Search Results for agency_names:"Interior Department"

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing a new rule to update the migratory bird subsistence harvest regulations in Alaska. This rule will clarify language on regional species closures, remove emperor geese from the harvest list due to population concerns, and update the names of specific bird species. It also eliminates the permit requirement for hunting in the Kodiak Island Roaded Area while keeping certain bird species protected. Public comments are being accepted until February 20, 2025.

The National Park Service is notifying the public about a rescheduled virtual meeting of the Gateway National Recreation Area Fort Hancock 21st Century Advisory Committee. Initially set for January 15, 2025, the meeting will now take place on February 6, 2025, with an alternate date of February 14, 2025. Participants must register by January 30, 2025, and can contact Daphne Yun for access instructions. The meeting is open to the public, and comments can be submitted in advance or during the meeting, although oral comments are limited to three minutes per speaker.

The Bureau of Land Management has extended Public Land Order No. 6591 for 20 more years to continue protecting certain public lands in Nevada for the United States Air Force. These lands, on Halligan Mesa in Nye County, are withdrawn from activities like settlement and mining but can still be leased under mineral leasing laws. This extension is crucial to maintain the secure operation of national defense activities at the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) by safeguarding a communication site and support facilities. The extension of the order takes effect on April 11, 2025, and will last until 2045 unless reviewed and further extended.

The National Park Service is seeking electronic comments on properties nominated for listing in the National Register of Historic Places by January 9, 2021. Public comments should be submitted by February 8, 2021, via email or mail. Among the properties considered for listing are sites in Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and Virginia. This notice also informs that personal identifying information included in comments may be made publicly available.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has issued a final rule that updates the maximum daily civil penalties for violations related to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA). These updates adjust for inflation, applying a 2025 multiplier set at 1.02598, which reflects inflation from October 2023 through October 2024. The adjusted penalties now stand at $55,764 for OCSLA and $59,114 for OPA violations. These changes, effective January 13, 2025, ensure BOEM penalties maintain their deterrent effect and comply with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act. The adjustments are automatic and exempt from the usual rulemaking procedures like public commentary.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is withdrawing a previous plan to propose new regulations under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 about the incidental take of migratory birds. This move is in line with an order from the Secretary of the Interior titled “Unleashing American Energy.” The initial notice was published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2021, and allowed public comments until December 3, 2021. The official withdrawal was documented on April 21, 2025.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the San Francisco State University NAGPRA Program plans to return three sacred objects, which are ceremonial baskets, to the Jamul Indian Village of California. These items were part of the California Basket Collection at the Treganza Anthropology Museum and are considered important for traditional Native American religious practices. Any other Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations that believe they are culturally connected to these objects can request their return by showing evidence of their affiliation. The repatriation process may start on or after January 29, 2025, and the SF State NAGPRA Program will manage competing claims if they arise.

The U.S. Department of Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region, has finished an inventory of human remains found in Chernabura Island, Alaska, with the help of Vassar College and several Native American tribes or organizations. These remains are believed to be affiliated with present-day tribes, including the Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove and Qagan Tayagungin Tribe of Sand Point. The National Park Service has issued a notice inviting other tribes or organizations not mentioned to request control of these remains before March 1, 2021, after which the remains may be transferred to the identified tribes if no additional requests are made.

The National Park Service (NPS) is delaying the effective date of a rule titled "Visitor Experience Improvements Authority Contracts" from January 17, 2025, to March 21, 2025. This decision follows a memorandum from President Donald J. Trump issued on January 20, 2025, which requests a temporary regulatory freeze to review the implications of new rules. The delay is based on good cause exceptions, meaning it goes into effect without public comment because it's considered urgent and necessary. The NPS might consider further delays if needed, and any such decision could be open for public input.

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) has released a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for changes to the mining plan at the Rosebud Mine Area F in Montana, which aims to permit ongoing mining of around 71.3 million tons of coal over 4,288 acres. This draft addresses shortcomings identified by a district court, particularly around analyzing alternatives and the environmental impact of greenhouse gases and water. The public is invited to comment by January 21, 2025, and can attend a meeting on January 8, 2025. OSMRE will use these comments to refine the SEIS and recommend if the mining plan should be approved, disapproved, or conditionally approved by the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management.