Department of the Interior February 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, Brown University, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items should submit a written request to the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, Brown University. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the cultural items to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

Bryn Mawr College, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items should submit a written request to Bryn Mawr College. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the cultural items to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) approved the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians, California Leasing Ordinance 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, agriculture, residential, and wind and solar leases without further BIA approval.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) approved the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho Business Leasing Ordinance 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 leases without further BIA approval.

The Bureau of Reclamation intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for analyzing potential modifications to the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project (CVP) and the State Water Project (SWP). The authorized purposes of the CVP include, first, river regulation, improvement of navigation and flood control; second, irrigation and domestic uses and fish and wildlife mitigation, protection and restoration; and third, power and fish and wildlife enhancement. Reclamation is seeking suggestions and information on the alternatives and topics to be addressed and other important issues related to multi-year operations of the CVP and SWP.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine endangered species status under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended, for the peppered chub (Macrhybopsis tetranema), a freshwater fish species historically found in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, which is now extirpated from all but six percent of its historical range. We also designate critical habitat. In total, approximately 872 river miles (1,404 river kilometers) in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. We are excluding approximately 197 river miles (317 river kilometers) of critical habitat in Kansas that was included in the proposed critical habitat designation. This rule adds the species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extends the Act's protections to the peppered chub designated critical habitat.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received a written request from Dr. John S. Lambert (applicant) to renew an enhancement of survival permit TE 075424 (permit) for an existing safe harbor agreement (SHA) without change. The Service is making the proposed permit renewal, which includes the applicant's proposed updated SHA as well as the Service's draft environmental action statement (EAS), available for public review and comment.

This final rule adjusts the level of the maximum daily civil monetary penalty contained in the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) regulations for violations of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), in accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance. The civil penalty inflation adjustment, using a 1.06222 multiplier, accounts for one year of inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) spanning from October 2020 to October 2021.

The National Park Service is soliciting electronic comments on the significance of properties nominated before February 12, 2022, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing to renew an Information Collection with revisions.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or Service), are taking direct final action to revise regulations that implement the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES or Treaty or Convention) by incorporating certain non- controversial provisions adopted at the sixteenth through eighteenth meetings of the Conference of the Parties (CoP16-CoP18) to CITES and clarifying and updating certain other provisions. These changes will bring U.S. regulations in line with certain revisions adopted at the three most recent meetings of the Conference of the Parties, which took place in March 2013 (CoP16), September-October 2016 (CoP17), and August 2019 (CoP18). The revised regulations will help us more effectively promote species conservation, help us continue to fulfill our responsibilities under the Treaty, and help those affected by CITES to understand how to conduct lawful international trade.

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.

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) is requesting public comment on candidate replacement names for geographic feature names recently declared derogatory by DOI Secretary's Order 3404.

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) 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 UC Davis. 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.

Indiana University has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains 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 these human remains should submit a written request to Indiana University's NAGPRA Office. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) are proposing to renew an information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) are proposing to renew an information collection.

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) are renewing the charter for and seeking member nominations to the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council (Council). The renewed Council replaces and changes the name of the previous Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council. The Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture (Secretaries), after consultation with the General Services Administration, have renewed the Council charter for 2 years. The Council will provide recommendations to the Federal Government, through the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) and the Secretary of Agriculture, regarding the establishment and implementation of existing and proposed policies and authorities with regard to wildlife and habitat conservation endeavors that benefit wildlife resources; encourage partnership among the public, sporting conservation organizations, and Federal, State, Tribal, and territorial governments; and benefit recreational hunting and recreational shooting sports.

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

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.

Indian Affairs will conduct consultation sessions with federally recognized Tribes to obtain oral and written comments concerning appeals from administrative actions.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are reclassifying the Stephens' kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi) from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This action is based on our evaluation of the best available scientific and commercial information, which indicates that the species' status has improved such that it is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range, but that it is still likely to become so throughout all of its range in the foreseeable future. We also finalize a rule under section 4(d) of the Act that provides for the conservation of the Stephens' kangaroo rat.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), in accordance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), are amending the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (List) by adding Rice's whale (Balaenoptera ricei). We are also updating the entries for the Central America, Mexico, and Western North Pacific distinct population segments (DPSs) of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) to reflect the designation of critical habitat for these DPSs. These amendments are based on previously published determinations by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce, which has jurisdiction for these species.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing to renew an information collection.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the prostrate milkweed (Asclepias prostrata), a plant species from Texas, as an endangered species and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the prostrate milkweed. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the species is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the prostrate milkweed as an endangered species. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would add this species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Plants and extend the Act's protections to the species. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the prostrate milkweed under the Act. In total, approximately 691.3 acres (279.8 hectares) in Starr and Zapata Counties, Texas, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for prostrate milkweed.