MUIRNet-News

[Federal Register: October 3, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 193)]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Advance Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Designation of Energy Corridors on Federal Lands in 39 States, Amend Relevant Agency Land Use or Equivalent Plans and Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Electricity Delivery and
Energy Reliability (OE).

ACTION: Advance Notice of Intent.

———————————————————————–

SUMMARY: Section 368(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (the Act), Public Law 109-58 (August 8, 2005), directs the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, and the Interior (Secretaries) to identify corridors (Section 368 corridors) on Federal lands in 39 States, other than the 11 contiguous Western States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming) (11 Western States) that might be used for oil, gas and hydrogen pipelines and electricity transmission and distribution facilities. Section 368 further requires the Secretaries to identify these Section 368 corridors by August 8, 2009, and schedule prompt action to designate and incorporate the Section 368 corridors into applicable land use or equivalent plans. The designation must specify the centerline, width and compatible uses of the Section 368 corridors.
In proposing how and where to designate Section 368 corridors, the Secretaries must take into account the need for upgraded and new electricity transmission and distribution facilities to (1) Improve reliability; (2) relieve congestion; and (3) enhance the capability of the national grid to deliver electricity. The Section 368 corridor designations would not authorize development but would serve as a planning tool to identify the preferred locations for siting potential energy transport projects in the future. Read More »

Technorati Tags: corridors, electricity delivery, electricity transmission, energy policy act, energy policy act of 2005, energy transport, floodplain, national grid, potential energy, programmatic environmental impact

Tags: corridors, electricity delivery, electricity transmission, energy policy act, energy policy act of 2005, energy transport, floodplain, national grid, potential energy, programmatic environmental impact

Related posts

• 2009 National Electric Transmission Congestion Study (0)
• Western Oil Shale Potential: 800 Billion Barrels of Recoverable Oil (0)
• Public Meeting Dates Corrected for Geothermal Leasing PEIS (0)
• Oil Shale Management–General (0)
• Draft Programmatic EIS for Leasing of Geothermal Resources Released (0)

[Federal Register: October 3, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 193)]
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR - Bureau of Land Management

Visitor Services

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

———————————————————————–

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to amend its regulations to remove the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (LWCFA) as one of the authorities of our Recreation regulations, in accordance with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 (REA). The rule will also amend and reorder the prohibitions to separate those that apply specifically to campgrounds and picnic areas from those with more general applications. The reordering is necessary to broaden the scope to include all areas where standard amenity, expanded amenity, and special recreation permit fees are charged under REA. The proposed rule would remove an unnecessary provision that has been interpreted to require the BLM to publish supplementary rules concerning failure to pay fees established by the recreation regulations, thus relieving the BLM from publishing such separate specific supplementary rules for each area. Finally, it will make technical changes to maintain consistency with other BLM regulations.

DATES: We will accept comments and suggestions on the proposed rule until December 2, 2008. The BLM will not necessarily consider any comments received after the above date in making its decision on the final rule.

Click here to read the complete Federal Register Notice

---

Technorati Tags: bureau of land management, campgrounds, Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, land and water conservation fund, picnic areas, water conservation fund

Tags: bureau of land management, campgrounds, Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, land and water conservation fund, picnic areas, water conservation fund

Related posts

• Utah Senate Adds Fuel To Rapidly Growing Prairie Fire Against Enviro “Elitists” (0)
• Shepherd Ah Nei OHVers Will Need Permits (0)
• Record of Decision for the Sierra Resource Management Plan Released (0)
• Rawlins BLM Announces Scoping Period for the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project EIS (0)
• Proposed Fee Site in Deschutes National Forest (0)

2009 National Electric Transmission Congestion Study Announced

The Federal Power Act, as modified by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to complete a study of electric transmission congestion every three years. DOE issued the first “National Electric Transmission Congestion Study” (Congestion Study) in August 2006. The Department has now initiated preparations for the 2009 Congestion Study, and seeks comments on what publicly-available data and information should be considered, and what type of analysis should be performed, to identify and understand the significance and character of transmission congestion. See the 2009 Congestion Study Federal Register notice on the 2009 National Electric Transmission Congestion Study Web Site for more information. http://congestion09.anl.gov/documents/docs/FR_Notice_4_June_08.pdf

Submitting Comments on the 2009 Congestion Study:
Persons interested in providing comments concerning the process and congestion metrics for the 2009 Congestion Study may submit written comments by mail, or submit them to DOE electronically using the online comment form on the 2009 Congestion Study Web site.

