36712 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 112 / Friday, June 9, 2000 / Notices

After having developed a draft

Environmental Assessment and

conducting a series of public meetings,

the Service had decided that the

preparation of an EIS is appropriate for

this proposed action. The decision to

prepare an EIS is based upon strong

public interest in the project, both

supportive and non-supportive. There

has also been interest expressed in

development of an EIS by local

governments and by members of the

Ohio Congressional delegation.

Need for Action

Big and Little Darby Creeks, located

20 miles west of downtown Columbus,

are the major streams in a 580-square

mile watershed encompassing portions

of 6 counties in central Ohio. The Darby

watershed is one of the healthiest

aquatic systems of its size in the

Midwest and is ranked among the top

five warm freshwater habitats in Ohio

by the Ohio Environmental Protection

Agency. Land use in the drainage basin

has historically been agriculture, with

appropriately 80 percent of the land

area in fields, row-cropped, in a cornsoybean rotation. The project area was

the location of the easternmost

extension of the mid-continent tallgrass

prairie. The following eight points help

explain the need to preserve this area:

(1) Existing and threatened

conversion of the watershed, from

agriculture to urban land uses, presents

an increased risk to the health of this

aquatic system.

(2) Scientists (Ohio EPA surveys)

place the number of fish species in the

Darby Creek System at 94 and 60+; in

the Little Darby Creek sub watershed.

The number of mollusk species,

including the federally endangered

Northern riffle shell and the Northern

club shell, is 35 (Dr. Tom Watters). They

are reported to be declining.

(3) There are 3 federally endangered,

1 threatened, 1 candidate, and 10

monitored species confirmed in the

original project area or likely to be in

the original project area.

(4) Collectively, 44 species are

designated as being state threaten or

endangered throughout the watershed.

Another 36 species are identified as

potentially threatened or of special

interest in the state. A total of 38 (24

percent) species listed in the Service’s

regional conservation priorities would

be affected potentially by the project as

proposed in the draft Environmental

Assessment.

(5) While the Refuge project area

encompasses only 14–15 percent of the

entire Little Darby Creek Watershed, it

includes almost 50 percent of all stream

miles and important aquatic habitat that

is in the watershed.

(6) The Ohio Department of Natural

Resources, the National Park Service

and the Nature Conservancy have all

given special designations to the Big

Darby and Little Darby Creeks. The

Nature Conservancy identified this

watershed as one of the ‘‘Last Great

Places’’ in the Western Hemisphere.

(7) A 1996 report (Swanson, D.) found

that the population trend in Ohio for 10

species of nongame grassland migratory

birds exhibited declines in populations

from 30 to 84 percent.

(8) The Service’s Regional Wetlands

Concept Plan, November 1990,

identified the Big Darby Creek

Watershed that includes Little Darby

Creek as, ‘‘One of the last remaining

watersheds in Ohio with excellent

biological diversity.’’ Under threat from

development for water use and urban

development, the area was listed as a

potential wetland acquisition site.

Alternatives

A draft Environmental Assessment

has been prepared and undergone

public review and comment prior to this

notice. This EIS will further evaluate

alternative methods of establishing the

Little Darby National Wildlife Refuge

including alternatives for agricultural

land use conservation that supports the

Service’s primary mission of fish and

wildlife habitat protection.

Socioeconomic, fiscal, and other

community impacts related to

alternative methods for refuge

establishment will be further explored.

Critical biological and potential

management impacts will be evaluated

as part of each part of each alternative

or suite of alternatives that may have

similar effects. Development of new

alternatives and further evaluation of

previously formulated alternatives will

be made in conjunction with the local

community, and interested state

agencies. As required by NEPA, the

Service will also analyze the ‘‘no

action’’ alternative as a baseline for

gauging the impacts of the

establishment of the refuge.

Potential impacts that may be

addressed in the EIS include effects on

development, land use, habitat, wildlife

populations, economics and listed

species. Potential associated impacts

may be related to drainage maintenance,

school district revenue, tax revenue, fire

management, and wildlife disease.

