Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 62 / Friday, March 30, 2012 / Notices 19317 

Affairs, which the PF had found did not 

provide evidence of Indian descent. 

These two exhibits did not provide 

evidence applicable to criterion 83.7(e). 

Both of the third parties submitted 

articles on general Cherokee Indian 

history, DNA as evidence, and other 

non-responsive issues. These 

submissions were either the same as or 

similar to the documents analyzed for 

the PF and did not provide evidence for 

criterion 83.7(e). 

In summary, Petitioner #227 has not 

provided evidence to demonstrate that 

its ancestors who were named in the PF, 

or others identified in records submitted 

for the FD, were members of a band of 

Cherokee Indians in Lawrence County. 

The records do not demonstrate that the 

petitioner’s ancestors were members or 

descendants of an Indian tribe in any of 

the localities where those individuals 

originated prior to settling in Tennessee. 

The evidence for the FD, whether 

submitted by the petitioner or third 

parties, or gathered by the OFA in its 

verification process, does not document 

the current members’ generation-togeneration descent from their claimed 

ancestors. The evidence shows that the 

group known as the ‘‘Central Band of 

Cherokee’’ is a recently formed group of 

individuals who claim to have Indian 

ancestry from a historical Indian tribe, 

but who have not documented those 

claims. None of the 407 members of the 

group has demonstrated descent from a 

historical Indian tribe or historical 

Indian tribes that combined and 

functioned as an autonomous political 

entity. 

The Department declines to 

acknowledge the group known as the 

‘‘Central Band of Cherokee,’’ Petitioner 

#227, as an Indian tribe because the 

evidence in the record does not 

demonstrate that the petitioner’s 

members descend from a historical 

Indian tribe as required by mandatory 

criterion 83.7(e). The Department bases 

this FD on an evaluation of materials the 

petitioner and third parties submitted in 

response to the PF, and materials 

already in the record for the PF. This FD 

also incorporates evidence the 

Department researchers developed 

during the verification process. 

Therefore, this FD should be read and 

considered in conjunction with the PF. 

A copy of the FD that includes the 

summary evaluation under the criteria 

and provides the evidence, reasoning, 

and analyses for the FD will be provided 

to the petitioner and interested parties, 

and is available to other parties upon 

written request. It will be posted on the 

Bureau of Indian Affairs Web site at: 

http://www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/AS-IA/ 

OFA/RecentCases/index.htm. Requests 

for a copy of the FD should be 

addressed to the office listed in the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice. 

After the publication of this notice of 

the FD in the Federal Register, the 

petitioner or any interested party may 

file a request for reconsideration with 

the Interior Board of Indian Appeals 

(IBIA) under the procedures in § 83.11 

of the regulations. The IBIA must 

receive this request no later than 90 

days after the publication of the FD in 

the Federal Register. The FD will 

become final and effective 90 days from 

the Federal Register publication, unless 

a request for reconsideration is received 

within that time. 

Dated: March 23, 2012. 

Larry Echo Hawk, 

Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7646 Filed 3–29–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–G1–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLNVS01000 L58530000 EU0000; 11–08807; 

MO# 4500022239; TAS: 14X5232] 

Notice of Availability of the Final 

Supplemental Environmental Impact 

Statement and Record of Decision for 

the Upper Las Vegas Wash 

Conservation Transfer Area, Las 

Vegas, NV 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of 

Land Management (BLM) has prepared 

a Final Supplemental Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS) and a Record of 

Decision (ROD) for the Upper Las Vegas 

Wash Conservation Transfer Area, Las 

Vegas, Nevada, and by this notice is 

announcing their availability. 

DATES: The final decision on the Upper 

Las Vegas Wash Conservation Transfer 

Area will not become effective for a 

minimum of 30 days after the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

publishes its notice of availability in the 

Federal Register. 

ADDRESSES: Printed copies or a compact 

disc of the Final Supplemental EIS are 

available on request from the BLM Las 

Vegas Field Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines 

Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89130, phone 

702–515–5000, or email to: 

NV_SNDO_Planning@blm.gov. 

Interested persons may also review the 

Final Supplemental EIS at the following 

Web site: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/ 

fo/lvfo.html. 

