Fish and Wildlife Service 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We (Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. The ICR, which is summarized below, describes the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost. This ICR is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2006. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. However, under OMB regulations, we may continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is pending at OMB.

The following permits were issued.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species and marine mammals.

The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge are available for distribution. The plan was prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 and in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The compatibility determinations for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, environmental education and interpretation, trapping of selected furbearers, forest management, and resource research studies are also available within the plan.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (Services) announce the availability of a Final Record of Decision on the issuance of incidental take permits to the state of Washington under section 10 of the Endangered Species Act for the Washington Forest Practices Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The two incidental take permits (one from each of the Services) authorize incidental take of aquatic species (16 listed fish species, 54 unlisted fish species, and 7 unlisted amphibian species) from covered forest practices implemented under the HCP. These forest practices affect approximately 9 million acres of non-Federal and non-tribal lands in Washington State. The permits were issued on June 5, 2006, and will remain in effect for 50 years.

We invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment period on the proposal to designate critical habitat for Astragalus ampullarioides (Shivwits milk-vetch) and Astragalus holmgreniorum (Holmgren milk-vetch) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of the draft economic analysis for the proposed designation of critical habitat for Holmgren and Shivwits milk-vetches. The draft economic analysis finds that, over 20 years, post-designation costs for Holmgren and Shivwits milk-vetch conservation-related activities are estimated to range between $8.8 and $14.1 million in undiscounted 2006 dollars. In discounted terms, potential post- designation economic costs are estimated to be $8.5 to $13.0 million (using a 3 percent discount rate) or $8.2 to $12.1 million (using a 7 percent discount rate). In addition, we announce the availability of a draft environmental assessment that has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ) (NEPA). Finally, we propose to revise boundary descriptions for two critical habitat subunits: Holmgren milk-vetch's Unit 2a (Stucki Spring) and Unit 2b (South Hills).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the northern Mexican gartersnake (Thamnophis eques megalops) as threatened or endangered with critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The petitioners provided three listing scenarios for consideration by the Service: (1) Listing the United States population as a Distinct Population Segment (DPS); (2) listing Thamnophis eques megalops throughout its range in the United States and Mexico based on its rangewide status; or (3) listing Thamnophis eques megalops throughout its range in the United States and Mexico based on its status in the United States. After thorough analysis and review of all available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing of the subspecies, under any of the three scenarios, is not warranted. Of the three listing scenarios specified above, we found scenario two provided the most rigorous evaluation of the status of the northern Mexican gartersnake and herein provide detailed discussion of our conclusions in that context. We also provide additional discussion of our evaluation of scenarios (1) listing the United States population as a DPS and (3) listing Thamnophis eques megalops throughout its range in the United States and Mexico based on its status in the United States.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces that a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) is available for review and comment. Also available for review with the Draft CCP/EA are draft compatibility determinations for fishing; wildlife observation and photography; environmental education and interpretation; high-speed boating; recreational boating associated with hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography; research; plant gathering; and mosquito monitoring and control.

This rule prescribes the hunting seasons, hours, areas, and daily bag and possession limits for general waterfowl seasons and those early seasons for which States previously deferred selection. Taking of migratory birds is prohibited unless specifically provided for by annual regulations. This rule permits the taking of designated species during the 2006-07 season.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we), announces a 5-year review of Curtis' pearlymussel (Epioblasma florentina curtisii) and Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) under the Endangered Species Act, as amended (Act). We request any new information on these species that may have a bearing on their classification as endangered. Based on the results of this review, we will make a finding on whether these species are properly classified under the Act.

Mr. Tarval Torgersen (Applicant/Cooperator) has applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an Enhancement of Survival Permit (ESP) for the Utah prairie dog (UPD) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This permit application includes a Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA) between the Applicant and the Service. The Service requests information, views, and opinions from the public via this notice. Further, the Service is soliciting information regarding the adequacy of the SHA as measured against the Service's Safe Harbor Policy and the regulations that implement it.

This rule prescribes special early season migratory bird hunting regulations for certain tribes on Federal Indian reservations, off-reservation trust lands, and ceded lands. This responds to tribal requests for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter Service or we) recognition of their authority to regulate hunting under established guidelines. This rule allows the establishment of season bag limits and, thus, harvest at levels compatible with populations and habitat conditions.

