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

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, intend to gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan and associated environmental documents for the Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge. We furnish this notice in compliance with our comprehensive conservation planning policy to advise other agencies and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be considered in the planning process.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we), will be developing a revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge). We will use local announcements, special mailings, newspaper articles, the Internet, and other media announcements to inform people of opportunities to provide input throughout the planning process. We will hold public meetings in communities within the Refuge during preparation of the revised plan. We will visit each of the 36 occupied communities within the Refuge boundary as we revise this plan.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we) intend to gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and associated environmental documents for Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex (Complex) in Malta, Montana. This Complex includes the Bowdoin, Black Coulee, Creedman Coulee, Hewitt Lake, and Lake Thibadeau NWRs. It also includes the Wetland Management District (WMD) comprised of seven waterfowl production areas and thousands of acres of wetland, grassland, and conservation easements on private lands. We furnish this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other agencies and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be considered in the planning process.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from the Pacific Gas & Electric Company (applicant) for a 3-year incidental take permit for the federally threatened bay checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha bayensis) under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The application addresses the potential for ``take'' of the butterfly incidental to proposed reconductoring and conservation management activities at the Metcalf-El Patio 115 kV and Metcalf-Hicks/Vasona 230 kV transmission line site in Santa Clara County, California (plan area). We request comments on the applicant's application and low- effect habitat conservation plan (plan), and on our preliminary determination that the Plan qualifies as a ``low-effect'' habitat conservation plan eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA). We discuss our basis for this determination in our environmental action statement (EAS), which is also available for review.

The following applicant has applied for a permit to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a meeting of the Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control Alternatives Workgroup (Workgroup). The Workgroup's purpose is to provide, in an advisory capacity, recommendations and advice on research and implementation of sea lamprey control techniques alternative to lampricide that are technically feasible, cost effective, and environmentally safe. The primary objective of the meeting will be to discuss potential focus research initiatives that may enhance alternative sea lamprey control techniques. The meeting is open to the public.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of an incidental take permit (ITP) application and Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Michael Richardson (applicant) requests an incidental take permit (ITP) for a duration of 5 years pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicant anticipates taking approximately 2.2 acre (ac) of Florida scrub-jay (Alphelocoma coerulescens)occupied habitat incidental to constructing an industrial facility in Brevard County, Florida (project). The applicant's HCP describes the mitigation and minimization measures the applicant proposes to address the effects of the project to the scrub-jay.

The Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the opportunity for State fish and wildlife agencies to apply to participate in a 3-year pilot program to issue electronic Federal Migratory Hunting and Conservation Stamps. The program is expected to enhance the ability of the public to obtain required Federal Duck Stamps through the use of electronic technology, enhancing public participation and increasing the number of stamps sold.

The following permits were issued.

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

This notice announces a meeting of the Sporting Conservation Council (Council). This meeting is designed to review wildlife conservation endeavors that benefit recreational hunting and wildlife resources and that encourage partnerships among the public, the sporting conservation community, wildlife conservation groups, and State and Federal governments. This meeting is open to the public, and will include a session for the public to comment.

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.