Department of the Interior – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Founders Ridge Development, LLC and Founders Ridge Development II, LLC (Minneola Town Center) (applicants) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicants request the ITP to take federally listed Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) and sand skinks (Neoseps reynoldsi) incidental to the construction of a mixed-use development in Lake County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and on the Service's preliminary determination that the proposed permitting action may be eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations, the Department of the Interior's (DOI) NEPA regulations, and the DOI Departmental Manual. To make this preliminary determination, we prepared a draft environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are also available for public review. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.

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

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), California State University, Sacramento has amended a Notice of Inventory Completion published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2023. This notice amends the number of associated funerary objects in a collection removed from Sacramento County, CA.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences (SIIAS) 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 Richmond County, NY.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Field Museum 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 collected from individuals at one or more unknown locations.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Field Museum 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 Palm Beach County, FL.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Montana 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 McKenzie County, ND.

The National Park Service published in the Federal Register on October 2, 2023, a notice of public meeting of the Gateway National Recreation Area Fort Hancock 21st Century Advisory Committee scheduled for November 16, 2023. The document contained an incorrect date. The date of the meeting is November 9, 2023.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on October 21, 2021, segregated public lands included in the right-of-way application (N- 089655) for the Copper Rays Solar Project from appropriation under the public land laws, including the Mining Law, but not the Mineral Leasing or Material Sales Acts, for a period of 2 years subject to valid existing rights. This 2-year extension of the segregation is necessary for the orderly administration of the public lands in order to allow the BLM to complete review of the Copper Rays Solar Project application and reach a decision on the application.

Under the Johnson-O'Malley (JOM) Act of 1934, as amended by the JOM Supplemental Indian Education Program Modernization Act of 2018, the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) is publishing a Final Report that describes the initial determination of the number of eligible Indian students served or potentially served by each eligible entity, the data used for BIE to make such determination, feedback gained during the comment period, and justification for not applying feedback gained during the comment period.

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 Hult Reservoir and Dam Safety Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

This notice announces changes to the mailing and street address for the Northeastern States District Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The plats of survey of the following described land were officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Arizona State Office, Phoenix, Arizona on the dates indicated. The surveys announced in this notice are necessary for the management of lands administered by the agency indicated.

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

The National Park Service proposes to amend the special regulations for Cape Hatteras National Seashore to allow for bicycle use on an approximately 1.6-mile multi-use pathway to be constructed in the Hatteras Island District of the Seashore.

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.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are removing Nelson's checker-mallow (Sidalcea nelsoniana) from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants. Our review of the best available scientific and commercial data indicates that the threats to Nelson's checker-mallow have been eliminated or reduced to the point that the species no longer meets the definition of an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from the County of Santa Cruz (applicant) for renewal of an existing incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant has requested a renewal that will extend permit duration by 20 years from the date the permit is reissued. The permit would continue to authorize take of the federally endangered Mount Hermon June beetle that is incidental to otherwise lawful activities associated with the approved Interim Programmatic Habitat Conservation Plan for the Endangered Mount Hermon June Beetle and Ben Lomond Spineflower. We invite comment on the application and associated documents from agencies, Tribes, and the public.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), withdraw the proposal to remove Phyllostegia glabra var. lanaiensis from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants (List). This withdrawal is based on new surveys conducted over the past 3 years since completing the 5-year review for the species; these surveys have identified new suitable habitats comprised of native vegetation within the former range of P. glabra var. lanaiensis. Therefore, we determined that additional information is needed before concluding that the species is extinct. With this withdrawal of the proposal, P. glabra var. lanaiensis will remain on the List as endangered. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, we publish a final rule removing 21 species that were part of our September 30, 2021, proposed rule.

The plats of survey of lands described in this notice are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Alaska State Office, Anchorage, Alaska. The surveys, which were executed at the request of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and BLM, are necessary for the management of these lands.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Alaska Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as follows.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce two 90-day findings on petitions to reclassify the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), or populations thereof, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Two valid subspecies of the West Indian manatee, the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus), are currently protected under the Act as part of the threatened West Indian manatee species-level listing. One petition requests the Puerto Rico population of the Antillean manatee be listed as an endangered distinct population segment (DPS) and critical habitat be designated for this entity under the Act. The second petition requests to reclassify the West Indian manatee, including its subspecies the Antillean manatee and Florida manatee, as endangered species under the Act. Based on our review, we find that the petitions 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 plan to initiate a status review to determine whether the petitioned actions are warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, we are requesting new scientific and commercial data and other information regarding the West Indian manatee throughout its range, including information specific to the Puerto Rico population of Antillean manatee, and factors that may affect their status. Based on the status review, we will issue a 12-month petition finding, which will address whether or not the petitioned actions are warranted, in accordance with the Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives notice of a public meeting of the Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize Advisory Council (Council), in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

The National Park Service is soliciting electronic comments on the significance of properties nominated before August 26, 2023, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places.

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.