Copies of the Final Supplemental EIS 

and ROD are available for public 

inspection at the following locations in 

Nevada: 

• BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 

Financial Blvd., Reno 

• BLM Southern Nevada District 

Office, 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive, 

Las Vegas 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob 

Ross, telephone 702–515–5199; address 

Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 N. Torrey 

Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130; or 

email Bob_Ross@blm.gov. Persons who 

use a telecommunications device for the 

deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– 

800–877–8339 to contact the above 

individual during normal business 

hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a 

day, 7 days a week, to leave a message 

or question with the above individual. 

You will receive a reply during normal 

business hours. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final 

Supplemental EIS describes and 

analyzes boundary adjustments to the 

Upper Las Vegas Wash Conservation 

Transfer Area (CTA). The CTA study 

area is located in the northern portion 

of the Las Vegas Valley. In 1998, the 

Southern Nevada Public Land 

Management Act (SNPLMA) authorized 

the BLM to dispose of Federal land in 

Clark County, Nevada. In 2002, the 

Clark County Conservation of Public 

Land and Natural Resources Act 

amended the SNPLMA to expand the 

disposal boundary area and added 

approximately 22,000 acres of land 

available for disposal. The BLM 

analyzed the impacts of all lands 

eligible for disposal in the Las Vegas 

Valley in the 2004 Las Vegas Disposal 

Boundary Final EIS and ROD. The Las 

Vegas Disposal Boundary Final EIS 

identified a 5,000 acre general area as 

the CTA and stipulated additional study 

be conducted to determine a final CTA 

boundary. Subsequently, due to 

extensive public input, an additional 

8,000 acres were added to the 5,000-acre 

CTA study area. This Final 

Supplemental EIS is the culmination of 

the boundary study. The BLM prepared 

a Supplemental EIS because of the 

significance of paleontological, 

botanical, hydrological, and cultural 

resources present within the CTA study 

area and the need for additional public 

input. The Final Supplemental EIS/ROD 

selects the Preferred Alternative B as the 

final boundary for the CTA, which will 

ensure protection of sensitive resources, 

including fossils, cultural resources, the 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

19318 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 62 / Friday, March 30, 2012 / Notices 

natural functioning of the wash, and 

endemic plants on public lands within 

the CTA study area. The Final 

Supplemental EIS analyzed five action 

alternatives ranging from approximately 

13,000 acres to less than 1,500 acres and 

the no action alternative. 

• Alternative A: 12,953 acres, 

includes the fossil formation, sensitive 

cultural and plant resources, active 

wash, the adjacent alluvial fan, and a 1- 

mile resource-protection zone around 

the northern and eastern boundaries of 

the Las Vegas Paiute reservation. 

• Alternative B: 10,670 acres, 

includes culturally significant lands, the 

fossil formation, sensitive plant 

resources, the active wash, open space 

adjacent to the Las Vegas Paiute 

reservation, and the adjacent alluvial 

fan as unavailable for disposal and 

development. Alternative B includes 

2,653 acres within the 13,000-acre study 

area available for development. 

Alternative B was originally proposed as 

11,008 acres and was revised from the 

Draft Supplemental EIS. 

• Alternative C: 6,362 acres, includes 

the fossil formation, sensitive cultural 

and plant resources, active wash, and a 

portion of the adjacent alluvial fan. 

• Alternative D: 5,301 acres, includes 

most of the fossil formation, the 

sensitive cultural and rare plant 

resources, and the active wash. 

• Alternative E: 3,314 acres, includes 

some of the fossil formation, the 

sensitive cultural and rare plant 

resources, and part of the active wash. 

• No Action Alternative: 1,448 acres, 

includes the Tule Spring cultural site 

and the 300-acre Eglington Preserve. 

On January 22, 2010, the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

published the Notice of Availability for 

the Draft Supplemental EIS for this 

project in the Federal Register [75 FR 

3730]. The BLM held three public 

meetings and accepted written 

comments during a 60-day comment 

period, which was extended an 

additional 60 days. A total of 1,914 

responses from individuals and 13 

comments from governmental entities 

were received. The comments pertained 

to a variety of broad categories, 

including alternatives, boundaries, 

management, and physical/natural 

resources. The Final Supplemental EIS 

addresses the following issues identified 

during the comment period: the NEPA 

process (consultation/coordination, 

proposal description, alternatives, and 

connected actions/cumulative impacts); 

social resources (cultural, visual, noise, 

land use, recreation, transportation, and 

socioeconomic); and physical/natural 

resources (botanical, water, 

paleontological, and earth). 

