Fish and Wildlife Service April 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are initiating 5-year reviews for 25 species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We conduct these reviews to ensure that our classification of species on the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants as threatened or endangered is accurate. A 5-year review assesses the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. We are requesting any information that has become available since our last 5-year review of each of these species. Based on review results, we will determine whether we should change the listing status of any of these species. In this notice, we also announce 5-year reviews that were completed for 28 species in California and Nevada between March 17, 2011, and February 29, 2012.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) notify the public that we are making changes to our proposed rule of June 2, 2011, to revise the special rule for the Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens). We are reopening the comment period because we are making substantive changes and one addition to our proposed rule based on public and peer review comments received. Comments previously submitted will be considered and do not need to be resubmitted now. However, we invite comments on the new information presented in this announcement relevant to our consideration of these changes, as described below. We encourage those who may have commented previously to submit additional comments, if appropriate, in light of this new information. We are also making available for public review the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on our proposed actions, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability of a final revised recovery plan for the Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens). This species is federally listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following application for a recovery permit to conduct enhancement of survival activities with an endangered species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), prohibits certain activities with endangered species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The Act also requires that we invite public comment before issuing such permits.

In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Framework Agreement for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting from the DEEPWATER HORIZON Oil Spill (Framework Agreement), notice is hereby given that the Federal and State natural resource trustee agencies (Trustees) have approved the Phase I Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (Phase I ERP/EA) describing the first eight restoration projects selected by the Trustees to commence the process of restoring natural resources and services injured or lost as a result of the DEEPWATER HORIZON oil spill, which occurred on or about April 20, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Phase I ERP/EA.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application from Hoa Cam Tieu (applicant) for a 3-year incidental take permit for three species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The application addresses the potential for ``take'' of one listed animal, the Bay checkerspot butterfly; one listed plant, the Santa Clara Valley dudleya; and one nonlisted plant, the most beautiful jewelflower. The applicant would implement a conservation program to minimize and mitigate the project activities, as described in the applicant's low- effect habitat conservation plan (Plan). We request comments on the applicant's application and Plan, and the 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), also available for public review.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (Act) prohibits activities with endangered and threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The Act requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine endangered status for the Three Forks springsnail (Pyrgulopsis trivialis) and threatened status for the San Bernardino springsnail (Pyrgulopsis bernardina); and designate critical habitat for both species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 17.2 acres (6.9 hectares) are designated as critical habitat for Three Forks springsnail in Apache County, Arizona, and approximately 2.0 acres (0.8 hectares) for San Bernardino springsnail in Cochise County, Arizona. This final rule implements the Federal protections provided by the Act for these species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following application to conduct certain activities with endangered species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), prohibits activities with endangered and threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The Act also requires that we invite public comment before issuing this permit.

We solicit public comment on possible revisions to regulations under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act for permits to take eagles where the take is associated with, but not the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities. During the 2 years that the regulations have been in effect, some stakeholders have expressed concerns with some provisions of the rule. We are giving interested members of the public the opportunity to review the regulations and recommend revisions that would create a more efficient permit process while continuing to adequately protect eagles.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the comment period on our August 2, 2011, proposal to list as endangered and to designate critical habitat for 23 species on the island of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act); designate critical habitat for 2 plant species that are already listed as endangered; and to revise critical habitat for 99 plant species that are already listed as endangered or threatened. We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed designation and an amended required determinations section of the proposal. We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed rule, the associated DEA, and the amended required determinations section. Comments previously submitted on this rulemaking do not need to be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule. We are also considering revising the boundary for OahuLowland DryUnit 8, from that described in the proposed rule, based on new information regarding the biological conditions within certain portions of the unit.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the technical/agency draft recovery plan for the endangered Alabama Sturgeon. The draft recovery plan includes specific recovery objectives and criteria that would have to be met in order for us to downlist the species to be threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We request review and comment on this draft recovery plan from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announce the availability of a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Hopper Mountain, Bitter Creek, and Blue Ridge National Wildlife Refuges for public review and comment. The CCP/EA, prepared under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, describes how the Service proposes to manage the three refuges for the next 15 years. Draft compatibility determinations for several existing and proposed public uses are also available for review and public comment with the Draft CCP/EA.

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 Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, Louisiana, and Pearl River County, Mississippi. In the final CCP, we describe how we will manage this refuge for the next 15 years.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), announce the fiscal year 2012, priority list of wildlife and sport fish conservation projects from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA). As required by the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000, AFWA submits a list of projects to us each year to consider for funding under the Multistate Conservation Grant program. We have reviewed the list and have awarded the grants from the list.

We (U.S. 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. 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.