Fish and Wildlife Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is soliciting public comment on a right-of-way (ROW) permit application submitted by TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, LP (Keystone). If issued, the ROW permit would authorize the construction, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of the pipeline through easements held by the Service in North Dakota and South Dakota. The Service is a cooperating agency with the Department of State on an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Keystone Oil Pipeline Project and has adopted the Final EIS. After reviewing any comments received on the ROW application, the Service will issue its own Record of Decision (ROD) on the EIS prior to granting the ROW permit.

The following applicants have applied for scientific research permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), invite the public to comment on the following application to amend an existing permit to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment period and the scheduling of a public hearing on our December 12, 2007 proposed rule (72 FR 70715) to designate critical habitat for the Salt Creek tiger beetle (Cicindela nevadica lincolniana) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The December 12, 2007 Federal Register document also announced the availability of a draft economic analysis of the designation and a draft environmental assessment prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The reopened comment period will provide the public, other concerned governmental agencies, Tribes, and any other interested parties with an additional opportunity to submit written comments and information on this subspecies and associated habitat, the proposed critical habitat designation, draft economic analysis, and draft environmental assessment. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they have already been incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in any final decision.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

This notice announces a meeting of the Sporting Conservation Council (Council). The meeting agenda includes policy discussions on implementation of the Executive Order on hunting heritage and wildlife conservation and plans for a 2008 Conference on North American Wildlife Policy regarding the North American Conservation Model; State/Federal/ Tribal Wildlife Management; Habitat Conservation and Management; Funding for Wildlife Conservation; and Perpetuating Hunter Traditions. This meeting is open to the public, and will include a session for the public to comment.

We, NMFS and USFWS, announce the availability for public review of the draft Recovery Plan (Plan) for the Northwest Atlantic Population of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta). We are soliciting review and comment on the Plan from the public and all interested parties, including state and local governments, and national governments beyond the U.S. whose actions may contribute to the conservation and recovery of the loggerhead turtle in the Northwest Atlantic. We will consider all substantive comments received during the review period before submitting the Plan for final approval.

Calnev Pipeline Company LLC (applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for a 5-year incidental take permit for one covered species pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The application addresses the potential for ``take'' of the endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat (Dipodomys Merriami parvus) associated with the proposed pipeline inspection and repair projects in the City of Rialto and unincorporated San Bernardino County, California. A conservation program to minimize and mitigate for the project activities would be implemented as described in the proposed Maintenance and Operations on the Calnev 8-inch and 14-inch Pipelines, Cajon and Lytle Creek Wash, San Bernardino County, California Habitat Conservation Plan (proposed HCP), which would be implemented by the applicant. We are requesting comments on the permit application and on the preliminary determination that the proposed HCP qualifies as a ``Low- effect'' Habitat Conservation Plan, eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended. The basis for this determination is discussed in the Environmental Action Statement (EAS) and the associated Low Effect Screening Form, which are also available for public review.

The following applicants have applied for permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter the Service or we) proposes to establish annual hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds for the 2008-09 hunting season. We annually prescribe outside limits (frameworks) within which States may select hunting seasons. This proposed rule provides the regulatory schedule, describes the proposed regulatory alternatives for the 2008-09 duck hunting seasons, requests proposals from Indian tribes that wish to establish special migratory game bird hunting regulations on Federal Indian reservations and ceded lands, and requests proposals for the 2009 spring/summer migratory bird subsistence season in Alaska. Migratory game bird hunting seasons provide hunting opportunities for recreation and sustenance; aid Federal, State, and tribal governments in the management of migratory game birds; and permit harvests at levels compatible with migratory game bird population status and habitat conditions.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for the Lower Florida Keys Refuges for public review and comment. This DRAFT CCP/EA covers National Key Deer Refuge, Key West National Wildlife Refuge, and Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge. In this Draft CCP/EA, we describe the alternative we propose to use to manage these refuges for the 15 years following approval of the Final CCP.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the comment period on the proposed revised designation of critical habitat for the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of the draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed revised critical habitat designation and an amended required determination section of the proposal. We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed revised rule, the associated draft economic analysis, and the amended required determinations section. If you submitted comments previously, then you do not need to resubmit them because we have already incorporated them into the public record and we will fully consider them in preparation of our final rule.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species and/or marine mammals.

