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

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 In this notice, we announce 8 new permit applications that we have received, and we reopen the comment period on 11 permit applications that we had previously announced for public comment.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Orange County Utilities Department, is requesting a 5-year ITP. We request public comment on the permit application and accompanying proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), as well as on our preliminary determination that the plan qualifies as low effect under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, which are also available for review.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are initiating 5-year status reviews of 14 Caribbean species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). A 5-year review is an assessment of the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. We are requesting submission of information that has become available since the last review of each of these species.

We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 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 August 31, 2016. 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), designate critical habitat for the Echinomastus erectocentrus var. acunensis (acu[ntilde]a cactus) and the Pediocactus peeblesianus var. fickeiseniae (Fickeisen plains cactus) under the Endangered Species Act. Critical habitat for the acu[ntilde]a cactus is located in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal Counties, Arizona, and critical habitat for the Fickeisen plains cactus is located in Coconino and Mohave Counties, Arizona. The effect of this regulation is to designate critical habitat for the acu[ntilde]a cactus and the Fickeisen plains cactus under the Endangered Species Act.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, published a final rule in the Federal Register on July 25, 2016, that prescribes the hunting seasons, hours, areas, and daily bag and possession limits for migratory game birds during the 2016-17 season. Taking of migratory birds is prohibited unless specifically provided for by annual regulations. In that final rule, we identified several errors concerning season dates, and bag and possession limits, for certain States, as well as a number of formatting and other errors in tables and table notes. With this document, we correct those errors.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 6-month extension of the determination of whether the headwater chub (Gila nigra) and a distinct population segment of the roundtail chub (Gila robusta) are threatened species, and we announce the reopening of the comment period on the proposed rules to add these species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. 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 proposed regulations to add these species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, making it necessary to solicit additional information by reopening the comment period for 30 days.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), proposed in an earlier document this year to establish annual hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds for the 2017-18 hunting season. This supplement to that proposed rule provides the regulatory alternatives for the 2017-18 duck hunting seasons, announces the Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee (SRC) and Flyway Council meetings, and provides Flyway Council recommendations resulting from their March meetings.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications for recovery permits to conduct activities with the purpose of enhancing the survival of 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, invite the public to comment on the following applications for a permit to conduct activities intended to enhance the survival of endangered or threatened species. Federal law prohibits certain activities with endangered species unless a permit is obtained.

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 or FWS), are amending regulations for National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) in Alaska that govern predator control and public participation and closure procedures. The amendments to the regulations are designed to clarify how our existing mandates for the conservation of natural and biological diversity, biological integrity, and environmental health on refuges in Alaska relate to predator control; prohibit several particularly effective methods and means for take of predators; and update our public participation and closure procedures. This rule does not change Federal subsistence regulations or restrict the taking of fish or wildlife for subsistence uses under Federal subsistence regulations.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, amend the format of the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (Lists) to reflect current practices and standards that will make the regulations and Lists easier to understand. The Lists, in the new format, are included in their entirety and have been updated to correct identified errors.

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 a Federal permit is issued that allows such activities. The ESA requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of an application for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) and a proposed Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) from the Slack Chemical Company for public review and comment. We received the permit application from the Slack Chemical Company for incidental take of the endangered Karner blue butterfly resulting from the construction of a gravel access road, as well as from proposed mitigation activities over the next 10 years. Our preliminary determination is that the proposed HCP qualifies as low-effect in accordance with our Handbook for Habitat Conservation Planning and Incidental Taking Permitting Process. To make this determination, we used our Low-Effect HCP Screening Form/ Environmental Action Statement (EAS), the preliminary version of which is also available for review. We provide this notice to (1) seek public comments on the proposed HCP and application; (2) seek public comments on our preliminary determination that the HCP qualifies as low-effect and is therefore eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); and (3) advise other Federal and State agencies, affected Tribes, and the public of our intent to issue an ITP.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a joint meeting between the Trinity River Adaptive Management Working Group (TAMWG) and the Trinity Management Council (TMC). The TAMWG is a Federal advisory committee that affords stakeholders the opportunity to give policy, management, and technical input concerning Trinity River (California) restoration efforts to the Trinity Management Council (TMC). The TMC interprets and recommends policy, coordinates and reviews management actions, and provides organizational budget oversight.

This rule prescribes the hunting seasons, hours, areas, and daily bag and possession limits for migratory game birds. Taking of migratory birds is prohibited unless specifically provided for by annual regulations. This rule permits the taking of designated species during the 2016-17 season.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have issued the following permits to conduct certain activities with marine mammals. We issue these permits under Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, propose to add 1 national wildlife refuge (NWR or refuge) to the list of areas open for hunting, increase the hunting activities available at 12 other NWRs, open 1 refuge to fishing for the first time, and add pertinent refuge- specific regulations for other NWRs that pertain to migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game hunting, and sport fishing for the 2016-2017 season.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the final environmental impact statement (EIS) and final habitat conservation plan (HCP) for Na Pua Makani Power Partners, LLC's (applicant) Na Pua Makani Wind Energy Project (Project). The applicant is requesting an incidental take permit (ITP) to authorize take of one threatened and six endangered species (covered species) listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). If issued, the ITP would authorize incidental take of the covered species that may occur as a result of the construction and operation of the Project over a 21-year period. The HCP describes the applicant's actions and measures to minimize, mitigate, and monitor incidental take of the covered species. The final EIS has been prepared in response to the permit application in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received five applications for incidental take permits (ITPs) and one renewal of an ITP under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) in Lake County, Florida. We request public comment on the permit applications and accompanying proposed habitat conservation plans (HCPs), as well as on our preliminary determination that the plans qualify as low-effect under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). To make this determination, we used our environmental action statements and low-effect screening forms, which are also available for review.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) to evaluate the impacts of several alternatives relating to the requested issuance of an Endangered Species Act (ESA) Incidental Take Permit (ITP) to the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) that would authorize take of listed species caused by activities covered under the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Long-term Habitat Conservation Plan (KIUC LTHCP). We also provide this notice to announce a public scoping period.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce 12- month findings on petitions to list the Eagle Lake rainbow trout and the Ichetucknee siltsnail as endangered species or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the Eagle Lake rainbow trout and the Ichetucknee siltsnail is not warranted at this time. However, we ask the public to submit to us at any time any new information that becomes available concerning the stressors to the Eagle Lake rainbow trout and the Ichetucknee siltsnail or their habitats.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), this notice announces that NMFS and USFWS (together, the Services) intend to prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) conducting a programmatic review of harvest actions for salmon and steelhead in the action area, which is the Columbia River Basin (the Proposed Action), to inform the Services' proposed signing of the post-2017 U.S. v. Oregon Management Agreement and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 consultation process. The Services provide this notice to advise other agencies and the public of their plans to analyze effects related to the action and to obtain suggestions and information that may be useful to the scope of issues and alternatives to include in the EIS.