Fish and Wildlife Service May 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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, we), announce that the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Shadura Natural Gas Development Project is available for public review. The EIS was prepared pursuant to the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA); the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (Refuge Administration Act), as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Refuge Improvement Act); and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). It describes five alternatives for accessing the subsurface natural gas estate owned by Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI), and provides analysis of the effects of those alternatives. The Service does not have a preferred alternative.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine endangered status under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended, for 38 species on the Hawaiian Islands of Molokai, Lanai, and Maui, and reaffirm the listing of 2 endemic Hawaiian plants currently listed as endangered. In this final rule, we are also delisting the plant Gahnia lanaiensis, due to new information that this species is synonymous with G. lacera, a widespread species from New Zealand. The effect of this regulation is to conserve these 40 species under the Endangered Species Act.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, propose to list Leavenworthia exigua var. laciniata (Kentucky glade cress), as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The effect of this regulation, if finalized, would be to conserve Leavenworthia exigua var. laciniata under the Act.

This document temporarily delays for 6 months the effective date of two rules to conserve Eriogonum codium (Umtanum desert buckwheat) and Physaria douglasii subsp. tuplashensis (White Bluffs bladderpod). Both rules had an effective date of May 23, 2013. We are taking this action to allow time for us to accept and consider additional public comments on the rules.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have issued the following permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species, marine mammals, or both. We issue these permits under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are extending the public comment period for a Draft Revised Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan in the greater Yellowstone area. If you have previously submitted comments, please do not resubmit them, because we have already incorporated them in the public record and will fully consider them in our final Supplement.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following application to conduct certain activities with endangered or threatened species. With some exceptions, 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 requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

We propose to revise the regulations that allow control of depredating birds in some counties in California. We propose to specify the counties in which this order is effective, to better identify which species may be taken under the order, to add a requirement that landowners attempt nonlethal control, to add a requirement for use of nontoxic ammunition, and to revise the reporting required. These changes would update and clarify the current regulations and enhance our ability to carry out our responsibility to conserve migratory birds.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the final Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCPs) and Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSIs) for the Environmental Assessments (EAs) for three Oregon refugesBandon Marsh, Nestucca Bay, and Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuges (NWR or refuge). Each refuge's final CCP describes how we will manage that refuge for the next 15 years.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 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 also requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have issued the following permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species. We issue these permits under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment period on the September 27, 2012, proposed endangered status and designation of critical habitat for the grotto sculpin under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the grotto sculpin and an amended required determinations section of the proposal. In addition, we announce our intention to recognize the grotto sculpin as Cottus specus. 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 need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the reopening of the public comment period on our October 2, 2012, proposed listing decision and proposed designation of critical habitat for Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. We announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA), a draft environmental assessment (EA), an amendment to the 2009 Conservation Agreement and Strategy for the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle, and an amended required determinations section of the proposal. We also announce the availability of 2012 Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle survey results that were not available when the proposed rule was being written. We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed rule, the associated DEA, the Draft EA, the Conservation Agreement amendment, and the amended required determinations section. We also announce a public hearing to be held in Kanab, Utah.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability of a draft Conservation Strategy for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horriblis) population for public review and input. The strategy will be the post- delisting management plan for the NCDE grizzly bears and their habitat. This document is necessary to demonstrate the adequacy of regulatory mechanisms in order to delist this grizzly population. Grizzly bears are currently federally listed as threatened in the lower 48 States under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), as amended (Act). The Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft document.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment period on the October 19, 2012, proposed revision of critical habitat for the Comal Springs dryopid beetle (Stygoparnus comalensis), Comal Springs riffle beetle (Heterelmis comalensis), and Peck's cave amphipod (Stygobromus pecki) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the Comal Springs dryopid beetle, Comal Springs riffle beetle, and Peck's cave amphipod 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 draft economic analysis (DEA), and the amended required determinations section. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.