Department of the Interior December 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Siuslaw Field Office, Northwest Oregon District, Oregon, intends to prepare the Hult Reservoir and Dam Safety Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Through this notice, the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify potential issues for analysis.

The National Park Service is soliciting electronic comments on the significance of properties nominated before December 18, 2021, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.

This notice publishes the approval of the Seventh Amendment to the Tribal-State Compact (Amendment) for Class III Gaming between the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe (Tribe) and the State of Washington (State).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list four of six distinct population segments (DPSs) of the foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii), a stream dwelling amphibian from Oregon and California, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the foothill yellow-legged frog. After a review of the best scientific and commercial information available, we find that listing the South Sierra and South Coast DPSs as endangered and the North Feather and Central Coast DPSs as threatened is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list these four DPSs under the Act, with the South Sierra and South Coast DPSs listed as endangered species, and the North Feather and Central Coast DPSs listed as threatened species. Our proposal to list the North Feather and Central Coast DPSs as threatened species also includes a rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act for each of these two DPSs. If we finalize this proposed rule for these four DPSs, we will then add them to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to them. We have determined that designation of critical habitat for these four DPSs is not determinable at this time. We have also determined that the North Coast DPS (in Oregon and northern California) and the North Sierra DPS (in Yuba, Sierra, Nevada, and Placer Counties, California) of the foothill yellow-legged frog do not warrant listing at this time.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of a draft low-effect screening form (screening form) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), supported by a draft low-effect habitat conservation plan (draft HCP). The Lehigh Southwest Cement Company (Lehigh) (applicant) has applied for an ITP under the ESA for Permanente Site Operations and Maintenance in Santa Clara County, California. The requested ITP, which would be in effect for a period of 20 years, if granted, would authorize incidental take of the federally threatened California red-legged frog. In accordance with NEPA requirements, we have determined that the proposed action qualifies for a categorical exclusion as low effect. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on the application. Before issuing the requested permit, we will take into consideration any information that we receive during the public comment period.

This notice publishes the approval of the Seventh Amendment to the Tribal State Compact (Compact) for Class III Gaming between the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (Tribe) and the State of Washington (State).

The Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs has withdrawn the Department of the Interior's previous denial of the Coquille Indian Tribe's (Tribe) application to transfer land into trust in Medford, Oregon. Pursuant to this notice, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) will resume preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed project.

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) John Day- Snake Resource Advisory Council (RAC) and its Planning Subcommittee will meet.

The National Park Service is soliciting electronic comments on the significance of properties nominated before December 11, 2021, 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. Geological Survey (USGS) are proposing to renew an information collection with revisions.

The plats of survey of the following described lands are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Oregon State Office, Portland, Oregon, 30 calendar days from the date of this publication.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine threatened species status under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended, for the Hermes copper butterfly (Lycaena [Hermelycaena] hermes), a butterfly species from San Diego County, California, and Baja California, Mexico. We also designate critical habitat. In total, approximately 14,174 ha (35,027 ac) in San Diego County, California, fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. This rule adds the species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We also finalize a rule under the authority of section 4(d) of the Act that provides measures that are necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of this species.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), as co-leads, announce their intention to prepare a Monument Management Plan (MMP) for the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (Monument). NOAA and USFWS are updating their original notice of intent to draft the MMP to include information about the expansion of the Monument in 2014, and to announce that NOAA and USFWS are co-leads in drafting the MMP. NOAA and USFWS are seeking input on issues, concerns, ideas, and suggestions for the future management of the Monument. NOAA and USFWS will also prepare a draft environmental assessment, concurrent with the management plan, to evaluate potential effects of implementing the proposed management alternatives for the Monument. Following the completion of the MMP, USFWS will prepare new individual Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCPs) and revise existing CCPs for National Wildlife Refuges within the Monument, as appropriate.

The Department of the Interior (Department) is finalizing updates to its regulations governing probate of property that the United States holds in trust or restricted status for American Indians, in an effort to continually improve the services the Department provides to individual Indians and Tribes. These updates allow the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) to adjudicate probate cases more efficiently by, among other things, establishing an expedited process for small, funds-only estates, reorganizing the purchase-at-probate process so that estates may be closed more quickly, and specifying which reasons justify reopening of closed probate estates. The revisions also enhance OHA's processing by adding certainty as to how estates should be distributed when certain circumstances arise that are not addressed in the statute, and improve notification to interested parties by, among other things, requiring posting of probate notices on a devoted OHA web page.

This notice provides the names of individuals appointed to serve on the Department of the Interior Senior Executive Service (SES) Performance Review Board.

The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University has completed an inventory of 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 associated funerary object and any present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of this associated funerary object should submit a written request to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the associated funerary object to the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum 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 the Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum. 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 California, Berkeley, 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 and object of cultural patrimony. 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 University of California, Berkeley. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the cultural item to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The Fowler Museum at the University of California, Los Angeles (Fowler Museum at UCLA) 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 the Museum. 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.

Diablo Valley College, a campus of Contra Costa Community College District, is rescinding a Notice of Inventory Completion published in the Federal Register on April 1, 2021.

In accordance with the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 as amended, Chevron USA, Inc. (NMNM 117118), WTG Exploration, Inc. (NMNM 112270, NMNM 112271), OXY Y-1 Company and Tap Rock Resources, LLC (NMNM 113394), Federal Abstract Co. (NMNM 137424, NMNM 137425, NMNM 137426, NMNM 137427, NMNM 137428, NMNM 137431, NMNM 137440, NMNM 137441, NMNM 137442, NMNM 137443), Blackbeard Operating, LLC (NMNM 137481), St. Devote, LLC (NMNM 119745), Platform Energy III, LLC (NMNM 130865), and Slash Exploration, LP (NMNM 137459) timely filed a petition for reinstatement of competitive oil and gas leases NMNM 117118, NMNM 112270, NMNM 112271, NMNM 113394, NMNM 137424, NMNM 137425, NMNM 137426, NMNM 137427, NMNM 137428, NMNM 137431, NMNM 119745, NMNM 130865 in Eddy, Lea, Chaves, and Roosevelt counties, New Mexico. The lessees paid the required rentals accruing from the date of termination. No leases were issued that affect these lands. The Bureau of Land Management proposes to reinstate these leases.

The plats of survey of the following described lands are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Oregon State Office, Portland, Oregon, 30 calendar days from the date of this publication.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) proposes to establish a new system of records entitled, ``NIGC Reasonable Accommodations Records.'' This system of records will include information that the NIGC collects and maintains on applicants for employment and employees who request and/or receive reasonable accommodations from NIGC for medical or religious reasons.

The U.S Geological Survey published a document in the Federal Register on November 9, 2021, that presented a description of the methodology used to identify a draft list of critical minerals; a draft list of minerals, elements, substances, and materials that qualify as critical minerals; \1\ and a draft list of critical minerals recovered as byproducts and their host minerals. This notice announces a 32-day extension of the public comment period.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of our draft recovery plan for Canelo Hills ladies-tresses (Spiranthes delitescens), an endangered orchid that occurs in desert wetland habitats in southern Arizona. We request review and comment on this draft recovery plan from local, State, and Federal agencies; Tribal governments; nongovernmental organizations; and the public.