Fish and Wildlife Service July 24, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), in response to an application from Southern California Edison (the Applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The application addresses the proposed incidental take (take) of 13 proposed Covered Species within a 3,385-acre Permit Area during a proposed permit term of 30 years. The Applicant has prepared the draft Cross Valley Transmission Line Habitat Conservation Plan (Cross Valley Line HCP) (HCP) to describe and implement a conservation plan that will minimize and mitigate environmental effects associated with the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Cross Valley Loop Transmission Line, an electrical transmission project in central Tulare County, California. We also announce a 45-day public comment period on the permit application, including the draft EA and the proposed HCP. We request data, comments, new information, or suggestions from the public, other concerned governmental agencies, the scientific community, Tribes, industry, or any other interested party.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the final environmental impact statement (Final EIS) for experimental removal of barred owls to benefit threatened northern spotted owls. The barred owl, a species recently established in western North America, is displacing the northern spotted owl and threatening its viability. The Final EIS analyzes a no-action alternative and eight action alternatives to experimentally determine if removing barred owls will benefit northern spotted owl populations and to test the feasibility and efficiency of barred owl removal as a management tool. The action alternatives vary by the number and location of study areas, the type of experimental design, duration of study, and method of barred owl removal.