Department of the Interior November 30, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 approval for the collection of information for Leases and Permits. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0155, which expires November 30, 2015.

On September 25, 2015, BOEM published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Liberty Development and Production Plan (DPP) in the Beaufort Sea Planning Area (80 FR 57873). The September 25 notice provided for a 60-day comment period, which is scheduled to end on November 24, 2015. During BOEM's scoping, the pubic recommended extending the comment period. To further the intent of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to collect information to define the scope of issues to be addressed in depth in the analyses that will be included in the EIS, and to provide additional opportunity for interested and affected parties to comment, BOEM is extending the scoping comment period for an additional 60 days to January 26, 2016.

The Department of the Interior has decided to cancel Chukchi Sea Lease Sale 237, which was scheduled to occur in 2016 under the 2012-2017 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program. Sale 237 is being canceled due to lack of industry interest; current market conditions (e.g., low oil prices); and the unavailability of many of the most attractive tracts, which are already under lease at this time.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), advise the public that we are extending the public review and comment period for the draft low effect habitat conservation plan (draft HCP) for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's operations, maintenance, and management activities on its land in Inyo and Mono Counties, California, and draft Environmental Action Statement/Low Effect Screening Form.

The National Park Service is soliciting comments on the significance of properties nominated before November 7, 2015, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.