Fish and Wildlife Service July 5, 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from Cardinal Point Wind Farm, LLC (applicant), to amend its existing incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act, for its Cardinal Point Wind Project (project). The applicant requests that the ITP be amended to include an increased take authorization for the tricolored bat. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's revised HCP, and the Service's draft supplemental environmental assessment, prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. The Service provides this notice to seek comments from the public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) developed a proposed barred owl management strategy (strategy) to address the threat that the nonnative and invasive barred owl (Strix varia) poses to two native western owl subspeciesthe northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) and the California spotted owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis). In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, this notice announces the availability of a final environmental impact statement (FEIS) evaluating the impacts on the human environment related to the proposed management strategy and associated take of barred owls, which is prohibited under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act unless authorized by the Service by permit or regulation. With this notice, we also make available the revised proposed management strategy.