Department of the Interior July 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are proposing a new information collection.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is reopening the public comment period for the proposed rule revising the regulations governing leasing of the Osage Nation's mineral estate (``Osage Mineral Estate'') for oil and gas mining. The BIA is also requesting information regarding the transportation costs for oil produced from the Osage Mineral Estate.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Reclamation, are proposing to renew an information collection.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Humboldt River Field Office, has examined 40 acres of public land in Humboldt County, Nevada, and found the land suitable to classify for lease and/or conveyance under the provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act, as amended. Humboldt County proposes to use the land to build a school complex with a K-8 elementary school and a high school in Orovada, Nevada, to improve educational services in the community.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Arizona State Director intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and associated Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment to consider the effects of the Vulcan Solar Project (Project) and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping period to solicit public comments and identify issues, and is providing the planning criteria for public review. The BLM also announces the segregation of 8,911 acres of public lands from appropriation under the public land laws, including the Mining Law, but not the Mineral Leasing or Materials Acts, for a period of two years from the date of publication of this notice, subject to valid existing rights. This segregation will facilitate the orderly administration of the public lands while the BLM considers potential solar development on the described parcels.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Barnstable and Plymouth Counties, MA.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), California State University Chico (CSU Chico) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The cultural items were removed from Butte, Glenn, and Tehama Counties, CA.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the New York State Museum (NYSM), has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Albany and Washington Counties, NY.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the James B. and Rosalyn L. Pick Museum of Anthropology at Northern Illinois University (Pick Museum) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Eastern Washington University has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains were removed from Pend Oreille County, WA or Bonner County, ID.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of California, Riverside (UCR) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Riverside in Riverside County, CA.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the High Desert Museum intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The cultural items were removed from Wasco County, OR, and Klickitat County, WA.

On behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture, the United States Forest Service (USFS) filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requesting the Secretary of the Interior extend Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6560 for an additional 20- year term. PLO No. 6560 as extended by PLO No. 7610 withdrew 59.99 acres of public domain land outside the exterior boundary of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest in Beaverhead County, Montana from settlement, sale, location, or entry under the general land laws, including the mining laws and transferred administrative jurisdiction to the USFS, subject to valid existing rights, to protect the USFS- managed administrative site. The withdrawal created by PLO No. 6560 as extended will expire on August 5, 2024, unless extended. This notice announces to the public an opportunity to comment on the USFS application.

The plats of surveys for the lands described in this notice are scheduled to be officially filed 30 calendar days after the date of this publication in the BLM Montana State Office, Billings, Montana. The surveys, which were executed at the request of the Superintendent, Crow Creek Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs dated February 27, 2020, and Interagency Agreement No. 4500146692, dated July 30, 2020, are necessary for the management of these lands.

Notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Las Cruces District Office is implementing the following closure to all public use within the area known as Community Pit No. 1 in Do[ntilde]a Ana County, New Mexico, including casual use (defined as any short-term, non-commercial activity that does not noticeably damage or disturb public lands, resources, or improvements), due to public safety concerns. Specifically, the closure is needed to reduce or prevent the opportunity for damage to property, personal injury, or loss of life from unstable conditions such as 150-foot-high walls.

We, the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service (Service), revise the regulations concerning experimental populations of endangered species and threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. We remove language generally restricting the introduction of experimental populations to only the species' ``historical range'' to allow for the introduction of populations into habitat outside of their historical range for conservation purposes. To provide for the conservation of certain species, we have concluded that it may be increasingly necessary and appropriate to establish experimental populations outside of their historical range if the species' habitat has undergone, is undergoing, or is anticipated to undergo irreversible decline and is no longer capable of supporting the species due to threats such as climate change or invasive species. We added language that the Secretary will also consider any adverse effects that may result to the ecosystem from the experimental population being established. We also made minor changes to clarify the existing regulations; these minor changes do not alter the substance or scope of the regulations.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Central Washington University has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and any Indian Tribe. The human remains were removed from the Olympic Peninsula, WA.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains were removed from Lake County, IL.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the California Department of Parks and Recreation has amended a Notice of Inventory Completion in the Federal Register on September 28, 2012. This notice amends the number of associated funerary objects in a collection removed from Shannon County, SD.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will seek Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of an extension of a previously approved information collection.