Fish and Wildlife Service April 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and environmental assessment (EA) for the Hopper Mountain, Bitter Creek, and Blue Ridge National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) located in Kern, San Luis Obispo, Tulare, and Ventura counties of California. We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribes; and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider in the planning process.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are clarifying a prior published notice regarding our 5-year status review for the roseate tern (Sterna dougalli dougalli) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We conduct these reviews to ensure that the classification of species as threatened or endangered on the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants is accurate. The prior notice indicated that we are conducting a status review of only the northeastern population of the roseate tern; we are actually conducting a status review of this species throughout the entire area where it is listed.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list Thorne's hairstreak butterfly (Callophrys [Mitoura] grynea thornei or Callophrys [Mitoura] thornei) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended and to designate critical habitat. We find the petition and information currently available in our records presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing Thorne's hairstreak butterfly may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a status review to determine if the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, we are requesting scientific and commercial data and other information regarding this species. Based on the status review,

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are updating our regulations for Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to codify decisions from our 2007 Kodiak NWR Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP). Specifically, we are amending our current seasonal closure of the O'Malley River area within Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge to allow operation of a bear-viewing program; prohibiting camping within one-quarter mile of public use cabins and Federal and State administrative facilities on the Kodiak NWR, with authorized exceptions; and prohibiting snowmachine use on approximately 4,972 acres of important brown-bear denning habitat in the Den Mountain area. We are also making technical corrections to the authorities section of our regulations.