Search Results for agency_names:"Interior Department"

In 2020, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and Bonneville Power Administration completed an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the operations of fourteen dams in the Columbia River System. Now, due to new circumstances, these agencies plan to update and supplement this EIS. This includes examining the environmental effects of proposed changes and new information affecting the dams' operations. The aim is to ensure the dams are managed in a way that considers regional energy, tribal needs, and environmental impacts, with public input being sought through virtual meetings and comments.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public comments on renewing an information collection related to desert land entry applications for agricultural purposes in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The agency aims to reduce paperwork and is particularly interested in feedback about the necessity, accuracy, impact on respondents, and methods to enhance the quality of the information collected. Comments are open until January 17, 2025, and should be submitted through the specified online portal. The existing OMB control number for this collection is due to expire on April 30, 2025, and BLM requests its renewal for an additional three years.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, has identified a cultural connection between certain funerary objects and the Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation, as part of its responsibilities under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The inventory consists of a cedar wood stake and a vial of wood fibers from site 45ST118 on federal land within the Spokane Indian Reservation. These objects, housed at Washington State University, are available for repatriation starting January 17, 2025. If multiple requests for repatriation are received, the Bureau's Region 9 will determine the most appropriate requestor.

The Yale Peabody Museum at Yale University has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects in compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). They found a cultural connection between the remains and several Native American tribes, such as the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, among others. The remains and objects may be returned to identified tribes or descendants starting April 28, 2025. If multiple requests are made for the repatriation of these items, the museum will decide which request is appropriate.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced 90-day findings on petitions to add several species to the endangered or threatened species list and to remove one species. They are starting detailed status reviews for the Amargosa toad, Carson Valley monkeyflower, large marble butterfly, Mohave ground squirrel, Morrison bumble bee, Oasis Valley speckled dace, Tennessee bottlebrush crayfish, and the golden-cheeked warbler to understand if these actions are necessary. The agency invites scientific and commercial data to ensure thorough status reviews and will publish further findings after these reviews. The reviews will consider factors such as habitat destruction, climate change, and other threats to the species.

The National Park Service, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, has issued a notice about the repatriation of human remains and associated funerary objects under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The remains, taken from Contra Costa County, California, were found to be culturally affiliated with the Wilton Rancheria, California. These items were seized during an investigation and, following their storage at various sites, they are now eligible for repatriation starting January 13, 2025. Authorized Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations can request the repatriation of these remains and objects according to the procedures outlined in the notice.

The National Park Service, under the Interior Department, announced that they are accepting public comments on properties nominated for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. These comments should be submitted by February 16, 2021. The nominations include various properties across states like the District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia. Additionally, the document mentions requests for extra documentation and a request for removal of a property in Nevada.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released the Records of Decision (RODs) for the updated Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendments focused on conserving Greater Sage-Grouse habitats in Colorado and Oregon. These updates are part of a wider effort that involves ten states, tribal governments, and local communities to protect the species and its environment. The BLM made minor adjustments from the proposed plans to resolve issues raised by some states and to ensure a consistent conservation approach. The RODs are now effective and available online for public review.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed expansion of the Relief Canyon Gold Mine in Pershing County, Nevada. The expansion plans include creating new surface disturbance, expanding the mining pit and waste storage facility, and adding new infrastructure for water management and slope stability. The public is invited to comment on the potential environmental impacts described in the Draft EIS, which considers effects on air quality, water resources, and wildlife, among other factors. Comments can be submitted via various methods to the BLM, and public involvement activities will be announced in due course.

The Bureau of Land Management in the Interior Department has announced the official filing of several Plats of Survey in Nevada, which were filed at their Nevada State Office in Reno. These surveys include resurveys and subdivisions of various township boundaries under different group numbers, all of which were accepted on September 20, 2024. The records now serve as the official documents for describing these lands for any authorized purposes and are accessible to the public. The action ensures accurate land descriptions and supports administrative needs.