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

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment period on our August 20, 2012, proposed designation of critical habitat for the jaguar (Panthera onca), as revised on July 1, 2013, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. This notice announces reopening of the comment period to allow all interested parties an additional opportunity to comment and submit information on the revised proposed rule, the draft economic analysis, and the draft environmental assessment. We will consider all comments and information provided by the public during this comment period in preparation of a final designation of critical habitat. Accordingly, the final designation may differ from our proposal. If you submitted comments previously, you do not need to resubmit them because we have already incorporated them into the public record and will fully consider them in preparation of the final rule.

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 (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, propose to designate critical habitat for the Oregon spotted frog under the Endangered Species Act. We are proposing critical habitat for this species in Washington and Oregon, and this action fulfills our obligations under the Endangered Species Act and a court-approved settlement agreement. The effect of this regulation will be to designate critical habitat for the Oregon spotted frogs' habitat under the Endangered Species Act.

This rule prescribes the hunting seasons, hours, areas, and daily bag and possession limits of mourning, white-winged, and white- tipped doves; band-tailed pigeons; rails; moorhens and gallinules; woodcock; common snipe; sandhill cranes; sea ducks; early (September) waterfowl seasons; migratory game birds in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; youth waterfowl day; and some extended falconry seasons. Taking of migratory birds is prohibited unless specifically provided for by annual regulations. This rule permits taking of designated species during the 2013-14 season.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered or threatened species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), prohibits activities with endangered and threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activities. The Act and the National Environmental Policy Act also require that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

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

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of an incidental take permit (ITP) application and Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Connie Stark (applicant) requests an ITP under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicant anticipates taking about 1.49 acres of foraging, breeding, and sheltering habitat used by the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) (scrub-jay) incidental to land preparation and for the construction of a single-family residence and associated infrastructure in Charlotte County, Florida. The applicant's HCP describes the minimization and mitigation measures proposed to address the effects of the project on the scrub-jay.

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 2013-14 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.

This rule implements legislation that directs the Department of the Interior to establish permits and reasonable fees for commercial filming activities or similar projects and certain still photography activities.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter Service or we) is proposing to establish the 2013-14 late-season hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds. We annually prescribe frameworks, or outer limits, for dates and times when hunting may occur and the number of birds that may be taken and possessed in late seasons. These frameworks are necessary to allow State selections of seasons and limits and to allow recreational harvest at levels compatible with population and habitat conditions.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine endangered species status for the Austin blind salamander (Eurycea waterlooensis) and threatened species status for Jollyville Plateau salamander (Eurycea tonkawae) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. The effect of this regulation is to conserve these salamander species and their habitats under the Act. This final rule implements the Federal protections provided by the Act for these species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 6-month extension of the final determination of whether to list the Georgetown salamander (Eurycea naufragia) and Salado salamander (Eurycea chisholmensis) as endangered or threatened species, and we reopen the comment period on the proposed rule to list these species. We are taking this action based on our finding that there is substantial disagreement regarding the sufficiency or accuracy of the available data relevant to our determination regarding the proposed listing rule, making it necessary to solicit additional information by reopening the comment period for 30 days.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are initiating 5-year reviews under the Endangered Species Act (Act), as amended, for nine northeastern species. We will review the following endangered species: Peter's Mountain mallow, Jesup's milk-vetch, James spinymussel, sandplain gerardia, harperella, American chaffseed, and rough rabbitsfoot. We will also review the threatened northeastern beach tiger beetle and Virginia spiraea. A 5-year review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. We are requesting submission of any such information that has become available since the previous 5-year review for each species.

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.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following application for a recovery permit to conduct activities with the purpose of enhancing the survival of 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.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for the Florida leafwing (Anaea troglodyta floridalis) and Bartram's scrub-hairstreak (Strymon acis bartrami) butterflies under the Endangered Species Act. In total, approximately 3,351 hectares (8,283 acres) in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, Florida, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation for the Florida leafwing butterfly, and approximately 3,748 hectares (9,261 acres) in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, Florida, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation for the Bartram's scrub-hairstreak butterfly.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a public meeting, teleconference, and web-based meeting of the Trinity Adaptive Management Working Group (TAMWG).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, designate critical habitat for Sphaeralcea gierischii (Gierisch mallow) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The effect of this regulation is to designate critical habitat for Gierisch mallow under the Act. This final rule implements the Federal protections provided by the Act for this species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications 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, 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.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City, Colorado. The Service also intends to prepare a CCP and an Environmental Assessment for the Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge in Arvada, Colorado. These refuges are currently being managed under Comprehensive Management Plans developed in the mid-1990s and as part of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge Complex. We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider in the planning process of revising the management plans for these refuges.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, propose to designate critical habitat for Graham's beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River beardtongue (Penstemon scariosus var. albifluvis) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are proposing approximately 27,502 hectares (67,959 acres) for designation as critical habitat for Graham's beardtongue in Duchesne and Uintah Counties in Utah and Rio Blanco County in Colorado. We are proposing approximately 6,036 hectares (14,914 acres) for designation as critical habitat for White River beardtongue in Duchesne and Uintah Counties in Utah and Rio Blanco County in Colorado. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it will extend the Act's protections to these species' critical habitats.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for the sharpnose shiner (Notropis oxyrhynchus) and smalleye shiner (N. buccula) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 1,002 river kilometers (623 river miles) of river segments occupied by the species in Baylor, Crosby, Fisher, Garza, Haskell, Kent, King, Knox, Stonewall, Throckmorton, and Young Counties in the upper Brazos River basin of Texas fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to these species' critical habitat.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will prepare a draft environmental impact statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, in conjunction with a proposed rule to revise the existing nonessential experimental population designation of the Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for the Ivesia webberi (Webber's ivesia) under the Endangered Species Act (Act). In total, approximately 2,011 acres (814 hectares) in Plumas, Lassen, and Sierra Counties in northeastern California and Washoe and Douglas Counties in northwestern Nevada fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to this species' critical habitat. The effect of this regulation is to designate critical habitat for Ivesia webberi under the Act.