Fish and Wildlife Service October 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from P[umacr]lama L[amacr]na[revaps]i for an enhancement of survival permit (permit) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. If approved, the permit would authorize take of the orangeblack Hawaiian damselfly, ae[revaps]o (Hawaiian stilt), [revaps]alae ke[revaps]oke[revaps]o (Hawaiian coot) and assimulans yellow-faced bee (the "covered species"). The application includes a draft conservation benefit agreement, describing the actions the applicant will take to create new habitat for the covered species, facilitate reintroduction of the orangeblack Hawaiian damselfly to L[amacr]na[revaps]i, and achieve a net conservation benefit for each of the covered species. We have also prepared a draft environmental action statement for our preliminary determination that the permit decision may be eligible for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, Native Hawaiian, and Federal agencies to comment on these documents.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability for public comment of a proposed general conservation plan (GCP), as well as an associated draft environmental assessment, for routine development projects in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia that impact the federally listed Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) and/or northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), and/or the proposed to be listed tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). We invite comments from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have waived the 30-day public notice period and have issued an endangered species permit for the import and release into the wild of one loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), which was rescued from the wild in Canada, for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of the species. This permit is for a single import.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or USFWS), are reclassifying the red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates (= Picoides) borealis) from endangered to threatened (i.e., downlisting it) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This action is based on our evaluation of the best available scientific and commercial information, which indicates that the species' status has improved such that it is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range, but that it is still likely to become so in the foreseeable future. We also finalize protective regulations under the authority of section 4(d) of the Act that are necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of the red-cockaded woodpecker. In addition, we correct the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife to reflect that Picoides is not the current scientifically accepted generic name for this species.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Tri-State II Solar Project, LLC (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed threatened eastern indigo snake incidental to the construction and operation of a solar facility in Decatur County, Georgia. 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 scientific research to promote conservation or other 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.

Based on requests during joint consultations with Alaska Native Tribes and others, the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture (Departments) revise the regulations concerning the composition of the Federal Subsistence Board (Board), which has authority to administer the subsistence taking and uses of fish and wildlife on public lands in Alaska, subject to the Department's oversight. The Departments add three public members nominated or recommended by federally recognized Tribal governments, require that those nominees have certain knowledge and experience, define requirements used to select the Board Chair, and affirm the Secretaries' authority to replace Board members and the Secretaries' responsibility and oversight regarding Board decisions. These regulatory revisions are responsive to the primary requests made to the Departments during the consultations.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are initiating 5-year status reviews under the Endangered Species Act for 59 species. 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 new information on these species that has become available since the last reviews.

The U.S. Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture are seeking nominations to the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council (Council) to fill one vacancy for a representative from a state fish and wildlife management agency. The Council provides recommendations to the Federal Government, through the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, regarding the establishment and implementation of existing and proposed policies and authorities with regard to wildlife and habitat conservation endeavors that benefit wildlife resources; encourage partnership among the public, sporting conservation organizations, wildlife-associated recreation interests, and Federal, State, Tribal, and territorial governments; and benefit fair-chase recreational hunting and safe recreational shooting sports.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce 90- day findings on eight petitions to add species to the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Based on our review, we find that the petitions to list the Crater Lake newt (Taricha granulosa mazamae), Florida intertidal firefly (Micronaspis floridana), Iowa skipper (Atrytone arogos iowa), San Francisco Estuary population of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus), and Tecopa bird's beak (Chloropyron tecopense) 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 are initiating status reviews of these species to determine whether the petitioned actions are warranted. To ensure that the status reviews are comprehensive, we request scientific and commercial data and other information regarding the species and factors that may affect their status. Based on the status reviews, we will issue 12-month petition findings, which will address whether or not the petitioned actions are warranted in accordance with the Act. We further find that the petitions to list Betta miniopinna, long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis), and southern pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina) do not present substantial information indicating the petitioned action may be warranted. Therefore, we are not initiating status reviews of Betta miniopinna, long-tailed macaque, or southern pig-tailed macaque.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives notice of a public meeting of the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (Council), in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the Las Vegas bearpoppy (Arctomecon californica) as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Las Vegas bearpoppy is a plant in the poppy family. It is endemic to the eastern Mojave Desert in southern Nevada and northwest Arizona. After a thorough review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the Las Vegas bearpoppy as an endangered or threatened species is not warranted at this time. However, we ask the public to submit to us at any time any new information relevant to the status of the Las Vegas bearpoppy or its habitat.