30956 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 103 / Friday, May 27, 2011 / Notices 

and practices can be adapted in the 

West to prevent and manage invasive 

species. 

DATES: Meeting of the Invasive Species 

Advisory Committee: Tuesday, June 14, 

2011 and Thursday, June 16, 2010; 

beginning at approximately 8 a.m., and 

ending at approximately 5 p.m. each 

day. Members will be participating in an 

off-site field tour on Wednesday, June 

15, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: The Magnolia Hotel, 818 

17th Street, Denver, Colorado 80202. 

The general session on June 14, 2011 

and June 16, 2011 will be held in the 

Magnolia Ballroom. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kelsey Brantley, National Invasive 

Species Council Program Analyst and 

ISAC Coordinator, (202) 513–7243; Fax: 

(202) 371–1751, 

Dated: May 23, 2011. 

Kelsey A. Brantley, 

Program Specialist, National Invasive Species 

Council. 

[FR Doc. 2011–13226 Filed 5–26–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–RK–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 

Regulation and Enforcement 

Outer Continental Shelf, Alaska OCS 

Region, Chukchi Sea Planning Area, 

Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193 

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Regulation and 

Enforcement (BOEMRE), Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability of a 

Revised Draft Supplemental 

Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) 

and public hearings. 

SUMMARY: BOEMRE announces the 

availability of a Revised Draft SEIS, OCS 

Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193, Chukchi 

Sea, Alaska (OCS EIS/EA BOEMRE 

2010–034) for public review and 

comment, as well as the date, location, 

and time for public hearings. 

BOEMRE prepared this Revised Draft 

SEIS pursuant to the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et 

seq., the Council on Environmental 

Quality (CEQ) regulations that 

implement the procedural provisions of 

NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), and 

the July 21, 2010, remand order issued 

by the United States District Court for 

the District of Alaska. The Revised Draft 

SEIS augments the analysis of the Final 

EIS, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193, 

Chukchi Sea Planning Area (OCS EIS/ 

EA MMS 2007–026). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Sharon Warren or Mr. Mike Routhier, 

BOEMRE, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 

Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, 

Anchorage, Alaska 99503–5820. You 

may also contact Ms. Warren or Mr. 

Routhier by telephone at 907–334–5200. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In May 

2007, BOEMRE (formerly Minerals 

Management Service) published the 

Final EIS for Oil and Gas Lease Sale 

193, Chukchi Sea (OCS EISIEA MMS 

2007–0026) that evaluated the potential 

effects of the proposed sale and three 

alternatives: A no action alternative and 

two alternatives that incorporate 

deferral areas of varying size along the 

coastward edge of the proposed sale 

area. 

On January 31, 2008, a lawsuit 

challenging Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193, 

Chukchi Sea alleging violations 

pursuant to NEPA and the Endangered 

Species Act was filed with the U.S. 

District Court for the District of Alaska 

[Native Village of Point Hope et al., v. 

Salazar, No. 1:08-cv-00004–RRB (D. 

Alaska)]. The sale was conducted in 

February 2008. BOEMRE received high 

bids totaling approximately $2.6 billion 

and 487 leases were issued. 

In July 2010, the District Court 

remanded the matter for further NEPA 

analysis in accordance with its order. 

The District Court amended this order 

in August 2010. The District Court 

directed BOEMRE to address three 

concerns: (1) Analyze the environmental 

impact of natural gas development; (2) 

determine whether missing information 

identified by BOEMRE in the Final EIS 

for Chukchi Sea Lease Sale 193 was 

essential or relevant under 40 CFR 

1502.22; and (3) determine whether the 

cost of obtaining the missing 

information was exorbitant, or the 

means of doing so unknown. 

BOEMRE completed a Draft SEIS 

addressing each of these concerns, 

published the Draft SEIS for public 

comment on October 15, 2010, and 

provided a 45-day comment period. 

BOEMRE received over 150,000 

comments on the Draft SEIS. Citing the 

Deepwater Horizon oil spill, many 

commenters requested an analysis that 

takes into account the possibility of a 

blowout and oil spill during 

exploration. After reviewing those 

comments, BOEMRE has determined 

that it is appropriate to provide analysis 

of a very large oil spill (VLOS) from a 

hypothetical exploration well blowout. 

The VLOS analysis is presented in the 

Revised Draft SEIS along with the 

analysis of those issues on remand. 

