[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 150 (Monday, August 5, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 50619-50622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-19621]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

36 CFR Part 242

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 100

RIN 1018-AI62


Subsistence Management Regulations for Public Lands in Alaska, 
Subpart C and Subpart D--2003-2004 Subsistence Taking of Wildlife 
Regulations

AGENCIES: Forest Service, Agriculture; Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: This proposed rule would establish regulations for hunting and 
trapping seasons, harvest limits, methods, and means related to taking 
of wildlife for subsistence uses during the 2003-2004 regulatory year. 
The rulemaking is necessary because Subpart D is subject to an annual 
public review cycle. When final, this rulemaking would replace the 
wildlife taking regulations included in the ``Subsistence Management 
Regulations for Public Lands in Alaska, Subpart D--2002-2003 
Subsistence Taking of Fish and Wildlife Regulations,'' which expire on 
June 30, 2003. This rule would also amend the Customary and Traditional 
Use Determinations of the Federal Subsistence Board and the General 
Regulations related to the taking of wildlife.

DATES: The Federal Subsistence Board must receive your written public 
comments and proposals to change this proposed rule no later than 
October 18, 2002. Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils 
(Regional Councils) will hold public meetings to receive proposals to 
change this proposed rule from September 4, 2002-October 11, 2002. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional information on the public 
meetings.

ADDRESSES: You may submit proposals electronically to 
[email protected]. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for file formats and 
other information about electronic filing. You may also submit written 
comments and proposals to the Office of Subsistence Management, 3601 C 
Street, Suite 1030, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. The public meetings will 
be held at various locations in Alaska. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
for additional information on locations of the public meetings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chair, Federal Subsistence Board, c/o 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Attention: Thomas H. Boyd, Office of 
Subsistence Management; (907) 786-3888. For questions specific to 
National Forest System lands, contact Ken Thompson, Regional 
Subsistence Program Manager, USDA, Forest Service, Alaska Region, (907) 
786-3592.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Review Process--Regulation Comments, Proposals, and Public 
Meetings

    The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) will hold meetings on this 
proposed rule at the following locations in Alaska:

Region 1--Southeast Regional Council, Hoonah, September 30, 2002
Region 2--Southcentral Regional Council, Cordova, October 2, 2002
Region 3--Kodiak/Aleutians Regional Council, Nelson Lagoon, September 
18, 2002
Region 4--Bristol Bay Regional Council, Naknek, September 30, 2002
Region 5--Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Council, Chevak, October 10, 
2002
Region 6--Western Interior Regional Council, Holy Cross, October 3, 
2002
Region 7--Seward Peninsula Regional Council, Nome, October 10, 2002
Region 8--Northwest Arctic Regional Council, Kotzebue, September 18, 
2002
Region 9--Eastern Interior Regional Council, Beaver, October 8, 2002
Region 10--North Slope Regional Council, Barrow, September 4, 2002

    We will publish notice of specific dates, times, and meeting 
locations in local and statewide newspapers prior to the meetings. We 
may need to change locations and dates based on weather or local 
circumstances. The amount of work on each Regional Council's agenda 
will determine the length of the Regional Council meetings.
    Electronic filing of comments (preferred method): You may submit 
electronic comments (proposals) and other data to [email protected]. 
Please submit as either WordPerfect or MS Word files, avoiding the use 
of any special characters and any form of encryption.
    We will compile and distribute for additional public review during 
November 2002 the written proposals to change Subpart D hunting and 
trapping regulations and customary and traditional use determinations 
in Subpart C. A 30-day public comment period will follow distribution 
of the compiled proposal packet. We will accept written public comments 
on distributed proposals during the public comment period, which is 
presently scheduled to end on January 6, 2003.
    We will hold a second series of Regional Council meetings in 
February and March 2003, to assist the Regional Councils in developing 
recommendations to the Board. You may also present comments on 
published proposals to change hunting and trapping and customary and 
traditional use determination regulations to the Regional Councils at 
those winter meetings.
    The Board will discuss and evaluate proposed changes to this rule 
during a public meeting scheduled to be held in Anchorage, May 2003. 
You may provide additional oral testimony on specific proposals before 
the Board at that time. The Board will then deliberate and take final 
action on proposals received that request changes to this proposed rule 
at that public meeting.

    Please Note: The Board will not consider proposals for changes 
relating to fish or shellfish regulations at this time. The Board 
will be calling for proposed changes to those regulations in January 
2003.