The environmental review of the

proposed establishment of the Little

Darby National Wildlife Refuge will be

conducted in accordance with the

requirements of the NEPA Act of 1969

as amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.),

NEPA Regulations (42 CFR 1500–1508),

other appropriate Federal regulations,

and Service procedures for compliance

with those regulations.

The Service estimates that the draft

EIS will be made available to the public

during the summer of 2000.

Dated: May 31, 2000.

William F. Hartwig,

Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 00–14101 Filed 6–8–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[OR–056–1110–PH:GP0–0208]

Notice of Closure of Public Lands

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Prineville District Office.

ACTION: Notice is hereby given that all

roads and trails as legally described

below are seasonally closed to all uses

(including, but not limited to motorized

vehicle use, hiking, mountain biking,

horseback riding) from March 1 through

August 31 annually. In addition, the

area legally described below is

seasonally closed to shooting from

March 1 through August 31 annually.

‘‘Shooting’’, in this closure, is defined as

the discharge of firearms.

The purpose of this closure is to

protect wildlife resources. More

specifically, this closure is ordered to

reduce negative impacts to a nesting

pair of prairie falcons. Prairie falcons

are sensitive to human disturbance

within the sensitive habitat area

surrounding the nest site during the

nesting season. Current uses at the site

could jeopardize the persistence and

nesting success of prairie falcons at this

location.

Exemptions to this closure order will

apply to administrative personnel for

monitoring purposes; other exceptions

to this restriction may be made on a

case-by-case basis by the authorized

officer. This emergency order will be in

effect until further notice and will be

evaluated in the Upper Deschutes

Resource Management Plan/EIS. The

authority for this closure is 43 CFR

89268.3(d)(i)(iii)(v): Operations—

closures.

LEGAL DESCRIPTION: This closure order

applies to all roads and trails located in

Township 18 South, Range 14 East,

WM, Sections 22, 23, 27 and 28, within

1⁄4 mile the Badlands Rock.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul

Schmidt, Wildlife Biologist, BLM

Prineville District, P.O. Box 550,

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 112 / Friday, June 9, 2000 / Notices 36713

Prineville Oregon 97754, telephone

(541) 416–6784.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Violation

of this closure order is punishable by a

fine not to exceed $1,000 and/or

imprisonment not to exceed 12 months

as provided in 43 CFR 9268.3(d)(iv).

Dated: June 1, 2000.

Don L. Smith,

Acting District Manager, Prineville District

Office.

[FR Doc. 00–14641 Filed 6–8–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–33–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NM–932–4120–05; OKNM 104590]

Invitation To Participate; Exploration

for Coal in Oklahoma

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: Members of the public are

hereby invited to participate with

Farrell Cooper Mining Company on a

pro rata cost sharing basis, in a program

for the exploration of coal deposits

owned by the United States of America.

The lands are located in Haskell County,

Oklahoma, and are described as follows:

T. 10 N., R. 21 E., Indian Meridian

Sec. 1, S1⁄2, NE1⁄4;

Sec. 12, NW1⁄4, N1⁄2SW1⁄4, SW1⁄4SW1⁄4,

NW1⁄4SE1⁄4, W1⁄2NE, and NE1⁄4NE1⁄4;

Containing 920.00 acres, more or less.

Any parties electing to participate in

this exploration program shall notify in

writing, both the Sate Director, Bureau,

of Land Management, NW Mexico State

Office, P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, New

Mexico 87502–0115, and Farrell Cooper

Mining Company, P.O. Box 11050, Fort

Smith, Arkansas 72917. such written

notice must include a justification for

wanting to participate and any

recommended changes in the

exploration plan with specific reasons

for such changes. The notice must be

received no later than 30-calendar days

after the publication of this notice in the

Federal Register.

