Harvest and Export of American Ginseng, 725-726 [E8-31471]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 4 / Wednesday, January 7, 2009 / Notices CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES: See ‘‘Record access procedures’’ above. RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES: The individuals to whom the record pertains. Prior to being designated as a National Defense Executive Reserve reservist, the applicant must successfully complete a background investigation conducted by the Office of Personnel Management which may include reference checks of prior employers, educational institutions attended, police records, neighborhoods, and present and past friends and acquaintances. EXEMPTIONS CLAIMED FOR THE SYSTEM: None. Dated: December 23, 2008. Hugo Teufel III, Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security. [FR Doc. E9–45 Filed 1–6–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410–10–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS–R9–IA–2008–N0350; 96100–1671– 000–P5] Harvest and Export of American Ginseng AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice: announcement of public meeting; request for information from the public. SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a public meeting on American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). This meeting will help us gather information from the public in preparation of our 2009 findings on the export of American ginseng roots, for the issuance of permits under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). DATES: The meeting date is February 24, 2009. An information session will occur at 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by a public meeting at 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting location is: Bristol, VA—Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, Bristol Convention Center, 3005 Linden Drive, Bristol, VA 24202; telephone number: (276) 466–4100. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, or directions to the meeting, contact Ms. Pat Ford, Division of Scientific Authority, U.S. Fish and VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:10 Jan 06, 2009 Jkt 217001 Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 110, Arlington, VA 22203; 703– 358–1708 (telephone), 703–358–2276 (fax), or patricia_ford@fws.gov (e-mail). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES, or Convention) is an international treaty designed to control and regulate international trade in certain animal and plant species that are now or potentially may be threatened with extinction by international trade. Currently, 174 countries, including the United States, are Parties to CITES. The species for which trade is controlled are listed in Appendix I, II, or III of the Convention. Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction that are or may be affected by international trade. Commercial trade in Appendix–I species is generally prohibited. Appendix II includes species that, although not necessarily threatened with extinction at the present time, may become so unless their trade is strictly controlled through a system of export permits. Appendix II also includes species that CITES must regulate so that trade in other listed species may be brought under effective control (e.g., because of similarity of appearance between listed species and other species). Appendix III comprises species subject to regulation within the jurisdiction of any CITES Party country to enlist the cooperation of the other Parties in regulating international trade in the species. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) was listed in Appendix II of CITES on July 1, 1975. The Division of Scientific Authority and the Division of Management Authority of the Service regulate the export of American ginseng, including whole live or dead plants, whole and sliced roots, and parts of roots. To meet CITES requirements for export of American ginseng from the United States, the Division of Scientific Authority must determine that the export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species, and the Division of Management Authority must be satisfied that the American ginseng roots to be exported were legally acquired. The Divisions of Scientific Authority and Management Authority make the required findings on a State-by-State basis. To determine whether or not to approve exports of American ginseng, the Division of Scientific Authority reviews available information from various sources (other Federal agencies, State regulatory agencies, industry and PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 725 associations, nongovernmental organizations, and academic researchers) on the biology and trade status of the species. After a thorough review, the Division of Scientific Authority makes a non-detriment finding and the Division of Management Authority makes a legal acquisition finding on the export of American ginseng to be harvested during the year(s) in question. With the exception of 2005, from 1999 through 2008, the Division of Scientific Authority included in its non-detriment findings for the export of wild and wildsimulated American ginseng roots an age-based restriction (i.e., plants must be at least 5 years old). States with harvest programs for wild and artificially propagated American ginseng are: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. States with harvest programs for only artificially propagated American ginseng are: Idaho, Maine, Michigan, North Dakota, Oregon, and Washington. The Divisions of Scientific Authority and Management Authority will host an American ginseng workshop from February 24 through 26, 2009, in Bristol, Virginia, with representatives of State and Federal agencies that regulate the species, to discuss the status and management of American ginseng and the CITES export program for the species. This workshop will provide an important opportunity for representatives of the States and Federal agencies to discuss and consider improvements to the CITES export program for this species. Except for the session on February 24, 2009, this meeting will be closed to the public. Information from the 2009 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s American ginseng workshop will be available from our Web site at: https://www.fws.gov/ international/DMA_DSA/CITES/plants/ ginseng.html; information will also be available upon request from the Division of Scientific Authority (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Public Meeting We invite the public to listen to academic and Federal government researchers, who will present their most recent research findings on American ginseng, and other invited speakers on February 24, 2009, in Bristol, VA., from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (with a lunch