The Final Supplemental EIS will 

provide the Secretary with sufficient 

information and analyses to make an 

informed decision on whether to affirm, 

modify, or cancel Oil and Gas Lease 

Sale 193, Chukchi Sea. 

Revised Draft Supplemental EIS 

Availability: To obtain a copy of the 

Revised Draft SEIS, you may contact 

BOEMRE, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 

Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, 

Anchorage, Alaska 99503–5820, 

telephone 907–334–5200. You may also 

view the Revised Draft SEIS at the above 

address, on the BOEMRE Web site at 

http://alaska.boemre.gov, or at the 

Alaska Resources Library and 

Information Service, 3211 Providence 

Drive, Suite III, Anchorage, Alaska. 

Public Comments: Interested parties 

may submit their written comments on 

the Revised Draft SEIS, Lease Sale 193, 

Chukchi Sea until July 11, 2011 in one 

of the following two ways: 

1. Mail or Delivery: In written form 

enclosed in an envelope labeled 

‘‘Comments on Revised Draft SEIS, 

Lease Sale 193 Chukchi Sea’’ to the 

Regional Director, Bureau of Ocean 

Energy Management, Regulation and 

Enforcement, Alaska OCS Region, 3801 

Centerpoint Drive, Suite 500, 

Anchorage, Alaska 99503–5820. 

2. Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. 

BOEMRE will consider comments 

received by either of the two above 

methods during the comment period in 

preparing the Final SEIS. BOEMRE 

encourages commenters to submit 

substantive comments on whether the 

proposed action should go forward. 

BOEMRE cautions that, before including 

your address, phone number, e-mail 

address, or other personal identifying 

information in your comment, you 

should be aware that your entire 

comment, including your personal 

identifying information, may be made 

publicly available at any time. While 

you may ask BOEMRE (prominently at 

the beginning of your submission) to 

withhold your personal identifying 

information from public view, BOEMRE 

cannot guarantee that it will be able to 

do so. BOEMRE will not consider 

anonymous comments. 

Public Hearings: BOEMRE will 

conduct public hearings at which 

government agencies, private-sector 

organizations, Alaska Native Tribes, and 

individuals are invited to present oral 

and written comments on the Revised 

Draft SEIS, Lease Sale 193 Chukchi Sea. 

Oral comments on the Revised Draft 

SEIS will be accepted verbatim only 

during the public hearing. Public 

hearings on the Revised Draft SEIS will 

be held as follows: 

Tuesday June 21, 2011, Community 

Center, Kotzebue, Alaska. 


jdjones on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 103 / Friday, May 27, 2011 / Notices 30957 

Wednesday June 22, 2011 City Qalgi 

Center, Point Hope, Alaska. 

Thursday June 23, 2011, Point Lay 

Community Center, Point Lay, Alaska. 

Friday June 24, 2011, Robert James 

Community Center, Wainwright, 

Alaska. 

Monday June 27, 2011, Inupiat Heritage 

Center, Barrow, Alaska; and 

Wednesday June 29, 2011, Wilda 

Marston Theater, Anchorage, Alaska. 

All meetings will start at 7 p.m. 

Dated: May 5, 2011. 

Robert P. LaBelle, 

Acting Associate Director for Offshore Energy 

and Minerals Management. 

[FR Doc. 2011–12720 Filed 5–26–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R2–ES–2011–XXXX; 12345–1234– 

0000–C2] 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 

and Plants; Notice of Availability of a 

Draft Recovery Plan, First Revision, 

Mount Graham Red Squirrel for Review 

and Comment 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of document availability 

for review and public comment. 

SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife 

Service, announce the availability of our 

draft recovery plan, first revision, for the 

Mount Graham Red Squirrel 

(Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis) 

under the Endangered Species Act of 

1973, as amended (Act). This species is 

endemic to upper-elevation forests in 

the Pinalen ̃o Mountains in southeastern 

Arizona. We request review and 

comment on our plan from local, State, 

and Federal agencies, Tribes, and the 

public. We will also accept any new 

information on the species’ status 

throughout its range. 

DATES: We must receive written 

comments on or before July 26, 2011. 

However, we will accept information 

about any species at any time. 

