Department of the Interior October 11, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), through the Worland Field Office, Worland, Wyoming, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Alkali Creek Reservoir Project (Project). The BLM, through this Notice, is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has canceled its withdrawal application and the withdrawal proposal relating to approximately 10 million acres of public and National Forest system lands located within Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFAs) in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming. The BLM has determined that the lands are no longer needed in connection with the proposed withdrawal. The BLM has also terminated the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement evaluating this application and proposal.

On March 31, 2017, the United States District Court for the District of Nevada held that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) violated the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, (NEPA) by failing to prepare a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the designation of Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFA) in the Nevada and Northeastern California Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment in Nevada. In order to comply with the court's order and to address issues raised by various interested parties, the BLM intends to consider the possibility of amending some, all or none of the BLM land use plans that were amended or revised in 2014 and 2015 regarding Greater Sage-Grouse conservation in the States of California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Montana (``2015 Sage-Grouse Plans''). By this Notice the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments on Greater Sage-Grouse land management issues that could warrant land use plan amendments.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from Betteravia Ranches, LLC for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The permit would authorize take of the federally endangered California tiger salamander (Santa Barbara distinct population segment) and the federally threatened California red-legged frog, incidental to otherwise lawful activities associated with the Curletti Farming Project draft low-effect habitat conservation plan. We invite public comment.

The National Park Service is soliciting comments on the significance of properties nominated before September 16, 2017, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.