break at attendees’ expense). After these presentations, from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., we will hold an open public meeting (a E:\FR\FM\07JAN1.SGM 07JAN1 726 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 4 / Wednesday, January 7, 2009 / Notices listening session) to hear from anyone involved or interested in American ginseng conservation, harvest, and trade. We are particularly interested in obtaining any current information on the status of American ginseng in the wild, and other pertinent information on the conservation and management of the species that would contribute to making the required CITES findings and improve the CITES export program for American ginseng. We will discuss the Federal regulatory framework for the export of American ginseng and the regulations that control the international trade of this species. We will also discuss the different CITES definitions as they are applied to American ginseng grown under different production systems and how we approach these different systems in regulating the export of American ginseng roots. Persons planning to attend the February 24, 2009, meeting who require interpretation for the hearing impaired must notify the Division of Scientific Authority by January 23, 2009 (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Author The primary author of this notice is Patricia Ford, the Division of Scientific Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Dated: December 22, 2008. Kenneth Stansell, Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. E8–31471 Filed 1–6–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–55–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [MT–020–1310–DT 050E] Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Final Supplement to the Montana Statewide Oil and Gas Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Amendment of the Powder River and Billings Resource Management Plans AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability. SUMMARY: By Order of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, dated April 5, 2005, and pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared the Record of Decision (ROD) approving BLM’s 2008 Final Supplement to the Montana Statewide VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:10 Jan 06, 2009 Jkt 217001 Oil and Gas Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Amendment of the Powder River and Billings Resource Management Plans (RMP) (Final SEIS/ Amendment). ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD have been sent to affected Federal, state, and local government agencies; to tribal governments; and to interested parties. Copies of the ROD are available for public inspection at the BLM Miles City Field Office, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, Montana; and at the BLM Montana State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana. You may also view the ROD on the Internet at https://www.blm.gov/eis/mt/ milescity_seis/. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Bloom, Project Manager, by telephone at (406) 233–2852; by mail at 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT 59301; or by e-mail at Mary_Bloom@blm.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Powder River and Billings Resource Management Plan (RMP) areas comprise approximately 1.5 million acres of BLMmanaged surface and 5 million acres of BLM-managed mineral estate. There are approximately 3.2 million acres of BLMmanaged oil and gas estate. The Powder River RMP area includes Powder River and Treasure Counties, and portions of Big Horn, Carter, Custer, and Rosebud Counties. The Billings RMP area includes Carbon, Golden Valley, Musselshell, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Wheatland, and Yellowstone Counties and the remaining portion of Big Horn County. The SEIS supporting the ROD supplements the 2003 Montana Statewide Final Oil and Gas Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Amendment of the Powder River and Billings Resource Management Plans (Statewide Document). The 90-day public comment period on the Draft SEIS/Amendment ended May 2, 2007. The Final SEIS/Proposed Amendment was made available to the public November 7, 2008. After release of the Final SEIS/Proposed Amendment, and prior to approval of the ROD, the BLM coordinated and consulted with the Montana Governor (43 CFR 1610.3– 2). The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and its implementing regulations provide land use planning authority to the Secretary, as delegated to the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management. Because the ROD was signed by the Assistant Secretary, it is the final decision for the Department of the Interior. Therefore, the decision is not PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 subject to the protest procedures identified at 43 CFR 1610.5–2. Gene R. Terland, State Director. [FR Doc. E9–33 Filed 1–6–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–$$–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [WY–923–1310–FI; WYW143474] Wyoming: Notice of Proposed Reinstatement of Terminated Oil and Gas Lease AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Proposed Reinstatement of Terminated Oil and Gas Lease. SUMMARY: Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2–3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from Abraxas Petroleum Corp. for competitive oil and gas lease WYW143474 for land in Converse County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bureau of Land Management, Pamela J. Lewis, Chief, Branch of Fluid Minerals Adjudication, at (307) 775–6176. The lessee has agreed to the amended lease terms for rentals and royalties at rates of $10.00 per acre, or fraction thereof, per year, and 16-2⁄3 percent, respectively. The lessee has paid the required $500 administrative fee and $163 to reimburse the Department for the cost of this Federal Register notice. The lessee has met all the requirements for reinstatement of the lease as set out in Sections 31(d) and (e) of the Mineral Lands Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 188), and the Bureau of Land Management is proposing to reinstate lease WYW143474 effective December 1, 2008, under the original terms and conditions of the lease and the increased rental and royalty rates cited above. BLM has not issued a valid lease affecting the lands. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pamela J. Lewis, Chief, Branch of Fluid Minerals Adjudication. [FR Doc. E9–20 Filed 1–6–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–22–P E:\FR\FM\07JAN1.SGM 07JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 725-726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-31471]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-IA-2008-N0350; 96100-1671-000-P5]