ADDRESSES: If you wish to review the 

draft recovery plan, you may obtain a 

copy by visiting our Web site at 

http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/ 

index.html#plans. Alternatively, you 

may contact the Arizona Ecological 

Services Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, 2321 W. Royal Palm Road, 

Suite 103, Phoenix, AZ 85021–4951 

(602–242–0210, phone). If you wish to 

comment on the plan, you may submit 

your comments in writing by any one of 

the following methods: 

• U.S. mail: Field Supervisor, at the 

above address; 

• Hand-delivery: Arizona Ecological 

Services Office at the above address; 

• Fax: (602) 242–2513; or 

• E-mail: MGRSrecovery@fws.gov. 

For additional information about 

submitting comments, see the ‘‘Request 

for Public Comments’’ section below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Marit Alanen, Fish and Wildlife 

Biologist, at the above address, phone 

number, or e-mail. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Recovery of endangered or threatened 

animals and plants to the point where 

they are again secure, self-sustaining 

members of their ecosystems is a 

primary goal of our endangered species 

program and the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 

seq.). Recovery means improvement of 

the status of listed species to the point 

at which listing is no longer appropriate 

under the criteria set out in section 

4(a)(1) of the Act. The Act requires the 

development of recovery plans for listed 

species, unless such a plan would not 

promote the conservation of a particular 

species. 

Species’ History 

We listed the Mount Graham red 

squirrel as an endangered species under 

the Act on June 3, 1987 (52 FR 20994). 

We designated critical habitat on 

January 5, 1990 (55 FR 425). 

We originally completed and 

announced a recovery plan for the 

species on May 3, 1993. However, given 

the species’ current status, the 

recommendations in that plan are now 

outdated. 

The Mount Graham red squirrel exists 

only in the upper-elevation forests of 

the Pinalen ̃o Mountains in southeastern 

Arizona, and likely represents a 

relictual population of what was once a 

much more widely distributed taxon. 

Threats to the subspecies at the time of 

listing included its small population 

size and range; changes in forest age 

structure and density within the 

squirrel’s habitat; loss of habitat due to 

development, road construction, and 

forest fire; and competition with the 

introduced Abert’s squirrel. These same 

threats to the red squirrel’s habitat 

continue today, compounded by the 

additional threats of climate change 

(including drought), insect infestation, 

and fire suppression activities. Recent 

research also indicates that predation, 

competition with Abert’s squirrels, and 

demographic factors (mainly due to its 

small population size) may impact the 

Mount Graham red squirrel population 

more than expected. 

Recovery Plan Goals 

The objective of an agency recovery 

plan is to provide a framework for the 

recovery of a species so that protection 

under the Act is no longer necessary. A 

recovery plan includes scientific 

information about the species and 

provides criteria and actions necessary 

for us to be able to reclassify the species 

to threatened status or remove it from 

the Federal List of Endangered and 

Threatened Wildlife and Plants (List). 

Recovery plans help guide our recovery 

efforts by describing actions we 

consider necessary for the species’ 

conservation, and by estimating time 

and costs for implementing needed 

recovery measures. To achieve its goals, 

this draft recovery plan identifies the 

following objectives: 

• Restore and maintain sufficient 

Mount Graham red squirrel habitat to 

ensure the species’ survival despite 

environmental stochasticity and the 

threat of climate change. 

• Maintain a self-sustaining 

population of Mount Graham red 

squirrels sufficient to ensure the 

species’ survival. 

The draft revised recovery plan 

contains new downlisting and delisting 

criteria based on maintaining and 

increasing population numbers and 

habitat quality. The revised recovery 

plan focuses on protecting and 

managing the remaining population and 

habitat, restoring and creating habitat to 

allow for the existence of a viable and 

robust population, researching the 

conservation biology of the Mount 

Graham red squirrel with the objective 

of facilitating efficient recovery, 

developing support and building 

partnerships to facilitate recovery, and 

monitoring progress toward recovery 

and practicing adaptive management. 

As the species meets reclassification 

and recovery criteria, we will review the 

species’ status and consider the species 

for reclassification on or removal from 

the List. 

Request for Public Comments 

Section 4(f) of the Act requires us to 

provide public notice and an 

opportunity for public review and 

comment during recovery plan 

development. It is also our policy to 

request peer review of recovery plans 

(July 1, 1994; 59 FR 34270). In an 

appendix to the approved recovery plan, 

we will summarize and respond to the 

issues raised by the public and peer 

reviewers. Substantive comments may 

or may not result in changes to the 

recovery plan; comments regarding 

recovery plan implementation will be 

forwarded as appropriate to Federal or 


jdjones on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with NOTICES