82 FR 58444 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan: Habitat-Based Recovery Criteria for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 237 (December 12, 2017)
Fish and Wildlife Service
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 237 (December 12, 2017)
| Page Range | 58444-58445 | |
| FR Document | 2017-26257 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 12, 2017)] [Notices] [Pages 58444-58445] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-26257] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2017-0057; FXES11130600000-178-FF06E00000] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan: Habitat-Based Recovery Criteria for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of document availability; request for comments; notice of public workshop. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan: Habitat-Based Recovery Criteria for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE). The draft supplement, which will be appended to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan upon finalization, proposes to establish habitat-based recovery criteria for the NCDE grizzly bear population. In addition, the Service hereby gives notice that a public workshop will be held to review the habitat-based recovery criteria for the grizzly bear in the NCDE. The workshop will allow scientists and the public to submit oral and written comments. The Service solicits review and comment from the public on this draft supplement. DATES: Comment submission: Comments on the draft Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan must be received on or before January 26, 2018. Public meeting: The public workshop will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on January 3, 2018, at the Double Tree Hotel, 100 Madison Street, in Missoula, Montana. ADDRESSES: Document availability: An electronic copy of the draft Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan is available at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2017-0057, and also at http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/es/grizzlyBear.php. Hard copies of the draft habitat-based recovery criteria are available by request from the Grizzly Bear Recovery Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University Hall, Room 309, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812; telephone 406-243-4903. Comment submission: Submit comments on the draft Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan via any one of the following methods: (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter the docket number for this notice, which is FWS-R6-ES-2017- 0057. Then click on the Search button. You may submit a comment by clicking on ``Comment Now!'' (2) U.S. mail or hand delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2017-0057; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC; 5257 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041-3803. Public meeting: The public workshop will be held on at the Double Tree Hotel, 100 Madison Street, Missoula, Montana 59812. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hilary Cooley, Grizzly Bear Recovery Office (see ADDRESSES), 406-243-4903. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan: Habitat-Based Recovery Criteria for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE). The draft supplement, which will be appended to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan upon finalization, proposes to establish habitat-based recovery criteria for the NCDE grizzly bear population. In addition, the Service hereby gives notice that a public workshop will be held to review the habitat-based recovery criteria for the grizzly bear in the NCDE. The workshop will allow scientists and the public to submit oral and written comments. The Service solicits review [[Page 58445]] and comment from the public on this draft supplement. In the lower 48 States, grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are federally listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA), outside of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Background Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its ecosystem is a primary goal of the Service's endangered species program. To help guide the recovery effort, the Service prepares recovery plans for the federally listed species native to the United States where a plan will promote the conservation of the species. Recovery plans describe site- specific actions necessary for the conservation of the species; establish objective, measurable criteria which, when met, may result in a determination that the species no longer needs the protection of the ESA; and provide estimates of the time and cost for implementing the needed recovery measures (16 U.S.C. 1533(f)(1)(B)). We approved the first Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan for grizzly bears in the lower 48 States on January 29, 1982 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1982). In 1993, we approved a revision to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1993), which included additional tasks and new information that increased the focus and effectiveness of recovery efforts. The 1993 Recovery Plan identifies distinct Recovery Zones and unique recovery criteria for six different grizzly bear populations, including the NCDE, with the intent that these individual populations would be delisted as they each achieve recovery (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1993, pp. ii, 33-34). Supplements to the Recovery Plan were approved in 1997, 1998, 2007, and 2017 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1997, 1998, 2007a, 2007b, 2017). Under the ESA, recovery plans must include objective, measurable recovery criteria, including habitat-based recovery standards (16 U.S.C. 1533(f)(1)(B)(ii)). A Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan Task Force also recommended further consideration of this issue, stating that we should work to ``establish a threshold of minimal habitat values to be maintained within each Cumulative Effects Analysis Unit in order to ensure that sufficient habitat is available to support a viable population'' (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1993, p. 76). The draft habitat-based recovery criteria were developed in part by taking into account the oral and written comments received at the habitat-based recovery criteria workshop, which was held on July 7, 2016, in Missoula, Montana (81 FR 29295, May 11, 2016), and during the public comment period that followed the workshop. The Service has decided to hold a second habitat-based recovery criteria workshop. The ESA requires the Service to provide public notice and opportunity for public review and comment on