Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 14 / Friday, January 22, 2010 / Notices 3753 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

U.S. Geological Survey 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Comment Request for the 

USGS Mine, Development, and Mineral 

Exploration Supplement 

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of an extension of an 

information collection (1028–0060). 

SUMMARY: To comply with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), we are notifying the public that 

we have submitted to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) an 

information collection request (ICR) for 

the extension of the currently approved 

paperwork requirements for the USGS 

Mine, Development, and Mineral 

Exploration Supplement. This 

collection consists of one form and this 

notice provides the public an 

opportunity to comment on the 

paperwork burden of this form. We 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. 

DATES: You must submit comments on 

or before February 22, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Please submit written 

comments on this information 

collection directly to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) Office 

of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 

Attention: Desk Officer for the 

Department of the Interior via e-mail to 

OIRA_DOCKET@omb.eop.gov or fax at 

202–395–5806; and identify your 

submission as 1028–0060. Please also 

submit a copy of your written comments 

to Phadrea Ponds, USGS Information 

Collection Clearance Officer, 2150–C 

Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80526– 

8118 (mail); 970–226–9230 (fax); or 

pondsp@usgs.gov (e-mail). Use OMB 

Control Number 1028–0060 in the 

subject line. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shonta E. Osborne at 703–648–7960 or 

by mail at U.S. Geological Survey, 985 

National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley 

Drive, Reston, VA 20192. 

I. Supplementary Information 

Abstract: Respondents supply the U.S. 

Geological Survey with domestic 

production, exploration, and mine 

development data for nonfuel mineral 

commodities. The data obtained from 

this canvass are used by Government 

agencies, Congressional offices, 

educational institutions, research 

organizations, financial institutions, 

consulting firms, industry, and the 

public. They provide essential mining, 

exploration, and development 

information to make domestic ore 

resource analyses. Tabulations of 

volumetric data concerning domestic 

mining operations’ use of land can be 

used to compare the total volume of 

earth disturbed with the actual crude 

ore mined and the resulting marketable 

product. These data are an indicator of 

the future mining outlook. This 

information will be published as an 

Annual Report for use by Government 

agencies, industry, academia, and the 

general public. 

II. Data 

OMB Control Number: 1028–0060. 

Title: Mine, Development, and 

Mineral Exploration Supplement. 

Type of Request: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Respondent Obligation: Voluntary. 

Frequency of Collection: Annually. 

Affected Public: Businesses that 

explore for and produce nonfuel 

minerals. 

Estimated Number of Annual 

Responses: 719. 

Annual Burden Hours: 539 hours. We 

expect to receive 719 annual responses. 

We estimate an average of 45 minutes 

per response. This includes the time for 

reviewing instructions, gathering and 

maintaining data, and completing and 

reviewing the information. 

Estimated Reporting and 

Recordkeeping ‘‘Non-Hour Cost’’ 

Burden: We have not identified any 

‘‘non-hour cost’’ burdens associated with 

this collection of information. 

III. Request for Comments 

On May 27, 2009, we published a 

Federal Register notice (74 FR 25273) 

announcing that we would submit this 

ICR to OMB for approval and solicit 

comments. The comment period closed 

on July 27, 2009. We did not receive any 

comments in response to that notice. 

We again invite comments concerning 

this ICR on: (a) Whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the agency to perform its duties, 

including whether the information is 

useful; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s 

estimate of the burden of the proposed 

collection of information; (c) ways to 

enhance the quality, usefulness, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden on the respondents, including 

the use of automated collection 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology. 

Comments that you submit in 

response to this notice are a matter of 

public record. Before including your 

address, phone number, e-mail 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. 

USGS Information Collection 

Clearance Officer: Phadrea Ponds 970– 

226–9445. 

Dated: January 13, 2010. 

John H. DeYoung, Jr., 

Chief Scientist, Minerals Information Team, 

U.S. Geological Survey. 

[FR Doc. 2010–1168 Filed 1–21–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4311–AM–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R2–R–2009–N212; 20131–1265– 

2CCP–S3] 

Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, 

Comprehensive Conservation Plan, 

Johnston County, OK 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability: draft 

comprehensive conservation plan and 

draft environmental assessment; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 

availability of a draft comprehensive 

conservation plan (CCP) and 

environmental assessment (EA) for 

Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge 

(Refuge, NWR) for public review and 

comment. In these documents, we 

describe alternatives, including our 

preferred alternative, to manage this 

Refuge for the 15 years following 

approval of the final CCP. Draft 

compatibility determinations for several 

public uses are also available for review 

and public comment in the Draft CCP/ 

EA. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, we 

must receive your written comments by 

March 23, 2010. We will announce 

upcoming public meetings in local news 

media. 

