Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 174 / Monday, September 11, 2017 / Notices 42701 

falcon management population (i.e., 

those birds originating from natal areas 

north of 54 degrees N. latitude), which 

was known to be healthy and able to 

sustain take. We constrained captures in 

this way to minimize take from the 

eastern and western management 

populations (i.e., those originating from 

sites east and west, respectively, of 100 

degrees W. longitude and south of 54 

degrees N. latitude), which were still 

recovering from the negative 

population-level effects of pesticide 

contamination. We committed to 

evaluate whether our management 

strategy effectively focused take on the 

northern management population by 

collecting feathers from falconercaptured passage peregrine falcons, and 

analyzing deuterium levels in those 

feathers to estimate the latitude of 

origin. 

Second, because we lacked credible 

estimates of the size of the northern 

passage peregrine falcon population in 

2008, we consulted with the Canadian 

Wildlife Service and adopted an 

extremely conservative estimate of the 

number (i.e., 3,590) of passage peregrine 

falcons for the northern management 

population. We derived this estimate 

from the number of known breeding 

pairs in the Arctic. 

Finally, in our EA and in subsequent 

Federal Register notices (74 FR 36253, 

July 22, 2009; 75 FR 56555, September 

16, 2010), we committed to reviewing 

data on peregrine falcons in the future 

at the request of the Flyway Councils to 

reassess the allowable take limits if data 

required or supported a change. 

New Information 

We have reviewed two recent 

scientific analyses that provide 

important new information relevant to 

the take of passage peregrine falcons. 

First, Franke (2016) used a markrecapture model to generate an 

improved data-based estimate of the 

average number of passage peregrine 

falcons produced in the northern 

management population annually. 

Franke’s (2016) data-based estimate of 

21,000 is more than five times greater 

than the number we used to set take 

limits in the 2008 EA. Second, the 

Service and cooperators completed the 

analysis of deuterium levels in passage 

peregrine falcons captured in fall within 

the prescribed take area. The deuterium 

level analysis shows that the 

management strategy outlined in the 

2008 EA is likely resulting in more than 

75 percent of the falconer take coming 

from the northern peregrine falcon 

management population (Franke et al. 

2017). This outcome is more protective 

than the objective outlined in the 2008 

EA, which was that at least 65 percent 

of the passage peregrine falcons taken 

by falconers must originate from the 

northern management population. 

Overall, peregrine falcon populations 

remain healthy across North America, 

and indices such as the Breeding Bird 

Survey (BBS) show the continental 

population increasing (BBS index for 

the period 2005–2015 = 6.4 percent per 

year, with a 95 percent credible interval 

of 0.45–13.45 percent) and no regional 

populations appear to be declining 

(Sauer et al. 2017). 

The Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central 

Flyway Councils reviewed this new 

information in 2017 and formally 

requested that we reevaluate and revise 

the passage peregrine falcon take limits 

based on the updated estimate of the 

number of passage peregrine falcons 

produced annually in the northern 

management population. Further, the 

Flyway Councils requested that we use 

the 10th quantile (i.e., 18,000) of the 

probability distribution for the updated 

mean annual number of passage 

peregrine falcons exposed to take rather 

than the mean value (i.e., 21,000). By 

using the 10th quantile, we expect there 

to be a 90 percent chance that the actual 

number is larger and, therefore, that we 

remain protective against 

overexploitation and account for the 

uncertainty in the production estimate. 

We undertook the analyses requested by 

the Flyway Councils by substituting 

18,000 (the updated production estimate 

for the northern peregrine falcon 

management population) for 3,590 (the 

production estimate used in the 2008 

EA) in the same models and using the 

same population-specific take rates as 

specified under the preferred alternative 

in the 2008 EA. 

The updated analysis indicates that 

144 passage peregrine falcons may be 

taken annually by falconers east of the 

100th meridian between September 20 

and October 20 consistent with the 

management strategy and the objectives 

of the selected alternative in the 2008 

EA. In accordance with these findings, 

and consistent with the Flyway 

Councils’ request, this notice announces 

that the annual take limits for passage 

peregrine falcons starting in the fall of 

2017 will increase from 36 to 144, to be 

divided equally between the Atlantic, 

Mississippi, and Central Flyways (i.e., 

48 per flyway). 