recovery plans prior to final approval (16 U.S.C. 1533(f)(4)). The Service will consider all information received during a public comment period when preparing each new or revised recovery plan for approval. The Service and other Federal agencies also will take these comments into consideration in the course of implementing approved recovery plans. It is our policy to request peer review of recovery plans. Comments received at the upcoming workshop announced in this Federal Register notice and during the public comment period will be used to inform the final habitat- based recovery criteria, which will be appended to the 1993 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan for the NCDE and incorporated into the NCDE Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy. The Recovery Plan sets out guidance for the Service, States, and other partners on methods to minimize threats to grizzly bears and criteria that may be used to measure if recovery has been achieved while the Conservation Strategy guides post-delisting management. Workshop As described above, the Service will hold a public workshop seeking input and ideas on objective, measurable habitat-based recovery criteria available at https://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/es/grizzlyBear.php. We seek ideas and information about characteristics of habitat necessary to support a recovered population of grizzly bears and habitat parameters that can be measured and directly related to grizzly bear population health. The Service also wants to obtain information and comments on methods for monitoring the habitat-based recovery criteria. The workshop will be held in Missoula, Montana, on the date specified in DATES at the location specified in ADDRESSES. Participants are invited to present information in oral and written form. All comments presented orally should also be submitted in writing to facilitate review of these comments. Those wishing to present information or comments orally at the workshop are asked to contact the Grizzly Bear Recovery Office (see ADDRESSES) so that oral presentations can be scheduled in advance. All information and comments received at the workshop or during the public comment period will be considered in finalizing the habitat- based recovery criteria for the NCDE. Request for Public Comments The Service solicits public comments on a draft Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan. Specifically, this supplement proposes to append habitat-based recovery criteria for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan. All comments received by the date specified in DATES will be considered prior to approval of the final Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan. Written comments and materials regarding the plan should be submitted as specified in ADDRESSES. Availability of Public Comments If you submit information via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire submission--including any personal identifying information--will be posted on the website. If your submission is made via a hardcopy that includes personal identifying information, you may request at the top of your document that we withhold this information from public review. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post all hardcopy submissions on http://www.regulations.gov. Comments and materials we receive will be available for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, during normal business hours, at the Grizzly Bear Recovery Office address specified in ADDRESSES. References Cited A list of the references cited in this notice may be found at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2017-0057. Authority The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1533(f). Dated: October 5, 2017. Noreen E. Walsh, Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region, Denver, Colorado. [FR Doc. 2017-26257 Filed 12-11-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
![58444 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 237 / Tuesday, December 12, 2017 / Notices
efforts resulting from this demonstration additional pillars that contribute to self- and comment from the public on this
to advance economic mobility. With this sufficiency and economic mobility that draft supplement.
research, HUD intends to improve and should be made part of the DATES: Comment submission: Comments
build on the demonstration, with the demonstration? on the draft Supplement to the Grizzly
goal of extending the demonstration on (5) What incentives and programs Bear Recovery Plan must be received on
a nationwide basis. The participating have worked in the past to achieve the or before January 26, 2018.
communities and cross-sector entities four pillars? Public meeting: The public workshop
are expected to participate in any HUD- (6) What elements and level of detail will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and
sponsored evaluation and other efforts should HUD require in a community’s 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on January 3, 2018, at
designed to identify and share best participation plan? the Double Tree Hotel, 100 Madison
practices from the demonstration with (7) How should HUD define and Street, in Missoula, Montana.
other HUD-assisted communities. In measure economic mobility over time ADDRESSES: Document availability: An
addition, participating communities and and space? How should HUD measure electronic copy of the draft Supplement
entities will be required to quality of life for residents that remain to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan is
collaboratively develop and in assisted housing? available at http://www.regulations.gov
subsequently measure and report (8) What data sources or data linkage in Docket No. FWS–R6–ES–2017–0057,
outputs and outcomes. is needed to develop outcome metrics and also at http://www.fws.gov/
V. Solicitation of Public Comment such as, return on investment, mountain-prairie/es/grizzlyBear.php.
involvement of local institutions of Hard copies of the draft habitat-based
In accordance with section 470 of the higher learning, employment and
Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act recovery criteria are available by request
economic opportunities for Section 3 from the Grizzly Bear Recovery Office,
of 1983 (42 U.S.C. 3542), HUD is residents and businesses, and a public
seeking comment on the demonstration. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
process for reviewing outcomes and University Hall, Room 309, University
Section 470 provides that HUD may not lessons learned?
begin a demonstration program not of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812;
expressly authorized by statute until a Dated: December 5, 2017. telephone 406–243–4903.
Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., Comment submission: Submit
description of the demonstration
Secretary. comments on the draft Supplement to
program is published in the Federal
the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan via any
Register and a 60-day period expires [FR Doc. 2017–26684 Filed 12–11–17; 8:45 am]
one of the following methods:
following the date of publication, during BILLING CODE P
(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal:
which time HUD solicits public www.regulations.gov. In the Search box,
comment and considers the comments enter the docket number for this notice,
submitted. The public comment period DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR which is FWS–R6–ES–2017–0057. Then
provided allows HUD the opportunity to click on the Search button. You may
consider those comments during the 60- Fish and Wildlife Service
submit a comment by clicking on
day period, and be in a position to [Docket No. FWS–R6–ES–2017–0057; ‘‘Comment Now!’’
commence implementation of the FXES11130600000–178–FF06E00000] (2) U.S. mail or hand delivery: Public
demonstration following the conclusion Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No.
of the 60-day period. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife FWS–R6–ES–2017–0057; U.S. Fish and
While HUD welcomes comments on and Plants; Draft Supplement to the Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC; 5257
the entirety of the demonstration, it asks Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan: Habitat- Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041–
that commenters consider the following Based Recovery Criteria for the 3803.
specific questions: Northern Continental Divide Public meeting: The public workshop
(1) In administering and evaluating Ecosystem will be held on at the Double Tree
the demonstration, how should HUD
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Hotel, 100 Madison Street, Missoula,
define ‘‘economic mobility’’?
(2) How can HUD tailor the Economic Interior. Montana 59812.
Empowerment Pillar of the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
ACTION: Notice of document availability;
Demonstration to identify and focus on request for comments; notice of public Hilary Cooley, Grizzly Bear Recovery
families and individuals residing in workshop. Office (see ADDRESSES), 406–243–4903.
HUD-assisted housing that are able to SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the
work, and not those who are elderly or SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
include persons with disabilities; Wildlife Service (Service), announce the announce the availability of a draft
(3) How can HUD and identified availability of a draft Supplement to the Supplement to the Grizzly Bear
partners (state and local entities, private Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan: Habitat- Recovery Plan: Habitat-Based Recovery
sector, philanthropic, non-profit and Based Recovery Criteria for the Northern Criteria for the Northern Continental
other entities) best maximize existing Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE). Divide Ecosystem (NCDE). The draft
programs and efforts across agencies in The draft supplement, which will be supplement, which will be appended to
a coordinated and holistic approach? appended to the Grizzly Bear Recovery the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan upon
(4) What impediments exist for Plan upon finalization, proposes to finalization, proposes to establish
achieving the four pillars, including establish habitat-based recovery criteria habitat-based recovery criteria for the
institutional, organizational, legal or for the NCDE grizzly bear population. In NCDE grizzly bear population. In
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
statutory, and behavioral impediments? addition, the Service hereby gives notice addition, the Service hereby gives notice
Is it necessary to the success of the that a public workshop will be held to that a public workshop will be held to
demonstration that communities link all review the habitat-based recovery review the habitat-based recovery
four pillars, and if not, would it be criteria for the grizzly bear in the NCDE. criteria for the grizzly bear in the NCDE.
sufficient for a community to identify in The workshop will allow scientists and The workshop will allow scientists and
its participation plan the barriers to the public to submit oral and written the public to submit oral and written
including a specific pillar? Are there comments. The Service solicits review comments. The Service solicits review
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![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 237 / Tuesday, December 12, 2017 / Notices 58445
and comment from the public on this in part by taking into account the oral ADDRESSES) so that oral presentations
draft supplement. In the lower 48 States, and written comments received at the can be scheduled in advance.
grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are habitat-based recovery criteria All information and comments
federally listed as threatened under the workshop, which was held on July 7, received at the workshop or during the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 2016, in Missoula, Montana (81 FR
public comment period will be
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA), 29295, May 11, 2016), and during the
considered in finalizing the habitat-
outside of the Greater Yellowstone public comment period that followed
Ecosystem. the workshop. The Service has decided based recovery criteria for the NCDE.
to hold a second habitat-based recovery Request for Public Comments
Background
criteria workshop.
