Fish and Wildlife Service March 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft recovery plan for the endangered Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Atlantic salmon. This draft plan has been prepared jointly by the Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The draft recovery plan includes specific recovery objectives and a set of criteria that, when met, would allow us to consider reclassifying the DPS from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), and, ultimately, to remove the GOM DPS of Atlantic salmon from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We request review of and comment on this draft recovery plan from Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribes; nongovernmental organizations; and the public.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a public meeting of the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (Council). A Federal advisory committee, the Council was created in part to foster partnerships to enhance public awareness of the importance of aquatic resources and the social and economic benefits of recreational fishing and boating in the United States. This meeting is open to the public, and interested persons may make oral statements to the Council or may file written statements for consideration.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, designate or revise critical habitat for 125 listed species on the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Kahoolawe in the State of Hawaii. We are designating critical habitat for 50 plant and animal species, and revising critical habitat for 85 plant species. In total, approximately 157,002 acres (ac) (63,537 hectares (ha)) on the islands of Molokai, Maui, and Kahoolawe fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. Although we proposed critical habitat on 25,413 ac (10,284 ha) on the island of Lanai, this area is excluded from final designation under section 4(b)(2) of the Endangered Species Act. In addition, under section 4(b)(2), approximately 59,479 ac (24,070 ha) on the islands of Maui and Molokai are excluded from critical habitat designation. These exclusions mean that we are not designating critical habitat for 10 of the species included in our proposed rule. We also removed 29,170 ac (11,805 ha) of areas we determined do not meet the definition of critical habitat. In this final rule, we accept name changes or corrections for 10 endangered plants and 2 endangered birds. The effect of this rule is to conserve these 125 species and their habitats under the Endangered Species Act.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), we, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), advise the public that we intend to gather information necessary to prepare a draft environmental impact statement (dEIS) related to an anticipated permit application from nine Collier County, Florida, landowners (prospective applicants) for the incidental take of federally listed species. The permit application would include an Eastern Collier Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (ECMSHCP) prepared in accordance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We provide this notice to (1) describe the anticipated action; (2) advise other Federal and State agencies, affected Tribes, and the public of our intent to prepare a dEIS; (3) announce the initiation of a public scoping period; and (4) obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues and alternatives to be included in the dEIS as well as any other written data, views, or arguments with respect to the anticipated permit application.

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 (Service), announce the availability of the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and record of decision (ROD) for the final environmental impact statement (EIS). The CCP describes the Refuge's management direction for the next 15 years, and includes the ROD, which explains our selection of Alternative 2 as the Refuge's management direction.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has developed a proposed template Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) for the West Coast Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the fisher in Oregon, and proposes to issue enhancement of survival (EOS) permits under the CCAA, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The permits would authorize incidental take with assurances to eligible landowners who are willing to enroll in the template CCAA and carry out conservation measures that would benefit the West Coast DPS of the fisher. We request comments from the public on the proposed template CCAA, the issuance of EOS permits, and on the Service's draft Environmental Action Statement (EAS) for our preliminary determination that the CCAA and issuance of EOS permits qualify for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of an incidental take permit (ITP) and a habitat conservation plan (HCP). Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, Inc. (applicant) requests ITP TE86106B-0 under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicant anticipates taking about 2.54 acres of feeding, breeding, and sheltering habitat used by the sand skink and blue-tailed mole skink incidental to land preparation and construction in Polk County, Florida. The applicant's HCP describes proposed minimization measures and mitigation measures to address the effects of development on the covered species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from the Oregon Department of Forestry for an Endangered Species Act (ESA) Enhancement of Survival Permit (Permit) for take of the federally threatened northern spotted owl. The Permit application includes a draft Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA) addressing Service access to Oregon Department of Forestry lands for the survey and removal of barred owls as part of the Service's Barred Owl Removal Experiment (Experiment) in Lane County, Oregon. In response to the permit application, the Service has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) addressing the permit action. We are making the Permit application, including the draft SHA and the draft EA, available for public review and comment.

The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) and Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service (Director) seek nominations for individuals to be considered for membership in the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (Council). The Council advises the Secretary, through the Director, on aquatic conservation endeavors that benefit recreational fishery resources and recreational boating and that encourage partnerships among industry, the public, Native American tribes, States, and the Federal Government.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability of a draft revised recovery plan for the Northern Great Plains piping plover population. This population is federally listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft revised plan.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce 90- day findings on various petitions to list, reclassify, or delist fish, wildlife, or plants under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Based on our review, we find that 13 petitions do not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted, and we are not initiating status reviews in response to these petitions. We refer to these as ``not-substantial'' petition findings. We also find that 16 petitions present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this document, we announce that we plan to initiate a review of the status of these species to determine if the petitioned actions are warranted. To ensure that these status reviews are comprehensive, we are requesting scientific and commercial data and other information regarding these species. 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.

The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) requires the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to review the maps of the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) at least once every 5 years and make any minor and technical modifications to the boundaries of the CBRS as are necessary to reflect changes that have occurred in the size or location of any CBRS unit as a result of natural forces. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has conducted this review and has prepared final revised maps for all of the CBRS units in Alabama, most units in Florida, all units in Georgia, several units in Louisiana, all units in Michigan, the only unit in Minnesota, all units in Mississippi, all units in the Great Lakes region of New York, all units in Ohio, and all units in Wisconsin. The maps were produced by the Service in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and in consultation with the appropriate Federal, State, and local officials. This notice announces the findings of the Service's review and the availability of final revised maps for 247 CBRS units. The final revised maps for these CBRS units, dated January 11, 2016, are the official controlling CBRS maps for these areas.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for the Central California Distinct Population Segment of the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) (Central California tiger salamander) for public review and comment. This draft recovery plan includes delisting objectives and criteria, and specific actions necessary to remove the species from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants.

The best available scientific and commercial data indicate that the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) population of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) has recovered and no longer meets the definition of an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, as amended (Act). The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is also proposing to identify the GYE grizzly bear population as a distinct population segment (DPS). Therefore, we, the Service propose to revise the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, under the authority of the Act, by removing the GYE population. The Service has determined that the GYE grizzly bear population has increased in size and more than tripled its occupied range since being listed as threatened under the Act in 1975 and that threats to the population are sufficiently minimized. The participating States of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming must adopt the necessary post- delisting management objectives, which adequately ensure that the GYE population of grizzly bears remains recovered, into enforceable regulations before the Service will proceed with a final delisting rule.

The Federal Subsistence Board is adopting, without change, a direct final rule that revised the list of areas in Alaska determined to be nonrural for purposes of the Federal Subsistence Program to the list that existed prior to 2007. Accordingly, the community of Saxman and the area of Prudhoe Bay were removed from the nonrural list. The following areas continue to be nonrural, but their boundaries returned to their previous borders: The Kenai Area; the Wasilla/Palmer area; the Homer area; and the Ketchikan area. Because we received no substantive adverse comments on the direct final rule, it is now effective.

On February 25, 2016, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced the receipt of applications for permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species. The notice contained the incorrect docket number for interested parties to use to submit comments. The correct docket number is FWS-HQ-IA-2016-0043. With this notice, we correct that error.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our draft recovery plan for the Lilaeopsis schaffneriana ssp. recurva (Huachuca water umbel), which is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This plant species is currently found in southern Arizona and in northern Sonora, Mexico. The draft recovery plan includes specific recovery objectives and criteria to be met in order to enable us to remove this species from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. We request review and comment on this plan from local, State, and Federal agencies; Tribes; and the public. We will also accept any new information on the status of the species throughout its range to assist in finalizing the recovery plan.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a public meeting of the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council (Council). The Council provides advice about wildlife and habitat conservation endeavors that benefit wildlife resources; encourage partnership among the public, the sporting conservation organizations, the States, Native American tribes, and the Federal Government; and benefit recreational hunting.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge for review and comment. The CCP/EA, prepared under the National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act of 1997, and in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, describes how the Service proposes to manage the refuge for the next 15 years. Draft compatibility determinations for uses proposed under one or more of the alternatives are also available for review and public comment.

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.