ADDRESSES: You may request a hard 

copy or CD–ROM copy of the draft CCP 

and EA by any of the following 

methods: 

E-mail: joseph_lujan@fws.gov. Include 

‘‘Tishomingo NWR Draft CCP and EA’’ 

in the subject line of the e-mail. 

Fax: Attn: Joseph Lujan, Natural 

Resource Planner, 505–248–6874. 


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3754 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 14 / Friday, January 22, 2010 / Notices 

U.S. Mail: Joseph Lujan, Natural 

Resource Planner, U.S. Fish & Wildlife 

Service, Division of Planning, P.O. Box 

1306, Albuquerque, NM 87103–1306. 

In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or 

Pickup: You may drop off comments 

during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 

4:30 p.m.) at Tishomingo NWR 

Headquarters, 1200 South Refuge Road, 

Tishomingo, OK 73625; at the USFWS 

Regional Office, 500 Gold Avenue SW., 

4th Floor, Room 4005, Albuquerque, 

NM 87102; or local libraries. 

Agency Web Site: http://www.fws.gov/ 

southwest/refuges/Plan/planindex.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Joseph R. Lujan, 505–248–7458; 

joseph_lujan@fws.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we continue the CCP 

process for Tishomingo NWR, which we 

started with a notice of intent to prepare 

a CCP that appeared in the November 

17, 1999, issue of the Federal Register 

(64 FR 62683). For more about the 

initiation of this process see that notice. 

The Tishomingo National Wildlife 

Refuge consists of 16,464 acres located 

in south-central Oklahoma. On January 

24, 1946, the Refuge was authorized and 

established to preserve nesting grounds 

for migrating waterfowl, by order of U.S. 

President Harry S. Truman under Public 

Land Order 312. The Corps of Engineers 

(Corps) and the Service’s cooperative 

agreement, along with a cooperative 

agreement between the Service, 

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife 

Conservation (ODWC), and the Corps, 

are the foundation of Refuge 

management authority for the Service. 

Background 

The CCP Process 

The National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 

668dd–668ee) (Administration Act), as 

amended by the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Improvement Act of 

1997, requires us to develop a CCP for 

each national wildlife refuge. The 

purpose for developing a CCP is to 

provide refuge managers with a 15-year 

plan for achieving refuge purposes and 

contributing toward the mission of the 

National Wildlife Refuge System, 

consistent with sound principles of fish 

and wildlife management, conservation, 

legal mandates, and our policies. In 

addition to outlining broad management 

direction on conserving wildlife and 

their habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities 

available to the public, including 

opportunities for hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation and photography, 

and environmental education and 

interpretation. We will review and 

update the CCP at least every 15 years 

in accordance with the Administration 

Act. 

Public Outreach 

We started the CCP process for 

Tishomingo NWR in October 2007. At 

that time and throughout the process, 

public comments were requested, 

considered, and incorporated in 

numerous ways. Public outreach has 

included a public scoping meeting, 

planning updates, a CCP Web page, and 

Federal Register notices. Comments we 

received cover topics such as wildlife, 

habitat, refuge management, invasive 

species management, partnerships, and 

visitor services. We have considered 

and evaluated all of these comments, 

with many incorporated into the various 

alternatives addressed in the draft CCP 

and the EA. 

CCP Alternatives We Are Considering 

During the public scoping process 

with which we started work on this 

draft CCP, we, other governmental 

partners, Tribes, and the public raised 

several issues. Our draft CCP addresses 

them. A full description of each 

alternative is in the EA. To address 

these issues, we developed and 

evaluated the following alternatives, 

summarized below. The Draft EA/CCP 

presents an evaluation of the 

environmental effects of three 

alternatives for managing the 

Tishomingo Refuge for the next 15 

years. The Service proposes to 

implement Alternative B, as described 

in the EA. Alternative B best achieves 

the Refuge’s purposes, vision, and goals; 

contributes to the Refuge System 

mission; addresses the significant issues 

and relevant mandates; and is consistent 

with principles of sound fish and 

wildlife management. This alternative is 

described in more detail in the CCP. 