    The Board's review of your comments and wildlife proposals will be 
facilitated by you providing the following information: (a) Your name, 
address, and telephone number; (b) The section and/or paragraph of the 
proposed rule for which your change is being suggested; (c) A statement 
explaining why the change is necessary; (d) The proposed wording 
change; (e) Any additional information you believe will help the Board 
in evaluating your proposal. Proposals that fail to include the above 
information, or proposals that are beyond the scope of authorities in 
Sec. ----.24, Subpart C and Secs. ----.25 or ----.26, Subpart D, may be 
rejected. The Board may defer review and action on some proposals if 
workload exceeds work capacity of staff, Regional Councils, or Board. 
These deferrals will be based on recommendations of the affected 
Regional Council, staff members, and on the basis of least harm to the 
subsistence user and the resource involved. Proposals should be 
specific to customary and traditional use determinations or to 
subsistence hunting and trapping seasons, harvest limits, and/or 
methods and means.

Background

    Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 
(ANILCA) (16 U.S.C. 3111-3126) requires that the Secretary of the 
Interior

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and the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretaries) implement a joint 
program to grant a preference for subsistence uses of fish and wildlife 
resources on public lands, unless the State of Alaska enacts and 
implements laws of general applicability that are consistent with 
ANILCA and that provide for the subsistence definition, preference, and 
participation specified in Sections 803, 804, and 805 of ANILCA. The 
State implemented a program that the Department of the Interior 
previously found to be consistent with ANILCA.
    However, in December 1989, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in 
McDowell v. State of Alaska that the rural preference in the State 
subsistence statute violated the Alaska Constitution. The Court's 
ruling in McDowell required the State to delete the rural preference 
from the subsistence statute and, therefore, negated State compliance 
with ANILCA. The Court stayed the effect of the decision until July 1, 
1990.
    As a result of the McDowell decision, the Department of the 
Interior and the Department of Agriculture (Departments) assumed, on 
July 1, 1990, responsibility for implementation of Title VIII of ANILCA 
on public lands. On June 29, 1990, the Temporary Subsistence Management 
Regulations for Public Lands in Alaska were published in the Federal 
Register (55 FR 27114-27170). Consistent with Subparts A, B, and C of 
these regulations, as revised June 12, 2001, (66 FR 31533), the 
Departments established a Federal Subsistence Board to administer the 
Federal Subsistence Management Program. The Board's composition 
includes a Chair appointed by the Secretary of the Interior with 
concurrence of the Secretary of Agriculture; the Alaska Regional 
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the Alaska Regional Director, 
U.S. National Park Service; the Alaska State Director, U.S. Bureau of 
Land Management; the Alaska Regional Director, U.S. Bureau of Indian 
Affairs; and the Alaska Regional Forester, USDA Forest Service. Through 
the Board, these agencies participate in the development of regulations 
for Subparts A, B, and C, and the annual Subpart D regulations.
    All Board members have reviewed this rule and agree with its 
substance. Because this rule relates to public lands managed by an 
agency or agencies in both the Departments of Agriculture and the 
Interior, identical text would be incorporated into 36 CFR part 242 and 
50 CFR part 100.

Applicability of Subparts A, B, and C

    Subparts A, B, and C (unless otherwise amended) of the Subsistence 
Management Regulations for Public Lands in Alaska, 50 CFR 100.1 to 
100.23 and 36 CFR 242.1 to 242.23, remain effective and apply to this 
rule. Therefore, all definitions located at 50 CFR 100.4 and 36 CFR 
242.4 would apply to regulations found in this subpart.

Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils

    Pursuant to the Record of Decision, Subsistence Management 
Regulations for Federal Public Lands in Alaska, April 6, 1992, and the 
Subsistence Management Regulations for Federal Public Lands in Alaska, 
36 CFR 242.11 (2001) and 50 CFR 100.11 (2001), and for the purposes 
identified therein, we divide Alaska into ten subsistence resource 
regions, each of which is represented by a Regional Council. The 
Regional Councils provide a forum for rural residents with personal 
knowledge of local conditions and resource requirements to have a 
meaningful role in the subsistence management of fish and wildlife on 
Alaska public lands. The Regional Council members represent varied 
geographical, cultural, and user diversity within each region.
    The Regional Councils have a substantial role in reviewing the 
proposed rule and making recommendations for the final rule. Moreover, 
the Council Chairs, or their designated representatives, will present 
their Council's recommendations at the Board meeting in May 2003.

Proposed Changes From 2002-2003 Seasons and Bag Limit Regulations

    Subpart D regulations (Secs. ----.25 and----.26) are subject to an 
annual cycle and require development of an entire new rule each year. 
Customary and traditional use determinations (Sec. ----.24 of Subpart 
C) are also subject to an annual review process providing for 
modification each year. The text of the 2002-2003 Subparts C and D 
final rule, without modification, served as the foundation for the 
2003-2004 Subparts C and D proposed rule. Please see 67 FR 43709, June 
28, 2002. The amendments made to subparts C and D in that rule are the 
same as the amendments we are proposing in this rule. The regulations 
contained in this proposed rule would take effect on July 1, 2003, 
unless elements are changed by subsequent Board action following the 
public review process outlined herein.

