Fish and Wildlife Service April 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coastal Prairie Coalition, Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of survival permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended. The requested permit, which is for a period of 99 years, includes a draft Safe Harbor Agreement (Agreement) for the endangered Attwater's prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri), the endangered Northern aplomado falcon (Falco femoralis septentrionalis), the endangered Whooping crane (Grus Americana), and the endangered black lace cactus (Echinocereus reichenbachii var. albertii) in all or portions of Aransas, Austin, Colorado, Galveston, Goliad, Refugio, and Victoria counties, Texas. We invite public comment.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of an incidental take permit (ITP) and Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Patrick McShane and Martha Dey (Applicants) request an ITP pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Applicants anticipate taking about 0.31 acre of Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) (scrub- jay) foraging and sheltering habitat incidental to lot preparation for the construction of a single-family home and supporting infrastructure in Sarasota County, Florida (Project). The destruction of 0.31 acre of foraging and sheltering habitat is expected to result in the take of one family of scrub-jays. The Applicants' HCP describes the mitigation and minimization measures proposed to address the effects of the Project on the Florida scrub-jay.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) (northern spotted owl) for public review and comment.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the receipt of thirteen applications for enhancement of survival permits that would be issued pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applications were developed in conjunction with a Template Safe Harbor Agreement (Template SHA) for the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis). The thirteen permit applicants are: (1) Mr. Raymond Mayer; (2) Rimrock Meadows Association; (3) ABS Farms LLC; (4) Sagebrush Flats Farm; (5) Mr. Eric Long; (6) Mr. W. Paul Malone; (7) Tom Davis Farms J.V.; (8) Mr. Dale Pixlee; (9) Clements Farm, Inc.JBS Farms; (10) Heer Brothers J.V.; (11) Mr. Don Roberts; (12) David Adams Family LLC; and (13) Evans Brothers J.V. Issuance of permits to these applicants would exempt incidental take of the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit, which would otherwise be prohibited by section 9 of the Act, that is above the baseline conditions of properties enrolled under the Template SHA, and that may result from the permittees' otherwise lawful land-use activities. The Service requests comments from the public regarding the proposed issuance of permits to these thirteen applicants. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire commentincluding your personal identifying informationmay be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

The following applicants have applied for scientific research permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce our revised 12-month finding on a petition to list the upper Missouri River Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of fluvial Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that fluvial Arctic grayling of the upper Missouri River does not constitute a species, subspecies, or distinct population segment under the Act. Therefore, we find that the petition to list the upper Missouri River DPS of fluvial Arctic grayling is not warranted, and we withdraw the fluvial Arctic grayling from the candidate list. The Service continues to seek new information on the taxonomy, biology, ecology, and status of fluvial Arctic grayling and to support cooperative conservation of fluvial Arctic grayling in the upper Missouri River system.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces 5-year reviews of 24 southwestern species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act). The purpose of reviews conducted under this section of the Act is to ensure that the classification of species as threatened or endangered on the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants is accurate. The 5-year review is an assessment of the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review.

We (Fish and Wildlife Service) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC, which is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2007. 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.

The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge is available for distribution. The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, requires the Service to develop a comprehensive conservation plan for each national wildlife refuge. This Draft CCP, when final, will describe how the Service intends to manage Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge over the next 15 years.

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

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces that a draft environmental assessment (EA) for an interim Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) Horse and Burro Management Program (Program) is available for review and comment. The EA provides a consolidated and updated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) evaluation of the Sheldon Refuge Program. The EA analyzes the environmental effects of various alternatives for managing the Refuge's horses and burros until a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for the Refuge is completed.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces that the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) is available for Horicon and Fox River NWRs, Wisconsin. The CCP was prepared pursuant to 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. Goals and objectives in the CCP describe how the agency intends to manage the refuge over the next 15 years.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service), are designating critical habitat for Cirsium hydrophilum var. hydrophilum (Suisun thistle) and Cordylanthus mollis ssp. mollis (soft bird's-beak) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 2,052 acres (ac) (830 hectares (ha)) fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation for C. hydrophilum var. hydrophilum in Solano County, California, and approximately 2,276 ac (921 ha) for C. mollis ssp. mollis in Contra Costa, Napa, and Solano Counties, California. Due to overlap of some units, the total area of critical habitat designation for both subspecies is 2,621 ac (1,061 ha).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) is publishing harvest regulations for migratory bird subsistence hunting in Alaska for the 2007 season. This final rule establishes regulations that prescribe frameworks, or outer limits, for dates when harvesting of birds may occur, species that can be taken, and methods and means that are excluded from use. These regulations were developed under a Co-management process involving the Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and Alaska Native representatives. These regulations provide a framework to enable the continuation of customary and traditional subsistence uses of migratory birds in Alaska. The rulemaking is necessary because the regulations governing the subsistence harvest of migratory birds in Alaska are subject to annual review. This rulemaking establishes regulations that go into effect on April 2, 2007, and expire on August 31, 2007.

The following permits were issued.

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

We announce our receipt of applications to conduct certain activities pertaining to enhancement of survival of endangered species.

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

This notice advises the public that NOAA, FWS, and the Department of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawai[revaps]i (DLNR) intend to prepare a Monument Management Plan (Monument Plan) and associated environmental assessment for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and surrounding marine areas. The Monument Plan will modify NOAA's existing Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Proposed National Marine Sanctuary Draft Management Plan, and incorporate FWS refuge comprehensive conservation planning (CCP) requirements, DLNR planning needs, and other elements to reflect the area's new status as a national monument.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces that a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for the 39 North Dakota Limited- interest National Wildlife Refuges is available. This CCP, prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, describes how the Service intends to manage these 39 Refuges for the next 15 years.