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

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) owns or has an interest in irrigation projects located on or associated with various Indian reservations throughout the United States. We are required to establish irrigation assessment rates to recover the costs to administer, operate, maintain, and rehabilitate these projects. We request your comments on the proposed rate adjustments.

On January 7, 2021, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (we, the Service, or USFWS), published a final rule defining the scope of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) as it applies to conduct resulting in the injury or death of migratory birds protected by the MBTA. We are now proposing to revoke that rule for the reasons set forth below. The effect of this proposed rule would be to return to implementing the MBTA as prohibiting incidental take and applying enforcement discretion, consistent with judicial precedent.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from TSG Development, Inc. (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed sand skink incidental to construction in Lake County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and 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 available for public review.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of documents related to an application for an incidental take permit (permit) under the Endangered Species Act. The City of Gunnison, Colorado, has applied for a permit, which, if granted, would authorize take of the federally threatened Gunnison sage-grouse that is likely to occur incidental to proposed residential and commercial development. The documents available for review and comment are the applicant's habitat conservation plan, which is part of the permit application, and our draft environmental action statement and low- effect screening form, which support a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act. We invite comments from the public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments.

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) Planning Subcommittee will meet as follows:

This notice informs the public that the Assistant Secretary Indian Affairs proclaimed approximately 559.203 acres, more or less, an addition to the reservation of the Lower Elwha Tribal Community.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to renew an information collection.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are conducting 5-year status reviews under the Endangered Species Act of 23 animal and plant species. A 5-year status review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any such information that has become available since the last review for the species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or USFWS), propose to remove the San Clemente Bell's sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli clementeae) (formerly known as the San Clemente sage sparrow, Amphispiza belli clementeae), San Clemente Island bush-mallow (Malacothamnus clementinus), San Clemente Island paintbrush (Castilleja grisea), San Clemente Island lotus (Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae), and San Clemente Island larkspur (Delphinium variegatum ssp. kinkiense) from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (Lists). The bird species and four plant species occur only on San Clemente Island, one of the Channel Islands off the southern coast of California. The proposed delistings are based on our evaluation of the best available scientific and commercial information, which indicates that the species' statuses have improved and threats to the species have been eliminated or reduced to the point that the species have recovered and no longer meet the definitions of either endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). If this proposal is finalized, these species will be removed from the Lists.

The National Park Service is soliciting electronic comments on the significance of properties nominated before April 24, 2021, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to renew an information collection.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to open, for the first time, seven National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) that are currently closed to hunting and sport fishing. In addition, we propose to open or expand hunting and sport fishing at 83 other NWRs, and add pertinent station-specific regulations for other NWRs that pertain to migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game hunting, and sport fishing for the 2021-2022 season. We also propose to open hunting or sport fishing on one unit of the National Fish Hatchery System (NFH). We propose to add pertinent station-specific regulations that pertain to migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game hunting, and sport fishing at this NFH for the 2021-2022 season. Finally, we propose to make regulatory changes to existing station- specific regulations in order to reduce the regulatory burden on the public, increase access for hunters and anglers on Service lands and waters, and comply with a Presidential mandate for plain language standards.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) approved the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Title 105 Leasing Code under the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act of 2012 (HEARTH Act). With this approval, the Tribe is authorized to enter into business, residential, agricultural, wind and solar leases without further BIA approval.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are proposing to renew an information collection.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are delaying the effective date of a final rule we published on January 15, 2021, revising the designation of critical habitat for the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. This second delay is necessary to avoid placing undue risk on the conservation of northern spotted owl caused by allowing exclusions from its designated critical habitat to go into effect while the Service prepares a revision or withdrawal of the January 15, 2021, rule through additional rulemaking to address apparent defects; this second delay is also necessary to avoid confusion and disruption with Federal agencies in the implementation of section 7 of the Endangered Species Act while the Service initiates and completes the rulemaking process for revising or withdrawing the January 15, 2021, rule.

The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (Trustee Council) is soliciting nominations for the Public Advisory Committee (Committee). This Committee advises the Trustee Council on decisions related to the planning, evaluation, funds allocation, and conduct of injury assessment and restoration activities related to the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill of March 1989.

This notice announces the extension of the Class III gaming compact between the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation and the State of South Dakota.

The purpose of this notice is to request public nominations to the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Northern New Mexico Resource Advisory Council (RAC) and Southern New Mexico RAC that have vacant positions and/or members whose terms are scheduled to expire. These RACs provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on land use planning and management of the National System of Public Lands within their geographic areas.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal Consulting Group (FCG), is proposing to renew an information collection.

The National Park Service is soliciting electronic comments on the significance of properties nominated before April 17, 2021, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.

The U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) proposes to appoint members to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG). The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), 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, have received applications for permits to conduct activities intended to enhance the propagation or survival of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on these applications. Before issuing the requested permits, we will take into consideration any information that we receive during the public comment period.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is proposing a new information collection request (ICR).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently issued a final rule that revised the migratory bird subsistence harvest regulations in Alaska. The final rule included an improperly worded amendatory instruction that resulted in the unintentional removal of regulatory text. This document corrects that inadvertent error and restores the regulations to their proper wording.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat for the northern Mexican gartersnake (Thamnophis eques megalops) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. In total, approximately 20,326 acres (8,226 hectares) in La Paz, Mohave, Yavapai, Gila, Cochise, Santa Cruz, and Pima Counties, Arizona, and Grant County, New Mexico, fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation for the northern Mexican gartersnake. This rule extends the Act's protections to the northern Mexican gartersnake's designated critical habitat.