Department of the Interior July 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine endangered species status under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, for the following five tarantula species from Sri Lanka: Poecilotheria fasciata, P. ornata, P. smithi, P. subfusca, and P. vittata. The effect of this regulation will be to add these species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is proposing to renew an information collection.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received applications for permits to conduct activities intended to enhance the propagation or survival of endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on these applications. Before issuing any of the requested permits, we will take into consideration any information that we receive during the public comment period.

The National Park Service is soliciting comments on the significance of properties nominated before July 14, 2018, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Las Vegas Field Office, has examined and found suitable for classification for lease and subsequent conveyance under the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (R&PP), as amended, approximately 15 acres of public land in the Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada. The Clark County School District proposes to use the land for an elementary school that will help meet future educational needs in the southwestern part of the Las Vegas Valley.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce we are withdrawing the Mitigation Policy published November 21, 2016, which guides Service recommendations on mitigating the adverse impacts of land and water developments on fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats. In our document of November 6, 2017, we requested additional public comments regarding this policy's overall mitigation planning goal of net conservation gain. We are now withdrawing this policy as it is no longer appropriate to retain the ``net conservation gain'' standard throughout various Service-related activities and is inconsistent with current Executive branch policy. Until further notice, all policies that were superseded by the 2016 Mitigation Policy are reinstated, including the Fish and Wildlife Service Mitigation Policy (46 FR 7644-7663) published in the Federal Register on January 23, 1981.

The plats of survey of lands described in this notice are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Alaska State Office, Anchorage, Alaska. The surveys, which were executed at the request of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and BLM, are necessary for the management of these lands.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), are proposing to renew an information collection with revisions.

The National Park Service is soliciting comments on the significance of properties nominated before July 7, 2018, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, propose to revise our regulations extending most of the prohibitions for activities involving endangered species to threatened species. For species already listed as a threatened species, the proposed regulations would not alter the applicable prohibitions. The proposed regulations would require the Service, pursuant to section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act, to determine what, if any, protective regulations are appropriate for species that the Service in the future determines to be threatened.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the BIA Indian Highway Safety Program (IHSP) are proposing a new information collection.

The National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Department of the Interior is requesting nominations for qualified persons to serve as members on the Committee.

This notice publishes the current list of 573 Tribal entities recognized and eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) by virtue of their status as Indian Tribes. The list is updated from the notice published on January 30, 2018.

The Green Diamond Resource Company of Korbel, California (applicant), has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for the issuance of an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and issuance of a Migratory Bird Scientific Collecting Permit under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). We advise the public of the availability of a proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), which covers the northern spotted owl and three other species, and the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS), for public review and comment. The HCP covers forest management, species management, and monitoring activity on commercial timberland in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, California.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management's (BLM), Southeast Oregon Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below:

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of the Interior proposes to modify the Department of the Interior system of records titled, ``Payroll, Attendance, Retirement, and Leave RecordsInterior, DOI-85.'' This system of records allows the Department of the Interior to manage human resources and payroll functions; ensure proper payment for salary and benefits; track time worked, leave, or other absences for reporting and compliance purposes; and meet regulatory requirements such as specialized pay, garnishments, and special appointment programs. The Department of the Interior is updating this system of records notice to (1) add new proposed routine uses, (2) modify existing routine uses to provide clarification, (3) modify the categories of records and categories of individuals covered by the system, and (4) update system location, authority for maintenance of the system, storage, retrievability, safeguards, retention and disposal, system manager and address, notification procedures, records access and contesting procedures, and records source categories. This modified system will be included in the Department of the Interior's inventory of record systems.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska State Office is issuing a call for nominations and comments on all available tracts for leasing for the upcoming National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) 2018 Oil and Gas Lease Sale.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of three draft long-range transportation plans for public review and comment. These draft long-range transportation plans outline strategies for improving and maintaining transportation assets that provide access to Service-managed lands in Region 2 (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas), Region 6 (Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming), and Region 8 (California and Nevada) over the next 20 years.

This Public Land Order (PLO) extends the duration of the withdrawal of public land created by two prior PLOs (PLO No. 5645, as extended by PLO No. 7336), for an additional 20-year term. Approval of this PLO would allow the continued operation of the United States (U.S.) and Canadian Joint Use Port of Entry, Poker Creek Border Station. Without an extension, the current PLO will expire on July 18, 2018. If the withdrawal expires, the selection by the State of Alaska would immediately become effective and the land would be eligible for transfer out of Federal ownership. PLO No. 5645 withdrew approximately ten acres of public land from settlement, sale, location or entry under the general land laws, including U.S. mining laws, and reserved them for the maintenance of the Poker Creek Border Station in Alaska. PLO No. 7336 extended PLO No. 5645 for an additional 20-year term and transferred administrative jurisdiction from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to the General Services Administration.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under the National Environmental Policy Act, make available the final environmental impact statement and draft record of decision analyzing the impacts of issuance of an incidental take permit for implementation of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District (BSEACD) Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Our decision is to issue a 20-year incidental take permit for implementation of the BSEACD HCP, which authorizes incidental take of two listed salamanders under the Endangered Species Act.

On Wednesday, August 15, 2018, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will open and publicly announce bids received for blocks offered in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Region-wide Oil and Gas Lease Sale 251 (GOM Region-wide Sale 251), in accordance with the provisions of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), as amended, and the implementing regulations issued pursuant thereto. The GOM Region-wide Sale 251 Final Notice of Sale (NOS) package contains information essential to potential bidders.

The Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) is withdrawing the temporary physical address change published in the Federal Register on April 27, 2016 for courier services and personal deliveries.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are issuing this final rule to comply with a court order that vacated provisions of regulations governing control of depredating double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities and for control of double-crested cormorants to protect public resources. Pursuant to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia order dated May 25, 2016, this rule removes regulatory provisions that allowed take of double-crested cormorants at aquaculture facilities and to protect public resources without the need for a permit.

The boundary of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is modified to include 1.30 acres of land located in Porter County, Indiana, immediately adjacent to the boundary of the national lakeshore. The United States will acquire the parcel by a land exchange.