Search Results for agency_names:"Interior Department"

The National Park Service has issued a correction to a notice previously published in the Federal Register. The correction involves replacing references to “BLM Region 10” with “Bureau of Reclamation, Region 10” in a document initially published on October 30, 2024. This update is part of the agency's responsibilities under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Dr. Melanie Ryan from the Bureau of Reclamation can be contacted for more information.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the U.S. Department of the Interior announced a public meeting for the Alaska Resource Advisory Council (RAC) set for February 12 and 13, 2025. The meeting, which will be held in Anchorage, Alaska, and offer virtual participation, will cover topics such as land use planning, strategic planning, and tribal relations. The public is welcome to attend and offer comments, and a period for public feedback is scheduled on both days. Comments may include personal information, which might be made public, though commenters can request their information be withheld.

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 response to a Presidential Memorandum issued on January 20, 2025, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is delaying the effective dates of two regulatory program amendments in Wyoming and Montana. These amendments were initially published in January 2025 and were set to take effect soon. The Wyoming amendment addresses the disposal of wind turbine blades and towers in surface coal mining sites, while the Montana amendment deals with definitions and permit requirements related to environmental regulations. The delay is meant to provide time for further review and consideration without public input, as seeking such input would be impractical given the time constraints.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is correcting an error concerning the Hawaiian hoary bat on the endangered species list. Initially, there was a plan to update the bat's scientific name and add a common name, but this was withdrawn after receiving comments. The Service mistakenly thought these changes hadn't been properly documented and asked for a correction. Now, they are fixing this issue by reverting to the bat's original scientific name without the proposed common name.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced the adoption of a National Park Service (NPS) categorical exclusion for managing invasive species, which will be used by seven other department bureaus. This decision aims to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of controlling invasive species on federal lands, following proper environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The adopted exclusion, allowing actions such as physical control and use of biological control organisms, means that these bureaus can manage invasive species without requiring a full environmental assessment, unless extraordinary circumstances arise. This step seeks to protect native species and preserve ecosystems across lands managed by these departments.

The Office of History and Archaeology in Anchorage, Alaska, completed an inventory of human remains and determined a cultural link between the remains and certain Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, as per the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The remains include a jawbone and cranial fragments found on a beach near Sealing Point and Kivalina, brought in by a local resident, Henry Wilson, in 2014. These remains are believed to be of Native American ancestry, specifically affiliated with the Native Village of Kivalina. Repatriation requests must be sent to the authorized representative, with potential repatriation occurring after January 6, 2025, depending on competing requests.

The Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) has issued a notice detailing the options available for accounting and auditing relief for Federal oil and gas production from marginal properties. These options include the opportunity to submit one annual royalty report or request other specific forms of relief. Each state decides whether to participate in these relief options, and this notice lists the states' decisions for the calendar year 2025. The relief options aim to simplify requirements for marginal properties that meet certain production thresholds.

The Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) of the Department of the Interior is making changes to its regulations to improve the hearings and appeals process. These updates aim to make procedures more efficient, reflect changes in the law, and incorporate modern technology like electronic filing and case management systems. They are meant to help both the people involved in these cases and the department work more effectively, ensuring that decisions are reviewed quickly and fairly. The new regulations will be effective from February 10, 2025, and public comments on these changes can be submitted until March 11, 2025.

The Department of the Interior has proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures to introduce a new categorical exclusion for geothermal resource exploration by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This change aims to make it easier and faster to approve exploration projects that typically do not have significant environmental impacts, thus supporting renewable energy development on public lands. Comments on this proposal are due by February 18, 2025. The BLM has reviewed past projects and determined that the new exclusion is justified because these activities have historically shown no significant environmental effects.