Department of the Interior June 9, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended, from the National Science Foundation and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, propose to authorize nonlethal, incidental take by harassment of small numbers of the Southeast Alaska stock of northern sea otters between July 1, 2021, and August 31, 2021. The applicants have requested this authorization for take that may result from high- energy seismic surveys in the Queen Charlotte Fault region of Southeast Alaska. Seismic surveys are being conducted to characterize crustal and uppermost mantle velocity structure, fault zone architecture and rheology, and seismicity in the Queen Charlotte Fault. We estimate that this project may result in the nonlethal incidental take of up to 27 northern sea otters from the Southeast Alaska stock. This proposed authorization, if finalized, will be for up to 49 takes of 27 northern sea otters by Level B harassment only. No injury or mortality is expected or will be authorized.

The National Park Service is soliciting nominations for one member of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review Committee (Committee). The Secretary of the Interior will appoint one member from nominations submitted by Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, or traditional Native American religious leaders. The nominee must be a traditional Indian religious leader.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), list two North Carolina species, the Carolina madtom (Noturus furiosus) as endangered, and the Neuse River waterdog (Necturus lewisi) as threatened, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. We also issue a rule under section 4(d) of the Act for the Neuse River waterdog, to provide for the conservation of this species. In addition, we designate critical habitat for both species under the Act. For the Carolina madtom, approximately 257 river miles (mi) (414 river kilometers (km)) fall within 7 units of critical habitat in Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Johnston, Jones, Nash, Orange, Vance, Warren, and Wilson Counties, North Carolina. For the Neuse River waterdog, approximately 779 river mi (1,254 river km) fall within 18 units of critical habitat in Craven, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Greene, Halifax, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Nash, Orange, Person, Pitt, Wake, Warren, Wayne, and Wilson Counties, North Carolina. This rule extends the Act's protections to these species and their designated critical habitats.