Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives notice that the comment period on the draft Polar Bear Conservation Management Plan will be extended an additional 30 days. Since we announced the availability of the draft plan, we have seen significant public interest and have received a request from the State of Alaska for an extension of time to allow for public input.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of a final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and final environmental impact statement (EIS) for three national wildlife refuges (Alamosa, Monte Vista, and Baca National Wildlife Refuges) within the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex (refuge complex) in Alamosa, Rio Grande, and Saguache, Colorado. In these documents, we describe alternatives, including our preferred alternative, to manage the refuge complex for the 15 years following approval of the final CCP.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat for Diplacus vandenbergensis (Vandenberg monkeyflower) under the Endangered Species Act (Act). In total, approximately 5,755 acres (2,329 hectares) in Santa Barbara County, California, fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. The effect of this regulation is to designate critical habitat for Vandenberg monkeyflower under the Act.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a public meeting of the Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking (Council). The Council's purpose is to provide expertise and support to the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking. You may attend the meeting in person, or you may participate via telephone. At this time, we are inviting submissions of questions and information for consideration during the meeting.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application for an enhancement of survival permit (EOS) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The permit application includes a draft candidate conservation agreement with assurances (CCAA) between Smith Creek Ranch LTD and the Service for the greater sage-grouse on private rangelands in Churchill and Lander Counties, Nevada. We invite comments from all interested parties on the application, including the draft CCAA, and a draft environmental action statement (EAS) prepared pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter the Service or we) proposes to establish annual hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds for the 2016-17 hunting season. We annually prescribe outside limits (frameworks) within which States may select hunting seasons. This proposed rule provides the regulatory schedule, announces the Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee and Flyway Council (SRC) meetings, describes the regulatory alternatives for the 2016-17 duck hunting seasons, and requests proposals from Indian tribes that wish to establish special migratory game bird hunting regulations on Federal Indian reservations and ceded lands. Migratory game bird hunting seasons provide opportunities for recreation and sustenance; aid Federal, State, and tribal governments in the management of migratory game birds; and permit harvests at levels compatible with migratory game bird population status and habitat conditions.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) issues this draft Native American policy for public comment. The purpose of this policy is to further the United States' trust responsibility to Indian tribes by establishing a framework on which to base our continued interactions with federally recognized tribes as well as interactions with Alaska Native Corporations. The policy recognizes the sovereignty of federally recognized tribes; states that the Service will work on a government- to-government basis with tribal governments; and includes guidance on co-management, access to and use of cultural resources, capacity development, law enforcement, and education.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (Act) prohibits activities with endangered and threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The Act also requires that we invite public comment before issuing recovery permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for Vine Hill Clarkia (Clarkia imbricata) for public review and comment. The draft recovery plan includes recovery objectives and criteria, and specific actions necessary to achieve downlisting and delisting from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to revise the rule for the African elephant promulgated under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), to increase protection for African elephants in response to the alarming rise in poaching of the species to fuel the growing illegal trade in ivory. The African elephant was listed as threatened under the ESA effective June 11, 1978, and at the same time a rule issued under section 4(d) of the ESA (a ``4(d) rule'') was promulgated to regulate import and use of specimens of the species in the United States. This proposed rule would update the current 4(d) rule with measures that are appropriate for the current conservation needs of the species. We are proposing measures that are necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of the African elephant as well as appropriate prohibitions from section 9(a)(1) of the ESA. Among other things, we propose to incorporate into the 4(d) rule certain restrictions on the import and export of African elephant ivory contained in the African Elephant Conservation Act (AfECA) as measures necessary and advisable for the conservation of the African elephant. We are not, however, revising or reconsidering actions taken under the AfECA, including our determinations in 1988 and 1989 to impose moratoria on the import of ivory other than sport-hunted trophies from both range and intermediary countries. We are proposing to take these actions under section 4(d) of the ESA to increase protection and benefit the conservation of African elephants, without unnecessarily restricting activities that have no conservation effect or are strictly regulated under other law.

We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. We summarize the ICR below and describe the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have issued the following permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species under the authority of the Endangered Species Act, as amended (Act).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following application for a recovery permit to conduct activities with the purpose of enhancing the survival of an endangered species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), prohibits certain activities with endangered species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The Act also requires that we invite public comment before issuing such permits.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species, marine mammals. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) prohibit activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter Service or we) is proposing to establish the 2015-16 early-season hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds. We annually prescribe frameworks, or outer limits, for dates and times when hunting may occur and the maximum number of birds that may be taken and possessed in early seasons. Early seasons may open as early as September 1, and include seasons in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These frameworks are necessary to allow State selections of specific final seasons and limits and to allow recreational harvest at levels compatible with population status and habitat conditions. This proposed rule also provides the regulatory alternatives for the 2015-16 duck hunting seasons.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activities. The ESA requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

On March 26, 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) made a determination that the suspension on the import of sport-hunted African elephant trophies taken in Zimbabwe on or after April 4, 2014, would be continued until further notice. The decision to continue the suspension on importation of African elephant trophies taken in Zimbabwe through the 2015 hunting season and future hunting seasons is due to the Service's inability to determine that the killing of the animal whose trophy is intended for import into the United States would enhance the survival of the species in the wild. The suspension on importation of trophies taken during calendar year 2015 or future hunting seasons could be lifted if additional information on the status and management of elephants in Zimbabwe becomes available which satisfies the conditions of the 4(d) special rule under the Endangered Species Act (Act).

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board submits the following agenda of proposed regulatory activities, which may be conducted by the agency during the next 12 months. This regulatory agenda may be revised by the agency during the coming months as a result of action taken by the Board.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) will hold a public hearing on its recent Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Standards and Guidelines Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

On May 23, 2013, we, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board), established the Rail Vehicles Access Advisory Committee (Committee) to advise us on revising and updating our accessibility guidelines issued pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act for transportation vehicles that operate on fixed guideway systems (e.g., rapid rail, light rail, commuter rail, intercity rail, and high speed rail). The Committee will hold its sixth meeting on the following dates and times.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) plans to hold its regular committee and Board meetings in Washington, DC, Monday through Wednesday, March 9-11, 2015 at the times and location listed below.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) plans to hold its regular committee and Board meetings in Washington, DC, Monday through Wednesday, January 12-14, 2015 at the times and location listed below.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval to renew a generic information collection. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on July 28, 2014 (79 FR 43709). As part of a federal government-wide effort to streamline the process for seeking feedback from the public on service delivery, the Access Board has an approved Generic Information Collection Request entitled ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery.'' A copy of the draft supporting statement is available at https://www.regulations.gov (see Docket ID ATBCB-2014- 0002).

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) plans to hold its regular committee and Board meetings in Washington, DC, Monday through Wednesday, September 8-10, 2014 at the times and location listed below.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.), the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval to renew a generic information collection. As part of a federal government-wide effort to streamline the process for seeking feedback from the public on service delivery, the Access Board has an approved Generic Information Collection Request (Generic ICR) entitled ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery.'' A copy of the draft supporting statement is available at https:// www.regulations.gov (see Docket ID ATBCB-2014-0002).