47144 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 160 / Monday, August 23, 2021 / Notices 

conservation actions that are expected 

to provide a net benefit to these species. 

We have prepared a draft EAS for our 

preliminary determination that the SHA 

and permit decision may be eligible for 

categorical exclusion under NEPA. We 

invite the public to review and 

comment on the permit application, 

draft SHA, and draft EAS. 

This SHA provides for the 

management of mountain yellow-legged 

frog and unarmored threespine 

stickleback habitat at Bluff Lake, San 

Bernardino County, California. Bluff 

Lake occurs within the U.S. Geological 

Survey 7.5-minute series Big Bear Lake 

topographic quadrangle (township 2 

north, range 1 west, section 34). When 

fully implemented, the SHA and 

requested enhancement of survival 

permit will allow the Applicant to 

return habitat conditions to baseline 

after the end of the 30-year term of the 

SHA and permit, if so desired by the 

applicant. 

The SHA describes the management 

activities to be undertaken by the 

applicant, and the net conservation 

benefits expected to the mountain 

yellow-legged frog and unarmored 

threespine stickleback. Upon approval 

of this SHA, and consistent with the 

Service’s Safe Harbor Policy published 

in the Federal Register on June 17, 1999 

(64 FR 32717), the Service would issue 

a permit to the applicant authorizing 

take of the mountain yellow-legged frog 

and unarmored threespine stickleback 

incidental to the implementation of the 

management activities specified in the 

SHA; incidental to other lawful uses of 

the enrolled property including normal, 

routine land management activities; and 

to return to pre-SHA conditions 

(baseline). 

Under the SHA, the applicant will 

allow the release of mountain yellowlegged frogs and unarmored threespine 

stickleback on the property. This release 

may involve the temporary placement of 

small enclosures. The applicant will 

further undertake management activities 

to benefit the mountain yellow-legged 

frog and unarmored threespine 

stickleback. This will include 

maintaining or improving habitat 

conditions on the property, throughout 

the duration of the SHA, except in the 

event of a natural disaster such as a 

wildfire or severe drought. The 

applicant will also minimize the 

potential impact of recreation and 

nonnative species management. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

Compliance 

The development of the draft SHA 

and the proposed issuance of an 

enhancement of survival permit are 

Federal actions that trigger the need for 

compliance with the NEPA (43 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.). We have prepared a draft 

EAS to assess the probable scope of 

impacts of permit issuance and 

implementation of the SHA on the 

human environment. We have made a 

preliminary determination that issuing 

the permit and implementing the SHA 

would have minor or negligible impacts 

to the environment, and thus the 

proposed SHA and permit actions are 

eligible for categorical exclusion under 

NEPA. The basis for our preliminary 

determination is contained in the EAS, 

which is available for public review (see 

ADDRESSES). 

Next Steps 

We will evaluate the permit 

application, associated documents, and 

comments we receive to determine 

whether the permit application meets 

the requirements of the ESA, NEPA, and 

implementing regulations. If we 

determine that all requirements are met, 

we will sign the proposed SHA and 

issue a permit under section 10(a)(1)(A) 

of the ESA to the applicant. We will not 

make our final decision on the permit 

application until after the end of the 

public comment period, and we will 

fully consider all comments we receive 

during the comment period. 

Public Availability of Comments 

Written comments we receive become 

part of the public record associated with 

this action. Before including your 

address, phone number, email address, 

or other personal identifying 

information in your comment, you 

should be aware that the entire 

comment, including your personal 

identifying information, may be made 

available at any time. While you can ask 

us in your comment to withhold your 

personal identifying information from 

public review, we cannot guarantee that 

we will be able to do so. 

Authority 

We provide this notice under section 

10(c) of the ESA (16 U.S.C 1531 et seq.) 

and its implementing regulations (50 

CFR 17.22 and 17.32), and NEPA (42 

U.S.C. 4371 et seq.) and its 

implementing regulations (40 CFR 

1506.6; 43 CFR 46). 

Scott Sobiech, 

Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife 

Office, Carlsbad, California. 

[FR Doc. 2021–17977 Filed 8–20–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4333–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Office of the Secretary 

[212D0102DM DS61100000 

DLSN00000.000000 DX61101; OMB Control 

Number 1094–0001] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget for Review 

and Approval; the Alternatives Process 

in Hydropower Licensing 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Office 

of Environmental Policy and 

Compliance, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of information collection; 

request for comment. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, 

the Office of the Secretary, Office of 

Environmental Policy and Compliance, 

Department of the Interior (we, OS– 

OEPC) are proposing to renew an 

information collection. 

DATES: Interested persons are invited to 

submit comments on or before 

September 22, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on 

this information collection request (ICR) 

to the Office of Management and 

Budget’s Desk Officer for the 

Department of the Interior by email at 

OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov; or via 

facsimile to (202) 395–5806. Please 

provide a copy of your comments to Dr. 

Shawn Alam, Office of Environmental 

Policy and Compliance, U.S. 

Department of the Interior, MS 2629– 

MIB, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 

20240; or by email to Shawn_Alam@

ios.doi.gov. Please reference OMB 

Control Number 1094–0001 in the 

subject line of your comments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To 

request additional information about 

this ICR, contact Dr. Shawn Alam by 

email at Shawn_Alam@ios.doi.gov, or by 

telephone at (202) 208–5465. You may 

also view the ICR at http://

www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, we provide the 

general public and other Federal 

agencies with an opportunity to 

comment on new, proposed, revised, 

and continuing collections of 

information. This helps us assess the 

impact of our information collection 

requirements and minimize the public’s 

reporting burden. It also helps the 

public understand our information 

collection requirements and provide the 

requested data in the desired format. 

