Department of the Interior February 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby provides constructive notice that it will issue an appealable decision approving conveyance of the surface estate in certain lands to Kugkaktlik Limited, for the Native village of Kipnuk, pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, as amended (ANCSA). The lands approved for conveyance lie partially within the former Clarence Rhode National Wildlife Range, now known as the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. The subsurface estate in the lands lying outside the former Clarence Rhode National Wildlife Range will be conveyed to Calista Corporation when the surface estate is conveyed to Kugkaktlik Limited.

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 (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Farmington Field Office, Farmington, New Mexico, and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Navajo Regional Office, Gallup, New Mexico, have prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This notice announces a 90-day public review period of the Draft RMPA/EIS, and that the BLM and BIA will hold public meetings to solicit comments.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application from Paulding Wind Farm II, LLC; Paulding Wind Farm III, LLC; and Paulding Wind Farm IV (collectively, the applicant), for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, for the Timber Road II, III, and IV Wind Farms project. If approved, the ITP would authorize the incidental take of the Indiana bat and the northern long-eared bat for a 30-year term. The applicant has prepared a draft habitat conservation plan, which is available for public review. We also announce the availability of a draft environmental assessment, which has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. We request public comment on the application and associated documents.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS) Caribou-Targhee National Forest (CTNF), have prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the proposed East Smoky Panel Mine Project (Project) and by this notice are announcing its availability.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby provides constructive notice that it will issue an appealable decision approving conveyance of the surface estate in certain lands to Emmonak Corporation, for the Native village of Emmonak, pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA). As provided by ANCSA, the BLM will convey the subsurface estate in the same lands to Calista Corporation when the BLM conveys the surface estate to Emmonak Corporation.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is preparing the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Ambler Road project. By this notice, BLM is announcing an extension of time to complete the Final EIS in accordance with Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) section 1104(e).

The National Park Service is soliciting comments on the significance of properties nominated before February 1, 2020, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.

The U.S. Department of the Interior proposes to appoint members to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG). The Secretary of the Interior, acting as administrative lead, is soliciting nominations for qualified persons to serve as members of the AMWG.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), revise the proposed critical habitat for the western distinct population segment of the yellow-billed cuckoo (western yellow-billed cuckoo) (Coccyzus americanus) under the Endangered Species Act. In total, approximately 493,665 acres (199,779 hectares) are now being proposed for designation as critical habitat in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to this species' critical habitat.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby provides constructive Notice that it will issue an appealable decision approving conveyance of the surface estate in certain lands to Askinuk Corporation (Askinuk), for the Native village of Scammon Bay, pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA). As provided by ANCSA, the BLM will convey a portion of the subsurface estate in the same lands to Calista Corporation when the BLM conveys the surface estate to Askinuk.

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. 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.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat for the black pinesnake (Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi) under the Endangered Species Act (Act). In total, approximately 324,679 acres (131,393 hectares) in Forrest, George, Greene, Harrison, Jones, Marion, Perry, Stone, and Wayne Counties, Mississippi, and in Clarke County, Alabama, fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. The effect of this regulation is to designate critical habitat for the black pinesnake under the Act.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Ohio regulatory program (the Ohio program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Through this proposed amendment, Ohio seeks to revise its program to require that an applicant acquire legal right to enter during the term of the permit, in addition Ohio is asking for approval of the implementation of offsite mitigation guidelines. This document gives the times and locations that the Ohio program and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Kentucky regulatory program (hereinafter, the Kentucky program), under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Through this program amendment, Kentucky seeks to revise administrative regulations that pertain to bond calculation requirements for long-term treatment of surface water discharges. This document gives the times and locations that the Kentucky program and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

This notice follows the action establishing a Court of Indian Offenses (also known as a CFR Court) for the Kewa Pueblo (previously listed as the Pueblo of Santo Domingo). It provides notice that the application of certain sections of the regulations for the Court of Indian Offenses serving the Kewa Pueblo have been waived to allow the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to unilaterally establish a CFR court. It also allows the Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs to appoint a magistrate without the need for confirmation by the Tribal governing body.

This Order withdraws 361 acres of public land from all forms of appropriation and disposition under the public lands, including the mining laws and the mineral leasing laws for a period of 20 years to assist the United States Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management to carry out its responsibilities regarding public health, safety, and national security in connection with a past underground nuclear detonation in Hot Creek Valley, Nye County, Nevada.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and associated draft environmental assessment (EA) for activities associated with an application for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The ITP would authorize take of listed species incidental to construction of a residential development proposed by Oak Hills Estate, LLC (applicant). The applicant developed the draft HCP as part of their application for an ITP. The Service prepared a draft EA in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act to evaluate the potential effects to the natural and human environment resulting from issuing an ITP to the applicant. We invite public comment.

This final rule adjusts the level of civil monetary penalties contained in the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) regulations governing onshore oil and gas operations as required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 and consistent with applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance. The adjustments made by this final rule constitute the 2020 annual inflation adjustments, accounting for 1 year of inflation spanning the period from October 2018 through October 2019.

Under the Johnson-O'Malley (JOM) Act, the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) provides assistance, through contracts, for Indian students attending public schools and nonsectarian private schools. This rule implements the JOM Act, as amended by the JOM Supplemental Indian Education Program Modernization Act (JOM Modernization Act), to clarify the eligibility requirements for Indian students to receive the benefits of a JOM contract, clarify the funding formula and process to ensure full participation of contracting parties, and to otherwise reconcile and modernize the regulations to comport with the activities of contracting parties under the JOM Modernization Act.

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) Humboldt River Field Office, Winnemucca, Nevada has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and by this notice is announcing its availability.

In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Final Programmatic Damage Assessment Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS), and the Consent Decree, the Federal and State natural resource trustee agencies for the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group (LA TIG) have prepared the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group Final Phase 2 Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment #1.3:Rabbit Island Restoration and Shoreline Protection at Jean Lafitte Historical National Park and Preserve (Phase 2 RP/EA #1.3) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), approving construction activities for the restoration of habitats on federally managed lands and birds injured in the Louisiana Restoration Area as a result of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. The Phase 2 RP/EA #1.3 analyzes restoration project design alternatives for two projects, which were approved for engineering and design (E&D) in a previous restoration plan. In the final Phase 2 RP/EA #1.3, the LA TIG selected and approved a design alternative for construction of each, at a total approximate cost of $36,048,500. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the final Phase 2 RP/EA #1.3 and FONSI.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for the Florida bristle fern (Trichomanes punctatum ssp. floridanum) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. In total, approximately 1,624 hectares (4,014 acres) in Miami-Dade and Sumter Counties, Florida, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to this subspecies' critical habitat. We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Final Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment for the proposed Moneta Divide Natural Gas and Oil Development Project within the BLM Lander, Casper and Rawlins field offices.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared this Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. BLM Colorado is soliciting comments on the Draft Supplemental EIS.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared this Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. BLM Utah is soliciting comments on the Draft Supplemental EIS.