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

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received applications for permits to conduct activities intended to enhance the propagation and 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 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM Alaska) 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 near Point Hope in the North Slope Borough, AK.

The plats of survey of lands described in this notice are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), California State Office, Sacramento, California, 30 calendar days from the date of this publication. The surveys, which were executed at the request of the Department of Defense, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management, are necessary for the management of these lands.

This notice publishes the approval of the Amendment to the Tribal-State Compact for the Conduct of Class III Gaming between the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana (Tribe) and the State of Louisiana (State).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the National Park Service (NPS) are proposing to revise a currently approved information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to renew a currently approved information collection without change.

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 Okaloosa County, FL.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) 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 Solano County, CA.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended, from Trident Seafoods Corporation, propose to authorize nonlethal incidental take by harassment of small numbers of the Southwest Alaska stock of northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) for 1 year from the date of issuance of the incidental harassment authorization. The applicant requested this authorization for take by harassment that may result from activities associated with pile driving and marine construction activities in Near Island Channel in Kodiak, Alaska. We estimate that this project may result in the nonlethal incidental take by harassment of up to 460 northern sea otters from the Southwest Alaska stock. This proposed authorization, if finalized, will be for up to 3,160 takes of 460 northern sea otters by Level B harassment. No take by Level A harassment or lethal take are requested, or expected, and no such take will be authorized.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Scoggins Dam Safety Modifications Project in the Tualatin Basin, Oregon. The purpose of the project is to improve public safety by reducing risk associated with severe seismic loadings while continuing to meet authorized project purposes. Reclamation is seeking public comments to identify significant issues or other alternatives to be addressed in the EIS.

The National Park Service (NPS) is soliciting written comments from its Tribal, national, State, and local historic preservation partners, NPS regional offices and parks, other Federal agencies, and the public regarding the Draft TCP Bulletin.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are conducting 5-year status reviews under the Endangered Species Act, of 22 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 reviews for the species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce 90- day findings on 10 petitions to add species to the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Based on our review, we find that the petitions to list Betta hendra, Betta rutilans, Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander (Aneides caryaensis), pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis), Railroad Valley toad (Anaxyrus nevadensis), Southern Plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Southwest spring firefly (Bicellonycha wickershamorum), white-margined penstemon (Penstemon albomarginatus), and yellow-spotted woodland salamander (Plethodon pauleyi) present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this document, we announce that we are initiating status reviews of these species to determine whether the petitioned actions are warranted. To ensure that the status reviews are comprehensive, we request scientific and commercial data and other information regarding the species and factors that may affect their status. Based on the status reviews, we will issue 12-month petition findings, which will address whether or not the petitioned actions are warranted in accordance with the Act. We further find that the petition to list the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) does not present substantial information indicating the petitioned action may be warranted. Therefore, we are not initiating a status review of the eastern hellbender.

The Department of the Interior is publishing this notice to advise the public of the availability of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Service Contract Inventory, in accordance with section 743 of Division C of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010.

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's) Southeast Oregon Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as follows.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) proposes to renew an information collection.

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

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.

This notice publishes the approval by operation of law of amendments to the Tribal-State Gaming Compacts between the Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians, Resighini Rancheria, Manchester Band of Pomo Indians of the Manchester Rancheria, Cahto Tribe of the Laytonville Rancheria, respectively, and the State of California.

In accordance with the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is giving notice of a 60-day public comment period on the proposed recreational shooting closure included in the Proposed Sonoran Desert National Monument (SDNM) Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and Final Environmental Assessment (2023).

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 Bureau of Indian Affairs, Great Plains Region, Aberdeen, South Dakota are necessary for the management of these lands.

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) announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Libra Solar Project, Lyon and Mineral Counties, Nevada.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Royal Gorge Field Office located in eastern Colorado. The Colorado State Director signed the ROD on January 9, 2024, which constitutes the final decision of the BLM and makes the approved RMP effective immediately.

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

The National Park Service (NPS) is hereby giving notice that the Aniakchak National Monument Subsistence Resource Commission (SRC), the Denali National Park SRC, the Cape Krusenstern National Monument SRC, the Lake Clark National Park SRC, the Kobuk Valley National Park SRC, the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park SRC, and the Gates of the Arctic National Park SRC will meet as indicated below.