Department of the Interior 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on an application to conduct certain activities with a foreign species that is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is issued that allows such activity. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before issuing permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the ESA with respect to any endangered species.

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, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Ambler Road project.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Augusta Museum of History 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.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Jacksonville State University 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.

This Public Land Order (PLO) withdraws 4,212.98 acres of public lands from location and entry under the United States mining laws, from leasing under the mineral leasing laws, and from disposal of minerals under the Materials Act of 1947, subject to valid existing rights, for 50 years. The purpose of this withdrawal is to protect, preserve, and promote the scenic integrity, cultural importance, recreational values, and wildlife habitat connectivity within the Placitas area.

The Department of the Interior (the Department or DOI), acting through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), is amending its risk management and financial assurance regulations. This final rule revises criteria for determining whether oil, gas, and sulfur lessees, right-of-use and easement (RUE) grant holders, and pipeline right-of- way (ROW) grant holders are required to provide financial assurance above the current minimum bonding levels to ensure compliance with their Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) obligations. This final rule streamlines the criteria for evaluating the financial health of lessees and grantees, codifies the use of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement's (BSEE) probabilistic estimates of decommissioning costs in setting the level of demands for supplemental financial assurance, removes restrictive provisions for third-party guarantees and decommissioning accounts, adds new criteria for cancelling supplemental financial assurance, and clarifies bonding requirements for RUEs serving Federal leases. BOEM estimates that a total of $6.9 billion in new supplemental financial assurance will be required from lessees and grant holders under this final rule to cover potential costs of decommissioning activities. This final rule significantly increases the amount of financial assurance available to the U.S. Government in the case of a lessee default and meaningfully reduces the risk to the government and consequently to the U.S. taxpayer. This final rulemaking does not apply to renewable energy activities.

The National Park Service is soliciting electronic comments on the significance of properties nominated before April 13, 2024, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is revising its oil and gas leasing regulations. Among other changes, the final rule implements provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) pertaining to royalty rates, rentals, and minimum bids; updates the bonding requirements for leasing, development, and production; and revises some operating requirements. The final rule will improve the BLM's leasing process by ensuring proper stewardship of public lands and resources.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing a new information collection.

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) has prepared a Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the GridLiance West Core Upgrades Transmission Line Project and by this notice is providing information announcing the opening of the comment period on the Draft RMP Amendment/EIS.

The Department of the Interior (Department) is adopting the United States Forest Service's (USFS) categorical exclusion for short- term mineral, energy, or geothermal investigations and the Department of the Navy's (DON) categorical exclusion for pre-lease upland exploration activities for oil, gas, or geothermal reserves, (e.g., geophysical surveys) pursuant to section 109 of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to use for proposed Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approval of geothermal exploration operations. This notice describes the limited categories of proposed actions for which the BLM intends to use the USFS and DON categorical exclusions and details the consultation between the respective agencies.

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.

The Department of the Interior (Department) gives notice that the group known as the Chihene Nde Nation of New Mexico has filed a documented petition for Federal acknowledgment as an American Indian tribe with the Assistant Secretary- Indian Affairs. The Department seeks comment and evidence from the public on the petition.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is publishing this notice to announce that a Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG) will take place. The meeting is open to the public.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Sonoma State University intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony 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), the Sierra Joint Community College District intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony 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), the University of California Davis (UC Davis) has completed an inventory of associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Kansas State University 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.

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 (BLM) Idaho Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Boston Children's Museum 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.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA 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.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Grand Rapids Public Museum 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.

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) will meet as follows.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA), and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (MLA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Price Field Office, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDA Forest Service) Manti-La Sal National Forest, as co-lead agencies, intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in response to a Lease by Application (LBA) for the Little Eccles Federal Coal Lease Tract (UTU- 92226) of 120 acres and a Lease Modification Application (LMA) to add 640 acres to the Flat Canyon Lease Tract (UTU-77114). This notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues. The EIS will evaluate potential impacts of leasing and underground mining of Federal coal reserves contained in both lease tracts.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of the Interior (DOI, Department) is issuing a public notice of its intent to modify the Privacy Act system of records, INTERIOR/DOI-71, Electronic FOIA Tracking System and FOIA Case Files. In this notice, DOI is proposing to consolidate the system of records with INTERIOR/OS-69, Freedom of Information Act Appeals Files, system of records; update the system name to INTERIOR/DOI-71, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Files; and provide updates to all sections of the notice in accordance with the Privacy Act and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) policy.