Department of the Interior January 25, 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application from Ford Ridge Wind Farm LLC (applicant), for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act, for its Ford Ridge Wind Project (project). If approved, the ITP would be for a 6-year period and would authorize the incidental take of an endangered species, the Indiana bat, and a threatened species, the northern long- eared bat. The applicant has prepared a habitat conservation plan that describes the actions and measures that the applicant would implement to avoid, minimize, and mitigate incidental take of the Indiana bat and northern long-eared bat. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and on the Service's preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ``low-effect,'' categorically excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act. To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are also able for public review.

This proposed rule would implement the Visitor Experience Improvements Authority given to the National Park Service by Congress in Title VII of the National Park Service Centennial Act. This authority allows the National Park Service to award and administer commercial services contracts and related professional services contracts for the operation and expansion of commercial visitor facilities and visitor services programs in units of the National Park System.