Restoring an endangered or The ESA requires the Service to The Service solicits public comments
threatened animal or plant to the point provide public notice and opportunity on a draft Supplement to the Grizzly
where it is again a secure, self- for public review and comment on Bear Recovery Plan. Specifically, this
sustaining member of its ecosystem is a recovery plans prior to final approval supplement proposes to append habitat-
primary goal of the Service’s (16 U.S.C. 1533(f)(4)). The Service will based recovery criteria for the Northern
endangered species program. To help consider all information received during Continental Divide Ecosystem to the
guide the recovery effort, the Service a public comment period when Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan. All
prepares recovery plans for the federally preparing each new or revised recovery comments received by the date specified
listed species native to the United States plan for approval. The Service and other in DATES will be considered prior to
where a plan will promote the Federal agencies also will take these
conservation of the species. Recovery approval of the final Supplement to the
comments into consideration in the
plans describe site-specific actions Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan. Written
course of implementing approved
necessary for the conservation of the recovery plans. It is our policy to comments and materials regarding the
species; establish objective, measurable request peer review of recovery plans. plan should be submitted as specified in
criteria which, when met, may result in Comments received at the upcoming ADDRESSES.
a determination that the species no workshop announced in this Federal Availability of Public Comments
longer needs the protection of the ESA; Register notice and during the public
and provide estimates of the time and comment period will be used to inform If you submit information via http://
cost for implementing the needed the final habitat-based recovery criteria, www.regulations.gov, your entire
recovery measures (16 U.S.C. which will be appended to the 1993 submission—including any personal
1533(f)(1)(B)). Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan for the identifying information—will be posted
We approved the first Grizzly Bear NCDE and incorporated into the NCDE on the website. If your submission is
Recovery Plan for grizzly bears in the Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy. The made via a hardcopy that includes
lower 48 States on January 29, 1982 Recovery Plan sets out guidance for the personal identifying information, you
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1982). In Service, States, and other partners on may request at the top of your document
1993, we approved a revision to the methods to minimize threats to grizzly
Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan (U.S. Fish that we withhold this information from
bears and criteria that may be used to public review. However, we cannot
and Wildlife Service 1993), which measure if recovery has been achieved
included additional tasks and new guarantee that we will be able to do so.
while the Conservation Strategy guides
information that increased the focus and We will post all hardcopy submissions
post-delisting management.
effectiveness of recovery efforts. The on http://www.regulations.gov.
1993 Recovery Plan identifies distinct Workshop Comments and materials we receive will
Recovery Zones and unique recovery As described above, the Service will be available for public inspection on
criteria for six different grizzly bear hold a public workshop seeking input http://www.regulations.gov, or by
populations, including the NCDE, with and ideas on objective, measurable appointment, during normal business
the intent that these individual habitat-based recovery criteria available hours, at the Grizzly Bear Recovery
populations would be delisted as they at https://www.fws.gov/mountain- Office address specified in ADDRESSES.
each achieve recovery (U.S. Fish and prairie/es/grizzlyBear.php. We seek
Wildlife Service 1993, pp. ii, 33–34). ideas and information about References Cited
Supplements to the Recovery Plan were characteristics of habitat necessary to A list of the references cited in this
approved in 1997, 1998, 2007, and 2017 support a recovered population of notice may be found at http://
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1997, grizzly bears and habitat parameters that
www.regulations.gov in Docket No.
1998, 2007a, 2007b, 2017). can be measured and directly related to
Under the ESA, recovery plans must grizzly bear population health. The FWS–R6–ES–2017–0057.
include objective, measurable recovery Service also wants to obtain information Authority
criteria, including habitat-based and comments on methods for
recovery standards (16 U.S.C. monitoring the habitat-based recovery The authority for this action is section
1533(f)(1)(B)(ii)). A Grizzly Bear criteria. The workshop will be held in 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16
Recovery Plan Task Force also Missoula, Montana, on the date U.S.C. 1533(f).
recommended further consideration of specified in DATES at the location Dated: October 5, 2017.
this issue, stating that we should work specified in ADDRESSES. Participants are
Noreen E. Walsh,
to ‘‘establish a threshold of minimal invited to present information in oral
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
habitat values to be maintained within and written form. All comments Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region,
each Cumulative Effects Analysis Unit presented orally should also be Denver, Colorado.
in order to ensure that sufficient habitat submitted in writing to facilitate review [FR Doc. 2017–26257 Filed 12–11–17; 8:45 am]
is available to support a viable of these comments. Those wishing to BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
population’’ (U.S. Fish and Wildlife present information or comments orally
Service 1993, p. 76). The draft habitat- at the workshop are asked to contact the
based recovery criteria were developed Grizzly Bear Recovery Office (see
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Document Created: 2018-10-25 10:49:48
Document Modified: 2018-10-25 10:49:48
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of document availability; request for comments; notice of public workshop. | |
| Dates | Comment submission: Comments on the draft Supplement to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan must be received on or before January 26, 2018. | |
| Contact | Hilary Cooley, Grizzly Bear Recovery | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 58444 |
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