Harvest and Export of American Ginseng

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice: announcement of public meeting; request for information 
from the public.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 
public meeting on American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). This meeting 
will help us gather information from the public in preparation of our 
2009 findings on the export of American ginseng roots, for the issuance 
of permits under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

DATES: The meeting date is February 24, 2009. An information session 
will occur at 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by a public meeting at 2 p.m. 
to 5:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting location is: Bristol, VA--Holiday Inn Hotel and 
Suites, Bristol Convention Center, 3005 Linden Drive, Bristol, VA 
24202; telephone number: (276) 466-4100.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, or directions 
to the meeting, contact Ms. Pat Ford, Division of Scientific Authority, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 110, 
Arlington, VA 22203; 703-358-1708 (telephone), 703-358-2276 (fax), or 
patricia_ford@fws.gov (e-mail).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild 
Fauna and Flora (CITES, or Convention) is an international treaty 
designed to control and regulate international trade in certain animal 
and plant species that are now or potentially may be threatened with 
extinction by international trade. Currently, 174 countries, including 
the United States, are Parties to CITES. The species for which trade is 
controlled are listed in Appendix I, II, or III of the Convention. 
Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction that are or may 
be affected by international trade. Commercial trade in Appendix-I 
species is generally prohibited. Appendix II includes species that, 
although not necessarily threatened with extinction at the present 
time, may become so unless their trade is strictly controlled through a 
system of export permits. Appendix II also includes species that CITES 
must regulate so that trade in other listed species may be brought 
under effective control (e.g., because of similarity of appearance 
between listed species and other species). Appendix III comprises 
species subject to regulation within the jurisdiction of any CITES 
Party country to enlist the cooperation of the other Parties in 
regulating international trade in the species.
    American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) was listed in Appendix II of 
CITES on July 1, 1975. The Division of Scientific Authority and the 
Division of Management Authority of the Service regulate the export of 
American ginseng, including whole live or dead plants, whole and sliced 
roots, and parts of roots. To meet CITES requirements for export of 
American ginseng from the United States, the Division of Scientific 
Authority must determine that the export will not be detrimental to the 
survival of the species, and the Division of Management Authority must 
be satisfied that the American ginseng roots to be exported were 
legally acquired.
    The Divisions of Scientific Authority and Management Authority make 
the required findings on a State-by-State basis. To determine whether 
or not to approve exports of American ginseng, the Division of 
Scientific Authority reviews available information from various sources 
(other Federal agencies, State regulatory agencies, industry and 
associations, nongovernmental organizations, and academic researchers) 
on the biology and trade status of the species. After a thorough 
review, the Division of Scientific Authority makes a non-detriment 
finding and the Division of Management Authority makes a legal 
acquisition finding on the export of American ginseng to be harvested 
during the year(s) in question. With the exception of 2005, from 1999 
through 2008, the Division of Scientific Authority included in its non-
detriment findings for the export of wild and wild-simulated American 
ginseng roots an age-based restriction (i.e., plants must be at least 5 
years old).
    States with harvest programs for wild and artificially propagated 
American ginseng are: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, 
Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North 
Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West 
Virginia, and Wisconsin. States with harvest programs for only 
artificially propagated American ginseng are: Idaho, Maine, Michigan, 
North Dakota, Oregon, and Washington.
    The Divisions of Scientific Authority and Management Authority will 
host an American ginseng workshop from February 24 through 26, 2009, in 
Bristol, Virginia, with representatives of State and Federal agencies 
that regulate the species, to discuss the status and management of 
American ginseng and the CITES export program for the species. This 
workshop will provide an important opportunity for representatives of 
the States and Federal agencies to discuss and consider improvements to 
the CITES export program for this species. Except for the session on 
February 24, 2009, this meeting will be closed to the public.
    Information from the 2009 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's American 
ginseng workshop will be available from our Web site at: https://
www.fws.gov/international/DMA_DSA/CITES/plants/ginseng.html; 
information will also be available upon request from the Division of 
Scientific Authority (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Public Meeting

    We invite the public to listen to academic and Federal government 
researchers, who will present their most recent research findings on 
American ginseng, and other invited speakers on February 24, 2009, in 
Bristol, VA., from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (with a lunch break at attendees' 
expense). After these presentations, from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., we will 
hold an open public meeting (a

[[Page 726]]

listening session) to hear from anyone involved or interested in 
American ginseng conservation, harvest, and trade. We are particularly 
interested in obtaining any current information on the status of 
American ginseng in the wild, and other pertinent information on the 
conservation and management of the species that would contribute to 
making the required CITES findings and improve the CITES export program 
for American ginseng. We will discuss the Federal regulatory framework 
for the export of American ginseng and the regulations that control the 
international trade of this species. We will also discuss the different 
CITES definitions as they are applied to American ginseng grown under 
different production systems and how we approach these different 
systems in regulating the export of American ginseng roots.
    Persons planning to attend the February 24, 2009, meeting who 
require interpretation for the hearing impaired must notify the 
Division of Scientific Authority by January 23, 2009 (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT).

Author

    The primary author of this notice is Patricia Ford, the Division of 
Scientific Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Dated: December 22, 2008.
Kenneth Stansell,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E8-31471 Filed 1-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

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