Department of the Interior December 10, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Through this notice, the Department of the Interior (Department) announces a new categorical exclusion (CX) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing procedures for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) at Chapter 11 of Part 516 of the Departmental Manual relating to the harvest of dead or dying trees impacted by biotic or abiotic disturbances commonly referred to as ``salvage harvest.''

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application from Rosewater Wind Farm LLC (applicant), for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), for its Rosewater Wind Farm (project). If approved, the ITP would be for a 6- year period and would authorize the incidental take of an endangered species, the Indiana bat, and a threatened species, the northern long- eared bat. The applicant has prepared a habitat conservation plan that describes the actions and measures that the applicant would implement to avoid, minimize, and mitigate incidental take of the Indiana bat and northern long-eared bat. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and on the Service's preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ``low-effect,'' categorically excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act. To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are also able for public review.