The sole basis for this increase is the 

updated estimate for the northern 

management population. Thus, we 

consider this increase to be a technical 

update to incorporate new and better 

data. All other provisions outlined in 

the 2008 EA remain in effect (e.g., the 

take rates and management objectives 

are unchanged, the take season remains 

September 20 to October 20 annually, 

and the take of passage peregrine 

falcons is restricted to areas in the 

United States east of 100 degrees W. 

longitude). Therefore, the 

environmental impact of authorizing 

take of passage peregrine falcons under 

the preferred alternative will remain 

unchanged from that analyzed in the 

2008 EA. Because this assessment 

addresses only take east of 100 degrees 

W. longitude, the general provisions for 

take of peregrine falcons west of 100 

degrees W. longitude remain as 

described in our 2010 Federal Register 

notice (75 FR 56555, September 16, 

2010). 

We will continue to review peregrine 

falcon population and take data for 

Canada, the United States, and Mexico 

every 5 years, or at the request of the 

Flyway Councils, to reassess the 

allowable take limits. We will publish a 

notice in the Federal Register if we 

determine that the take limits for 

peregrine falcons should be changed 

again in the future. 

Literature Cited 

Franke, A. 2016. Population estimates for 

Northern juvenile peregrine falcons with 

implications for harvest levels in North 

America. Journal of Fish and Wildlife 

Management 7:36–45. 

Franke, A., J. Duxbury, H. Qi, T. Coplen, G.L. 

Holroyd, and B.A. Millsap. 2017. U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service report: 

hydrogen stable isotope analysis of 

peregrine falcons in the United States. 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division 

of Migratory Bird Management, 

Washington, DC. 

Sauer, J.R., D.K. Niven, J.E. Hines, D.J. 

Ziolkowski, K.L. Pardieck, J.E. Fallon, 

and W.A. Link. 2017. The North 

American Breeding Bird Survey, Results 

and Analysis 1966–2015, Version 

2.07.2017. https://www.mbrpwrc.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/atlasa15.

pl?03560&1&15&csrfmiddlewaretoken=3

YKakk7LxT2ki6NSpl4mstudYCqdW02C. 

Dated: August 24, 2017. 

Gregory J. Sheehan, 

Principal Deputy Director,U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–19140 Filed 9–8–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4333–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Indian Affairs 

[178A2100DD/AAKC001030/ 

A0A501010.999900 253G] 

Advisory Board for Exceptional 

Children; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, 

Interior. 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
42702 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 174 / Monday, September 11, 2017 / Notices 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian 

Education (BIE) is announcing a public 

meeting of the Advisory Board for 

Exceptional Children (Advisory Board). 

The purpose of the meeting is to meet 

the mandates of the Individuals with 

Disabilities Education Act of 2004 

(IDEA) for Indian children with 

disabilities. 

DATES: Orientation training will be 

conducted for new Advisory Board 

members on Wednesday, September 20, 

2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Mountain Time. Thereafter, on 

Thursday, September 21, 2017, and 

Friday, September 22, 2017, all 

Advisory Board members will meet insession from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Mountain Time. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the 1011 Indian School Rd. NW., Room 

240, Albuquerque, NM 87104; telephone 

number (952) 851–5423. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Jennifer Davis, Designated Federal 

Officer, Bureau of Indian Education, 

2600 North Central Avenue, Suite 800, 

Phoenix, Arizona 85004, telephone 

number (505) 259–4731. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

accordance with the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act, the BIE is announcing 

that the Advisory Board will hold its 

next meeting in Albuquerque, New 

Mexico. The Advisory Board was 

established under the Individuals with 

Disabilities Act of 2004 (20 U.S.C. 1400 

et seq.) to advise the Secretary of the 

Interior, through the Assistant 

Secretary—Indian Affairs, on the needs 

of Indian children with disabilities. The 

meetings are open to the public. 

The following items will be on the 

agenda: 

• Introduction of Advisory Board 

members 

• Report from Tony Dearman, Director, 

BIE Director’s Office 

• Report from Dr. Jeffrey Hamley 

Associate Deputy Director, BIE, 

Division of Performance and 

Accountability (DPA) 

• Report from Donald Griffin, 

Supervisory Education Specialist, 

BIE, DPA/Special Education 

• Board work on Priorities for 2017 

• Public Comment (via conference call, 

Friday, September 22nd meeting 

only*). 

