Fish and Wildlife Service January 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose a policy to implement a strategic approach to the growth of the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System, System). The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act (Administration Act), as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act, requires that we ``plan and direct the continued growth of the System in a manner that is best designed to accomplish the mission of the System.'' This draft policy instructs the Refuge System to focus its protection measures on priority conservation features in order to ensure that our limited resources are directed to make the greatest contribution to the conservation of species in a strategic, cost-effective, and transparent manner. It ensures the growth of the System reflects our vision towards managing functional landscapes, enhancing our scientific rigor, improving our effectiveness, and involving our partners and the American people. We propose to incorporate this draft policy as Part 602, chapter 5 of the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have issued the following permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species under the authority of the Endangered Species Act, as amended (Act).

We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. We summarize the ICR below and describe the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost. This information collection is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2014. 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. However, under OMB regulations, we may continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is pending at OMB.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of four final comprehensive conservation plans (CCPs) and findings of no significant impacts (FONSIs) for the environmental assessments (EAs) for Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Ozark Plateau NWR, Texas Mid-coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex (NWRC), and Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (WR). Additionally, the Texas Mid-coast NWRC final CCP includes a final Land Protection Plan. In these final CCPs, we describe how we intend to manage these refuges 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 endangered species, marine mammals, or both. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.

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), announce 90- day findings on five petitions to list 19 species as endangered or threatened, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Based on our review, we find that these petitions present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a review of the status of these species to determine if the petitioned actions are warranted. In order to assure that the best scientific and commercial data informs the status review and, if warranted, the subsequent listing determinations, and to provide an opportunity for all interested parties to provide information for consideration for the status assessment, we are requesting information regarding these species (see Request for Information below). Based on the status reviews, we will issue 12-month findings on the petitions, which will address whether the petitioned action is warranted, as provided in section 4(b)(3)(B) of the Act.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are in the process of identifying issues, and developing alternatives, to address the unauthorized grazing by cattle on two islands in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Wosnesenski and Chirikof. This effort is known as ``scoping'' and is an early step in a process to develop either Environmental Assessments or Environmental Impact Statements in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of this notice is (1) to advise other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and the public of our intention to address grazing issues on Wosnesenski and Chirikof Islands and (2) to advise the public on how to provide suggestions and information regarding livestock grazing on these two islands.

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.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is advising the public of the availability of the final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) associated with an application received from Fowler Ridge Wind Farm LLC, Fowler Ridge II Wind Farm LLC, Fowler Ridge III Wind Farm LLC, and Fowler Ridge IV Wind Farm LLC, collectively referred to as Fowler Ridge (applicant), for an incidental take permit (permit) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). We also announce the availability of the final Fowler Ridge Wind Farm (FRWF; project) Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), prepared in accordance with the ESA, and the availability of a final Programmatic Agreement (PA) to address the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and its implementing regulations, ``Protection of Historic Properties.'' Fowler Ridge submitted the HCP, as well as a proposed Implementing Agreement (IA), as part of its incidental take permit application. If issued, the permit would authorize incidental take of the federally endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) from operation of Phases I-IV of the project. Fowler Ridge is requesting a 21-year permit term. The Service is furnishing this notice to allow other agencies and the public an opportunity to review these documents. For locations to review the documents, please see the Availability of Documents section below.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and environmental assessment (EA) for Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR or refuge) in Klickitat County, Washington. The draft CCP/EA describes our proposals for managing the refuge for the next 15 years.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, published final rules in the Federal Register on April 6, 2012, August 20, 2013, and September 26, 2013, revising our List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. Inadvertently, we made some errors in our amendatory instructions. With this technical correction, we correct those errors.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announce the availability of a Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment (CCP/EA), and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Hopper Mountain, Bitter Creek, and Blue Ridge National Wildlife Refuges (Refuges or NWRs). 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 will manage the three refuges 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 (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.

This proposed rule would establish regulations for fish and shellfish seasons, harvest limits, methods and means related to taking of fish and shellfish for subsistence uses during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 regulatory years. The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) is on a schedule of completing the process of revising subsistence taking of fish and shellfish regulations in odd-numbered years and subsistence taking of wildlife regulations in even-numbered years; public proposal and review processes take place during the preceding year. The Board also addresses customary and traditional use determinations during the applicable cycle. When final, the resulting rulemaking will replace the existing subsistence fish and shellfish taking regulations. This proposed rule would also amend the general regulations on subsistence taking of fish and wildlife.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our draft comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for the Camas National Wildlife Refuge (NWR, Refuge), in Hamer, Idaho, for public review and comment. The Draft CCP/EA describes our proposal for managing the Refuge for the next 15 years.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat for the Chromolaena frustrata (Cape Sable thoroughwort) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 10,968 acres (4,439 hectares) in Miami- Dade and Monroe Counties, Florida, fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. The effect of this regulation is to designate critical habitat for this species under the Act for the conservation of the species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) to address the potential impacts of the issuance of a programmatic eagle take permit (permit) pursuant to the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA). The permit would authorize the taking of bald eagles associated with the construction and operation of the proposed Great Bay Wind Energy Project (Project) and implementation of an associated eagle conservation plan (ECP). The issuance of an eagle take permit is a Federal action subject to analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). We provide this notice to announce the initiation of a public scoping period during which we invite other agencies and the public to submit written comments that provide suggestions and information on the scope of issues and alternatives to be addressed in the EA. We also announce that we will hold a public meeting where oral and written comments will also be accepted.