Department of the Interior December 4, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce our intent to prepare a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Phase I of the Chokecherry-Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project. Our draft EIS will analyze the environmental impacts associated with our decision on whether to issue a permit authorizing take of eagles for Phase I of the project. Programmatic eagle take permits are authorized under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA), and its implementing regulations. We are requesting public comments on issues that should be addressed in our draft EIS.

The States of Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin have requested that we delegate permitting for falconry to the State, as provided under our regulations. We have reviewed regulations and supporting materials provided by these States, and have concluded that their regulations comply with the Federal regulations. We change the falconry regulations accordingly. We make additional changes to the regulations to remove parts that will no longer be relevant after December 31, 2013, and, in one case, to remove contradictory language, and to correct errors.