Department of the Interior October 6, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the red-crowned parrot (Amazona viridigenalis) as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After review of all available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the red-crowned parrot as endangered or threatened is warranted. Currently, however, listing the red-crowned parrot is precluded by higher priority actions to amend the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants. Upon publication of this 12-month petition finding, we will add the red- crowned parrot to our candidate species list. We will develop a proposed rule to list the red-crowned parrot as our priorities allow. We will make any determination on critical habitat during development of the proposed listing rule. During any interim period, we will address the status of the candidate taxon through our annual Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR).

The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the Abbreviated Final Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan (GMP/EIS) for New River Gorge National River, West Virginia. When approved, the plan will provide guidance to park management for administration, development, and interpretation of park resources over the next 20 years. The Abbreviated Final GMP/EIS includes an analysis of agency and public comments received on the Draft GMP/EIS with NPS responses, errata sheets detailing editorial corrections to the Draft GMP/EIS, and copies of agency and substantive public comments. Action Alternative Five, as described in the Draft GMP/EIS, remains the NPS Preferred Alternative.

The Cape Krusenstern National Monument SRC will meet to develop and continue work on NPS subsistence program recommendations and other related subsistence management issues. The NPS SRC program is authorized under Title VIII, Section 808 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Public Law 96-487, to operate in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting to be announced in the Federal Register. Public Availability of Comments: This meeting is open to the public and will have time allocated for public testimony. The public is welcome to present written or oral comments to the SRC. This meeting will be recorded and meeting minutes will be available upon request from the park superintendent for public inspection approximately six weeks after the meeting. Before including your address, telephone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire commentincluding your personal identifying informationmay be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. If the meeting dates and location are changed, a notice will be published in local newspapers and announced on local radio stations prior to the meeting date. SRC meeting locations and dates may need to be changed based on inclement weather or exceptional circumstances.

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (Applicant) has applied for an Enhancement of Survival Permit under the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended. The permit application includes the draft Texas Conservation Plan for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (TCP). The draft TCP will function as a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the Applicant for the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) throughout its range in Texas. The Applicant proposes to implement conservation measures for this species by removing threats to its survival and protecting its habitat. If the dunes sagebrush lizard becomes listed in the future, the draft TCP will also serve as a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) in support of future applications for Incidental Take Permits under the Act. The draft TCP and the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) are available for public review, and we seek public comment on the potential issuance of the above permits.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are listing the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), a large aquatic salamander, including its two subspecies, the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) and the Ozark hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi), in Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES or Convention). This listing includes live and dead whole specimens, and all readily recognizable parts, products, and derivatives of this species and its subspecies. Listing hellbenders in Appendix III of CITES is necessary to allow us to adequately monitor international trade in the taxon; to determine whether exports are occurring legally, with respect to State law; and to determine whether further measures under CITES or other laws are required to conserve this species and its subspecies.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the Mohave ground squirrel (Spermophilus mohavensis) as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the Mohave ground squirrel is not warranted at this time. However, we ask the public to continue to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the threats to the Mohave ground squirrel or its habitat at any time.