Conformance With Statutory and Regulatory Authorities

    National Environmental Policy Act Compliance--A Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DEIS) that described four alternatives for developing 
a Federal Subsistence Management Program was distributed for public 
comment on October 7, 1991. That document described the major issues 
associated with Federal subsistence management as identified through 
public meetings, written comments, and staff analysis and examined the 
environmental consequences of the four alternatives. Proposed 
regulations (Subparts A, B, and C) that would implement the preferred 
alternative were included in the DEIS as an appendix. The DEIS and the 
proposed administrative regulations presented a framework for an annual 
regulatory cycle regarding subsistence hunting and fishing regulations 
(Subpart D). The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was 
published on February 28, 1992.
    Based on the public comment received, the analysis contained in the 
FEIS, and the recommendations of the Federal Subsistence Board and the 
Department of the Interior's Subsistence Policy Group, it was the 
decision of the Secretary of the Interior, with the concurrence of the 
Secretary of Agriculture, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture-
Forest Service, to implement Alternative IV as identified in the DEIS 
and FEIS (Record of Decision on Subsistence Management for Federal 
Public Lands in Alaska (ROD), signed April 6, 1992). The DEIS and the 
selected alternative in the FEIS defined the administrative framework 
of an annual regulatory cycle for subsistence hunting and fishing 
regulations. The final rule for Subsistence Management Regulations for 
Public Lands in Alaska, Subparts A, B, and C (57 FR 22940-22964, 
published May 29, 1992) implemented the Federal Subsistence Management 
Program and included a framework for an annual cycle for subsistence 
hunting and fishing regulations.
    An environmental assessment was prepared in 1997 on the expansion 
of Federal jurisdiction over fisheries and is available by contacting 
the office listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. The Secretary 
of the Interior with the concurrence of the Secretary of Agriculture 
determined that the expansion of Federal jurisdiction does not 
constitute a major Federal action, significantly affecting the human 
environment and has, therefore, signed a Finding of No Significant 
Impact.
    Compliance with Section 810 of ANILCA--A Section 810 analysis was 
completed as part of the FEIS process on the Federal Subsistence 
Management Program. The intent of all Federal subsistence regulations 
is to accord

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subsistence uses of fish and wildlife on public lands a priority over 
the taking of fish and wildlife on such lands for other purposes, 
unless restriction is necessary to conserve healthy fish and wildlife 
populations. The final Section 810 analysis determination appeared in 
the April 6, 1992, ROD, which concluded that the Federal Subsistence 
Management Program, under Alternative IV with an annual process for 
setting hunting and fishing regulations, may have some local impacts on 
subsistence uses, but it does not appear that the program may 
significantly restrict subsistence uses.
    During the environmental assessment process, an evaluation of the 
effects of this rule was also conducted in accordance with Section 810. 
This evaluation supports the Secretaries' determination that the rule 
will not reach the ``may significantly restrict'' threshold for notice 
and hearings under ANILCA Section 810(a) for any subsistence resources 
or uses.
    Paperwork Reduction Act--This rule contains information collection 
requirements subject to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. It applies to the use of 
public lands in Alaska. The information collection requirements are 
approved by OMB under 44 U.S.C. 3501 and have been assigned control 
number 1018-0075, which expires July 31, 2003. Federal agencies may not 
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a 
collection of information unless it displays a current valid OMB 
control number.
    Currently, information is being collected by the use of a Federal 
Subsistence Registration Permit and Designated Hunter Application. The 
information collected on these two permits establishes whether an 
applicant qualifies to participate in a Federal subsistence hunt on 
public land in Alaska and provides a report of harvest and the location 
of harvest. The collected information is necessary to determine harvest 
success, harvest location, and population health in order to make 
management decisions relative to the conservation of healthy wildlife 
populations. Additional harvest information is obtained from harvest 
reports submitted to the State of Alaska. The recordkeeping burden for 
this aspect of the program is negligible (1 hour or less). This 
information is accessed via computer data base.