There are many features of proposed 

Refuge management that are common to 

all three alternatives. Features common 

to all alternatives include invasive 

species management, habitat 

management and restoration, 

implementation of hunting and fishing 

program, and providing wildlife 

observation and photography, and 

environmental education and 

interpretation opportunities. There are 

also many features of each alternative 

that are distinct. 

Alternative A, the no action 

alternative, assumes no change from 

current management programs and is 

considered the baseline to compare 

other alternatives against. Under 

Alternative A, the primary management 

focus of the Refuge would continue to 

be providing for the enhancement and 

restoration of grasslands habitat at the 

rate and degree equivalent to existing 

restoration practices. Recreational 

opportunities would continue to be 

limited to traditional programs under 

existing approved hunting and fishing 

plans. The Cumberland Pool would 

continue to provide public hunting and 

fishing and the primary Refuge hunt 

area would remain the 3,170 acre 

Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit. 

Under this alternative the current 

headquarter facilities would not be 

improved or expanded to accommodate 

more visitors. 

Current habitat management practices 

would continue including keeping 

approximately 1,000 acres of Refuge 

lands under cultivation. Total wetland 

acres would remain 156 acres unless 

increased by natural flooding. 

Under Alternative B, the Refuge 

would adopt and implement the 

management efforts presented in the 

Tishomingo NWR CCP. The goals, 

objectives, and strategies detailed in the 

CCP would provide for short and longterm conservation and enhancement of 

Refuge resources and values while 

improving the overall quality of visitor 

services and addressing primary threats 

to the ecosystem. Under this alternative, 

existing habitat management activities 

would be expanded, including the 

improvement or creation of grassland 

habitats and moist soil units. This 

alternative would also utilize the 

management efforts detailed in the CCP 

to improve or expand visitor services 

programs and public use facilities on 

the Refuge. Additionally, under this 

alternative the use of adaptive 

management practices would contribute 

to ongoing monitoring and modification 

of Refuge resources for years to come. 

Under this alternative, increased 

adaptive management practices would 

contribute to the completion of 

measurable objectives and further 

contribute to overall improvement of 

Refuge resources and quality of visitor 

services. 

The Refuge habitat management 

program would continue to implement 

active management practices to address 

ecosystem threats such as mechanical 

removal of eastern red cedar, prescribed 

fire, and chemical and mechanical 

control of weed species to accelerate 

restoration of native plant species and 

enhance the quality of these habitats for 

wildlife. However, under this 

alternative these programs would be 

improved or expanded to more 

effectively utilize Refuge resources for 

habitat improvement. An example of 

this may include ongoing efforts to use 


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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 14 / Friday, January 22, 2010 / Notices 3755 

an integrated pest management 

approach, including prescribed fire, 

mechanical removal, herbicides, and 

other methods, to control invasive 

species. 

The increased use of prescribed fire as 

a management tool would be 

emphasized for invasive brush and tree 

control. The plan calls for targeting and 

prioritizing problem areas for 

restoration using herbicides and 

prescribed fire as management tools. 

Existing areas of native bluestem and 

tall grass prairie, naturally occurring 

low water areas, riparian, timber, 

floodplain, and hardwood forest as well 

as the aquatic riverine habitats would be 

further protected and enhanced through 

planned management strategies. 

The Refuge’s biological program 

would become more focused and 

include comprehensive inventories of 

wildlife species and habitats, thereby 

improving the Refuge’s baseline 

biological information. This would 

allow staff to better evaluate habitat 

management decisions in the future and 

reevaluate the local and regional threats 

to the ecosystem. Approximately 1,000 

acres of Refuge lands optimal for crop 

production would continue to be farmed 

to provide forage for migratory birds and 

resident wildlife. 

Under Alternative C, the Refuge 

would continue the expansion of habitat 

management and restoration activities, 

combined with an expanded public use 

development and an expanded farming 

program. This alternative would 

incorporate the habitat and wildlife 

management components called for in 

Alternative B; however, this alternative 

would include more concentrated 

efforts in developing the Refuge’s public 

use programs and facilities beyond the 

existing program. The ODWC would 

simultaneously expand the hunting 

program services, but only on the 

ODWC-managed wildlife management 

unit, and would continue to comply 

with all applicable State hunting and 

wildlife regulations. 

