32372 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 115 / Thursday, June 14, 2001 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA–610–01–1610–DL]

Notice of Extension of the Public

Comment Period for the Draft Northern

and Eastern Colorado Desert

Coordinated Management Plan

Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: California Desert District

Office, Riverside, CA., Bureau of Land

Management, Department of the

Interior.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Bureau of Land Management has

extended the public comment period an

additional 30 days for the Draft

Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert

Coordinated Management Plan and

Environmental Impact. Comments must

be submitted or postmarked by July 9,

2001. The ninety-day notice of

availability of draft Northern & Eastern

Colorado Desert Coordinated

Management Plan and Environmental

Impact Statement was published in the

Federal Register on March 12, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dick

Crowe, California Desert District, 6221

Box Springs Blvd., Riverside, California

92507; phone (909) 697–5216.

Dated: May 29, 2001.

Alan Stein,

Assistant District Manager.

[FR Doc. 01–15135 Filed 6–13–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–40–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA–670–01–1610–DL]

Motor Vehicle Use Restrictions:

Coyote Mountains, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Pursuant to Title 43 Code of

Federal Regulations Part 8364.1 the

Bureau of Land Management will

seasonally close routes of travel on

Public Lands in the Coyote Mountains

of western Imperial County to motorized

vehicle use.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

from January 1 to June 30 each year the

BLM will close sections of BLM routes

T670130 and T670214 located in the

Coyote Mountains of Imperial County to

access by motorized vehicles. The

proposed closure is to provide interim

protection for the Peninsular Bighorn

Sheep (PBS), PBS habitat, and other

resource values by reducing

disturbances caused by motorized

vehicle use authorized under the

California Desert Conservation Area

(CDCA) Plan, as amended. By taking

interim actions as allowed under 43

CFR part 8364.1, the BLM contributes to

the conservation of endangered and

threatened species in accordance with

7(a)(1) of the ESA. BLM also avoids

making any irreversible or irretrievable

commitment of resources which would

foreclose any reasonable and prudent

alternative measures which might be

required as a result of the consultation

on the CDCA plan in accordance with

7(d) of the ESA.

The closure will remain in effect until

BLM receives a biological opinion from

the Fish and Wildlife Service on the

effects of the CDCA Plan on PBS and

implements any applicable terms and

conditions, reasonable and prudent

alternatives, and/or reasonable and

prudent measures of the opinion that

require implementation.

The sections of the routes subject to

this seasonal closure, and the other

routes that will consequently be closed,

exist in portions of sections 21, 22, 23,

25, 26, 27, 28, 35 and 36, Township 15

South, Range 9 East; of sections 1 and

2, Township 16 South, Range 9 East;

and of section 6, Township 16 South,

Range 10 East, SBM. The following

motorized vehicles are exempt from this

order: (1) Fire, military, emergency or

law enforcement vehicles when used for

emergency or patrol purposes; (2)

vehicles whose use is expressly

approved by the Authorized Officer; (3)

vehicles used for official purposes by

employees, agents, or designated

representatives of the Federal

Government or one of its contractors.

These closures shall be in effect yearround beginning no sooner than thirty

(30) days from the date of this notice,

until completion of programmatic

consultation between the BLM under

Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act

(ESA) with U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service and implementation of any

applicable terms and conditions,

reasonable prudent alternatives and/or

reasonable prudent measures. Closure of

these routes also will prevent motorized

vehicle use of other BLM routes labeled

T670121, T670128 and T670129 that are

only accessible via the closed portions

of BLM routes T670130 and T670214.

Non-motorized uses (e.g., hiking,

bicycling, horseback riding) of closed

sections on any of the roads described

above are not affected by this order.

Trails developed primarily for nonmotorized use are also not affected by

the seasonal closure.

BLM routes T670130 and T670214 are

accessible from Painted Gorge Road.