• BIE Advisory Board—Advice and 

Recommendations 

Æ *During the September 22, 2017, 

meeting, time has been set aside for 

public comment via conference call 

from 11:30–12:00 p.m. Mountain 

Time. The call-in information is: 

Conference Number 1–888–417–0376, 

Passcode 1509140 

Public Availability of Comments: 

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. 

Authority: 5 U.S.C. Appendix 5; 20 U.S.C. 

1400 et seq. 

Dated: August 29, 2017. 

Michael S. Black, 

Acting Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2017–19110 Filed 9–8–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4337–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLMT921000–17X–L51100000.GA0000– 

LVEME17CE530; NDM 107039; MO 

#4500107901] 

Competitive Coal Lease Sale, North 

Dakota 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of coal lease sale. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

the coal resources in the lands described 

below in McLean County, North Dakota, 

will be offered for competitive lease by 

sealed bid in accordance with the 

provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 

1920, as amended. 

DATES: The lease sale will be held at 11 

a.m. on October 17, 2017. Sealed bids 

must be submitted on or before 10 a.m. 

on October 17, 2017. 

ADDRESSES: The lease sale will be held 

in the 920 Conference Room of the 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 

Montana-Dakotas State Office, 5001 

Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana 

59101–4669. The Detailed Statement of 

Lease Sale, the proposed coal lease, and 

Casefile NDM 107039 are available at 

this address. Sealed bids must be 

submitted to the Cashier, BLM MontanaDakotas State Office, at this same 

address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg 

Fesko by telephone at 406–896–5080 or 

by email at gfesko@blm.gov; or Connie 

Schaff by telephone at 406–896–5060 or 

by email at cschaff@blm.gov. Persons 

who use a telecommunications device 

for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 

Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

to contact the above individual during 

normal business hours. The FRS 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: This sale 

is being held in response to a Lease by 

Application (LBA) filed by the Falkirk 

Mining Company. The Federal coal 

resource to be offered consists of the 

Federal 50 percent interest in the 

mineable lignite coal in the following 

described lands: 

T 146 N., R. 82 W., 5th P.M. 

Sec. 10: E1⁄2. 

The 320-acre tract, located in McLean 

County, North Dakota, contains an 

estimated 2.2 million tons of Federal inplace coal resources. The tract contains 

two mineable coal beds, the Hagel A 

and Hagel B beds. The Hagel A bed 

averages 7.6 feet in thickness with an 

average overburden depth of 89 feet, 

and the Hagel B bed averages 3.7 feet in 

thickness with an average interburden 

thickness of 36 feet. The coal quality for 

the Hagel A and Hagel B beds combined 

averages 6,320 BTU’s per pound in 

heating value, 7.7 percent ash, and 0.59 

percent sulfur content. 

The tract will be leased to the 

qualified bidder of the highest cash 

amount, provided that the high bid 

meets or exceeds the BLM’s estimate of 

the fair-market value of the tract. The 

minimum bid for the tract is $100 per 

acre or fraction thereof. The minimum 

bid is not intended to represent fair 

market value. The fair-market value will 

be determined by the authorized officer 

after the sale. 

The sealed bids should be sent by 

certified mail, return-receipt requested, 

or be hand delivered to the Cashier, 

BLM Montana-Dakotas State Office, at 

the address given above and clearly 

marked ‘‘Sealed Bid for NDM 107039 

Coal Sale—Not to be opened before 11 

a.m. October 17, 2017.’’ The cashier will 

issue a receipt for each hand-delivered 

bid. Bids received after 10 a.m. will not 

be considered. If identical high bids are 

received, the tying high bidders will be 

requested to submit follow-up sealed 

bids until a high bid is received. All tiebreaking sealed bids must be submitted 

within 15 minutes following the sale 

official’s announcement at the sale that 

identical high bids have been received. 

Prior to lease issuance, the high bidder, 

if other than the applicant, must pay to 

the BLM the cost-recovery fees in the 

amount of $121,806 in addition to all 

processing costs the BLM incurs after 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES