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

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 (FWS), invite public comment on applications for permits to conduct certain activities involving marine mammals for which the FWS has jurisdiction under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. In addition, we announce permits that we have issued recently in response to prior applications.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the Puerto Rican skink (Spondylurus nitidus), a skink species from Puerto Rico and Desecheo Island, and the Lesser Virgin Islands skink (S. semitaeniatus) and Virgin Islands bronze skink (S. sloanii), two skink species from the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands, as endangered species. We propose to list the Culebra skink (S. culebrae), a skink species from Culebra Island and offshore cays of Puerto Rico, as a threatened species with protective regulations under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) ("4(d) rule"). After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing these species is warranted. If we finalize this rule as proposed, we will add these species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to these species. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the Puerto Rican skink, Culebra skink, Lesser Virgin Islands skink, and Virgin Islands bronze skink under the Act. We also announce the availability of an economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the Puerto Rican skink, Culebra skink, Lesser Virgin Islands skink, and Virgin Islands bronze skink. We find that it is not warranted at this time to list the Mona skink (Spondylurus monae), the Greater Virgin Islands skink (S. spilonotus), the Greater Saint Croix skink (S. magnacruzae), and the Lesser Saint Croix skink (Capitellum parvicruzae). However, we ask the public to submit to us at any time any new information relevant to the status of any of the species mentioned above and their habitats.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from RWLC Development Sub, LLC (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed sand skink and bluetail mole skink (skinks) incidental to the construction of a commercial development in Polk 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 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.

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 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), propose to list the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis), a salamander subspecies from Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the eastern hellbender. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the subspecies is warranted. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would add this subspecies to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to the subspecies. We have determined that designation of critical habitat for the eastern hellbender is not prudent.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), the iconic orange and black butterfly, as a threatened species and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We propose to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species with protective regulations under section 4(d) of the Act (a "4(d) rule"). Finalizing this rule as proposed would add this species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to the species. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the monarch butterfly under the Act. In total, approximately 4,395 acres (1,778 hectares) in Alameda, Marin, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Ventura Counties, California, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. We also announce the availability of an economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the monarch butterfly. We also are notifying the public that we have scheduled two informational meetings followed by public hearings on the proposed rule.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are revising our process for permitting of rights-of-way across National Wildlife Refuge System lands and other Service-administered lands. By aligning Service processes more closely with those of other Department of the Interior bureaus, to the extent practicable and consistent with applicable law, we will reduce the amount of time the Service requires to process applications for rights-of-way across Service-managed lands. We will require a preapplication meeting and use of a standard application, allow electronic submission of applications, and provide the Service with additional flexibility, as appropriate, to determine the fair market value or fair market rental value of rights-of-way across Service-managed lands. Additionally, we are implementing new permit terms and conditions and other regulatory changes.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the Rio Grande cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis) as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Rio Grande cutthroat trout, a subspecies of cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii), inhabit high-elevation streams in New Mexico and southern Colorado. After a thorough review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the Rio Grande cutthroat trout 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 Rio Grande cutthroat trout or its habitat.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), list the Pe[ntilde]asco least chipmunk (Neotamias minimus atristriatus), a mammal from New Mexico, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. We also designate critical habitat. In total, approximately 1,774 hectares (4,386 acres) in Lincoln County, New Mexico, fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. This rule extends the protections of the Act to this species and its designated critical habitat.

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