Painted Gorge Road is a countymaintained road extending from Evan

Hewes Highway to the foothills of the

Coyote Mountains (approximately 4–5

miles in length). BLM routes T670130

and T670214 fork off the termination of

Painted Gorge Road and continue into

the Coyote Mountains, both routes

leading to Carrizo Peak. The closure of

these two routes will prevent access to

Carrizo Peak from Painted Gorge Road.

Two gates will be installed by BLM to

prevent access by motorized vehicles,

located as follows:

1. Along route T670130 at UTM

coordinates 595590.03 E; 3631014.84 N.

These UTM coordinates correspond to a

point within the NW1⁄4 of section 6, T.

16 S., R. 10 E., SBM.

2. Along route T670214 at UTM

coordinates 594895.87 E; 3632292.29 N.

These UTM coordinates correspond to a

point within the NE1⁄4 of section 36, T.

15 S., R. 9 E., SBM. Any person who

fails to comply with this order may be

subject to the penalties provided in 43

CFR 8360.0–7.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March

18, 1998, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (USFWS) declared through

publication of a final rule that the

Peninsular Bighorn Sheep occupying

the Peninsular Ranges of southern

California are endangered pursuant to

the ESA of 1973, as amended. The

current population of bighorn sheep in

the United States’ Peninsular Ranges

approximates 335 animals distributed in

eight known ewe groups

(subpopulations) from the San Jacinto

Mountains south to the Mexican border.

On March 16, 2000, the Center for

Biological Diversity, and others (Center)

filed for injunctive relief in U.S. District

Court, Northern District of California

(court) against the Bureau of Land

Management (BLM) alleging that the

BLM was in violation of Section 7 of the

Endangered Species Act (ESA) by failing

to enter into formal consultation with

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

(FWS) on the effects of adoption of the

California Desert Conservation Area

Plan (CDCA Plan), as amended, upon

threatened and endangered species. On

August 25, 2000, the BLM

acknowledged through a court

stipulation that activities authorized,

permitted, or allowed under the CDCA

Plan may adversely affect threatened

and endangered species, and that the

BLM is required to consult with the

FWS to insure that adoption and

implementation of the CDCA Plan is not

likely to jeopardize the continued

existence of threatened and endangered

species or to result in the destruction or

adverse modification of critical habitat

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 115 / Thursday, June 14, 2001 / Notices 32373

of listed species. On March 1, 2001, the

revised stipulation respecting PBS

became effective.

Although BLM has received biological

opinions on selected activities,

consultation on the overall CDCA Plan

is necessary to address the cumulative

effects of all the activities authorized by

the CDCA Plan. Consultation on the

overall Plan is complex and the

completion date is uncertain. Absent

consultation on the entire Plan, the

impacts of individual activities, when

added together with the impacts of other

activities in the desert are not known.

The BLM entered into negotiations with

plaintiffs regarding interim actions to be

taken to provide protection for

endangered and threatened species

pending completion of the consultation

on the CDCA Plan. Agreement on these

interim actions avoided litigation of

plaintiffs’ request for injunctive relief

and the threat of an injunction

prohibiting all activities authorized

under the Plan. These interim

agreements have allowed the BLM to

continue to authorize appropriate levels

of activities throughout the planning

area during the lengthy consultation

process while providing appropriate

protection to the desert tortoise and

other listed species in the short term. By

taking interim actions as allowed under

43 CFR part 8364.1, the BLM

contributes to the conservation of

endangered and threatened species in

accordance with 7(a)(1) of the ESA.

BLM also avoids making any

irreversible or irretrievable commitment

of resources which would foreclose any

reasonable and prudent alternative

measures which might be required as a

result of the consultation on the CDCA

plan in accordance with 7(d) of the ESA.

The EA indicates the following

reasons for the closure: In the Draft

Recovery Plan for the Bighorn Sheep in

the Peninsular Ranges (USFWS 1999),

several studies are identified that link

vehicle use with modification of

bighorn sheep behavior (Jorgensen,

1974; Leslie and Douglas, 1980;

Campbell and Remington, 1981; Miller

and Smith, 1985). The Coyote

Mountains are within designated critical

habitat for the PBS. The proposed route

closure and gate construction would be

a benefit to PBS and other wildlife

resources. Disturbances from vehicles

would be reduced during the critical

lambing season which would increase

the probability of lamb survival.

