programs and withdrawing approval of state programs, 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.

The North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Council) will meet to select North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) U.S. Standard grant proposals for recommendation to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (Commission). This meeting is open to the public, and interested persons may present oral or written statements.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) owns or has an interest in irrigation projects located on or associated with various Indian reservations throughout the United States. We are required to establish irrigation assessment rates to recover the costs to administer, operate, maintain, and rehabilitate these projects. We request your comments on the proposed rate adjustments.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, propose to add 1 national wildlife refuge (NWR or refuge) to the list of areas open for hunting, add 4 NWRs to the list of areas open for fishing, increase the hunting activities available at 16 other NWRs, increase fishing opportunities at 1 NWR, and add pertinent refuge-specific regulations for other NWRs that pertain to migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game hunting, and sport fishing for the 2015-2016 season.

The plats of survey of the following described lands are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management, Oregon State Office, Portland, Oregon, 30 days from the date of this publication.

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 Student Transportation Form, authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0134. This information collection expires September 30, 2015.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Ozark-St. Francis National Forests, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, have determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects. 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 Ozark- St. Francis National Forests. 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 U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area 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 a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects 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 and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

History Colorado, formerly Colorado Historical Society, 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 History Colorado. 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 U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Everglades National Park 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 Everglades National Park. 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 Bureau of Reclamation and the State Lands Commission have made available for public review and comment the Mendota Pool Bypass and Reach 2B Improvements Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR). The Mendota Pool Bypass and Reach 2B Improvements Project is a component of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program which seeks to restore flows to the San Joaquin River from Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced River, and restore a self-sustaining Chinook salmon fishery in the river while reducing or avoiding adverse water supply impacts associated with Restoration Flows. The Project includes the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Mendota Pool Bypass and improvements in the San Joaquin River channel in Reach 2B to assist in achieving the San Joaquin River Restoration Program's Restoration Goal.

The U.S. Department of the Interior published a notice inviting nominations for non-Federal members of the Advisory Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resource Science (Committee). The closing date for nominations was June 1, 2015. This Federal Register Notice reopens the nomination and comment period for 30 days. If you have already submitted information to be considered for appointment to the Committee you do not have to resubmit it.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and in accordance with the negotiated settlement of a lawsuit, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), published a notice in the Federal Register on April 30, 2013, announcing and inviting comments on our intention to develop a draft programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) of the effects of the cultivation and use of genetically modified crops (GMCs) on certain refuges in the Southeast Region to meet wildlife management objectives. As part of the settlement agreement, we also agreed to discontinue cultivating and using the GMCs in the Southeast Region after the 2012 crop year and to refrain from such activities until 90 days after completion of an appropriate NEPA analysis of such activities. On July 17, 2014, the Chief of the Service's National Wildlife Refuge System issued a memorandum announcing that the use of GMCs to meet wildlife management objectives within the National Wildlife Refuge System (System) would be phased out and discontinued by January 2016. Accordingly, we have concluded that our NEPA process is no longer necessary and, therefore, are notifying the public that we are discontinuing preparation of the PEA.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC or Commission) is seeking comments on the renewal of information collections for the following activities: (i) Indian gaming management contract-related submissions, as authorized by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 3141-0004 (expires on October 31, 2015); (ii) Indian gaming fee payments-related submissions, as authorized by OMB Control Number 3141- 0007 (expires on November 30, 2015); (iii) minimum internal control standards for class II gaming submission and recordkeeping requirements, as authorized by OMB Control Number 3141-0009 (expires on October 31, 2015); (iv) facility license-related submission and recordkeeping requirements, as authorized by OMB Control Number 3141- 0012 (expires on October 31, 2015); and (v) minimum technical standards for class II gaming systems and equipment submission and recordkeeping requirements, as authorized by OMB Control Number 3141-0014 (expires on November 30, 2015). In addition, the Commission will be requesting an OMB control number for a new information collection, i.e., voluntary stakeholder surveys to be conducted by the NIGC. The Commission is seeking generic clearance to be able to gather tribal stakeholder feedback on services, trainings, and/or technical assistance that it provides to gaming tribes; with the feedback to be used in planning for service/training/ technical assistance modification and prioritization. The gathering of this information is in keeping with the purposes of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which include: Providing a statutory basis for the operation of gaming by Indian tribes as a means of promoting tribal economic development, self-sufficiency, and strong tribal governments; ensuring that the Indian tribe is the primary beneficiary of the gaming operation; and declaring that the establishment of independent federal regulatory authority for gaming on Indian lands, the establishment of federal standards for gaming on Indian lands, and the establishment of the Commission are necessary to meet congressional concerns regarding gaming and to protect such gaming as a means of generating tribal revenue. 25 U.S.C. 2702.

This publishes notice of the extension of the Class III gaming compact between the Yankton Sioux Tribe and the State of South Dakota.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM-Eastern States office in Washington, DC, 30 calendar days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan (Final EIS/GMP) for Biscayne National Park, Florida (national park). Consistent with NPS laws, regulations, and policies and the purpose of the national park, the Final EIS/GMP will guide the management of the area over the next 15 to 20 years.

Under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition and a proposed rule to remove the Hualapai Mexican vole (Microtus mexicanus hualpaiensis) from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife because the original classification is no longer the most appropriate determination. This action is based on a thorough review of the best available scientific and commercial information, which indicates that the currently listed subspecies is not a valid taxonomic entity. We are seeking information, data, and comments from the public on this proposed rule.

On April 21, 2015, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published in the Federal Register an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit public comments and suggestions that may be used to update the BLM's regulations related to royalty rates, annual rental payments, minimum acceptable bids, bonding requirements, and civil penalty assessments for Federal onshore oil and gas leases. In response to requests received for additional time to provide comment, the BLM is announcing by issuance of this notice that the public comment period for the ANPR will be extended 14 days beyond the end of the initial comment period.

The Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs made a final agency determination to acquire approximately 410.23 +/- acres of land in trust for the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, California, for gaming and other purposes on May 19, 2015.

Notice is hereby given of contractual actions that have been proposed to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and are new, discontinued, or completed since the last publication of this notice. This notice is one of a variety of means used to inform the public about proposed contractual actions for capital recovery and management of project resources and facilities consistent with section 9(f) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. Additional announcements of individual contract actions may be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general circulation in the areas determined by Reclamation to be affected by the proposed action.

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