The City of Tempe (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of survival permit. The requested permit, which is for a period of 50 years, would authorize incidental take of Yuma clapper rail (Rallus longirostris yumanensis), southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus), and bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) as a result of operation and maintenance activities associated with the Rio Salado Project. We invite public comment.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Nosa Luta or Rota Bridled White-eye (Zosterops rotensis), for public review and comment.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces that the final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) is available for Chesapeake Marshlands National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex (including Blackwater, Martin and Susquehanna NWRs). This CCP is required pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668 dd et seq.), and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The CCP describes how the Service intends to manage the complex over the next 15 years.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (``we'') announces the availability of a Recovery Plan for the Newcomb's snail (Erinna newcombi). This aquatic snail is listed as threatened (65 FR 4162) and is endemic to the Hawaiian Island of Kaua`i.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) advises interested parties of our intent to conduct public scoping under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to gather information to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), related to an anticipated application for a permit amendment from the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) for its 1997 Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for forested State trust lands. The HCP excludes those lands designated as urban or leased for commercial, industrial, or residential purposes and those lands designated as agricultural (HCP p. I.2). The application would be associated with the proposed replacement of the marbled murrelet (murrelet) interim conservation strategy (ICS), which is currently being implemented, with a proposed long-term conservation strategy (LTCS) for murrelets in Southwest Washington and the Olympic Peninsula.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability of the final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Finding of No Significant Impact for Long Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex. Prepared in conformance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the plan describes how we intend to manage the complex over the next 15 years.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are designating critical habitat for the Rota Bridled White-eye (Zosterops rotensis) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 3,958 acres (ac) (1,602 hectares (ha)) fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation on the Island of Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

In this Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), present an updated list of plant and animal species native to the United States that we regard as candidates or have proposed for addition to the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Identification of candidate species can assist environmental planning efforts by providing advance notice of potential listings, allowing landowners and resource managers to alleviate threats and thereby possibly remove the need to list species as endangered or threatened. Even if we subsequently list a candidate species, the early notice provided here could result in more options for species management and recovery by prompting candidate conservation measures to alleviate threats to the species. The CNOR summarizes the status and threats that we evaluated in order to determine that species qualify as candidates and to assign a listing priority number to each species, or to remove species from candidate status. Additional material that we relied on is available in the Species Assessment and Listing Priority Assignment Forms (species assessment forms, previously called candidate forms) for each candidate species. Overall, this CNOR recognizes 7 new candidates, changes the listing priority number for 24 candidates, and removes 10 species from candidate status. Combined with other decisions for individual species that were published separately from this CNOR, the new number of species that are candidates for listing is 279. We request additional status information that may be available for the 279 candidate species identified in this CNOR. We will consider this information in preparing listing documents and future revisions to the notice of review, as it will help us in monitoring changes in the status of candidate species and in management for conserving them. We also request information on additional species that we should consider including as candidates as we prepare future updates of this notice. This document also includes our findings on resubmitted petitions and describes our progress in revising the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants during the period May 2, 2005, through August 23, 2006.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species and marine mammals.

The Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (Services) advise interested parties of their intent to conduct public scoping meeting under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) necessary to gather information to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS), (collectively referred to as ``environmental document''). The Services anticipate permit applications from Stanford University (Stanford) submitted under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for the incidental take of federally listed species. The permit applications would be associated with the Stanford University Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan) at Stanford in Palo Alto, CA. We provide this notice to: describe the proposed Plan and possible alternatives; advise other Federal and state agencies, affected Tribes, and the public of our intent to prepare an environmental document; announce the initiation of a public scoping period; obtain information to assist the Services in determining whether to write an EA or EIS; and obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be included in the environmental document.

This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife Service's Arkansas Ecological Service Field Office (ARFO), Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), have applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service (we or Service) for an enhancement of survival permit (permit) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The permit application includes a proposal that combines a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) for the candidate yellowcheek darter (Etheostoma moorei; YCD) with a Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA) for the federally endangered speckled pocketbook (Lampsilis streckeri; SPB)jointly referred to as the ``Agreement.'' The term of the Agreement will be 30 years. If approved, the Agreement would allow the Applicants to issue Certificates of Inclusion (CI) throughout the upper Little Red River Watershed in Arkansas to eligible non-Federal landowners that complete an approved Property Owner Management Agreement (POMA). We announce the opening of a 30-day comment period and request comments from the public on the Applicant's permit application, the accompanying proposed Agreement, and the supporting National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation.

Notice is hereby given that Sea World, Inc., 7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando, Florida 32821 (Todd Robeck, D.V.M., Ph.D., Responsible Party and Principal Investigator) has been issued a permit to collect, receive, import, and export marine mammal specimens for scientific research purposes.