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                                                         Completion                   Estimated
                                            Estimated     time for      Estimated      annual      Hourly cost
                  Form                      number of     each form      annual        burden          for           Financial burden on respondents
                                           respondents     (hour)       response       (hours)     respondent
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Federal Subsistence Registration Permit.         5,000         \1/4\         5,000         1,250        $20.00  $5.00 each or $25,000 total.
Designated Hunter Application...........         2,000         \1/4\         2,000           500         20.00  $5.00 each or $10,000 total.
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    You may direct comments on the burden estimate or any other aspect 
of this form to: Information Collection Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 1849 C Street, NW, MS 224 ARLSQ, Washington, DC 20240; and the 
Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project 
(Subsistence), Washington, DC 20503. Additional information collection 
requirements may be imposed if local advisory committees subject to the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act are established under subpart B. Such 
requirements will be submitted to OMB for approval prior to their 
implementation.
    Economic Effects--This rule is not a significant rule subject to 
OMB review under Executive Order 12866.
    This rulemaking will impose no significant costs on small entities; 
this rule does not restrict any existing sport or commercial fishery on 
the public lands, and subsistence fisheries will continue at 
essentially the same levels as they presently occur. The exact number 
of businesses and the amount of trade that will result from this 
Federal land-related activity is unknown. The aggregate effect is an 
insignificant positive economic effect on a number of small entities, 
such as ammunition, snowmachine, and gasoline dealers. The number of 
small entities affected is unknown; but, the fact that the positive 
effects will be seasonal in nature and will, in most cases, merely 
continue preexisting uses of public lands indicates that they will not 
be significant.
    In general, the resources to be harvested under this rule are 
already being harvested and consumed by the local harvester and do not 
result in an additional dollar benefit to the economy. However, we 
estimate that 2 million pounds of meat are harvested by subsistence 
users annually and, if given an estimated dollar value of $3.00 per 
pound, would equate to about $6 million in food value state-wide.
    The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
requires preparation of flexibility analyses for rules that will have a 
significant effect on a substantial number of small entities, which 
include small businesses, organizations or governmental jurisdictions. 
The Departments certify based on the above figures that this rulemaking 
will not have a significant economic effect on a substantial number of 
small entities within the meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. 
Under the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (5 U.S.C. 
801 et seq.), this rule is not a major rule. It does not have an effect 
on the economy of $100 million or more, will not cause a major increase 
in costs or prices for consumers, and does not have significant adverse 
effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, 
innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with 
foreign-based enterprises.
    Title VIII of ANILCA requires the Secretaries to administer a 
subsistence priority on public lands. The scope of this program is 
limited by definition to certain public lands. Likewise, these 
regulations have no potential takings of private property implications 
as defined by Executive Order 12630.
    The Secretaries have determined and certify pursuant to the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, 2 U.S.C. 1502 et seq., that this 
rulemaking will not impose a cost of $100 million or more in any given 
year on local or State governments or private entities. The 
implementation of this rule is by Federal agencies and there is no cost 
imposed on any State or local entities or tribal governments.
    The Secretaries have determined that these regulations meet the 
applicable standards provided in Sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive 
Order 12988, regarding civil justice reform.
    In accordance with Executive Order 13132, the rule does not have 
sufficient federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a 
Federalism Assessment. Title VIII of ANILCA precludes the State

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from exercising subsistence management authority over fish and wildlife 
resources on Federal lands unless it meets certain requirements.
    In accordance with the President's memorandum of April 29, 1994, 
``Government-to-Government Relations with Native American Tribal 
Governments'' (59 FR 22951), Executive Order 13175, and 512 DM 2, we 
have evaluated possible effects on Federally recognized Indian tribes 
and have determined that there are no effects. The Bureau of Indian 
Affairs is a participating agency in this rulemaking.
    On May 18, 2001, the President issued Executive Order 13211 on 
regulations that significantly affect energy supply, distribution, or 
use. This Executive Order requires agencies to prepare Statements of 
Energy Effects when undertaking certain actions. As this rule is not a 
significant regulatory action under Executive Order 13211, affecting 
energy supply, distribution, or use, this action is not a significant 
action and no Statement of Energy Effects is required.
    Drafting Information--William Knauer drafted these regulations 
under the guidance of Thomas H. Boyd, of the Office of Subsistence 
Management, Alaska Regional Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Anchorage, Alaska. Taylor Brelsford, Alaska State Office, Bureau of 
Land Management; Sandy Rabinowitch, Alaska Regional Office, National 
Park Service; Warren Eastland, Alaska Regional Office, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs; Greg Bos, Alaska Regional Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service; and Ken Thompson, USDA-Forest Service provided additional 
guidance.

List of Subjects

36 CFR Part 242

    Administrative practice and procedure, Alaska, Fish, National 
forests, Public lands, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Wildlife.

50 CFR Part 100

    Administrative practice and procedure, Alaska, Fish, National 
forests, Public lands, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Wildlife.

    Dated: July 24, 2002.
Kenneth E. Thompson,
Subsistence Program Manager, USDA-Forest Service.
Peggy Fox,
Acting Chair, Federal Subsistence Board.
[FR Doc. 02-19621 Filed 8-2-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P; 4310-55-P