This proposed exploration program is

for the purpose of determing the quality

and quantity of the coal in the area and

will be conducted pursuant to an

exploration plan to be approved by the

Bureau of Land Management. A copy of

the exploration plan as submitted by

Farrel Cooper Mining company may be

examined at the Bureau of land

Management, New Mexico State Office,

1474 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe, New

Mexico 87502, and the Tulsa Field

Office, 7906 East 33rd Street, Suite 101,

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74145.

Dated: June 1, 2000.

Carsten F. Goff,

Acting State Director.

[FR Doc. 00–14642 Filed 6–8–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–84–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Environmental Impact Statement for

Fruitland Coalbed Methane Gas

Development

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

USDI, and Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

SUMMARY: The Forest Service San Juan

National Forest and the Bureau of Land

Management San Juan Field Office

published a notice of intent to prepare

an environmental impact statement for

the Fruitland Coalbed Methane Gas

Development on April 4, 2000, (65 FR

17672). Included in the notice were

dates for public meetings to review the

notice of intent. This notice changes the

public meeting dates from May 16 to

June 28, 2000, and from May 17 to June

29, 2000, and extends the comment

period for written comments for the

notice of intent from June 1 to July 14,

2000. These changes are necessary to

accommodate increased public interest.

DATES: The meetings will be held on

June 28, 2000, and June 29, 2000;

written comments must be received by

July 14, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The June 28 meeting will be

held at La Plata County Fairgrounds,

Exhibit Hall, 2500 Main Street, Durango,

Colorado; the June 29 meeting will be

held at Bayfield High School, 800

County Road 501, Bayfield, Colorado.

Both meetings will be from 5 p.m. to 8

p.m. Written comments should be sent

to the San Juan Field Office Manager,

Bureau of Land Management, USDI, 15

Burnett Court, Durango, Colorado

81301.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim

Powers (970) 247–4874.

Dated: June 1, 2000.

Calvin N. Joyner,

San Juan Field Office Manager, Colorado,

Bureau of Land Management, USDI, and

Forest Supervisor, San Juan National Forest,

Colorado, Forest Service, USDA.

[FR Doc. 00–14639 Filed 6–8–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management.

[NV–056–1430-ES; N–41567–29]

Notice of Realty Action: Lease/

conveyance for Recreation and Public

Purposes

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Recreation and public purpose

lease/conveyance.

SUMMARY: The following described

public lands in Las Vegas, Clark County,

Nevada, were segregated on December 1,

1996 for administrative purposes under

serial number N–61855. This

segregation on the lands listed below

will be terminated upon publication of

this notice in the Federal Register. The

land has been examined and found

suitable for lease/conveyance for

recreational or public purposes under

the provisions of the Recreation and

Public Purposes Act, as amended (43

U.S.C. 869 et seq.). The Clark County

School District proposes to amend their

current Recreation and Public Purposes

lease N–41567–29 to include the

following lands for development and

expansion of Edith Garehime

Elementary School.

Mount Diablo Meridian, Nevada

T. 20 S., R. 60 E.,

Section 8: S1⁄2NW1⁄4NE1⁄4NW1⁄4, Containing 5

acres, more or less.

The land is not required for any

federal purpose. The leases/

conveyances are consistent with current

Bureau planning for this area and would

be in the public interest. The leases/

patents, when issued, will be subject to

the provisions of the Recreation and

Public Purposes Act and applicable

regulations of the Secretary of the

Interior, and each will contain the

following reservations to the United

States:

1. A right-of-way thereon for ditches

or canals constructed by the authority of

the United States, Act of August 30,

1890 (43 U.S.C. 945).

2. All minerals shall be reserved to

the United States, together with the

right to prospect for, mine and remove

such deposits from the same under

applicable law and such regulations as

the Secretary of the Interior may

prescribe.

And will be subject to:

1. Easements in favor of City of Las

Vegas for roads, public utilities and

flood control purposes.

2. All valid and existing rights, which

are identified and shown in the case

file.