Fish and Wildlife Service 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation 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 Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Forestar (USA) Real Estate Group (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally threatened Audubon's crested caracara (Polyborus plancus audubonii), a raptor, incidental to the construction of a proposed residential development in Brevard County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and on the Service's preliminary determination that the proposed permitting action may be eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations, the Department of the Interior's (DOI) NEPA regulations, and the DOI Departmental Manual. To make this preliminary determination, we prepared a draft environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are also available for public review. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.

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 or threatened species under the ESA. 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, 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 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, are reopening the public comment period on our January 27, 2023, notice that announced our draft environmental assessment evaluating an incidental take permit (ITP) application received from Consumers Energy Company (applicant). The ITP application includes the Crescent Wind Project Habitat Conservation Plan, which is also under review. The applicant is requesting incidental take coverage of the Indiana bat and the northern long-eared bat. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted, because they will be fully considered.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the Texas heelsplitter (Potamilus amphichaenus) as an endangered species and the Louisiana pigtoe (Pleurobema riddellii) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Both species are freshwater mussels. This document serves as our 12- month finding on a petition to list the Texas heelsplitter and Louisiana pigtoe. For the Louisiana pigtoe, we also propose a rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act (a ``4(d) rule'') to provide for the conservation of the species. In addition, we propose to designate critical habitat for the Texas heelsplitter and Louisiana pigtoe under the Act. In total, approximately 831.8 river miles (1,338.6 river kilometers) in 31 counties in Texas fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation for the Texas heelsplitter, and approximately 1,028.2 river miles (1,654.3 river kilometers) in 3 counties in Arkansas, 6 parishes in Louisiana, 2 counties in Mississippi, 1 county in Oklahoma, and 21 counties in Texas fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation for the Louisiana pigtoe. We announce the availability of a draft economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the Texas heelsplitter and Louisiana pigtoe. Finally, we announce an informational meeting followed by a public hearing on this proposed rule. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to these species and their critical habitats.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are proposing to renew an information collection without change.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing a new information collection in use without Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of the Interior (DOI) is issuing a public notice of its intent to modify all U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) system of records notices (SORNs). FWS is modifying its 11 system of records to add 2 breach routine uses to authorize the limited disclosure of records related to a suspected or confirmed breach of personally identifiable information (PII) within the DOI or assist another agency respond to their breach in accordance with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum M-17-12, Preparing for and Responding to a Breach of Personally Identifiable Information.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are conducting a 5- year status review of the Mexican wolf under the Endangered Species Act. A 5-year status review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any such information that has become available since the last review for the species.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to renew an information collection without change.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to renew an information collection with revisions.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia and Y. jaegeriana) as endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After a thorough review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing Joshua trees as endangered or threatened species is not warranted. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the threats to the Joshua trees or their habitat at any time.

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 or threatened species under the ESA. 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.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to renew an information collection without change.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine threatened species status under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended, for the Upper Coosa River distinct population segment (DPS) of the frecklebelly madtom (Noturus munitus), a fish species. We are also finalizing a rule under section 4(d) of the Act to provide for conservation of the species. In addition, we designate critical habitat for the Upper Coosa River DPS under the Act. In total, approximately 134 river miles (216 kilometers) in Georgia and Tennessee fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. This rule applies the protections of the Act to this species and its designated critical habitat.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are listing the prostrate milkweed (Asclepias prostrata), a plant species from Texas, as an endangered species and designating critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are designating approximately 661.0 acres (267.5 hectares) in Starr and Zapata Counties, Texas, as critical habitat for the prostrate milkweed under the Act. This rule adds this species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Plants and extends the Act's protections to the species and its designated critical habitat.

This proposed rule would establish regulations for hunting and trapping seasons, harvest limits, and methods and means related to taking of wildlife for subsistence uses during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 regulatory years. The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) is on a schedule of completing the process of revising subsistence taking of wildlife regulations in even-numbered years and subsistence taking of fish 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 cycle. When final, the resulting rulemaking will replace the existing subsistence wildlife taking regulations. This proposed rule could also amend the general regulations on subsistence taking of fish and wildlife.

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 (Service), announce the receipt of an application from G3 enterprises (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).The applicant requests an ITP to take the San Joaquin kit fox, the Central Valley distinct population segment of the California tiger salamander, the California red-legged frog, and the vernal pool fairy shrimp, incidental to the construction of the Byron Sand Mine Evo East Quarry Expansion Project in Contra Costa County, California. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and on the Service's preliminary determination that the proposed permitting action may be eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations, the Department of the Interior's (DOI) NEPA regulations, and the DOI Departmental Manual. To make this preliminary determination, we prepared a draft environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are also available for public review. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies. Before issuing the requested permit, we will take into consideration any information that we receive during the public comment period.

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 or threatened 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, have received an application from the Wind Energy Condor Action Team (WECAT) for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act. The permit, if granted, would authorize take of the federally endangered California condor (Gymnogyps californianus), incidental to otherwise lawful activities associated with the operation of WECAT members' separate wind energy projects. Available for comment are the draft conservation plan that WECAT prepared in support of their application, and a draft environmental assessment, which we have prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. We invite comments from the public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments. We will take comments into consideration before deciding whether to issue an incidental take permit.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to establish a nonessential experimental population (NEP) of the gray wolf (Canis lupus) in the State of Colorado, under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The State of Colorado (Colorado Parks and Wildlife or CPW) requested that the Service establish an NEP in conjunction with their State-led gray wolf reintroduction effort. Establishment of this NEP would provide for allowable, legal, purposeful, and incidental taking of the gray wolf within a defined NEP area while concurrently providing for the conservation of the species. The geographic boundaries of the NEP would include the State of Colorado. The best available data indicate that reintroduction of the gray wolf into Colorado is biologically feasible and will promote the conservation of the species. We are seeking comments on this proposal and on our associated draft environmental impact statement (DEIS), prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, which describes the potential alternatives for providing a regulatory framework for the State's reintroduction.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives notice of a teleconference/web meeting of the Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize Advisory Council, in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing a new information collection in use without Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval.