Department of the Interior July 20, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Park Service proposes to revise regulations that govern the solicitation, award, and administration of concession contracts to provide commercial visitor services at National Park Service units under the authority granted through the Concessions Management Improvement Act of 1998 and the National Park Service Centennial Act. The proposed changes would reduce administrative burdens and expand sustainable, high quality, and contemporary concessioner-provided visitor services in national parks.

Indiana University 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 a 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 Indiana University. 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.

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), Western Oregon Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

We, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the existing West Virginia Federal Lands Cooperative Agreement. Section 523(c) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act) and the Federal regulations authorize a State with an approved permanent regulatory program to enter into an agreement for the State regulation and control of surface coal mining and reclamation operations on Federal lands. West Virginia's existing cooperative agreement was adopted in February of 1984, between the State and the Secretary of the Interior (the Secretary), to allow the State administration of SMCRA on Federal lands within West Virginia under its approved permanent regulatory program (the West Virginia program). Since several years have passed since the original agreement was adopted, West Virginia is now proposing to amend the existing cooperative agreement to reflect the current statutory schemes, regulatory requirements, and agency responsibilities associated with the regulation of coal mining and reclamation activities on Federal lands. Additionally, the revised cooperative agreement would grant the State the authority to regulate all coal exploration activities on Federal lands, and would delegate the primary responsibility to review and approve coal mining permits involving federally and privately owned coal. This document gives the times and locations that the West Virginia 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.