Department of the Interior July 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for renewal of the collection of information for Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act Programs, authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0136. This information collection expires July 31, 2016.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980, as amended (ANILCA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Arctic Field Office, Fairbanks, Alaska, intends to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed continuing development of petroleum resources in the Greater Mooses Tooth (GMT) Unit. The development would occur at the proposed Greater Mooses Tooth Two (GMT2) drilling and production pad located within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A), a 22.8 million-acre area of BLM-managed land located 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The GMT2 development would be connected by road and pipeline to the approved Greater Mooses Tooth One (GMT1) development. The Supplemental EIS is being prepared for the purpose of supplementing the Alpine Satellite Development Plan (ASDP) Final EIS, dated September 2004, regarding the establishment of satellite oil production pads and associated infrastructure within the Alpine field.

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.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing to amend its existing Onshore Oil and Gas Order Number 1 (Onshore Order 1) to require the electronic filing (or e-filing) of all Applications for Permit to Drill (APD) and Notices of Staking (NOS). Currently, Onshore Order 1 states that an ``operator must file an APD or any other required documents in the BLM Field Office having jurisdiction over the lands described in the application,'' but allows for e-filing of such documents in the alternative. This proposal would change that structure to make e-filing the required method of submission, subject to limited exceptions. The BLM is making this change to improve the efficiency and transparency of the APD and NOS processes.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Dakotas Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of an application for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) and a proposed Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) from the Slack Chemical Company for public review and comment. We received the permit application from the Slack Chemical Company for incidental take of the endangered Karner blue butterfly resulting from the construction of a gravel access road, as well as from proposed mitigation activities over the next 10 years. Our preliminary determination is that the proposed HCP qualifies as low-effect in accordance with our Handbook for Habitat Conservation Planning and Incidental Taking Permitting Process. To make this determination, we used our Low-Effect HCP Screening Form/ Environmental Action Statement (EAS), the preliminary version of which is also available for review. We provide this notice to (1) seek public comments on the proposed HCP and application; (2) seek public comments on our preliminary determination that the HCP qualifies as low-effect and is therefore eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); and (3) advise other Federal and State agencies, affected Tribes, and the public of our intent to issue an ITP.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for renewal of the collection of information for Tribal Energy Resource Agreements, authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0167. This information collection expires July 31, 2016.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to offer 16 parcels of public land totaling 182.93 acres in the Las Vegas Valley by competitive sale, at not less than the appraised fair market values (FMV). The BLM is proposing to offer the parcels for sale pursuant to the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998 (SNPLMA), as amended. The sale will be subject to the applicable provisions of section 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) and BLM land sale regulations.

The National Park Service is seeking nominations for one member of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review Committee (Review Committee). The Secretary of the Interior will appoint the member from nominations submitted by Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, and traditional Native American religious leaders. The nominee must be a traditional Indian religious leader.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a joint meeting between the Trinity River Adaptive Management Working Group (TAMWG) and the Trinity Management Council (TMC). The TAMWG is a Federal advisory committee that affords stakeholders the opportunity to give policy, management, and technical input concerning Trinity River (California) restoration efforts to the Trinity Management Council (TMC). The TMC interprets and recommends policy, coordinates and reviews management actions, and provides organizational budget oversight.

The National Park Service is soliciting comments on the significance of properties nominated before July 2, 2016, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared the Moab Master Leasing Plan (MLP) and Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendments/Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Moab and Monticello Field Offices in the Canyon Country District, Utah. The MLP/Proposed RMP Amendments/Final EIS (MLP/FEIS) proposes amending the RMPs for the Moab and Monticello Field Offices and by this notice the BLM is announcing its availability.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered or threatened species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), prohibits activities with endangered and threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activities. Both the Act and the National Environmental Policy Act require that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for renewal of the collection of information for Navajo Partitioned Lands Grazing Permits authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0162. This information collection expires July 31, 2016.

On Wednesday, August 24, 2016, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will open and publicly announce bids for blocks offered in the Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area (WPA) Lease Sale 248 (WPA Sale 248), in accordance with the provisions of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) (43 U.S.C. 1331-1356, as amended) and the implementing regulations issued pursuant thereto (30 CFR parts 550 and 556). The WPA Sale 248 Final Notice of Sale (NOS) Package (Final NOS Package) contains information essential to potential bidders. Bidders are charged with knowing the contents of the documents contained in the Final NOS Package. Date and Time: Bid opening for WPA Sale 248 will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 24, 2016. All times referred to in this document are local time in New Orleans, unless otherwise specified. Location: There will be a change in the bid opening process for this sale. Bid opening will still occur at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, 1500 Sugarbowl Drive, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, but the bid opening at the Superdome facility will not be open to the public. Instead, the bid opening will be available for the public to view in real-time on BOEM's Web site at www.boem.gov via video live-streaming beginning at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the sale. The use of live-streaming to announce bids is being implemented to provide greater access to a wider national and international audience while ensuring the security of BOEM staff. BOEM will also post the results on its Web site after bid opening and reading is completed. Bid Submission Deadline: BOEM must receive all sealed bids between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on normal working days, and from 8:00 a.m. to the Bid Submission Deadline of 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, the day before the lease sale. For more information on bid submission, see Section VII, ``Bidding Instructions,'' of this document.

This rule prescribes the hunting seasons, hours, areas, and daily bag and possession limits for migratory game birds. Taking of migratory birds is prohibited unless specifically provided for by annual regulations. This rule permits the taking of designated species during the 2016-17 season.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as the lead Federal agency, with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, the Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as cooperating agencies, has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed approval of the fee-to-trust transfer of land located within the municipal limits of the City of South Bend, Indiana, for the construction of tribal housing, government facilities, and a Class III gaming facility. This notice also announces the FEIS is now available for public review. Copies are available upon request or may be found at the addresses indicted in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

The Department of the Interior (Department) is hosting training sessions on its regulations implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) for federally recognized Indian Tribes and for State court and child welfare agency personnel. This document announces the dates and locations of the training sessions.

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) Southwest Resource Advisory Council (RAC) is scheduled to meet as indicated below.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are issuing a final rule to comply with a court order that vacated the final rule listing the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This final rule amends our regulations by removing the lesser prairie- chicken from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and by removing the rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act for the lesser prairie-chicken.

Hilcorp Energy I, L.P. has filed a petition for reinstatement of competitive oil and gas lease WYW178491, which is located in Crook County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and consistent with the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920. The lessee has paid the required rentals accruing from the date of termination. No leases that affect these lands were issued before the petition was filed.

The Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Geological Survey intends to grant to Induced Polarization Associates, LLC., 1124 NW. 53rd St., Seattle, WA 98107, an exclusive license to practice the following: A system and method, to utilize induced polarization to locate and detect minerals, and oil plumes below the surface water.

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.

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

Linn Energy Holdings LLC, MBI Oil and Gas LLC, Montana Oil Properties Inc., Slawson Exploration Company Inc. and Stewart Geological Inc. have timely filed a petition for reinstatement of competitive oil and gas lease NDM 98943, which is located in Mountrail County, North Dakota. The petition was filed on time and consistent with the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920. The lessee has paid the required rentals accruing from the date of termination. No leases were issued that affect these lands.