Fish and Wildlife Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce 90- day findings on two petitions to add species to and one petition to remove a species from the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce a 90-day finding on one petition to revise critical habitat for a listed species. Based on our review, we find that the petitions to list the Fish Lake Valley tui chub (Siphateles bicolor ssp. 4) and delist the southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) 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 the Pryor Mountain mustang population (Equus caballus) and to revise the critical habitat designation for Sonora chub (Gila ditaenia) do not present substantial information indicating the petitioned actions may be warranted. Therefore, we are not initiating status review of the Pryor Mountain mustang population or proceeding with a revision of critical habitat for the Sonora chub.

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 an Office of Management and Budget control number.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have issued the following permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species and marine mammals. We issue these permits under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

This rule prescribes the seasons, hours, areas, and daily bag and possession limits for hunting migratory birds. Taking of migratory birds is prohibited unless specifically provided for by annual regulations. This rule permits the taking of designated species during the 2022-23 season.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list magnificent ramshorn (Planorbella magnifica), a freshwater snail species from southeastern North Carolina, as an endangered species and to designate critical habitat for the species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 739 acres (299 hectares) of two ponds in Brunswick County, North Carolina, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed designation of critical habitat for magnificent ramshorn. In addition, this document serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list magnificent ramshorn. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to this species and its designated critical habitat.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request from the United States Coast Guard, propose to issue regulations authorizing the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take by harassment of small numbers of northern sea otters during marine construction and pile driving in the Gulf of Alaska coastal waters. Take may result from marine construction and pile-driving activities. This proposed rule would authorize take by harassment only. No lethal take would be authorized. If this proposed rule is finalized, we will issue letters of authorization, upon request, for specific proposed activities in accordance with the final rule for a period of 5 years. Therefore, we request comments on these proposed regulations.

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.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the receipt of an application for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act, and a draft habitat conservation plan amendment, from San Diego Gas & Electric. We have also prepared a draft environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act.

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 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.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), will seek Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of an emergency clearance of a new information collection and a revision to an existing information collection.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the sand dune phacelia (Phacelia argentea), a plant species from coastal southern Oregon and northern California, as a threatened species and designate critical habitat 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 sand dune phacelia. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the species is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the sand dune phacelia as a threatened species with a rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act (``4(d) rule''). If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would add this species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Plants and extend the Act's protections to the species. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the sand dune phacelia under the Act. In total, approximately 252 acres (102 hectares) in Coos and Curry Counties in Oregon, and Del Norte County in California, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for sand dune phacelia.

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, announce the revised taxonomy of four species of mussels under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are revising the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and related regulations under the Act to reflect the scientifically accepted taxonomy and nomenclature of these species.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Rhonda H. Barber (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed Alabama beach mouse incidental to construction in the City of Orange Beach, Baldwin County, Alabama. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP), and the Service's preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as low- effect, categorically excluded, under the National Environmental Policy Act. To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are also available for public review.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat for the Big Sandy crayfish (Cambarus callainus) and Guyandotte River crayfish (C. veteranus) under the Endangered Species Act (Act). In total, approximately 717 stream kilometers (446 stream miles) in Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. The effect of this final rule is to designate critical habitat for the Big Sandy crayfish, which is a threatened species under the Act, and Guyandotte River crayfish, which is an endangered species under the Act.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce findings that three species are not warranted for listing 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 it is not warranted at this time to list Blanco blind salamander (Eurycea robusta), Georgia bully (Sideroxylon thornei), and Rio Grande cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi). 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 or their habitats.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is extending the public comment periods for three notices, due to temporary website outages that affected the public's access to the documents that the notices are making available for comment. The notices pertained to a combined candidate conservation agreement (CCA)\ candidate conservation agreements with assurances (CCAA) amendment, an oil and gas habitat conservation plan (HCP), and a new CCAA. The affected species include the lesser prairie- chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus), and the Texas kangaroo rat (Dipodomys elator).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have issued the following permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species. We issue these permits under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

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.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to reclassify (downlist) the relict darter (Etheostoma chienense) from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The relict darter is a fish species that occupies the Bayou de Chien stream system in western Kentucky. Our evaluation of the best available scientific and commercial information 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 propose a rule under section 4(d) of the Act that provides for the conservation of the relict darter. In addition, we announce the availability of the draft recovery plan for the relict darter. The draft recovery plan includes specific recovery objectives and criteria based on the species status assessment. We request review of this proposal and of the draft recovery plan and comment from local, State, and Federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, Tribes, and the public.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing a public teleconference/web 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), determine endangered species status under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended, for the peppered chub (Macrhybopsis tetranema), a freshwater fish species historically found in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, which is now extirpated from all but six percent of its historical range. We also designate critical habitat. In total, approximately 872 river miles (1,404 river kilometers) in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. We are excluding approximately 197 river miles (317 river kilometers) of critical habitat in Kansas that was included in the proposed critical habitat designation. This rule adds the species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extends the Act's protections to the peppered chub designated critical habitat.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the availability of a draft recovery plan for 50 Hawaiian archipelago species. We request review and 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 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.