Department of the Interior December 12, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), invite the public to comment on the following application to conduct certain activities with an endangered species.

This notice announces the revision to the boundary of Big Thicket National Preserve to include 33 tracts of land that were acquired by the United States of America between 1977 and 2006 listed as follows: Tract 102-10, 16.94 acres; Tract 104-17, 34.33 acres; Tract 126-27, 0.43 acre; Tract 143-28, 0.63 acre; Tract 143-29, 4.67 acres; Tract 143-30, 1.60 acres; Tract 145-41, 20.16 acres; Tract 158-42, 0.34 acre; Tract 158-43, 0.81 acre; Tract 158-44, 1.35 acres; Tract 158-45, 1.46 acres; Tract 158-46, 1.74 acres; Tract 158-47, 27.50 acres; Tract 158-48, 15.63 acres; Tract 159-59, 0.08 acre; Tract 159-60, 0.80 acre; Tract 164-50, 8.39 acres; Tract 172-05, 0.03 acre; Tract 173-08, 0.04 acre; Tract 173-10, 0.22 acre; Tract 174-05, 28.45 acres; Tract 176-19, 1.11 acres; Tract 189-30, 9.65 acres; Tract 191-27, 19.93 acres; Tract 201-11, 149.08 acres; Tract 206-06, 3.95 acres; Tract 221-11, 48.46 acres; Tract 223-07, 141.78 acres; Tract 223-08, 27.19 acres; Tract 223-10, 25.10 acres; Tract 223-12, 54.30 acres; Tract 223-13, 720.37 acres; and Tract 228-01, 6.25 acres. The National Park Service has determined that this boundary revision will make a significant contribution to the purpose for which the preserve was created and will allow the National Park Service to maintain managerial and law enforcement jurisdiction over these tracts.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Koliganek Natives Limited. The lands are in the vicinity of Koliganek, Alaska, and are located in:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for the Salt Creek tiger beetle (Cicindela nevadica lincolniana) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 1,795 acres (ac) (727 hectares (ha)) fall within the boundaries of our proposed critical habitat designation. The proposed critical habitat is located in Lancaster and Saunders Counties, Nebraska. We also announce the availability of the draft economic analysis for our proposed designation of critical habitat for the Salt Creek tiger beetle. The draft economic analysis estimates that, over the 20-year period 2008 to 2027, post-designation costs for Salt Creek tiger beetle conservation-related activities would range between $21.4 and $25.5 million in undiscounted 2007 dollars. In discounted terms, we estimate potential post-designation economic costs to be $19.9 to $22.9 million (using a 3 percent discount rate) and $18.5 to $20.6 million (using a 7 percent discount rate). In annualized terms, potential impacts are expected to range from $1.3 to $1.5 million (annualized at three percent) and $1.7 to $1.9 million (annualized at seven percent). In addition, we announce the availability of a draft environmental assessment prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are designating revised final critical habitat for the San Diego fairy shrimp (Branchinecta sandiegonensis) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Approximately 3,082 acres (ac) (1,248 hectares (ha)) of habitat in Orange and San Diego counties, California, are being designated as critical habitat for the San Diego fairy shrimp. This revised final designation constitutes a reduction of 943 ac (382 ha) from the 2000 designation of critical habitat for the San Diego fairy shrimp.