On April 5, 2021, we published a 

Federal Register notice with a 60-day 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 160 / Monday, August 23, 2021 / Notices 47145 

public comment period soliciting 

comments on this collection of 

information (86 FR 17634). We received 

no comments in response to that notice. 

We are again soliciting comments on 

the proposed ICR that is described 

below. We are especially interested in 

public comment addressing the 

following issues: (1) Is the collection 

necessary to the proper functions of the 

OS–OEPC; (2) will this information be 

processed and used in a timely manner; 

(3) is the estimate of burden accurate; 

(4) how might the OS–OEPC enhance 

the quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (5) how 

might the OS–OEPC minimize the 

burden of this collection on the 

respondents, including through the use 

of information technology. 

Comments that you submit in 

response to this notice are a matter of 

public record. Before including your 

address, phone number, email 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 can ask us in your comment to 

withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Abstract: The OMB regulations at 5 

CFR part 1320, which implement the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 

U.S.C. 3501 et seq., require that 

interested members of the public and 

affected agencies have an opportunity to 

comment on information collection and 

recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 

1320.8 (d)). 

On November 23, 2016, the 

Departments of Agriculture, the Interior, 

and Commerce published a final rule on 

the March 31, 2015 revised interim final 

rule to the interim rule originally 

published in November 2005 at 7 CFR 

part 1, 43 CFR part 45, and 50 CFR part 

221, to implement section 241 of the 

Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EP Act), 

Public Law 109–58, enacted on August 

8, 2005. Section 241 of the EP Act added 

a new section 33 to the Federal Power 

Act (FPA), 16 U.S.C. 823d, that allowed 

the license applicant or any other party 

to the license proceeding to propose an 

alternative to a condition or prescription 

that one or more of the Departments 

develop for inclusion in a hydropower 

license issued by the Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission (FERC) under 

the FPA. This provision required that 

the Department of Agriculture, the 

Department of the Interior, and the 

Department of Commerce collect the 

information covered by 1094–0001. 

Under FPA section 33, the Secretary 

of the Department involved must accept 

the proposed alternative if the Secretary 

determines, based on substantial 

evidence provided by a party to the 

license proceeding or otherwise 

available to the Secretary, (a) that the 

alternative condition provides for the 

adequate protection and utilization of 

the reservation, or that the alternative 

prescription will be no less protective 

than the fishway initially proposed by 

the Secretary, and (b) that the 

alternative will either cost significantly 

less to implement or result in improved 

operation of the project works for 

electricity production. 

In order to make this determination, 

the regulations require that all of the 

following information be collected: (1) 

A description of the alternative, in an 

equivalent level of detail to the 

Department’s preliminary condition or 

prescription; (2) an explanation of how 

the alternative: (i) If a condition, will 

provide for the adequate protection and 

utilization of the reservation; or (ii) if a 

prescription, will be no less protective 

than the fishway prescribed by the 

bureau; (3) an explanation of how the 

alternative, as compared to the 

preliminary condition or prescription, 

will: (i) Cost significantly less to 

implement; or (ii) result in improved 

operation of the project works for 

electricity production; (4) an 

explanation of how the alternative or 

revised alternative will affect: (i) Energy 

supply, distribution, cost, and use; (ii) 

flood control; (iii) navigation; (iv) water 

supply; (v) air quality; and (vi) other 

aspects of environmental quality; and 

(5) specific citations to any scientific 

studies, literature, and other 

documented information relied on to 

support the proposal. 

This notice of proposed renewal of an 

existing information collection is being 

published by the Office of 

Environmental Policy and Compliance, 

Department of the Interior, on behalf of 

all three Departments, and the data 

provided below covers anticipated 

responses (alternative conditions/ 

prescriptions and associated 

information) for all three Departments. 

Title of Collection: 7 CFR part 1; 43 

CFR part 45; 50 CFR part 221; The 

Alternatives Process in Hydropower 

Licensing. 

OMB Control Number: 1094–0001. 

Form Number: None. 

Type of Review: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Respondents/Affected Public: 

Business or for-profit entities. 

Total Estimated Number of Annual 

Respondents: 5. 

Total Estimated Number of Annual 

Responses: 5. 

Estimated Completion Time per 

Response: 500 hours. 

Total Estimated Number of Annual 

Burden Hours: 2,500 hours. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. 

Frequency of Collection: Once per 

alternative proposed. 

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour 

Burden Cost: None. 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor and a person is not required to 

respond to a collection of information 

unless it displays a currently valid OMB 

control number. 

The authority for this action is the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 

Stephen G. Tryon, 

Director, Office of Environmental Policy and 

Compliance. 

[FR Doc. 2021–17932 Filed 8–20–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4334–63–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[DOI–BLM–NV–W010–2020–0030–EIS; 

LLNVW01000.L51100000.GN0000. 

LVEMF1907180.19XMO#4500153666] 

Notice of Availability of the Final 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Proposed Gold Acquisition 

Corporation—Relief Canyon Gold 

Mine—Mine Expansion Amendment, 

Pershing County, NV 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969, as amended, and the Federal Land 

Policy and Management Act of 1976, as 

amended, the Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) Humboldt River 

Field Office, Winnemucca, Nevada has 

prepared the Relief Canyon Mine Final 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

for the proposed expansion to the Relief 

Canyon gold mining operation in 

Pershing County, Nevada, and by this 

notice announces the availability of the 

Final EIS. 

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final 

decision on the proposal for a minimum 

of 30-days after the Environmental 

Protection Agency publishes its notice 

of availability of the Gold Acquisition 

Corporation—Relief Canyon Gold 

Mine—Mine Expansion Amendment 

Final EIS DOI–BLM–NV–W010–2020– 

0030–EIS in the Federal Register. 

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Relief Canyon 

Mine Plan Expansion and the Final EIS 


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