Fish and Wildlife Service March 10, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft environmental assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for our CITES Export Program (CEP) for certain native furbearer species. Some native furbearers are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES, or Convention), including bobcat (Lynx rufus), river otter (Lontra canadensis), Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), gray wolf (Canis lupus), and brown bear (Ursus arctos). These species have been listed in CITES Appendix II since the 1970s. Export from the United States of specimens of CITES Appendix-II species requires a CITES export permit issued by the Service. We have decided to prepare an EA on our export program for certain native furbearer species to help us conduct a thorough review of all relevant factors and potential impacts on the quality of the human environment as envisioned under NEPA.