Fish and Wildlife Service April 26, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce 90- day findings on four petitions to add species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Based on our review, we find that petitions to list the Arizona eryngo (Eryngium sparganophyllum) and giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) 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 reviews of the statuses of those species to determine if the petitioned actions are warranted. To ensure that the status reviews are comprehensive, we are requesting scientific and commercial data and other information regarding those species. Based on the status reviews, we will issue 12-month findings on the petitions, which will address whether or not the petitioned actions are warranted, in accordance with the Act. We also find that petitions to list the Refugio manzanita (Arctostaphylos refugioensis) and San Gabriel chestnut snail (Glyptostoma gabrielense) do not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted. Therefore, we are not initiating status reviews of these species in response to the petitions. We refer to these findings as ``not substantial'' petition findings.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on applications to conduct certain activities with foreign species that are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is issued that allows such activities. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before issuing permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the ESA with respect to any endangered species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a habitat conservation plan (HCP) and three amendments to existing HCPs in support of requests for new or amended incidental take permits (ITPs) under the Endangered Species Act authorizing the take of endangered species from four similar wind energy projects. The proposed permit actions involve a new HCP for the Pakini Nui Wind Farm on the Island of Hawai`i and major amendments to three existing HCPs for the Auwahi Wind and Kaheawa Wind Power II projects, both located on Maui, and the Kawailoa Wind project on O`ahu. All four wind energy facilities are already constructed and in operation. The proposed new ITP and ITP amendments would address take of one or more of the following three endangered species: The Hawaiian hoary bat, Hawaiian goose, and the Hawaiian petrel. Also available for review is the Service's draft programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS), which was prepared in response to these four applications. We are seeking public comments on the draft HCP and draft HCP amendments, and the draft PEIS.