Department of the Interior February 7, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Osage Negotiated Rulemaking Committee, will meet as indicated in the DATES section of this document.

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.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are announcing the availability of the following documents for review and comment by the public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments: Draft Greater Sage-grouse Umbrella Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances for Wyoming Ranch Management (Umbrella CCAA), and Draft Environment Assessment of the Greater Sage-grouse Umbrella Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances for Wyoming Ranch Management (EA). The Service and several State, Federal, and local partners prepared the draft Umbrella CCAA to provide Wyoming ranchers with the opportunity to voluntarily conserve greater sage-grouse and its habitat while carrying out their ranching activities. Ranchers may apply for an enhancement of survival permit under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), by agreeing to implement certain conservation measures in the Umbrella CCAA that apply to their properties. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, we also prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) that analyzes the potential impacts to the human environment from the proposed Umbrella CCAA and alternatives to the action.