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.