This alternative would primarily 

expand visitor services by developing 

extensive public use facilities including 

hiking, wildlife observation and 

photography, and environmental 

interpretive systems. 

Additionally, the existing farming 

program would be expanded to produce 

increased hot foods sources for 

migrating waterfowl within the Refuge. 

Local populations of Canada geese are 

reportedly occurring in much fewer 

numbers than in previous years, largely 

due to the result of decreased 

agricultural activities within the region. 

With fewer supplemental food sources 

within the region, the Refuge is less 

capable of supporting the historically 

larger populations of geese. However, 

the expansion of the farming program 

would come at the expense of native 

grassland prairie restoration, either 

through conversion of grasslands to 

farm fields or by simply reducing the 

number of potential agriculture to 

grassland restoration sites. 

Management efforts to develop the 

Refuge’s public use and farming 

programs with this level of intensity 

would require a substantial increase in 

annual operational funding and the 

addition of one or two Visitor Services 

Park Rangers within 5 years. Additional 

miles in hiking trails as well as 

motorized tour routes would fall under 

areas of annual inundation and would 

require heavy maintenance and upkeep. 

This alternative may or may not be 

feasible under the existing budgetary 

constraints. 

Public Availability of Documents 

In addition to any methods in 

ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain 

documents at the following locations: 

• Tishomingo National Wildlife 

Refuge, 12000 Refuge Road, 

Tishomingo, OK 73625. 

• Our Web site: http://fws.gov/ 

southwest/refuges/plan/ 

completeplans.html. 

• Public Library:—The Johnston 

County Library—Chikasaw Library 

System, located at 116 W. Main Street 

Tishomingo, OK 73460, during regular 

library hours. 

Submitting Comments/Issues for 

Comment 

We particularly seek comments on all 

issues. 

We consider comments substantive if 

they: 

• Question, with reasonable basis, the 

accuracy of the information in the 

document; 

• Question, with reasonable basis, the 

adequacy of the environmental 

assessment; 

• Present reasonable alternatives 

other than those presented in the draft 

EA; and/or 

• Provide new or additional 

information relevant to the assessment. 

Next Steps 

After this comment period ends, we 

will analyze the comments and address 

them in the form of a final CCP. 

Dated: December 09, 2009. 

Brian A. Millsap, 

Acting Regional Director, Region 2. 

[FR Doc. 2010–112 Filed 1–21–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLNVS01000 L58530000 EU0000; 09–08807; 

TAS: 14X5232] 

Notice of Availability of Draft 

Supplemental Environmental Impact 

Statement 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 

(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau 

of Land Management (BLM) has 

prepared a Draft Supplemental 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

for establishing a final boundary for the 

Upper Las Vegas Wash Conservation 

Transfer Area, Las Vegas, Nevada, and 

by this Notice is announcing the 

opening of the comment period. 

DATES: To ensure comments will be 

considered, the BLM must receive 

written comments on the Upper Las 

Vegas Wash Conservation Transfer Area 

Draft Supplemental EIS within 60 days 

following the date the Environmental 

Protection Agency publishes its Notice 

of Availability in the Federal Register. 

The BLM will announce future meetings 

or hearings and any other public 

involvement activities at least 15 days 

in advance through public notices, 

media releases, and/or mailings. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

related to the Upper Las Vegas Wash 

Conservation Transfer Area by any of 

the following methods: 

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

en/fo/lvfo.html. 

• E-mail: 

NV_SNDO_Planning@blm.gov. 

• Fax: 702–515–5023. 

• Mail: Bob Ross, Field Manager, 

BLM Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 North 

Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 

89130–2301. 

Copies of the Draft Supplemental EIS for 

the Upper Las Vegas Wash Conservation 

Transfer Area are available in the Las 

Vegas Field Office at the above address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information contact Gayle MarrsSmith, telephone (702) 515–5156 or 

e-mail Gayle_Marrs-Smith@blm.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft 

Supplemental EIS describes and 

analyzes possible boundary adjustments 

to the Upper Las Vegas Wash 

Conservation Transfer Area (CTA) 

referenced in the 2004 Final Las Vegas 

Valley Disposal Boundary 


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