Fish and Wildlife Service August 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Service, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), is adopting the NOAA RC PEIS. NOAA RC developed the PEIS in 2015 to evaluate impacts to natural and human environments of coastal habitat restoration activities funded or implemented through existing NOAA programs. Activities evaluated in the NOAA RC PEIS are similar to and often co-implemented or co-funded through analogous Service programs. The Service published its Notice of Intent to Adopt the NOAA RC PEIS on November 26, 2016 and invited agency and public comment for this adoption action. The 30-day comment period for this action ended December 27, 2016; the Service received no comments on the proposed adoption. The Service has prepared a ROD to formalize the adoption of the NOAA RC PEIS and implement its provisions. We provide this notice to make the ROD available to the public.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to remove the Trifolium stoloniferum (running buffalo clover) from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants, due to recovery. This determination is based on a thorough review of the best available scientific and commercial information, which indicates that the threats to the species have been eliminated or reduced to the point that it no longer meets the definition of an endangered or a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are seeking information and comments from the public regarding this proposed rule. We are also seeking comments on the draft post-delisting monitoring plan for running buffalo clover.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are issuing final regulations governing the Wildlife Restoration and Sport Fish Restoration financial assistance programs that include the Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety program and the Basic Hunter Education and Safety, Recreational Boating Access, Aquatic Resource Education, and Outreach and Communications subprograms. This final rule reflects targeted changes to the existing rule and is not a complete update. We proposed changes December 15, 2017, based on changes to law, regulation, policy, and practice since the last rulemaking in 2011. This final rule adds and updates definitions and eligible activities under these programs; simplifies requirements for license certification, especially for multiyear licenses; updates authorities; and clarifies how a grantee may use program income under an award. We reviewed all comments received during the comment period and made changes where necessary based on concerns and recommendations. We do not include all proposed changes in the final rule and will continue to work with partners to address those items in future policy or rulemaking.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (collectively referred to as the ``Services'' or ``we''), revise portions of our regulations that implement section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The revisions to the regulations clarify, interpret, and implement portions of the Act concerning the procedures and criteria used for listing or removing species from the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants and designating critical habitat.

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.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) prescribes final frameworks from which States may select season dates, limits, and other options for the 2019-20 migratory bird hunting seasons. The effect of this final rule is to facilitate the States' selection of hunting seasons and to further the annual establishment of the migratory bird hunting regulations. We annually prescribe frameworks, or outer limits, for dates and times when hunting may occur and the number of birds that may be taken and possessed in hunting seasons. These frameworks are necessary to allow State selections of seasons and limits and to allow recreational harvest at levels compatible with population and habitat conditions.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received applications for permits to conduct activities intended to enhance the propagation or survival of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on these applications. Before issuing any of the requested permits, we will take into consideration any information that we receive during the public comment period.

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), propose to list the Franklin's bumble bee (Bombus franklini), an invertebrate species from Douglas, Jackson, and Josephine Counties in Oregon, and Siskiyou and Trinity Counties in California, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We find that disease and other natural or manmade factors are likely the primary threats to the species within its habitat. If made final, this rule would add this species to the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and apply the protections of the Act to this species. In this proposed rule, we determine that designating critical habitat for the Franklin's bumble bee is not prudent, because the Franklin's bumble bee is a habitat generalist, and the present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of habitat is not a threat to Franklin's bumble bee. Consequently, the designation of critical habitat would not be beneficial to the Franklin's bumble bee.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application for a permit to conduct activities intended to enhance the propagation and survival of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on this application. Before issuing the requested permit, we will take into consideration any information that we receive during the public comment period.

This final rule revises regulations for seasons, harvest limits, methods, and means related to taking of fish for subsistence uses in Alaska during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 regulatory years. The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) completes the biennial process of revising subsistence hunting and trapping regulations in even-numbered years and subsistence fishing and shellfish regulations in odd-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 biennial cycle. This rule also revises fish customary and traditional use determinations.

This final rule revises the regulations for seasons, harvest limits, and methods and means for the subsistence taking of fish in the Cook Inlet Area of Alaska. This action also reorganizes specific regulations addressing the Kenai River, which will provide clarity for the public, and allow the Federal Subsistence Board to correct regulatory conflicts that have arisen based on recent rulemaking.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we), are considering renaming the Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge. We invite the public to comment on the question of whether or not to rename this refuge.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability for public review and comment of 21 draft recovery plan revisions, which update recovery criteria for 43 endangered or threatened species located in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. We are updating recovery criteria to better assist in determining when an endangered species has recovered to the point that it may be reclassified as threatened, or that the protections afforded by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are no longer necessary and the species may be removed from the ESA's protections. We request review of these draft recovery plan revisions and invite comments from local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the public.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability for public review and comment of 21 draft recovery plan revisions, which update recovery criteria for 25 endangered or threatened species located in 15 States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia). We are updating recovery criteria to better assist in determining when an endangered species has recovered to the point that it may be reclassified as threatened, or that the protections afforded by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are no longer necessary and the species may be removed from the ESA's protections. We request review of these draft recovery plan revisions and invite comments from local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the public.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft general conservation plan (GCP), as well as the associated draft categorical exclusion (CatEx), for cultivation activities in Santa Barbara County, California. The Service developed the GCP in accordance with the Endangered Species Act to provide a streamlined mechanism for proponents engaged in activities associated with agricultural development, to meet statutory and regulatory requirements while promoting conservation of the Santa Barbara County distinct population segment of the California tiger salamander. The Service prepared the draft CatEx in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act to evaluate the potential effects to the natural and human environment resulting from issuing permits under the GCP. We invite public comment on these documents.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received applications for permits to conduct activities intended to enhance the propagation or survival of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on these applications. Before issuing any of the requested permits, we will take into consideration any information that we receive during the public comment period.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC, Harvest Alaska, LLC, and the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, finalize regulations authorizing the nonlethal, incidental take by harassment of small numbers of northern sea otters in State and Federal waters (Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf) within Cook Inlet, Alaska, as well as all adjacent rivers, estuaries, and coastal lands. Take may result from oil and gas exploration, development, production, and transportation activities occurring for a period of 5 years. This rule authorizes take by harassment only; no lethal take is authorized. We will issue Letters of Authorization, upon request, for specific proposed activities in accordance with these regulations. Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget has approved a revision of the existing Information Collection control number 1018-0070, for incidental take of marine mammals in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, to include oil and gas activities in Cook Inlet.