Public comments on the 2009 National Electric Transmission Congestion Study submitted to date by mail, electronically, or at the 2009 Congestion Study workshops, are now available for downloading or browsing on the 2009 National Electric Transmission Congestion Study Web Site: http://congestion09.anl.gov/involve/searchcomment/index.cfm

For More Information:
For more information about the 2009 Congestion Study, and related public involvement activities, visit the 2009 National Electric Transmission Congestion Study Web Site: http://congestion09.anl.gov/, or contact by e-mail to: congestion09@anl.gov

Technorati Tags: congestion study, Department of Energy, electric transmission, energy policy act, energy policy act of 2005, public comments

Tags: congestion study, Department of Energy, electric transmission, energy policy act, energy policy act of 2005, public comments

Related posts

• Designation of Energy Corridors on Federal Lands PEIS Announced (0)
• Western Oil Shale Potential: 800 Billion Barrels of Recoverable Oil (0)
• Supplemental Environmental Information Released for Sunrise Powerlink (0)
• Rawlins BLM Announces Scoping Period for the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project EIS (0)
• Oil Shale Management–General (0)

Fish and Wildlife Service to Conduct Status Review of Marbled Murrelet Comments due by December 1, 2008

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today it will conduct a 12-month status review in response to a petition to delist the California/Oregon/Washington population of the marbled murrelet. The marbled murrelet is a robin-sized seabird that occurs from southern California to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, but only the population in California, Oregon and Washington is listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The 12-month status review also will constitute the Service’s second 5-year review of the listing status of marbled murrelets in California, Oregon and Washington, which are protected as a threatened species.

Read More »

Technorati Tags: distinct population segment, Fish and Wildlife Service, Marbled Murrelet, seabird

Tags: distinct population segment, Fish and Wildlife Service, Marbled Murrelet, seabird

Related posts

• Wildlife Restoration, Sport Fish Restoration, Hunter Education and Safety Regulation Changes Proposed (0)
• Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program Priority List Announced (0)
• WA - Draft Recovery Plan for the Pygmy Rabbit (0)
• UT - ESA Listing of Pariette cactus (0)
• Use of Habitat Conservation Plans Continues to Gain Traction in Western States (0)

[Federal Register: October 1, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 191)]
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR - Bureau of Land Management

Notice of Intent To Amend the California Desert Conservation Area Plan, California

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

———————————————————————–

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Needles Field Office intends to prepare an amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan with an associated environmental assessment (EA). This notice initiates the public participation and scoping processes for the CDCA Plan amendment and environmental assessment.

DATES: Public comments will be accepted throughout the plan amendment and EA process, but to be most beneficial comments on issues and potential impacts should be submitted in writing to the address listed below within 30 days (October 30, 2008) following the publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

Click here to read the complete Federal Register Notice

---

Technorati Tags: california desert, conservation area, desert conservation, needles field office, plan amendment

Tags: california desert, conservation area, desert conservation, needles field office, plan amendment

Related posts

• West Fry Mountain NOI for wind energy farm issued (0)
• The Weekly Preview - U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources (0)
• OHV ACCESS AND POTENTIAL LOSS OF OPPORTUNITY ARE THEMES AT CONGRESSIONAL TOWN HALL MEETING (0)
• CA - BLM to Revise Proposed Plan Amendment on Furnace Creek (0)