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

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 Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, the U.S Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Hassayampa Field Office, Arizona, will hold a public meeting for the U.S. Forest Service's (FS) withdrawal application for 3,739 acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands within the Prescott National Forest. The FS's request is for withdrawal of these lands from location and entry under the U.S. mining laws, and from leasing under the mineral and geothermal leasing laws, for a 20-year term, subject to valid existing rights. The purpose of the requested withdrawal is to protect the Hassayampa River riparian corridor, located in Yavapai County, Arizona, from potential adverse impacts from mining and mineral or geothermal development activities.

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

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has finalized revisions to its bid adequacy procedures to ensure the receipt of fair market value from Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas lease sales. BOEM intends to assess bids using the revised procedures beginning with the first lease sale under the 2024-2029 National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program. The revised procedures and BOEM's response to public comments on the draft procedures are available at https://www.boem.gov/Fair-Market-Value.

Pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (referred to herein as the ``Inflation Adjustment Acts''), and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance, ONRR is adjusting for inflation the civil monetary penalty (CMP) amounts it assesses under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982 (FOGRMA).

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 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Utility-scale Solar Energy Development and associated Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendments and by this notice is providing information announcing the opening of the comment period on the Draft Programmatic EIS.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving with exceptions an amendment to the Wyoming regulatory program (Wyoming program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Between 1978 and 2007, the Wyoming Legislature enacted a number of revisions to the statutes governing coal exploration by drilling. On March 2, 2016, the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council approved a number of revisions to the rules governing coal exploration by drilling under the Wyoming program. The State submitted this proposal to OSMRE at its own initiative.

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) Nevada State Director intends to prepare a resource management plan (RMP) amendment with an associated Environmental Assessment for the Dodge Flat II Solar Energy Center 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.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Arizona Resource Advisory Council (Council) will meet as follows.

The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking nominations for individuals to represent subsistence users on the following Subsistence Resource Commissions (SRC): the Aniakchak National Monument SRC, the Cape Krusenstern National Monument SRC, the Kobuk Valley National Park SRC, the Lake Clark National Park SRC, and the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park SRC.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Office of the State Archaeologist Bioarchaeology Program (OSA-BP) 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 Clayton and Jasper Counties, IA, possibly Plymouth County, IA, and unknown locations in Iowa.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Pioneer Museum, Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park, Kentucky Department of Parks 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 Mason, KY.

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

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of restoring the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) to the Bitterroot Ecosystem (BE), a portion of the species' historical range, in Montana and Idaho. We previously issued a final EIS, record of decision, and final rule under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, to reintroduce grizzly bears to the BE as a nonessential experimental population. However, conditions have changed, so we intend to reevaluate a range of options to restore the grizzly bear to the BE during the development of a new EIS. We invite input from other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, nongovernmental organizations, private-sector businesses, and members of the public on the scope of the EIS, alternatives to our proposed approaches for assisting in the restoration of the grizzly bear in the BE, and the pertinent issues that we should address in the EIS. We also invite the public and interested parties to attend virtual public scoping meetings.

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.

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.

TF Cibolo Canyons, LP (applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an amendment to their existing incidental take permit (ITP) supported by the proposed amendment to the Habitat Conservation Plan for a portion of the Cibolo Canyon Property (Master Phase II) (HCP) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. The requested amendment to the ITP, if approved, would continue authorization of incidental take of the golden-cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia). The application package includes the proposed changes to the HCP and a draft screening form that has been prepared to evaluate the ITP application in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on these documents.

In compliance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the Act) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance, the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC or Commission) is amending its civil monetary penalty rule to reflect an annual adjustment for inflation in order to improve the penalty's effectiveness and maintain its deterrent effect. The Act provides that the new penalty level must apply to penalties assessed after the effective date of the increase, including when the penalties whose associated violation predate the increase.

The Secretary of the Interior proposes to extend Public Land Order (PLO) No. 7628 for an additional 20-year term. PLO No. 7628 withdrew 1,960.10 acres of public lands in Big Horn County, Wyoming, from settlement, sale, location, or entry under the general land laws, including the United States mining laws, subject to valid existing rights, to protect the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range. The withdrawal created by PLO No. 7628 will expire on March 7, 2025, unless extended. This notice announces to the public the opportunity to comment on the proposal and announces the date, time, and location of the public meeting to be held in conjunction with this withdrawal extension application.

The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum) is rescinding specific paragraphs in a Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items published in the Federal Register on February 16, 2011.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Longyear Museum of Anthropology (LMA) 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 St. Mary's County, MD.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Longyear Museum of Anthropology (LMA) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects or sacred objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The cultural items were removed from Bay County, FL.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Detroit Institute of Arts 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 unknown locations in Alaska.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the National Park Service (NPS) are proposing to renew an information collection.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of the Interior (DOI) is issuing a public notice of its intent to modify the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Privacy Act system of records, INTERIOR/FWS-21, Permits System. FWS is consolidating all of the FWS permits systems of records under this system of records notice (SORN) and making updates to accurately reflect management of the system of records. This modified system will be included in DOI's inventory of record systems.