These final regulations provide two mechanisms to authorize take under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (Eagle Act) by certain persons who have been authorized under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to take bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate revised critical habitat for the wintering population of the piping plover (Charadrius melodus) in 18 specific units in Texas under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 138,881 acres (ac) (56,206 hectares (ha)) fall within the boundaries of the proposed revised critical habitat designation. The proposed revised critical habitat is located in Cameron, Willacy, Kenedy, Kleberg, Nueces, Aransas, Calhoun, Matagorda, and Brazoria Counties, Texas. Other previously designated critical habitat for the wintering piping plover in Texas or elsewhere in the United States is unaffected by this proposal.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and associated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents for the Savannah Coastal Refuges' Complex. The Complex consists of the following refuges: Pinckney Island; Savannah; Tybee; Wassaw; Harris Neck; Blackbeard Island; and Wolf Island. A separate CCP is being prepared for the Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuge. We provide this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other agencies, Tribes, and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider in the planning process.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the Draft Bexar County Karst Invertebrates Recovery Plan. We are soliciting review and comment from the public on this draft recovery plan.

Williamson County, Texas (Applicant), has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an incidental take permit (TE- 181840-0) under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended. The requested permit, which would be in effect for a period of 30 years, if granted, would authorize incidental take of the following federally listed species: Golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia), black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla), Bone Cave harvestman (Texella reyesi), and Coffin Cave mold beetle (Batrisodes texanus). The proposed take would occur in Williamson County, Texas, as a result of activities including, but not limited to, road construction, maintenance, and improvement projects; utility construction and maintenance; school development and construction; public or private construction and development; and land clearing. Such actions cause effects to upland (bird) and underground (karst) habitats. Williamson County has completed a draft Habitat Conservation Plan (dHCP) as part of the application package. We have issued a draft environmental impact statement (dEIS) that evaluates the impacts of, and alternatives to, possible issuance of an incidental take permit (ITP).

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), amend the regulations at 50 CFR part 17, which implement the Endangered Species Act, as amended (ESA), to create a special rule under authority of section 4(d) of the ESA that provides measures that are necessary and advisable for the conservation of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). Elsewhere in today's Federal Register, we have published a final rule listing the polar bear as a threatened species under the ESA. The special rule would adopt existing conservation regulatory requirements under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA), and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as the appropriate regulatory provisions for this threatened species. If an activity is not authorized or exempted under the MMPA or CITES and would result in an act that would be otherwise prohibited under the general prohibitions for threatened species (50 CFR 17.31), then the Sec. 17.31 prohibitions apply and we would require authorization under 50 CFR 17.32 of our regulations.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), make a 90- day finding on a petition to remove the Hualapai Mexican vole (Microtus mexicanus hualpaiensis) from the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife and Plants pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (Act). We find that the petition presents substantial information indicating that delisting this mammal may be warranted. We are initiating a status review to determine if delisting this subspecies is warranted. We are requesting submission of any information on the Hualapai Mexican vole relevant to its listing status under the Act. Following this review, we will issue a 12-month finding on the petition.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the ashy storm-petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the ashy storm-petrel may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a status review of the species to determine if listing the species is warranted. To ensure that the review is comprehensive, we are soliciting information and data regarding this species. We will make a determination on critical habitat for this species, which was also requested in the petition, if, and when, we initiate a listing action.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the results of the status review for the Rio Grande cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki virginalis) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. After a thorough review of all available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the Rio Grande cutthroat trout is warranted but precluded by higher priority actions. Upon publication of this status review, we will add the Rio Grande cutthroat trout to our list of candidate species with a listing priority number of 9, because the threats affecting it have a moderate magnitude and are imminent. We will develop a proposed rule to list the subspecies as our priorities allow. We ask the public to continue to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the status of or threats to the subspecies. This information will help us to monitor and encourage the ongoing conservation of this subspecies.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species and marine mammals.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) Application and Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The Deltona Young Men's Christian Association Facility (Deltona YMCA) (applicant) requests an ITP for a 2-year duration under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applicant anticipates taking approximately 0.30 acre of Florida scrub-jay (Alphelocoma coerulescens)occupied habitat incidental to expansion of an already existing YMCA facility in Volusia County, Florida (project). The applicant's HCP describes the mitigation and minimization measures the applicant proposes to address the effects of the project to the scrub-jay.