Motorized vehicle use in Painted

Gorge potentially conflicts with lambing

season, January through June, because

most visitors use the area between

October and May. The existing roads

and trails in the Coyote Mountains

provide a wide array of recreational

opportunities for people who use

motorcycles, ATV’s, and 4-Wheel

vehicles, including trail riding, touring

and play riding.

DATES: The seasonal closure will be

effective no sooner than July 16, 2001.

The EA concerning this closure is

available for a 15-day review period.

Interested parties should contact the

Field Office Manager for a copy and

review schedule. Written comments

may be sent to the address listed below

in this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: El

Centro BLM Field Manager, 1661 South

4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be

sent to Bureau of Land Management, El

Centro Field Office, 1661 South 4th

Street, El Centro, CA 92243, Tel: 760–

337–4400.

Dated: June 4, 2001.

Gail Acheson,

Acting Deputy Director for Natural Resources.

[FR Doc. 01–15134 Filed 6–13–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–40–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural

Item in the Possession of Cornell

University, Ithaca, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

Notice is hereby given under the

Native American Graves Protection and

Repatriation Act, 43 CFR 10.10 (a)(3), of

the intent to repatriate a cultural item in

the possession of Cornell University,

Ithaca, NY, that meets the definition of

‘‘object of cultural patrimony’’ under

Section 2 of the Act.

This notice is published as part of the

National Park Service’s administrative

responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR

10.2 (c). The determinations within this

notice are the sole responsibility of the

museum, institution, or Federal agency

that has control of these cultural items.

The National Park Service is not

responsible for the determinations

within this notice.

The item is a carved wooden totem

pole. The pole includes eagle, beaver,

and halibut crest designs.

Museum records indicate that Cornell

University obtained the totem pole in

1899 as a gift from Bernhard Fernow,

former dean of the New York State

College of Forestry at Cornell

University. Professor Fernow served as

a member of the Harriman Expedition,

which removed totem poles and other

objects from Cape Fox Village, AK, in

1899.

Evidence for cultural affiliation is

provided by historical literature, crests

on the pole, and written materials

submitted by the Cape Fox Corporation.

Based on the above information,

officials of Cornell University have

determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR

10.2 (d)(4), this cultural item has

ongoing historical, traditional, and

cultural importance central to the

Tlingit people, and to the Neix.adi clan

in particular, and that under the Tlingit

system of communal property

ownership could not have been

alienated, appropriated, or conveyed by

any individual. Officials of Cornell

University also have determined that,

pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a

relationship of shared group identity

that can be reasonably traced between

this object of cultural patrimony and the

Neix.adi clan of the Tlingit Tribe, whose

interests are represented here by the

Cape Fox Corporation.

This notice has been sent to officials

of the Cape Fox Corporation.

Representatives of any other Indian tribe

that believes itself to be culturally

affiliated with this object of cultural

patrimony should contact Patricia A.

McClary, Associate University Counsel,

Cornell University, 300 CCC Building,

Garden Avenue, Ithaca, NY 14853–2601,

telephone (607) 255–5124, before July

16, 2001. Repatriation of this object of

cultural patrimony to the Cape Fox

Corporation may begin after that date if

no additional claimants come forward.

Dated: May 18, 2001

John Robbins,

Assistant Director, Cultural Resources

Stewardship and Partnerships.

[FR Doc. 01–14991 Filed 6–13–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–F

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural

Items in the Possession of the Denver

Art Museum, Denver, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

Notice is hereby given under the

Native American Graves Protection and

Repatriation Act, 43 CFR 10.10 (a)(3), of

the intent to repatriate cultural items in

the possession of the Denver Art

Museum, Denver, CO, that meet the

definition of ‘‘object of cultural

patrimony’’ and ‘‘sacred object’’ under

Section 2 of the Act.