Fish and Wildlife Service August 3, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) hereby gives notice of its intent to adopt the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission) existing Final Environmental Assessment (FEA) for the Application for Surrender of License of the Veazie, Great Works, and Howland Projects. The FEA, issued on May 18, 2010, evaluates the environmental impacts that would result from the Commission approving the applications for license surrender. The Penobscot River Restoration Project (PRRP) seeks to restore diadromous fish to the Penobscot River and key tributaries in accordance with the Lower Penobscot River Basin Comprehensive Settlement Agreement (Agreement), to which the U.S. Department of the Interior (Department) is a signatory. The Service intends to approve mechanisms to assist with funding the PRRP because it will provide substantial benefits for diadromous fish. Based on the Service's independent evaluation, adoption of the FEA would meet the Department's and the Service's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures and guidelines, as the Service is funding the precise actions, the effects of which have already been analyzed by the Commission. As part of that process, the Service is recirculating the FEA as its final Environmental Assessment in accordance with the Service's adoption requirements.