Department of the Interior 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) are proposing to renew an information collection.

The National Park Service is soliciting comments on the significance of properties nominated before July 20, 2019, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we), are proposing a new information collection in use without an OMB Control Number.

This final rule revises the regulations for seasons, harvest limits, and methods and means for the subsistence taking of fish in the Cook Inlet Area of Alaska. This action also reorganizes specific regulations addressing the Kenai River, which will provide clarity for the public, and allow the Federal Subsistence Board to correct regulatory conflicts that have arisen based on recent rulemaking.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have waived the 30-day public notice period and have issued an endangered species permit for activities with four wild-collected eggs from piping plover (Charadrius melodus), an endangered bird species. We issue this permit under the Endangered Species Act.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we), are considering renaming the Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge. We invite the public to comment on the question of whether or not to rename this refuge.

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's (BLM), San Juan Islands National Monument Advisory Committee (MAC) will meet as indicated below:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability for public review and comment of 28 draft recovery plan revisions, which update recovery criteria for 53 endangered or threatened species located in 12 States (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, and Utah) and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. We are updating recovery criteria to better assist in determining when an endangered species has recovered to the point that it may be reclassified as threatened, or that the protections afforded by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are no longer necessary and the species may be removed from the ESA's protections. We request review of these draft recovery plan revisions and invite comments from local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the public.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) located in Cochise County in southeastern Arizona. The Arizona State Director signed the ROD on July 30, 2019, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the approved RMP effective immediately.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are proposing a new information collection.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has completed an inventory of associated funerary objects in consultation with the appropriate Federally-recognized Indian Tribe, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the associated funerary objects and any present-day Federally-recognized Indian Tribe. Representatives of any Federally-recognized Indian Tribe not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the TVA. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Federally- recognized Indian Tribe stated in this notice may proceed.

The Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona has corrected an inventory of unassociated funerary objects, published in a Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items in the Federal Register on September 10, 2014. This notice corrects the number 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 Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona. 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 Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona has corrected an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, published in a Notice of Inventory Completion in the Federal Register on September 10, 2014. This notice corrects the minimum number of individuals and number of associated funerary objects. 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 the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona. 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.

The University of Alabama Museums 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 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 the University of Alabama Museums. 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 Nebraska, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the cultural item listed in this notice meets the definition of a sacred object. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim this cultural item should submit a written request to the History Nebraska. 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 University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History 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 the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History. 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 New York State Museum, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the definition of sacred 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 New York State Museum. 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.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are proposing to renew an information collection.

The United States, as a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), will attend the eighteenth regular meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP18) in Geneva, Switzerland, August 17 to 28, 2019. This notice announces the availability of tentative U.S. negotiating positions on proposed resolutions, decisions, and amendments to the CITES Appendices (species proposals), as well as other agenda items that have been submitted by other Parties, the permanent CITES committees, and the CITES Secretariat for consideration at CoP18. With this notice we announce that we will publish a summary of our proposed negotiating positions and the reasons for our proposed positions on or before August 16, 2019, on our website at https:// www.fws.gov/international/cites/cop18/.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a final programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS), prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, analyzing the impacts of the issuance of incidental take permits (ITPs) or ITP amendments for the continued operation of four similar wind energy facilities. The permit actions would involve implementation of a new habitat conservation plan (HCP) for the Pakini Nui Wind Farm on the Island of Hawaii and major amendments to three existing HCPs: The Auwahi Wind and Kaheawa Wind Power II projects located on Maui, and the Kawailoa Wind project on Oahu. All four wind energy facilities are already in operation. The four applicants are requesting ITPs covering the take of species listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act likely to be caused by the continued operation of the projects. The HCPs describe the steps each applicant proposes to minimize, mitigate, and monitor incidental take of the covered species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC, Harvest Alaska, LLC, and the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, finalize regulations authorizing the nonlethal, incidental take by harassment of small numbers of northern sea otters in State and Federal waters (Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf) within Cook Inlet, Alaska, as well as all adjacent rivers, estuaries, and coastal lands. Take may result from oil and gas exploration, development, production, and transportation activities occurring for a period of 5 years. This rule authorizes take by harassment only; no lethal take is authorized. We will issue Letters of Authorization, upon request, for specific proposed activities in accordance with these regulations. Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget has approved a revision of the existing Information Collection control number 1018-0070, for incidental take of marine mammals in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, to include oil and gas activities in Cook Inlet.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Royal Gorge Field Office, Ca[ntilde]on City, Colorado, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed Competitive Mineral Materials Sale at Parkdale, Fremont County, Colorado. This notice announces the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues for the EIS.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the receipt of an application for an amendment of an enhancement of survival permit (permit) and an application for transferring a permit pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. The applications were developed in accordance with the Template Safe Harbor Agreement (Template SHA) for the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit. The Washington Department of Natural Resources is requesting a permit amendment to add 3,628 acres of lands in Douglas and Grant Counties, Washington, to their site plan enrolled under the Template SHA. The proposed permit transfer was requested by Mr. Jim Myers following his purchase of 1,320 acres of land in Grant County, Washington, enrolled under the Template SHA. The amendment and transfer of these permits would authorize incidental take that is above the baseline conditions of the properties enrolled under the Template SHA and that may result from the permittees' otherwise lawful management activities. The Service requests comments from the public regarding the proposed amendment and transfer of these permits.

The Assistant SecretaryLand and Minerals Management proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 7420 for an additional 20-year term. PLO No. 7420 withdrew 9,175 acres of National Forest System lands from location and entry under the United States mining laws, but not from leasing under the mineral leasing laws. The purpose of the withdrawal is to protect the Bureau of Reclamation's (BOR) Lake Roosevelt expansion area. This Notice also gives the public an opportunity to comment on the withdrawal extension application, and announces the date, time, and location of the public meeting.

The National Park Service is soliciting comments on the significance of properties nominated before July 13, 2019, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.