🌍BLM Approves Land Conveyance to Alaska Native Corporation
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby provides constructive notice that it will issue an appealable decision approving conveyance of the surface estate in certain lands to Cook Inlet Region, Inc., an Alaska Native regional corporation, pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA), as amended. Ownership of the subsurface estate will be retained by the United States.
Learn More⚖️2025 Civil Penalties Adjustments for Businesses Under NAGPRA
This rule revises U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) regulations implementing the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) to provide for annual adjustments of civil penalties to account for inflation under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 and Office of Management and Budget guidance. The purpose of these adjustments is to maintain the deterrent effect of civil penalties and to further the policy goals of the underlying statute. This rule also updates the mailing address for the NAGPRA Program.
Learn More📜Compliance Notice on Native American Graves Act Disposition
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Chugach National Forest intends to carry out the disposition of unassociated funerary objects removed from Federal or Tribal lands to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization with priority for disposition in this notice.
Learn More🐟Notice of North Pacific Fishery Council's Public Meetings in 2025
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory committees will meet February 3, 2025 through February 11, 2025.
Learn More🐋2025 Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling Quota Regulations Update
NMFS notifies the public of the aboriginal subsistence whaling quota for bowhead whales assigned to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC), and of limitations on the use of the quota deriving from regulations of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). For 2025, the AEWC quota is 93 bowhead whales struck. This quota and other applicable limitations govern the harvest of bowhead whales by licensed whaling captains of the AEWC.
Learn More🌊Nominations Open for Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Advisory Committee
The Department of the Interior is soliciting nominations for the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Public Advisory Committee (Committee). This Committee advises the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council on decisions related to the planning, evaluation, allocation of funds, and conduct of injury assessment and restoration activities related to the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill of March 1989.
Learn More🏞️Upcoming Public Meetings on Subsistence Resource Management in Alaska
The National Park Service (NPS) is hereby giving notice that the Aniakchak National Monument Subsistence Resource Commission (SRC), the Denali National Park SRC, the Cape Krusenstern National Monument SRC, the Lake Clark National Park SRC, the Kobuk Valley National Park SRC, the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park SRC, and the Gates of the Arctic National Park SRC will meet as indicated below.
Learn More🐻❄️Proposed Authorization for Polar Bear Incidental Harassment in Alaska
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act from the Bureau of Land Management, propose to authorize nonlethal incidental take by harassment of small numbers of Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) polar bears (Ursus maritimus) for 1 year from the date of issuance of the incidental harassment authorization (IHA). The applicant requested this authorization for take by harassment that may result from activities associated with oil well plugging and reclamation, soil sampling, snow trail, pad, and airstrip construction, and summer cleanup activities in the North Slope Borough of Alaska between Wainwright and Oliktok. This proposed authorization, if finalized, will be for up to 12 takes of polar bears by Level B harassment. No Level A harassment or lethal take is requested, expected, or proposed to be authorized. We invite comments on the proposed IHA, the application package, draft environmental assessment, and related documents from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.
Learn More🌊Workshop on Recovery Planning for Endangered Seals in Alaska
NMFS announces its intent to convene a workshop to solicit facts and information from experts to inform recovery planning for the Beringia Distinct Population Segment (DPS) bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus nauticus) and the Arctic ringed seal (Phoca hispida hispida). We will not be asking for any consensus recommendations on how to recover these species. This workshop will be open to the public. We also request submission of information that might inform the development of the recovery plans.
Learn More🌍EPA's Proposed Air
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the state implementation plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Alaska (Alaska or the State) on December 4, 2024, to address Clean Air Act requirements for the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) national ambient air quality standards in the Fairbanks North Star Borough Serious PM<INF>2.5</INF> nonattainment area. Alaska's submission includes SIP revisions to meet nonattainment planning requirements for emissions inventories, modeling and sulfur dioxide precursor demonstration for major stationary sources, control measures, attainment projections and progress to attainment and associated motor vehicle emissions budgets, and contingency measures. The EPA is also starting the adequacy process for the budgets.
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