Fish and Wildlife Service January 15, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from the Harney Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) for an enhancement of survival (EOS) permit under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The permit application includes a draft programmatic candidate conservation agreement with assurances (CCAA) between the SWCD and the Service for the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Harney County, Oregon. The Service and SWCD prepared the programmatic CCAA to provide ranchers and farmers in Harney County with the opportunity to voluntarily conserve the greater sage-grouse and its habitat while carrying out ranch and farm operations. The Service also announces the availability of a draft environmental assessment (EA) that has been prepared in response to the permit application in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). We are making the draft CCAA and draft EA available for public review and comment.