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

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. This IC is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2010. 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 following applicants have applied for scientific research permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Act requires that we invite public comment on these permit applications.

This rule prescribes final early-season frameworks from which the States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands may select season dates, limits, and other options for the 2010-11 migratory bird hunting seasons. Early seasons are those that generally open prior to October 1, and include seasons in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The effect of this final rule is to facilitate the selection of hunting seasons by the States and Territories to further the annual establishment of the early-season migratory bird hunting regulations.

In response to substantial public interest and requests to extend the comment period, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, extend the scoping period on a notice of intent to gather information necessary to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the proposed issuance of an Endangered Species Act (ESA) permit (incidental take permit and associated Habitat Conservation Plan) for the Beech Ridge Wind Energy Project (HCP). Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), we seek suggestions and information from the public on the scope of issues and alternatives to be included in the EIS. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they have been incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in the final decision on the permit application.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), we, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), advise the public that we intend to gather information necessary to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on the draft Alabama Beach Mouse General Conservation Plan (ABM GCP) Project. We are preparing the ABM GCP under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We provide this notice to (1) Describe the proposed action and possible alternatives; (2) advise other Federal and State agencies, affected Tribes, and the public of our intent to prepare an EIS; (3) announce the initiation of a public scoping period; and (4) obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be included in the EIS.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental assessment for Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). In the final CCP, we describe how we will manage this refuge for the next 15 years.

Under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are removing the Utah (desert) valvata snail (Valvata utahensis) from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (List). Based on a thorough review of the best available scientific and commercial data, we determined that the Utah valvata snail is more widespread and occurs in a greater variety of habitats in the Snake River than known at the time of listing in 1992. We now know the Utah valvata snail is not limited to areas of cold-water springs or spring outflows; rather, it persists in a variety of aquatic habitats, including cold-water springs, spring creeks and tributaries, the mainstem Snake River and associated tributary stream habitats, and reservoirs influenced by dam operations. Given our current understanding of the species' habitat requirements and threats, the species does not meet the definition of an endangered or threatened species under the Act. Therefore, we are removing the Utah valvata snail from the List, thereby removing all protections provided by the Act.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list Calopogon oklahomensis (Oklahoma grass pink orchid) as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Based on our review, we find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the plant species, C. oklahomensis, as endangered or threatened may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a review of the status of the species to determine if listing C. oklahomensis as endangered or threatened is warranted. To ensure that this 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, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species, marine mammals, or both. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) prohibit activities with listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activities. Both laws require that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to reintroduce whooping cranes (Grus americana), a federally listed endangered species, into habitat in its historic range in southwestern Louisiana with the intent to establish a nonmigratory flock that lives and breeds in the wetlands, marshes, and prairies there. We propose to classify the flock as a nonessential experimental population (NEP) according to section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. Releases will be within the historic breeding area in southwestern Louisiana near White Lake in Vermilion Parish. This proposed rule provides a plan for establishing the NEP and provides for allowable legal incidental take of whooping cranes within the defined NEP area. The objectives of the reintroduction are to advance recovery of the endangered whooping crane. No conflicts are envisioned between the reintroduction and any existing or anticipated Federal, State, Tribal, local government, or private actions such as oil/gas exploration and extraction, aquacultural practices, agricultural practices, pesticide application, water management, construction, recreation, trapping, or hunting.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP), draft wilderness stewardship plan (WSP), and environmental assessment (EA) for Protection Island and San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs, Refuges) for public review and comment. The Draft CCP/WSP/EA describes our alternatives, including our preferred alternative, for managing the Refuges for the 15 years following approval of the final CCP/WSP.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Brian Head mountainsnail (Oreohelix parawanensis) as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. Based on our review, we find that the petition does not present substantial information indicating that listing the species may be warranted. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the status of, or threats to, the mountainsnail or its habitat at any time. This information will help us monitor and encourage the conservation of this species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the final comprehensive conservation plan and environmental impact statement (final CCP/EIS) for the Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge and the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-tailed Deer (refuge or collectively, refuges). These refuges are located in Wahkiakum County, Washington, and Clatsop and Columbia Counties, Oregon. In the final CCP/EIS, we describe how we propose to manage these refuges for the next 15 years.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to remove the tiger (Panthera tigris) from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. We find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that removing the species from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife may be warranted. Therefore, we will not initiate a status review in response to this petition. We ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the status of the tiger or threats to it or its habitat at any time. This information will help us monitor and encourage the conservation of this species.

The Advisory Group for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) grants program (Advisory Group) will meet in person and via conference call to discuss strategic planning and communication, budget and legislation updates, and other topics. This meeting is open to the public, and interested persons may present oral or written statements.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list Arctostaphylos franciscana (Franciscan manzanita or San Francisco manzanita) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, (Act) and to designate critical habitat. Based on our review, we find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing this species may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a review of the status of the species to determine if listing the species 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 will issue a 12-month finding on the petition,

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a public meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) and a request for written comments. This meeting, the 24th biannual meeting of the USCRTF, provides a forum for coordinated planning and action among Federal agencies, State and territorial governments, and nongovernmental partners. Please register in advance by visiting the website under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Advance public comment must be submitted by August 27, 2010, to Liza Johnson at the e-mail, fax, or

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a public meeting of the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (Council).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on two petitions to list the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) (Mexican wolf) as an endangered subspecies and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Although not listed as a subspecies, the Mexican wolf is currently listed as endangered within the broader listing of gray wolves. Based on our review, we find that the petitions present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the Mexican wolf subspecies may warrant listing such that reclassifying the Mexican wolf as a separate subspecies may be warranted. One of the petitions also requested listing of the Mexican wolf as an endangered

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine threatened status for five penguins: The yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes), white-flippered penguin (Eudyptula minor albosignata), Fiordland crested penguin (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus), Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti), and erect-crested penguin (Eudyptes sclateri) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).

We announce our receipt of an application to conduct certain activities pertaining to enhancement of survival of endangered species. The Endangered Species Act requires that we invite public comment on this permit application.