Comments on the Draft Supplemental 

EIS received from the public and 

internal BLM review were considered 

and incorporated as appropriate into the 

Final Supplemental EIS. Public 

comments resulted in the addition of 

clarifying text, but did not significantly 

change the proposed decision. 

Filing an Appeal: 

The decision by BLM to select the 

revised Alternative B boundary as the 

agency’s Preferred Alternative is 

appealable subject to 43 CFR part 4, 

subpart E—Special Rules Applicable to 

Public Land Hearings and Appeals, and 

43 CFR 2801.10. Any party adversely 

affected by this decision may appeal 

within the 30 day timeframe by filing an 

appeal with the BLM Las Vegas Field 

Manager, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, 

Las Vegas, Nevada 89130, or fax: 702– 

515–5023. A copy of the notice of 

appeal, and statement of reasons and all 

pertinent documents must be served on 

each adverse party named in the 

decision from which the appeal is taken 

and on the Office of the Regional 

Solicitor, U.S. Department of the 

Interior, Pacific Southwest Region, 2800 

Cottage Way, Room E–1712, 

Sacramento, California 95826, no later 

than 15 days after filing documents with 

the Las Vegas Field Manager. 

To file a petition for stay of the ROD 

pursuant to 43 CFR 4.21 while an 

appeal is pending before the Interior 

Board of Land Appeals (IBLA), the 

petition for stay must accompany the 

Notice of Appeal (43 CFR 4.21 or 43 

CFR 2801.10). A petition for stay must 

show sufficient justification based on 

the standards listed in 43 CFR 4.21(b). 

If a petition for stay is submitted with 

the notice of appeal, a copy of the notice 

of appeal and petition for stay must be 

served on the IBLA at the same time it 

is filed with the Las Vegas Field 

Manager. Persons interested in filing an 

appeal are encouraged to consult the 

cited Federal regulations for additional 

appeal requirements. 

Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6 and 1506.10. 

Robert B. Ross, Jr., 

Las Vegas Field Manager. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7546 Filed 3–29–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLAK930000 L16100000.DS0000.12XL] 

Notice of Availability of the Draft 

Integrated Activity Plan/Environmental 

Impact Statement for the National 

Petroleum Reserve—Alaska and 

Announcement of Public SubsistenceRelated Hearings 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969, as amended, the Naval Petroleum 

Reserves Production Act of 1976, as 

amended, and the Federal Land Policy 

and Management Act of 1976, as 

amended, the Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) has prepared the 

National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska 

(NPR–A) Draft Integrated Activity Plan/ 

Environmental Impact Statement (IAP/ 

EIS) and by this notice is announcing 

the opening of the comment period. The 

BLM is also announcing that it will hold 

public meetings on the Draft IAP/EIS 

and subsistence resource hearings to 

receive comments on the Draft IAP/EIS 

and its potential to impact subsistence 

resources and activities. 

DATES: To ensure that comments will be 

considered, the BLM must receive 

written comments on the Draft IAP/EIS 

on or before May 29, 2012, following the 

date the Environmental Protection 

Agency publishes its notice of the Draft 

IAP/EIS in the Federal Register. Public 

meetings on the Draft IAP/EIS will be 

held in the following communities in 

Alaska: Anaktuvuk Pass, Anchorage, 

Atqasuk, Barrow, Fairbanks, Nuiqsut, 

Point Lay, and Wainwright. Public 

hearings on subsistence resources and 

activities will occur in conjunction with 

the public meetings for the Draft IAP/ 

EIS in the potentially affected 

communities of Anaktuvuk Pass, 

Atqasuk, Barrow, Nuiqsut, Point Lay, 

and Wainwright. The dates, times, and 

locations of the meetings and hearings 

will be announced through public 

notices, media news releases, and/or 

other mailings at least 15 days in 

advance. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

related to the Draft IAP/EIS for the 

National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska by 

any of the following methods: 

• Web site: http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/ 

en.html. 

• Fax: 866–611–9420 (toll Free) or 

907–268–4224. 

• Mail: NPR–A IAP/EIS Comments, 

AECOM Project Office, 1835 South 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES